I won’t lie, during the first couple songs of the Descendants, Zombies and Camp Rock Worlds Collide Concert Tour I thought to myself, “I’m definitely too old to be here.”
As I scanned Target Center and saw thousands of little girls dressed in costumes and swooning every time a performer merely glanced in their direction, I couldn’t help but feel a little out of place. I’m way past my time of obsessing over Disney Channel celebrities — and my favorites from back in the day weren’t here for a comeback tour — so I thought the show wouldn’t hit home for me.
By the third number, I was dead wrong. By then, it was clear that the performers took the show seriously. This concert wasn’t just a kiddie attempt at live music; it was a high-quality show, packed with intricate costumes, engaging props and lots of up-and-coming stars.
The concert includes an assortment of songs from three long-running Disney Channel franchises: “Descendants,” “Zombies” and “Camp Rock.” The tour is on its second leg after first debuting in July 2025. It made its second stop in Minneapolis Sunday, Oct. 18, and runs about three hours long.
The current cast includes Malachi Barton (“Zombies 4” and “Camp Rock 3”), Swayam Bhatia and Mekonnen Knife (“Zombies 4”), Alexandro Byrd and Kiara Romero (“Descendants: Wicked Wonderland”), Dara Reneé (“Descendants: Rise of Red”), Liamani Segura (“Descendants: Wicked Wonderland” and “Camp Rock 3”) and Hudson Stone (“Camp Rock 3”).
What immediately stuck out to me was the extraordinary stage presence all of the performers have. Everyone’s vocals blended together seamlessly and their onstage banter was charming. They also created natural connections with the crowd — it felt like they were singing directly to every young fan. Despite this being many of the performers’ first tours, they looked like industry professionals.
Knife and Reneé’s performances particularly stood out to me, and I felt they were severely underutilized. Reneé has one of the most powerful voices I’ve ever heard — her rendition of “Evil Like Me” left me starstuck.
Knife’s dances and flips in “Fire” were high-energy and athletic. His impressive backflips and entertaining presence made me want to see more of him. Both performers commanded the stage at all times, and I couldn’t look away.
Stone also impressed me with his performance. At only 14 years old, he held the stage alone with a confidence few possess at that age. He performed his single “Talk” by himself, easily embodying the teenage heartthrob role. He also spoke about his journey finding his purpose with music and encouraged the audience to pursue their talents.
Every cast member had a sort of pep-talk moment with the audience, often serving as transition sections for actors to change costumes. Much of the advice initially felt pretty unexceptional to me: “Love yourself!” “Stay in school, kids!” “Don’t compare yourself to others!”
But after considering the speeches further, I realized how much those words would mean to a little kid hearing them from their idol. And honestly, despite the clichés, even adults need those reminders from time to time. That said, the messages really felt like an afterthought; they would’ve hit harder if there were fewer and they were fleshed out beyond mere transitions meant to fill time.
It was also clear that performers knew their audience well. Bhatia told the audience they “know ball,” Byrd referred to his castmates as “lil sis and lil bro” and Segura hit the famed “scuba” dance.
While these moments pulled me out a bit, they also put a smile on my face. The show knows exactly what it is — a place to celebrate the joys of childhood, including the cringe-worthy ones. It was a sort of time machine, returning me to my scrunchie-wearing, Musical.ly-making, slime-stretching middle school years (If you know, you know).
I certainly felt the regression to my 13-year-old self when they played throwbacks that I loved as a kid. I belted out the classics, “This is Me” from the original “Camp Rock” and “Did I Mention” from the first “Descendants” film. I was transported to my living room in 2015, watching these movies for the first time and pretending I was a rock star and a student at a magical prep school.
That is the reason this show is so special: it ignites a blissfulness that only exists when reliving childlike wonder. At 20 years old, my life is full of big decisions and scary adulting; it was therapeutic to ignore my laundry list of responsibilities and revel in the comfort of Disney Channel nostalgia.
Even the newer songs that I didn’t recognize had that undeniable preteen flair that makes these movies so timeless. “Perfect Princess” from “Descendant: Wicked Wonderland” is catchier than I’d like to admit.
If you grew up loving these movies and want to revisit the simplicity of your childhood, then this concert is the perfect show for you. You might be the oldest non-parent in attendance, but you’re sure to leave with as much whimsy as the 12-year-old beside you.
Emily Kratz can be reached at krat1542@stthomas.edu.
Witney Geddis can be reached at gedd4212@stthomas.edu.
