Who doesn’t love a TV show filmed at a Disney theme park?

Television has been synonymous with Disney theme parks since BEFORE the first one even opened. Literally, the Disneyland television series debuted a year before the park, and the opening day live telecast was one of the highest viewed programs EVER at the time of its airing. Given that, it’s perhaps no surprise that MANY television shows have filmed at Disneyland and Walt Disney World over the years, with some producing more memorable episodes than others. 

Let’s take a look at some iconic “Disney World vacation episodes! Do you remember these?

Full House: The House Meets the Mouse Parts 1 & 2

Arguably the definitive example of a “goes to Disney World” sitcom episode, the two part sixth season finale of Full House  — aired in may of 1993 — established many of the tropes that would reoccur in many later sitcoms episodes, including: the whole cast taking a trip to Disney World, the resort’s then-latest attractions and rides being on display, resolution of a major romantic subplot (in the case of Full House, Danny proposing to Vicki), and a plethora of Disney easter eggs (like Steve actor Scott Weinger being dressed like Aladdin, since the actor had also voiced the character).

Family Matters: We’re Going to Disney World Parts 1 & 2

Following the success of the Full House episodes — and Disney’s ever-growing relationship with ABC that would eventually culminate in the company acquiring the network — several TGIF shows did Disney episodes. One of the more memorable during this period was this Family Matters two-parter, which aired in 1995. The episodes featured Steve Urkel’s alternate personality Stefan on a romantic Disney getaway with Laura, who had sabotaged his transformation machine to stick him in that personality. So yeah, in other words the anthropomorphic mouse wasn’t the most unrealistic part of the episode. 

Boy Meets World: The Happiest Show on Earth

Airing a year after the Family Matters two-parter as the penultimate episode of Boy Meets World’s third season, The Happiest Show on Earth might be the most memorable Disney episode for 90s kids of a certain age. The episode revolves around the reunion of the show’s endgame couple, Cory and Topanga, culminated by an iconic kiss in front of EPCOT’s Spaceship Earth. In fact, the episode is one of the relatively rare Disney World-based television episodes to be primarily set outside of the Magic Kingdom. 

Roseanne: We’re Going to Disney World & Disney World War II

Airing a few months before the aforementioned Boy Meets World episode in February 1996, Roseanne was somewhat forced to do a Disney World episode due to corporate mandate, and responded with this two-parter that skewered the expense of the parks, and elements of their corporate nature — though admittedly, there was some sentimentality by episode’s end. Perhaps Roseanne producers thought they didn’t get their point across clearly enough, as the show’s next episode — “Springtime for David” — was a full on mocking satire of theme parks and Disney World in particular. 

World Championship Wrestling – Tapings Between 1993 and 1996

Sitcoms weren’t the only shows filmed at Disney World in the 1990s. In fact one of the decades pop cultural touchstones — World Championship Wrestling — filmed at the then-Disney/MGM Studios theme park for several years. The most famous instance was a taping of Monday Nitro in summer 1996 which featured a full wrestling ring and crowd built outside the park’s entrance, and (according to wrestling urban legend) resulted in numerous calls to 911 about a “gang fight” at the theme park from television viewers reacting to the villainous actions of the heel NWO stable. 

American Idol: Numerous Tapings 

American Idol has had a long-running relationship with Walt Disney World, even before the series began airing on Disney-owned ABC thanks to the existence of the American Idol Experience show & attraction at Hollywood Studios. Once American Idol came under the ABC umbrella, vignettes and other content would be filmed at the parks in preparation for the show’s seasonal Disney nights. We spotted this American Idol filming location in May 2024.

Modern Family: Disneyland 

The “sitcom at Disney” concept came back into vogue in the 2010s, spearheaded by this 2012 episode of the acclaimed Modern Family. The episode combined the optimistic takes of the TGIF sitcoms with some of the sardonic bite of the Roseanne episodes. The highlight of the episode is the emotional ending, set around the beloved Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln show. 

Black-Ish: VIP

The premiere of Black-Ish’s third season, which aired in September of 2016, also followed in the footsteps of Roseanne from a social commentary standpoint. The episode revolves around the Johnson family spending a day at Walt Disney World as VIPs, dealing with all of the privileges that come with it. 

The Goldbergs: Vacation

This 2019 episode of The Goldbergs is not only a tribute to Disneyland — where the episode’s climax was filmed — but also the iconic film National Lampoon’s Vacation, as the episode revolves around the family taking a roadtrip to reach Disneyland much like the John Hughes-penned film. 

These are just some of the television episodes filmed at Disney Parks over the years. Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney history!

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Which of these is your favorite episode filmed at Disney? Let us know in the comments below.