Disney’s newest stars aren’t coming from Hollywood. They’re coming straight from YouTube.

©Disney

Since June, Disney has signed Gracie’s Corner, Dhar Mann, Like Nastya, and, just this month, Dude Perfect, the trick-shot crew that once raced through all 12 Disney parks around the world in under 75 hours. One deal is a fun headline. Four major deals in four months is a game plan. So what is Disney really after? Let’s break it down.

Recent Creator Deals

Before we get into the why, here’s a quick look at who Disney has brought on board this year. It started in June with Gracie’s Corner, the educational music channel with nearly 10 billion views, which brought more than 120 shorts to Disney+ and Disney Jr. and will create new original content. In August, Dhar Mann Studios, known for its feel-good dramas and 170 million-plus followers, landed an initial order of 20 episodes for kids, tweens, teens, and families.

September brought Like Nastya, one of the biggest kids’ creators in the world, with more than 450 million subscribers across 25 channels. Her deal includes an animated preschool series for Disney Jr. and Disney+, new live-action content and a collection of her existing videos. Then this month, Dude Perfect signed on to make Disney-inspired videos for its own channels, with select content heading to Disney+ and clips appearing across Disney+, ESPN and Disney’s social accounts.

Reason #1: Kids Are Watching YouTube, Not TV

If you have kids at home, you probably already know this one. Saturday morning cartoons have been replaced by YouTube, and the numbers back it up. YouTube brought in an estimated $62 billion in 2025, according to financial research firm MoffettNathanson. That’s more than Disney’s entire media business, which made $60.9 billion (not counting the parks). And kids are a big part of that audience. An estimated 64% of kids ages 8–12 use YouTube and TikTok every day, and more than 30% of Gen Alphas watch YouTube and YouTube Shorts for over two hours a day.

Here’s the interesting part. Disney isn’t trying to pull kids away from YouTube. When Gracie’s Corner joined Disney+ and Disney Jr. in June, the show kept its YouTube channel, too. Disney is simply showing up where kids already spend their time and inviting them to follow their favorite creators over to Disney+.

©Disney

Reason #2: Disney+ Gets Proven Content, Ready to Go

Take a closer look at these deals, and you’ll notice a pattern. Almost every one includes a library of videos that already exist. Disney+ is getting Like Nastya’s back catalog, a selection of Dude Perfect’s short-form clips, and more than 120 Gracie’s Corner shorts. That’s a smart move. Making a brand-new show is expensive, and there’s no guarantee anyone will watch it. These videos have already racked up billions of views, so Disney knows they work before they ever land on Disney+.

©YouTube TV

They also fit right into the new ways Disney+ is serving up content. This year the app launched Verts, a vertical video feed that will feel familiar to anyone who scrolls TikTok, plus a Creator Collection that brings creator-made videos to Disney+ and Hulu. For families, that means more to watch. For Disney, it means tested hits instead of guesswork.

Reason #3: There’s a Creator for Every Age

Each creator fills a different gap. As kids grow out of one show, there’s another familiar face waiting for them on Disney+. That keeps the whole family subscribed from the toddler years all the way through high school.

• Preschoolers: Gracie’s Corner, Like Nastya’s upcoming animated series, and Lenny Pearce join Disney Jr. favorites like Bluey and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
• Tweens and teens: Dhar Mann’s feel-good dramas about right and wrong, plus Lala Sadii’s scripted series Lala IRL.
• Sports-loving families and big kids: Dude Perfect, whose deal also brings their videos to ESPN.

Reason #4: A Built-In Hype for Disney’s Biggest Moments

The Dude Perfect deal shows what else Disney gets out of these partnerships: marketing. Disney has already seen what that kind of reach can do. When Dude Perfect took on the challenge of visiting all 12 Disney parks worldwide in under 75 hours, the video pulled in more than 13 million views in its first 24 hours and raised over $1.2 million for Make-A-Wish. Imagine that same energy pointed at a new Marvel movie.

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Is Disney Just Playing Catch-Up?

To be fair, Disney isn’t the only company doing this. Netflix has been signing top YouTubers too, so part of this push is about keeping up with the competition. Some longtime fans may also worry about YouTube videos taking up space that used to go to classic Disney content. Still, the sheer number of deals and how neatly they fit together suggest Disney is doing more than just following the crowd.

These proven creators bring ready-made audiences, fill Disney+ with content families already love, and cover every age. Follow us at DisneyFoodBlog for the latest Disney news.

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