The Short Answer
The Faber Disney piano series includes five levels: PreTime (Primer), PlayTime (Level 1), ShowTime (Level 2A), ChordTime (Level 2B), FunTime (Level 3A–3B), and BigTime (Level 4). Each book contains 10–12 Disney songs arranged for the corresponding Piano Adventures skill level. Match the book to your child’s current Piano Adventures level — or ask your teacher which fits best.
Why Disney Books Work So Well for Young Pianists
The research on motivation in music learning is consistent: students practice more when they care about what they’re playing. A study from the University of Ottawa found that loss of interest and perceived lack of progress were the two leading reasons young students quit piano. Disney arrangements address both — familiar songs feel immediately achievable, which builds the sense of progress that keeps students coming back.
Courtney Reed at Lively Keys describes it this way: “A Disney book is one of the most powerful tools in the studio. When a student realizes they can actually play a song from Frozen or Coco, their whole relationship with practice changes.”
The Faber Disney books are not novelty products with watered-down arrangements. They follow the same pedagogical care as the rest of the Faber library. Each song is arranged to use exactly the techniques a student at that level is currently developing — so playing Disney isn’t a break from learning. It reinforces it.
PreTime Piano Disney — Primer Level
Best for: Primer Level students, ages 5–7
Difficulty: Early beginner, five-finger positions, simple rhythms
PreTime Piano Disney is designed for students who are still in their first year of piano. Arrangements are simplified to use basic hand positions with minimal hand movement and straightforward rhythms. Every arrangement can also be played with an optional teacher duet, adding energy and musical color to even the simplest pieces.
Songs included in this volume feature favorites from Frozen(“Do You Want to Build a Snowman?”), The Lion King(“I Just Can’t Wait to Be King”), Tangled (“I See the Light”), and Mary Poppins(“Step in Time,” “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”). “It’s a Small World” and “Winnie the Pooh” round out the collection with instantly recognizable melodies young students can play in their first few months.
This is the book that reliably makes a child’s eyes light up at their second or third lesson when they realize they’re playing real Disney music — not just exercises.
PlayTime Piano Disney — Level 1
Best for: Level 1 students, approximately ages 6–8
Difficulty: Early elementary, full grand staff reading, simple chord accompaniments
PlayTime Piano Disney steps up the arrangements to match Level 1 skills. Students reading the full grand staff and beginning to work with intervals will find these arrangements appropriately challenging — not too easy to be boring, not so hard that they become a frustration.
The songs in this collection include a mix of classic and modern Disney: “A Whole New World” from Aladdin, “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid, “Circle of Life” from The Lion King, and “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story. Each arrangement builds on the exact skills students are developing in their Piano Adventures Level 1 Lesson Book — interval recognition, varied positions, legato and staccato touches.
PlayTime Piano Disney is one of the most frequently used supplemental books at Lively Keys. Students love the familiar melodies, and the arrangements are polished enough to bring to recitals without embarrassment.
ShowTime Piano Disney — Level 2A
Best for: Level 2A students, approximately ages 7–9
Difficulty: Elementary, eighth-note rhythms, varied key signatures, simple two-hand coordination
ShowTime Piano Disney is where arrangements start to sound genuinely impressive. The eighth-note rhythms introduced at Level 2A allow for more natural-sounding melodies, and the expanded key vocabulary gives arrangers more to work with. Students at this level can handle enough hand coordination to play real accompaniment patterns alongside the melody.
Songs in this collection include “A Whole New World,” “Under the Sea,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee” from Mary Poppins, “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas, “Reflection” from Mulan, “He’s a Pirate” from Pirates of the Caribbean, and “Almost There” from The Princess and the Frog. The mix of rhythmic and lyrical pieces gives students a range of expressive experiences — bouncy and playful in some pieces, slow and emotional in others.
ChordTime Piano Disney — Level 2B
Best for: Level 2B students, approximately ages 8–10
Difficulty: Late elementary, chord-based accompaniments, expanded key signatures, longer pieces
By Level 2B, students have enough harmonic understanding to handle chord-based arrangements rather than just single-note left-hand patterns. ChordTime Piano Disney takes full advantage of this — the left-hand parts become musically meaningful, and the overall sound of the arrangements grows richer and more complete.
