Aside from some installments in Disney’s Princess Collection, there hasn’t been a Disney Sing-Along DVD released in a while. In general, these discs are a lot of fun for younger children and those who are starting to read, especially if they are musically inclined.

The Disney Sing-Along discs usually don’t have much original content in them. Rather, they take clips from the Disney vault (sometimes spotlighting pieces that are not released on home video elsewhere, like “Song of the South”) and present them in a 30-minute collection with words on screen.

With this year being the 50th anniversary of Disneyland, the studio has released four new Sing-Along DVDs focusing on the historic theme park. Like most Sing-Along videos, these DVD releases are actually re-releases of earlier titles that were shot and manufactured in the 1990s.

Instead of taking the actual clips from the films themselves, these were originally shot to spotlight different parts of the Disney theme parks. “Disneyland Fun” comes from 1990 and is put in the template of the old VHS Sing-Along songs, hosted by Mr. Owl. All the songs are shot and performed in different areas of the park. Some of the songs featured include “Whistle While You Work,” “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” and “It’s a Small World.”

“Campout at Walt Disney World” features the Florida park circa 1994, including Discovery Island and River Country. The full-size costumed Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Minnie and Pluto accompany a group of kids on a camping trip and sing old classic songs like “Comin’ Round the Mountain,’ “Turkey in the Straw” and “Country Roads.”

“Beach Party at Walt Disney World” again features Florida in 1995 with the same cast from “Campout at Walt Disney World.” The attractions of Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon and Shark Reef are the backdrop for songs like “Celebration,” “Surfin’ Safari” and “Limbo Rock.”

The best disc of the four is 1998’s “Flik’s Musical Adventure,” shot at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Flik from “A Bug’s Life” is the guide on a safari of animals from Africa to Asia, including some prehistoric dinosaurs. Not only does this disc feature sing-along tunes, but it also has some nice science information as well.

The audience for the Disney Sing-Along discs is pretty easy to peg. Younger children like to dance and sing along with the television. Of course, all four of these discs are packaged advertisements for the Disney theme parks. Even my four-year-old, upon watching them just once, has already started to ask when we’re going to go there. If you can handle the pressure of your kids, these can be fun.



Specifications: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Fullscreen aspect ration (1.33:1). English subtitles for the hearing impaired.