# Princess Protection Program
**Princess Protection Program** is a 2009 Disney Channel Original Movie directed by Allison Liddi-Brown, in which a teenage princess of the fictional country of Costa Luna goes into hiding in rural Louisiana under a secret royal protection organization after her country is invaded by a dictator. It stars [Demi Lovato](https://www.edgepedia.org/demi-lovato) as Princess Rosalinda and [Selena Gomez](https://www.edgepedia.org/selena-gomez) as Carter Mason, the daughter of the protection program's lead agent, and premiered on [Disney Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-channel) on June 26, 2009.[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/princess-protection-program-television/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Premiere | June 26, 2009, on Disney Channel, as a Disney Channel Original Movie[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/princess-protection-program-television/) |
| Director and writer | Directed by Allison Liddi-Brown; written by Annie DeYoung[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/princess-protection-program-television/) • [2](https://movies.disney.com/princess-protection-program) |
| Lead cast | Demi Lovato as Rosalinda (Rosie), Selena Gomez as Carter Mason, Nicholas Braun as Ed, Tom Verica as Joe Mason, Jamie Chung as Chelsea[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/princess-protection-program-television/) |
| Premiere audience | 8.5 million total viewers; 3.1 million kids 6 to 11 and 3.2 million tweens 9 to 14[3](https://worldscreen.com/princess-protection-program-delivers-for-disney/) |
| DCOM ranking | Disney Channel's third most successful original movie in total viewers, behind Camp Rock (8.9 million) and High School Musical 2 (18 million)[4](https://www.nexttv.com/news/disney-channels-princess-movie-draws-85-million-viewers-292092) |
| Rating and runtime | TV-G; about 90 minutes[2](https://movies.disney.com/princess-protection-program) |
| Home media | DVD released June 30, 2009 by Walt Disney Home Entertainment; estimated DVD sales of $14,369,353[5](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Princess-Protection-Program) |
## Spoilers
### Premise
When Costa Luna is invaded by a dictator, General Magnus Kane (Johnny Ray Rodríguez), the young princess Rosalinda María Montoya Fioré is placed into the Princess Protection Program, a top-secret organization funded by royal families that looks after endangered princesses.[6](https://flixpatrol.com/title/princess-protection-program/) She is taken to the small town of Lake Monroe, Louisiana, the home of the program's lead agent, Joe Mason ([Tom Verica](https://www.edgepedia.org/tom-verica)), and his daughter Carter, and must learn to fit in as an average teenager.[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/princess-protection-program-television/)
The story centers on the friendship between the two girls rather than a romance. Rosalinda, known as Rosie, learns to act like an everyday girl, while Carter, described by Disney as a total tomboy, finds her own inner princess.[2](https://movies.disney.com/princess-protection-program) Common Sense Media's review noted that the story skips the romantic subplot typical of many princess tales and instead emphasizes self-reliance, friendship, and self-confidence for its young audience.[7](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/princess-protection-program)
## Cast and production
Demi Lovato, then the star of *Camp Rock* and the series *Sonny with a Chance*, played Rosalinda, and Selena Gomez, star of *Wizards of Waverly Place*, played Carter Mason.[8](https://www.business-standard.com/article/press-releases/dcom-princess-protection-program-to-premiere-on-disney-channel-109111800112_1.html) The supporting cast includes [Nicholas Braun](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicholas-braun) as Ed, Jamie Chung as Chelsea Barnes, Samantha Droke as Brooke Angels, Molly Hagan as the Director, Sully Díaz as Sofía Fiore, Robert Adamson as Donny, and Kevin G. Schmidt as Bull.[9](https://movieradar.tv/movie/prinzessinnen-schutzprogramm)
The screenplay was written by Annie DeYoung, with music by John Van Tongeren, and the film was produced by Rainforest Productions for Disney Channel.[2](https://movies.disney.com/princess-protection-program) • [10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FNm0ziGhWk) According to IMDb trivia, the lead roles were originally cast in reverse, with Selena Gomez as Rosie and Demi Lovato as Carter.[11](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1196339/)
## Premiere and viewership
The June 26, 2009 premiere drew 8.5 million total viewers, the highest performance for a network original movie in more than a year, and ranked as cable's number one scripted telecast in total viewers that night.[4](https://www.nexttv.com/news/disney-channels-princess-movie-draws-85-million-viewers-292092) • [3](https://worldscreen.com/princess-protection-program-delivers-for-disney/) Disney reported that it was television's number one entertainment telecast of 2009 among kids 6 to 11 (3.1 million viewers) and tweens 9 to 14 (3.2 million), and that June 26 was Disney Channel's second most watched day in the channel's history in total viewers and in both youth demographics.[3](https://worldscreen.com/princess-protection-program-delivers-for-disney/) In the time slot, Disney Channel was the most watched network, nearly doubling runner-up NBC in total viewers.[3](https://worldscreen.com/princess-protection-program-delivers-for-disney/)
