15 Disney Movies You Must Watch

Disney has always been characterized for producing spectacular, one of a kind films, and it’s about time you watch some of the most important to date. 

Trust us, you’ll be doing yourself a favor by watching all the films below. Plan a movie date with your loved one, your family, or just yourself; buy lots of popcorn and get ready to spend the best time watching Disney films. After all… that plan never gets old. What are you waiting for?

15. Frozen (2013)

More than a musical, this film has turned the whole Disney world upside down! Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, Frozen the storyline follows Elsa and Anna, two princesses who lose their parents when they were kids.

Elsa has the power of turning things into ice and she’s insecure about it. She hides in her castle for years until she turns 21 and is to be crowned queen of Arendelle. When people discover her power, they accuse her of being a monster. As she flees town, her magic covers Arendelle in an eternal winter that only she — unknowingly — can put an end to.

The message behind this film is that insecurities are part of our lives and define us. Some insecurities drive us to behave a certain way in fear of what others might think. We’re not perfect, and our flaws are something we need to accept because they differentiate us from other people.

14. Mulan (1998)

In Mulan, after the Huns invade China, the Emperor kicks off the recruitment and mobilization of his men to defend the nation. The heroine, Mulan, shows up dressed as a man in order to prevent her father, Fa Zhou, from going to war, considering he’s too old.

Her grandmother prays to the ancestors for Mulan’s safety. They send her the Great Stone dragon, Mushu. Mushu isn’t what you’d expect — he’s reduced in size — but he and Mulan become good pals.

Considering this movie was released in the late 90’s, Mulan is the vivid image of feminism. Standing up for what you believe in is okay and we should all be able to do so. At the time of its release, that was an outrageous statement to make — still to this day for some.

Another message from this beautiful film is that patience is a virtue we should all thrive for. “Sometimes the most beautiful blossoms are the last to bloom.” Everything happens when it should, not when you want it to. 

13. Inside Out (2015)

Inside Out portrays how our emotions work and how they’re triggered. It did an excellent job at explaining neurotransmitters, our subconscious, and many other psychological things that may be a tad complicated.

By creating an imaginary world inside our brains, Inside Out explains how our dreams, memories and other stimuli work and why it is important to have a balance. People should feel happy, sad, angry and nervous in order to live in equilibrium.

The main message behind the film is that all emotions have a purpose. Not allowing ourselves to feel sad, or avoiding happiness isn’t healthy. It may clog our minds and make us numb.

It’s okay and healthy to discuss feelings. It’s okay to feel sad and say it out loud, as opposed to keeping it inside and hurting ourselves even more. The sooner people understand that speaking up is the way to taking many problems off our backs, the sooner they’ll live happier lives. 

12. Lilo & Stitch (2002)

In Lilo & Stitch, Lilo and Nani live complicated lives since the death of their parents. Lilo is a lonely child rejected by other girls at her school because of how “weird” she is. When she wants to adopt a dog, she and Nani go to the kennel to pick one. She chooses Stitch, a blue alien she believes is a dog.

In reality, Stitch fell from space on his way to escape his creator. The movie tells the story of Nani and Lilo once they adopt Stitch, and all the challenges they’ll have to face because of him.

Lilo & Stitch shows that family is one of the strongest ties there are. Families can’t be defined by a certain number of people, but only by the love between them. Lilo, Nani, and Stitch become a family and no one gets left behind — or forgotten.

There’s also nothing wrong with looking different and acting different. Lilo doesn’t care about what the girls at her dance academy think of her.

11. Winnie The Pooh (2011)

 In Winnie The Pooh, the loveable golden bear wakes up one day and notices  he has no more honey left. He wanders outside in search of more. On his journey, Winnie runs into Eeyore and notices he’s lost his tail. Winnie gathers all his friends in order to help Eeyore find it.

Later, Pooh must make an important decision between getting his honey and retrieving Eeyore’s tail.

Winnie The Pooh teaches us to be empathetic and grateful to others. It encourages us to take pleasure in every single thing that happens to us and embrace who we are. It teaches us the gift of friendship.

10. Beauty & The Beast (1991)

Beauty & The Beast was remade in 2017 with an excellent cast including Emma Watson and Dan Stevens. It tells the story of Belle, and how, in a twist of events, she ends up falling for a beast. 

In this movie, the main characters learn that inner beauty means more than outer beauty. You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. People may sometimes look a certain type, but might end up being more than we imagined.

Beauty & The Beast pushes us to keep on learning new things every day. We sometimes push things away or build walls around ourselves to keep the right people from walking in and we need to learn to stop doing that. 

9. Pinocchio (1940)

This is another Disney classic from decades ago. Pinocchio, a wooden marionette, comes to life when his maker, Geppetto, wishes upon a falling star that his masterpiece becomes a real boy. Jiminy Cricket is then sent to act as Pinocchio’s conscience.