This collection features songs from across the Disney catalog, including both classics and modern favorites. The level of musical challenge here is solidly late elementary — appropriate for students who have been studying for two to three years and want pieces that sound genuinely polished.
For students preparing for recitals at this stage, ChordTime Disney arrangements consistently impress audiences because they sound fuller than the earlier levels. A student playing “Be Our Guest” or “Let It Go” with a proper chordal left hand gets a very different reaction than one playing a simplified melody-only version.
FunTime Piano Disney — Level 3A–3B
Best for: Level 3A–3B students, approximately ages 9–12
Difficulty: Early intermediate, swing and syncopation, one-octave arpeggios, varied accompaniment patterns
FunTime Piano Disney is where the series becomes genuinely exciting for older students. Arrangements at this level use swing rhythms, syncopation, one-octave arpeggios, and varied accompaniment patterns that bring the songs to life. This isn’t simplified Disney anymore — these are real arrangements that require real technique.
Songs in this volume include fan favorites from across generations: “Be Our Guest” and “Beauty and the Beast” from Beauty and the Beast, “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas, “Ev’rybody Wants to Be a Cat” from The Aristocats, “Go the Distance” from Hercules, “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” from Frozen, “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid, “Remember Me (Ernesto de la Cruz)” from Coco, and “Zero to Hero” from Hercules.
FunTime Disney is a go-to recital book. The arrangements are musical, varied, and audience-friendly — and students at this level have enough technique to play them expressively rather than just accurately.
Which Disney Book Does My Child Need?
The answer almost always matches your child’s current Piano Adventures level:
| If they’re in Piano Adventures… | Get this Disney book |
|---|---|
| Primer Level | PreTime Piano Disney |
| Level 1 | PlayTime Piano Disney |
| Level 2A | ShowTime Piano Disney |
| Level 2B | ChordTime Piano Disney |
| Level 3A–3B | FunTime Piano Disney |
If you’re not sure which level your child is at, their teacher can tell you in about ten seconds. The level match is important — a book that’s too easy will feel boring, and one that’s too hard will feel discouraging.
Can You Use Disney Books Without the Main Method?
Yes, but with a caveat. The Disney books are designed to complement the Faber Piano Adventures series at the matching level. They assume students already know the techniques being used in each arrangement. A student working through PlayTime Disney without having developed basic Level 1 skills first will likely struggle with certain reading and coordination demands.
That said, if your child is working with a different method book (Alfred, Bastien, Hal Leonard), the level descriptions above still apply as rough guides. Match the complexity of what they’re currently playing to the appropriate Disney book level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest Faber Disney piano book?
PreTime Piano Disney (Primer Level) is the easiest book in the series. It uses simple five-finger positions, basic rhythms, and includes optional teacher duets to help beginners sound musical from the start.
What songs are in the Faber Disney Level 1 book?
PlayTime Piano Disney (Level 1) features songs from Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Toy Story, and other Disney classics, all arranged at the early elementary level for students who can read the full grand staff.
Are the Faber Disney books good for recitals?
Yes. Disney arrangements from ShowTime Level 2A and above are frequently used for recitals because they sound polished and the audience always recognizes them. PreTime and PlayTime books are better suited for home practice than formal performance.
Do I need to buy the Disney books, or is the main Lesson Book enough?
The main Lesson Book is always the priority. Disney books are supplemental — they add motivation and variety rather than covering new technical ground. Many teachers recommend adding one Disney book per level to keep students excited about practice.
Can adults use Faber Disney piano books?
Yes. Adults who are at the matching technical level can absolutely use these books. The Faber Adult Disney series also exists for adult learners who want arrangements suited to more adult-appropriate hand sizes and sensibilities.
The Easiest Way to Make Practice Happen
There’s no secret formula for keeping a child motivated to practice piano — except giving them music they genuinely want to play. The Faber Disney series does exactly that, and it does it at exactly the right level of challenge for where students actually are.
If your child is enrolled at Lively Keys and you’re not sure which Disney book to add next, reach out to Courtney and Jacob and they’ll point you to the right one. A few dollars and the right song can mean the difference between a child who dreads practice and one who sits down on their own.