Here are the 20 best Disney Plus reality shows you can watch in 2023

Disney Plus reality shows have been part of the streaming service since it launched in November 2019. Indeed, the majority of exclusive original shows on Disney Plus are documentary and unscripted programs, with new shows and movies landing on the service every week. So which ones are the best?

Let’s take a look at the best Disney Plus reality shows that are currently available. As you will see, they range from competition shows to behind-the-scenes at Disney to a unique show that brings together former high school students to recreate their school musical.

If you want to watch these shows for yourself, be sure to sign up for Disney Plus at the link below:

Editor’s note: We’ll be updating this list of the best Disney Plus reality shows regularly as new ones hit the streaming service.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-PG
• Runtime: 60 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: Jason Cohen
• Main cast: Kristen Bell
• Genre: Music
• Ratings: 7.6 – IMDB / 70% – Rotten Tomatoes

The best of the Disney Plus reality shows, this series is all about getting back together with your high school friends. In this case, the series, hosted and narrated by Kristen Bell, takes former high school students back to their old campus. The goal is to recreate the high school musicals that they performed when they were kids as adults. You can see not only how these kids have turned into adults, but how participating in their high school musicals helped in some way to shape their lives.

Encore! is obviously geared to former theater kids who thrived on the opportunity to express themselves through an artistic outlet. If that was you, you’ll likely enjoy Encore!, though it’s sure to appeal to fans of Glee or the High School Musical franchise too.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-PG
• Runtime: 30 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: National Geographic
• Main cast: Jeff Goldblum
• Genre: Documentary/science/culture
• Ratings: 7.6 – IMDB / 83% – Rotten Tomatoes

Jeff Goldblum is best known for playing eccentric scientists in movies like the Jurrasic Park and Independence Day series, along with movies like The Fly and Thor: Ragnarok. In this Disney Plus series, Goldblum uses his unique take on life to examine things in the world that many take for granted, like ice cream, barbecue, bikes, and coffee.

The show’s lighthearted, character-driven approach to its subject-matter makes it accessible and fun, while offering educational content and entertainment.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-G
• Runtime: 45 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: Hanger 56
• Main cast: Kelly Ractham, Justin Long
• Genre: Game show/family
• Ratings: 6.9 – IMDB / N/A – Rotten Tomatoes

This competition series, hosted by Justin Long, pits teams of young DIY builders against one another. They are challenged in each episode to build cool creations based on themes like minigolf courses, bridges, picnic tables, and more.

A great choice for the whole family, Shop Class is educational, collaborative, and a ton of fun. This series may inspire you to head to the garage and build something cool with your tools.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-G
• Runtime: 25 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: Eric Day, Mark Koops
• Main cast: Angela Kinsey, DeMaryo Platt
• Genre: Cooking/competition
• Ratings: 6.5 – IMDB / N/A – Rotten Tomatoes

Here’s another competition series, hosted by The Office’s Angela Kinsey. This time, teams of families compete in the kitchen. They are asked to create new dishes that are inspired by classic Disney films. In the end, the winning teams will see their food creations sold in Disney’s resorts.

If you love Disney classics like Aladdin, Moana, Cinderella, and more, and you enjoy shows like MasterChef, you’ll likely be enchanted by the format.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-PG
• Runtime: 27 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: Marvel New Media
• Main cast: Various
• Genre: Documentary/family
• Ratings: 6.8 – IMDB / 92% – Rotten Tomatoes

This series puts the focus on a number of different kids who are trying to make a difference in their communities. The team at Marvel Comics not only puts the spotlight on these efforts but also turns the kids’ stories into custom comic books where they are real superheroes.

The series offers inspiring stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and it’s great to watch with the whole family. It doesn’t have to take being bitten by a radioactive spider to make change in your community, and sometimes its nice to be reminded of that.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-PG
• Runtime: 31 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: Dana Nachman, Don Hardy
• Main cast: Various
• Genre: Animals/nature/documentary
• Ratings: 8 – IMDB / N/A – Rotten Tomatoes

If you love dogs, then this reality show on Disney Plus is for you. You can watch as six puppies are trained to become guide dogs for the blind. You see them taught how to lead their masters by their training guides, all the way to when they leave their trainers to join with their new masters.

It’s cute and heartwarming, and you may need some tissues in some places. Direcotrs Dana Nachman and Don Hardy created Pick of the Litter for Disney Plus, based on their own 2018 film of the same name. It’s a perfect choice for animal lovers everywhere.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-14
• Runtime: 22 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: BBC Studios
• Main cast: Bobby Bones
• Genre: Documentary
• Ratings:  7.3 – IMDB / N/A – Rotten Tomatoes

Bobby Bones is up for anything. He travels around America meeting everyday heroes with unique jobs, skills, and past times. They walk Bobby through their routines, teaching him about their lives and challenging him to take risks and experience the world around him in new ways.

