Series debut: Disney Junior's Sofia the First

Once upon a time there was a new Disney Junior series that gained a massive audience with only one short feature...

You may have already heard of a little television phenomenon by the name of Sofia the First. A 45-minute feature, Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess, made its debut this year on Disney Junior in North America.

The new series, which will make its official debut in the new year, chronicles the young life of newly-crowned Princess Sofia, whose mother Miranda recently married the affable King Roland II. Having grown up with very little money, Sofia struggles to adjust to her new life — and tries to bond with her new step-sister and step-brother, Amber and James. Her world soon expands even more when she's sent to Royal Prep, a school for international princes and princesses.

Sofia the First is a refreshing look at classic fairy tales, told through the eyes of a young girl — and kids will delight in the much-anticipated cameos from signature Disney characters like Cinderella (who appears in the short feature Once Upon a Princess), Jasmine, Snow White and Aurora, among others. And what Disney feature would be complete without some fuzzy animal friends and new original songs?

Featuring the voices of Modern Family's Ariel Winter, Grey's Anatomy star Sara Ramirez, Project Runway's Tim Gunn and actor/comedian Wayne Brady, Sofia the First is sure to be a family favourite.

The short feature Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess is scheduled for encore presentations on Disney Junior Canada on the following dates:
Saturday, December 22, 2012 at 8 a.m. (EST)
Wednesday, December 26, 2012 at 9:30 a.m. (EST)
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 12:20 p.m. (EST)

The official TV series debut will be on Saturday, January 19, 2013 at 7 p.m. (EST).

Check back on our What's Playing family entertainment blog in the new year for our interview with Sofia the First star Wayne Brady. Plus, we'll be doing a Sofia the First-themed giveaway! Stay tuned!