10 Best Disney Animated Movies

TV & Film

Jun 1

Founded in 1923, The Walt Disney Company has spent the last 102 years entertaining the generations with brilliant art, song, and wonder. In the Disney repertoire, there are many standouts; of their animated projects, these are some of the best.

10. Steamboat Willie

This 1928 animated short film is considered the public debut of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. After 1927’s The Jazz Singer, Walt Disney became determined to produce one of the first fully synchronized sound cartoons, and Steamboat Willie was the result. Besides being one of the first cartoons with synchronized sound, Steamboat Willie was the first Mickey Mouse film to be distributed, and one of the first cartoons to feature a fully post-produced soundtrack.

Now that this first iteration of the Mouse has entered the public domain, it may continue to live on with endless possibilities.

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9. Flowers And Trees

Another Silly Symphonies short, Flowers and Trees, was released in July 1932. This short film was the result of an experiment by Walt Disney, who agreed to try a new type of camera on a short film that was already being produced in black and white. The result was Flowers and Trees, the first film to be commercially produced in the full-colour three-strip Technicolour process.

Adding the element of colour caused the project to run over budget, but the resulting profits offset the costs. It was also the first animated film to win an Academy Award.

8. Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs

Released in 1937, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was Disney’s first feature-length animated film. It was the first animated feature film produced in the US, as well as the first cel-animated feature film. It also held, for different lengths of time, the records for the highest-grossing film of 1938, the highest-grossing sound film of all time, and the highest-grossing film of all time. It has remained a popular film throughout the decades thanks to theatrical re-releases and release on home video and DVD.

Its legacy has endured through every subsequent animated film released by Disney, and its influence extends to musicals, video games, theme park attractions, and more.

7. Fantasia

Released in 1940, this animated musical anthology film marked a creative adventure for Walt Disney Productions. It’s “showpiece,” The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, originally started as a Silly Symphony cartoon, but eventually became part of an eight-segment film. Originally released as a theatrical roadshow in New York City, it was critically acclaimed but failed to make a profit due to limitations in international distribution caused by World War II.

Nevertheless, the movie has lived on, its vibrant visuals appealing to an array of viewers, and it has spawned a franchise that includes video games, theme park attractions, a live concert series, and a sequel.

6. Mary Poppins

Released in 1964, this live-action/animated hybrid musical was based on the P.L. Travers book series of the same name. It was the feature film debut of Julie Andrews. It became the highest-grossing US film of 1964, and also Disney’s highest-grossing film at the time of its release. The movie was shot entirely in California; the London scenes were filmed using a painted background. It holds the Disney record for Oscar nominations at 13, and won 5- Best Actress, Best Film Editing, Best Original Music Score, Best Visual Effects, and Best Original Song.

The movie is considered Walt Disney’s crowning live-action achievement.

5. Beauty And The Beast

An animated musical romantic fantasy film, based on the French fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast is a shining light of Disney’s Renaissance. Walt Disney originally wanted to develop it in the 30s and 50s; ultimately, it was released in 1991 as a musical film. It received widespread acclaim, becoming the first Disney animated film to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, and winning Oscars for Best Original Score and Best Original Song.

It has gone on to generate countless media and merchandise, and it became the first Disney film made into a Broadway musical.

4. Aladdin

This 1992 film was the highest-grossing film of 1992, and it became the first animated feature film to reach the half-billion dollar mark. Its VHS release set a sales record, its music won multiple awards, and it has spawned sequels, a musical, and more.

Outside of its record-setting and awards, Aladdin also stands out as introducing an entire generation to the comic genius of Robin Williams.

3. The Nightmare Before Christmas

The Nightmare Before Christmas stands out for its innovative stop-motion animation and the general creative genius of Tim Burton. The movie even originated from a poem written by Burton in 1982. He considered developing it as a short film or a half-hour TV special before finally settling on the feature film format.

Disney originally released The Nightmare Before Christmas via Touchstone Pictures due to the fact that the movie might come off as too scary for children. Its innovation ensured its appeal across many years and re-releases.

2. The Lion King

This 1994 film is considered Disney’s first original animated feature, praised for its music, story, themes, and animation. Winning multiple awards, it is regarded as one of the greatest animated films ever made and holds the record for the highest-grossing traditionally animated film of all time.

It also gave us one of the best villains in Disney history, Scar, who manages to exude arrogant, elitist, peak cat, and sassy queer vibes all at the same time.

1. Toy Story

Toy Story, the first installment of what became a franchise, came out in 1995. It stands out as the first entirely computer-animated feature film, as well as the first film from Pixar. The idea for the movie took shape following the 1988 release of the short film Tin Toy. Its combination of famous voices and storytelling from the toys’ point of view has ensured its lasting impact on Disney fans throughout the year.

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