If you like daredevils and extreme sports, you’ll likely get a kick out of Breaking Bobby Bones, one of the best reality shows on Disney Plus.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-PG
• Runtime: 120 minutes per episode (2022-present)
• Director/Creator: Alex Rudzinski, Phil Heyes
• Main cast: Various
• Genre: Competition/dance
• Ratings: 4.8 – IMDB / N/A – Rotten Tomatoes

Watch your favorite celebrities pair up with professional dancers to compete against each other in dancing competitions. Dancing with the Stars has been a huge hit since its debut in 2005 as an American adaptation of the UK’s Strictly Come Dancing.

The ABC mainstay made its move to Disney Plus in 2022, where it’s now a streaming original, and one of the best reality shows on the service. If you’re a fan of game shows, dance, or both, this is the reality show for you.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-PG
• Runtime: 41 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: Rich Kim
• Main cast: Keke Palmer, Amirah Kassem, Benny Rivera, Anthony Mendez
• Genre: Food/competition
• Ratings: 4.7 – IMDB / N/A – Rotten Tomatoes

In each episode of Foodtastic, competing cooks have to recreate massive scenes from different Disney titles, all made out of food. Their food builds include themes from Disney, Pixar, Lucasfilm, the Muppets, and more.

Much like Be Our Chef, Foodtastic revolves around nostalgia for popular Disney titles, mixing in food challenges. If you enjoy Be Our Chef, Magic Bake Off, or other cooking competition shows, it’s likely to appeal to you, all while reminding you about why you love classics like Up, Beauty and the Beast, and more.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-14
• Runtime: 54 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel
• Main cast: Chris Hemsworth
• Genre: Documentary/adventure/science
• Ratings: 8.1 – IMDB / 88% – Rotten Tomatoes

You probably know Chris Hemsworth best as Thor, the Norse god of thunder in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In Limitless, the actor puts his mind and body to the test, seeing what it takes to approach true immortality. Or close to it. Hemsworth meets with scientists and takes on six challenges, all in a search for ways to live a better and longer life.

Limitless is a thoughtful and exciting look at the human condition, with the fun of watching Hemsworth and his giant muscles going through extreme trials. If you’re interested in health and wellness, fitness, travel, adventure, and science, don’t miss this reality show on Disney Plus.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-PG
• Runtime: 36 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: Jason C. Henry, Dan Lanigan
• Main cast: Daniel Lanigan
• Genre: Documentary/pop culture
• Ratings: 8.1 – IMDB / N/A – Rotten Tomatoes

Join movie prop collector Dan Lanigan as he reunites iconic Disney movie props with filmmakers, actors, crew, and private collectors to breathe new life into props and share their history, all while working to restore them to their former glory. Prop Culture offers a detailed look at the props that were created for classic Disney movies and TV shows and helped define the studio’s history.

Disney owns a huge catalog of classic films and series, and it’s great to see the house of mouse make use of that content to look at and celebrated behind-the-scenes artistry. If you’ve ever wondered “how did they do that?” about your favorite movies, this could be a great show for you.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-PG
• Runtime: 25-34 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: Zach Merck
• Main cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Vanessa Hudgens, Anil Kapoor, Sebastián Yatra
• Genre: Family/travel/lifestyle
• Ratings:  7.3 – IMDB / 71% – Rotten Tomatoes

In Rennervations, Marvel and Mayor of Kingstown actor Jeremy Renner takes his love of construction and travel to Disney Plus, giving back to communities around the world. He reimagines purpose-built vehicles to meet community needs in unique ways.

fans of renovation or travel shows are sure to enjoy this unique, star-driven take on the documentary format, with familiar guest stars joining Renner in every episode to meet new challenges and inspire people everywhere.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-PG
• Runtime: 43 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: Darren Aronofsky
• Main cast: Will Smith
• Genre: Documentary/nature
• Ratings:  7.9 – IMDB / 100% – Rotten Tomatoes

Two-time Academy Award nominee, and the Fresh Prince himself, Will Smith, takes viewers on a wild journey, exploring Earth’s greatest wonders, from the highest mountain peaks to the deepest parts of the ocean, and everywhere in between. Smith is guided by some of the world’s foremost explorers in this six-part documentary series from National Geographic and celebrated filmmaker Darren Aronofsky.

If you like shows like Limitless with Chris Hemsworth, and watching your favorite stars test their personal limits, this will likely be a good choice for you. Or if you simply like to learn about nature and faraway places, it’ll have something to offer.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-14
• Runtime: 47 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: Jon Kroll
• Main cast: Gordon Ramsay
• Genre: Travel/food
• Ratings: 7.7 – IMDB / 75% – Rotten Tomatoes

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is no stranger to restaurant kitchens and cooking competition shows, but in this National Geographic series, he explores the more adventurous side of food. Travelling to every corner of the earth, Ramsay immerses himself in different cultures, learning about the history of food in different places in his pursuit of culinary inspiration.

