If you grew up watching Disney Channel in the 2000s, the network's biggest stars probably felt like one giant friendship group. Behind the scenes, though, there was a lot more teenage drama going on.
According to Wizards of Waverly Place star Jennifer Stone, the young actors were dealing with friendships, arguments and romances much like any other group of teenagers. She has now offered a glimpse into what that world was really like, describing it as 'Disney High'. And yes, that apparently included plenty of dating within the same circle.
Jennifer Stone Calls It 'Disney High'
Stone, who played Harper Finkle on Wizards of Waverly Place from 2007 to 2012, recently reflected on her experience as a child star during an interview on CHEERS! with Avery.
The actress said the Disney environment could feel surprisingly similar to a normal secondary school. 'There were feuds. There were people mad at so and so, just nonsense,' she explained, noting that these teenagers also had access to money and opportunities that most people their age simply did not. 'So it's just a heightened version of high school, I think,' she added.
Stone summed up the experience by saying that 'everybody dated everybody'.
But who actually dated who during their Disney Channel days? Here's a closer look at some of the stars and their rumoured romances.
Miley Cyrus, Nick Jonas & Selena Gomez
One of the most recognisable Disney romances involved Miley Cyrus and Nick Jonas.
The pair dated from 2006 to 2008, while both were rising stars associated with Disney. Cyrus was starring in Hannah Montana, while Jonas was gaining fame with his brothers through their band, Jonas Brothers.
Nick later dated Selena Gomez from 2008 and 2010, who was also part of the Disney Channel family as the star of Wizards of Waverly Place. Their overlapping history became a talking point when Cyrus and Gomez appeared in the 2009 crossover Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana but did not share any scenes.
In 2024, Stone discussed the pair's tension around that Disney crossover, describing it as 'messy high school nonsense'. She also noted that the two are on good terms today.
Demi Lovato, Joe Jonas & AJ Michalka
Then there was the Camp Rock connection.
Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas first met while working on the Disney Channel's film in 2008.
Their friendship eventually turned romantic while they were working on the sequel, Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam, and they began dating in 2010.
Their relationship lasted only a few months before they split in May that year.
Joe had also previously dated AJ Michalka, another Disney star.
Earlier this year, Michalka recalled that she and Joe dated for nearly a year when they were teenagers, before ending their relationship amicably over the phone.
Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens
Of course, no discussion of Disney romances would be complete without Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens.
The High School Musical co-stars met while auditioning for the franchise in 2005 and began dating that same year. Their on-screen chemistry as Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez eventually mirrored their real-life romance, which they kept relatively private before publicly acknowledging it.
Efron and Hudgens remained together for several years while starring in the High School Musical sequels, making them one of Disney's most recognisable young couples. They split in December 2010 after more than three years together.