With 8.5 million viewers, the film stands as Disney Channel's third most successful original movie in total viewers, behind *Camp Rock* (8.9 million in June 2008) and *High School Musical 2* (18 million in August 2007).[4](https://www.nexttv.com/news/disney-channels-princess-movie-draws-85-million-viewers-292092) The movie later premiered internationally, including an India broadcast on Disney Channel on November 20, 2009.[8](https://www.business-standard.com/article/press-releases/dcom-princess-protection-program-to-premiere-on-disney-channel-109111800112_1.html)
## Reception and awards
On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds a Tomatometer score of 60 percent from five critics and a Popcornmeter audience score of 60 percent from more than 25,000 ratings.[12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/princess_protection_program) Critics' responses were mixed but generally mild: Variety's Laura Fries wrote that writer Annie DeYoung "ultimately throws in a nice message for young girls about self-esteem," while David Nusair of Reel Film Reviews called it "relentlessly lightweight."[12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/princess_protection_program) Common Sense Media rated it suitable for ages 7 and up, calling it a sweet tale with strong messages about friendship and praising both lead characters as role models.[7](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/princess-protection-program) On IMDb the film holds a user rating of 5.7 out of 10.[9](https://movieradar.tv/movie/prinzessinnen-schutzprogramm)
The film won the 2009 Teen Choice Award for Choice Summer TV Show, and Allison Liddi-Brown won the 2010 Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs for it.[13](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/princess-protection-program/2030179061/)
## Home media and availability
Walt Disney Home Entertainment released the film on DVD on June 30, 2009, four days after the television premiere; estimated domestic DVD sales total $14,369,353.[5](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Princess-Protection-Program) In Spain the DVD was released on June 17, 2009.[14](https://www.eldoblaje.com/datos/FichaPelicula.asp?id=16487)
As of late 2026 the film streams on Disney+ in the United States, Germany, Poland, Spain, and the Netherlands, and can be rented or purchased digitally; tracking services reported no current availability on Netflix, Hulu, Max, or Apple TV+ in the United States.[15](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/princess-protection-program) • [9](https://movieradar.tv/movie/prinzessinnen-schutzprogramm) • [16](https://waarkanikdatkijken.nl/princess-protection-program)
## References
1. [Princess Protection Program (television), D23](https://d23.com/a-to-z/princess-protection-program-television/)
2. [Princess Protection Program, Disney Movies](https://movies.disney.com/princess-protection-program)
3. [Princess Protection Program Delivers for Disney, World Screen (June 30, 2009)](https://worldscreen.com/princess-protection-program-delivers-for-disney/)
4. [Disney Channel's 'Princess' Movie Draws 8.5 Million Viewers, Multichannel News (June 27, 2009)](https://www.nexttv.com/news/disney-channels-princess-movie-draws-85-million-viewers-292092)
5. [Princess Protection Program (2009), The Numbers](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Princess-Protection-Program)
6. [Princess Protection Program, FlixPatrol](https://flixpatrol.com/title/princess-protection-program/)
7. [Princess Protection Program Parents' Guide, Common Sense Media](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/princess-protection-program)
8. [DCOM Princess Protection Program to premiere on Disney Channel, Business Standard press release](https://www.business-standard.com/article/press-releases/dcom-princess-protection-program-to-premiere-on-disney-channel-109111800112_1.html)
9. [Prinzessinnen Schutzprogramm (2009), MovieRadar](https://movieradar.tv/movie/prinzessinnen-schutzprogramm)
10. [Princess Protection Program 2009 Disney Film review with credits, Amy McLean (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FNm0ziGhWk)
11. [Princess Protection Program (TV Movie 2009), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1196339/)
12. [Princess Protection Program, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/princess_protection_program)
13. [Princess Protection Program, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/princess-protection-program/2030179061/)
14. [Programa De Protección De Princesas, eldoblaje.com](https://www.eldoblaje.com/datos/FichaPelicula.asp?id=16487)
15. [Princess Protection Program streaming online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/princess-protection-program)
16. [Princess Protection Program kijken, waarkanikdatkijken.nl](https://waarkanikdatkijken.nl/princess-protection-program)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Television films*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license