As time passes by, Pinocchio realizes that when he lies, his wooden nose grows longer. Pinocchio teaches us that sometimes lies can get too far out of our control and that it’s never too late to do the right thing.

Being cautious with strangers is another thing. Because Pinocchio ends up in big trouble for trusting the wrong people; trouble he could’ve spared himself if he had listened to Geppetto. 

8. Dumbo (1941)

Dumbo continues to be one of those beautiful tales that Disney’s created for its audience. It tells the story of animals at a circus. The main character, Dumbo, is a special elephant with humongous ears. His ears are so big others make fun of him. Dumbo’s only friend is a mouse, Timothy Q. Mouse.

The circus elephant manages to be the best version of himself despite his imperfections. It doesn’t matter if you have many friends, if they aren’t true. It’s better to have two real friends than 100 fake ones.

It also portrays the love of a mother in the complete sense of the word, which is mesmerizing and beautiful. Dumbo’s mom was always there for him no matter what, and she cared for him more than anything in the world.

7. Bambi (1942)

Bambi and his friends, Thumper the rabbit and Flower the skunk are happy in the forest. But as time passes by, they learn that not all is well; there are dangers out there. Still, and without trouble, they manage to see the good in everything. Bambi teaches us that optimism is the way to success.

It teaches to never give up on you want, if you really want it. Don’t get discouraged and you’ll go places! Regarding the dangers in the forest, time heals wounds. Be patient and keep holding on — there’s nothing wrong with a little hope.

6. Lady & The Tramp (1955)

The first thing that comes to mind when you think of Lady & The Tramp is the alley scene. Sharing a plate of spaghetti and meatballs, the dogs share their first kiss.

The movie tells the story of a wealthy family’s beautiful cocker spaniel, Lady. When the family welcome a baby, Lady is ignored and, after a turn of events, gets loose. She meets Tramp, a stray dog, and the two form an unlikely bond.

The most valuable thing you can take from this film attention sharing. Sharing is a beautiful thing to do. Feeling left out can be prejudicial for children and parents must learn to divide their time equally. 

5. Mary Poppins (1964)

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a nanny like Mary Poppins? This film is memorable for its fantastical scenes and catchy songs that will stay in your head forever.

If there’s one thing Mary Poppins taught us is that we should strive to be better every single day, rather than be comfortable with how we are today. Don’t stop setting goals, don’t stop believing that you can achieve those goals, and always find new ways to reach them quicker.

Mary Poppins also invites us to dream more and imagine more. It’s ok to let go of things that make us comfortable in order to test new waters. It might be scary at first but everything will be ok in the end. 

4. Toy Story (1995)

Disney first released this film in 1995 and it has been a success ever since. Toy Story tells the story of Andy’s toys — led by Woody and Buzz Lightyear — and everything that goes on when he isn’t looking. The franchise spawned tow sequels. Audiences love them so much that Toy Story 4 will hit theatres in 2019. 

There are many lessons in this movie; first thing is to believe in who you are. Woody starts doubting himself in the original, when Buzz Lightyear first shows up armed with cooler features than he does.

At the end of the film, Woody learns he shouldn’t compare himself with others because he’s good enough as he is. The film also shows it’s fun to make new friends, but never forget old ones. It’s important to surround yourself with true friends, people that care about you and make you happy.

3. The Fox And The Hound (1981)

Tod and Copper become best friends, almost inseparable. But their families try to break them apart because they’re enemies by nature. They soon grow apart, but in order to salvage their friendship, they must overcome many obstacles. 

The Fox and the Hound teaches kids to be loyal and attentive to the ones you love. Behind all the tears and sad songs, the strongest message though is tolerance. It doesn’t matter where you come from, what you are, and what you do, we’re all the same and we shouldn’t judge others for being different.

2. The Little Mermaid (1989)

In The Little Mermaid, Ariel wishes to become human with all her heart. She meets the sea witch Ursula, the only one who can help her achieve that dream. Unbeknownst to Ariel though, Ursula holds bad intentions. 

The most relevant lesson in this movie is that your voice is your most prized possession. You should never let anyone take it away from you. Speak up about the things you believe in, for others, and swhen you think something is unfair. Never settle for less than that.

1. The Lion King (1994)

After the death of his father the lion king, Simba must face his evil murderous uncle to reclaim what is rightfully his — and bring back balance in the kingdom. This film has been so successful that it was taken to Broadway!

Besides the famous “Hakuna Matata,” lessons in this film include belief in oneself. Failure is inevitable but we can always rise up and try again. Also, power can be blinding, and it’s important to remain humble, especially if we enjoy many privileges that others don’t.

Throughout this classic, Simba learns to balance self-confidence and humility. If not, bad behavior can lead to either arrogance or —at the other end of the spectrum — low self-esteem.

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