Before there was The Disney Channel, there was the "Walt Disney Presents" TV series anthology that started in 1954. In early 1977, Jim Jimirro brought an idea forth: "What if we made a television network for the whole nation to see what we're known for?" Well that thought rang out for 6 years throughout the company.. and then at 7:00 AM on April 18, 1983 just 3 days after the debut of Tokyo Disneyland, they pressed the button and The Disney Channel was launched all over the nation as a premium cable channel. Shows like Mousercise, Welcome To Pooh Corner, Donald Duck Presents, You & Me Kid, and others started out the network when they aired for 16 hours the first year. Around 1984, they turned the time up to 18 hours and kept the shows rolling. They also went to the UK with 6 VHS tapes of what The Disney Channel offered in the US, while Australia had 7 more VHS tapes.
In 1986, The Disney Channel debuted a show called Kids Incorporated which starred Jennifer Love Hewitt & Stacy Ferguson (aka Fergie from the BEP). The show drew in a big crowd to their TV the 3rd year of the network and then things got better. On the 5th year TDC kept on air, which of course is 1988, they added a show called Good Morning Miss Bliss starring Hayley Mills. However, NBC picked it up after 13 episodes but got it retooled as Saved By The Bell.
Then in 1989 The Disney Channel did the impossible: brought back The Mickey Mouse Club. After airing the originals, they brought it back as The All New Mickey Mouse Club. Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Keri Russell, Britney Spears, Ryan Gosling, and Christina Aguilera were part of this new take.
However, after 1993 things took a switch to the better side of The Disney Channel.
