On May 26 , 2010 it was announced that the Playhouse Disney block will be rebranded under the name Disney Junior which will later become its own digital cable and satellite channel in January 2012 , replacing SOAPnet . The Disney Junior channel will be a direct competitor to Nickelodeon 's Nick Jr. network and PBS and Comcast 's PBS Kids Sprout . On May 26 , 2010 Disney-ABC Television Group announced the launch of a new 24-hour preschool-targeted digital cable and satellite channel called Disney Junior , which is set to premiere in January 2012 ; the commercial-free channel will compete with other preschooler-skewing cable channels such as Nick Jr. and PBS Kids Sprout .