Disney Channel celebrated 20 years on air in Africa with an exclusive anniversary party held at The Tryst in Johannesburg, on Friday, 25 September – the very date the channel first launched on DStv in 2006.
Press, influencers, celebrities, Disney partners and competition-winning fans came together for an afternoon of nostalgia, music and interactive entertainment marking two decades of Disney Channel storytelling on the continent.
Hosted by Chad Jones, the celebration invited guests to journey through the channel’s history via six themed activations, including a nostalgia-filled entrance tunnel, an Inspired-by Fashion Closet styled on characters from Hannah Montana, Descendants and ZOMBIES, and a Disney Channel Memory Wall where guests shared their own favourite moments from the channel. A standout addition was the DC20 Hot Mic Booth, a mini TV-studio activation hosted by young Disney Channels Klik Klub presenters Diante Bastew and Cebelihle Mbambo.
Special celebrity guests in attendance included soccer star Lucas Radebe, 947, Jacaranda FM presenter Rozanne McKenzie, former Miss South Africa Tansey Coetzee, media personalities Vourne Kgosinkwe and Roxy Burger and yours truly of cos.
The afternoon built towards a high-energy finale, with Chad Jones leading guests through a dance challenge to “What’s My Name” from Descendants: The Rise of Red, before bringing the whole room together for a mass dance-off. A family Disney Channel trivia round – kids versus parents – added a playful, competitive edge. The celebration was capped off with a countdown, a cake reveal and a burst of confetti and cold sparks, followed by a group photo marking the “Disney Channel Africa Class of 2026.”
The party arrives as Disney Channel continues to mark its 20th anniversary year with a wave of new content, including the already aired animated original Dragon Striker and a concert special of the Descendants/ZOMBIES Worlds Collide Tour. Fans can also catch up with the recently aired Camp Rock 3, starring Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas, and the brand-new animated comedy series The Doomies, premiering 12 October.
Disney Channel invites fans of all ages to keep celebrating along with us. Watch on DStv Channel 303, connect on Instagram (@DisneyAfrica), Facebook (@DisneyAfricaChannels) and YouTube (@DisneyChannelZA), using the hashtag #DisneyChannelAfrica20.