In the tradition of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted is great choice for fans of travel shows, cooking shows, and cooking travel shows. It’s one of the best reality TV shows on Disney Plus.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-14
• Runtime: 45 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: Joseph Litzinger, Travis Shakespeare, Kevin Tao Mohs
• Main cast: Chip Hailstone, Agnes Hailstone, Sue Aikens, Andy Bassich
• Genre: Docuseries/survival/nature
• Ratings:  7.9 – IMDB / N/A – Rotten Tomatoes

Meet some of the people who live in the coldest, harshest terrains in North America. Life Below Zero follows households in Alaska as they fight the elements to survive and thrive in difficult conditions where temperatures frequently drop — you guessed it — below zero.

The National Geographic docuseries launched in 2013 and is among the best Disney Plus reality shows. This is a hot pick for anyone who likes the kinds of eccentric personalities drawn to extremes.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-PG
• Runtime: 39 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: Jeanmarie Condon
• Main cast: Bob Woodruff, Mack Woodruff
• Genre: Documentary/biography/family
• Ratings:  7.1 – IMDB / 100% – Rotten Tomatoes

This Disney Plus reality series is produced by the folks at National Geographic. It stars ABC News reporter Bob Woodruff. He’s a former war correspondent for the network. In 2006, he was severely injured while reporting in Iraq due to a roadside bomb. However, he still wants to travel the world, including places where violence is still commonplace. The series follows him and his son Mack on trips to different points around the world, including Colombia, Ukraine, and Ethiopia.

If you like stories about fathers and sons bonding, or want to learn about the work of war correspondents, this show should definitely makes its way on your watchlist.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-G
• Runtime: 10 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: Erica Milsom, Tony Kaplan
• Main cast: Various
• Genre: Documentary/pop culture
• Ratings: 7.3 – IMDB / N/A – Rotten Tomatoes

Pixar revolutionized animated movies 25 years ago with the release of Toy Story, the first-ever feature-length CGI film. This short documentary reality series spotlights members of the current Pixar team. Each episode looks into both their personal and creative lives as they work at the highly successful animation studio.

Another way Disney is making use of its huge catalog, Inside Pixar gives you a rare glimpse behind the scenes, with unprecedented access to the people and footage behind some of your favorite movies.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-PG
• Runtime: 24 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: LeBron James, Maverick Carter
• Main cast: Various
• Genre: Documentary/biography/family
• Ratings: 7.1 – IMDB / N/A – Rotten Tomatoes

In Becoming, entertainers and athletes recount major moments in their lives that led them to where they are now. Walk down memory lane, learning how they got their starts, who helped them, what challenges they faced, and more.

If you love celebrity gossip and reading the biographies of famous people, this show will offer a treasure trove of information, all straight from the horse’s mouth. Celebrities included in the show include Adam Devine, Candace Parker, Anthony Davis, Caleb McLaughlin, Nick Kroll, Ashley Tisdale, Caleb McLaughlin, Candace Parker, and Colbie Caillat.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-14
• Runtime: 45 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: Delbert Shoopman
• Main cast: Bear Grylls
• Genre: Survival
• Ratings: 7.6 – IMDB / N/A – Rotten Tomatoes

Survivalist Bear Grylls heads out into nature for some intense survival adventures in this reality show. The big twist? He takes celebrities along with him to test their fearlessness.

Fans of Bear Grylls’s other shows like Man vs. Wild are sure to enjoy Running Wild. The main difference is the inclusion of celebs like Zac Efron, Channing Tatum, Kate Winslet, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Hudson, Michelle Rodriguez, James Marsden, and even President Barack Obama. This is technically a National Geographic show and premiered as an NBC reality show, but it’s a great title you can watch on Disney Plus.

What you need to know:

• Rating: TV-14
• Runtime: 45 minutes per episode
• Director/Creator: Jerry Kolber, Bill Margol
• Main cast: Keegan-Michael Key, Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Silva, Chuck Nice
• Genre: Game show/quiz/trivia
• Ratings: 8.2 – IMDB / N/A – Rotten Tomatoes

Celebrity hosts guide players through mind-blowing games and experiments meant to explore how the human mind works in this Emmy-winning show. Brain Games is easily one of the best reality shows on Disney Plus.

Brain Games is a, uh, no-brainer for fans of trivia and knowledge-testing game shows like Jeopardy and Who Wants to Be a Millionnaire? By using a puzzle format, the show distinguishes itself from the competition and is a fresh entry in the genre.

Ready to watch? You can find the show right here on Disney Plus.

That’s our look at the best Disney Plus reality shows. Again, be sure to sign up for Disney Plus to check these shows out at the link below: