Disney Junior Play - Disney

This review of Disney Junior Play was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 29 November 2015.

About the app

This section contains details about the app provided by an ACCM Reviewer.

ACCM review

This review of Disney Junior Play contains the following information:

• The level to which the game was reviewed
• App description
• Reviewers comments
• In App purchasing
• Online information
• Gambling
• Advertising and product placement
• Gender stereotypes and sexual references
• Coarse language
• Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents
• Other

The level to which the game was reviewed

This app was reviewed to completion

App description

Disney Junior Play is an activity-based app that contains age-appropriate games for children. The objective of the app is to work through the various tasks, such as dressing-up characters, practicing reflexes in gaming activities, etc. The skills required include motor skills to use the app, quick reflexes, as well as creativity. 

Reviewers comments

When the app is installed and opened, players are shown an immediate pop-up screen stating that ‘Purchases within Disney Junior Play cost real money which is charged to your account. To disable the ability to make in-app purchases, adjust your device settings’. From here, players are asked to Choose A Profile by entering their name as well as choosing an avatar picture (from images such as a camera, pink bow, butterfly, crown, etc). The game contains the ability to create 4 separate profiles. Players are also informed that they ‘Can add more games and activities to the app by visiting the in-app store to browse available content to buy’. Upon clicking on the Store icon, players are asked to solve a small math equation (e.g. 6 - ? = 14) before being allowed access. From here, users can purchase a range of extra packages. These include multiple packs priced at $4.17, packs priced at $9.74, and packs priced at $12.53. Each of these contains different games, videos, sticker books, etc. The store also contains a Disney logo icon to click on, which then takes players to a separate area containing a list of other free and paid Disney apps to download (e.g. Temple Run: Oz, Where’s My Water?, Castle of Illusion, Maleficent Free Fall, etc). There are no ads shown for these other apps/games, and players are taken directly to the Play Store upon selecting one of these.

After beginning gameplay, players can choose from a range of Disney categories.  However, all of the categories are locked (and must be unlocked via making an in-app purchase) aside from the ‘Junior Favourites’ category. There are several activities to do within this category.

The Sticker Book activity involves dragging and dropping a range of stickers onto a backdrop – for instance, there are stickers of Disney characters, as well as items such as balloons. Players can then place them on a garden background and save their creation. They are told that they can unlock more stickers by playing more games and activities.

The app also contains a Dress-Up activity, where players drag and drop clothing items onto a female character in order to try them on. There is a range of items, including headwear, dresses, shoes, etc. After finalising and saving one of these, players are informed that they have done a good job and have won a new sticker for their sticker book.

‘Mickey’s Party Pop’ is a game-based activity that involves tapping balloons to pop as many as possible within the time frame. The balloons appear randomly across different areas of the screen, so this activity involves quick reflexes and motor skills. Players win a new sticker upon completing a game. They also unlock more challenging levels of the game as they continue to play.

‘Jake’s Treasure Trove’ is another game-based activity, where players must rub areas on the screen to uncover treasure. These treasure items are covered with large areas of sand, and players must tap and hold the screen, and move their finger in order to display what is hidden beneath.

In App purchasing

Yes:

Players are informed that they ‘Can add more games and activities to the app by visiting the in-app store to browse available content to buy’. Upon clicking on the Store icon, players are asked to solve a small math equation (e.g. 6 - ? = 14) before being allowed access. From here, users can purchase from a range of extra packages. These include multiple packs priced at $4.17, packs priced at $9.74, and packs priced at $12.53. Each of these contain different games, videos, sticker books, etc.

Online information

N/A.

Gambling

No gambling content was found during this review.

Advertising and product placement

The store also contains a Disney logo, which takes players to a separate area containing a list of other free and paid Disney apps to download (e.g. Temple Run: Oz, Where’s My Water?, Castle of Illusion, Maleficent Free Fall, etc). There are no ads shown, however, and players are taken directly to the Play Store upon selecting one of these. The app also heavily advertises the Disney franchise.

Gender stereotypes and sexual references

N/A.

Coarse language

N/A.

Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents

No game playing behaviour which may be of concern to parents was found during this review.

Other

N/A.

Got a suggestion?

You can contact us if you have suggestions of other children's apps to review.