Disney Animation Studios is widely regarded as the powerhouse of all animated movies, so we’ve ranked all of their films so far from worst to best.

While other studios have had their successes, Disney has consistently stayed at the top of the game ever since the studio’s first feature animated film release, Snow White, in 1937. Although Disney has had some not so great releases (and some total flops), the House of Mouse has mostly nailed the art of creating box office smash hits - particularly in recent years. Disney also has a very strong company brand, and has been a major part of people’s childhoods for generations.

To date, Walt Disney Animation Studios has released 57 full length movies, and we’ve ranked them all. To clarify, this list doesn’t include any Disney Pixar releases, or Disneytoon movies. It is, however, the definitive list of all Disney animated movies, ranked from worst to best.

  • This Page: Disney Animated Movies #57-51 Page 2: Disney Animated Movies #41-50 Page 3: Disney Animated Movies #31-40 Page 4: Disney Animated Movies #21-30 Page 5: Disney Animated Movies #11-20 Page 6: The 10 Best Disney Animated Movies

57. Make Mine Music

Make Mine Music was the 8th animated Disney release, and arrived in theaters in 1946. At this time, most of Disney’s staff had been drafted by the U.S. government to make propaganda films to help the war effort. In order to keep the studio going during the war years, Disney released six package movies, and Make Mine Music was the third (and weakest) one.

56. Fun and Fancy Free

Another package movie, Fun and Fancy Free was released in 1947. It’s a two-part movie; the first half is the tale of a baby bear named Bongo, and the second half is Mickey and the Beanstalk starring Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. This was the last time Walt Disney himself voiced Mickey Mouse.

55. Saludos Amigos

Another war time package movie, released in 1942. Saludos Amigos is set in Latin America, and is made up of four different segments. Donald Duck and Goofy are the main stars. Although a fun classic, it is now very dated.

54. Melody Time

Melody Time arrived in 1948, and has often been touted as the popular music version of Fantasia. As America emerged from the war, movies became a valued source of entertainment, and Melody Time was fairly successful. It consists of seven segments set to popular and folk music.

53. The Three Caballeros

The Three Caballeros was the first Disney movie to incorporate live-action with animation. The movie stars Donald Duck with a cigar-smoking parrot named Jose Carioca, who represents Brazil, and a pistol shooting rooster named Panchito Pistoles, who represents Mexico.

52. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

The last of Disney’s war-time package movies, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad is told in two parts. The first part is based on The Wind in the Willows, and the second part is based on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The two halves were later marketed separately and released as separate entities on home video.

51. The Black Cauldron

At the time of its release in 1985, The Black Cauldron was the most expensive animated movie ever made. The movie is a dark fantasy, following and evil horned king who tries to find an ancient black cauldron that will help him take over the world. It was a massive commercial failure and nearly led Disney to bankruptcy. As a result, The Black Cauldron didn’t get a home video release until 1998.

Page 2: Disney Animated Movies #41-50

50. The Great Mouse Detective

The Great Mouse Detective followed The Black Cauldron in 1986, and thankfully proved a financial success for Disney. It is based on the book series “Basil of Baker Street,” which in turn is based on the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. The Great Mouse Detective convinced studio execs that Disney animation was still viable, and eventually led to the Disney renaissance period.

49. Atlantis: The Lost Empire

Based upon the work of Jules Verne, Atlantis: The Lost Empire became Disney’s first science fiction movie and was released in 2001. The movie did not perform too well at the box office, though it is considered a cult favorite of some. The movie is most notable for its unique visual style, based on the work of comic book artist Mike Mignola, who served as one of four production designers on the movie.

48. Treasure Planet

Treasure Planet released in 2002, and was another commercial failure for Disney. Both this and Atlantis were released at a time when the public appetite was shifting from hand drawn animation to CGI, and Treasure Planet combined both styles to produce a movie that audiences just didn’t connect with.

47. Home On The Range

Home on the Range became the last hand-drawn 2D animated movie from Disney, in 2004. The movie is wholly entertaining for very young children, but older kids and adults soon tire of the dull plot and poor visuals. Home on the Range pulled in just $104 million worldwide.

46. The Rescuers

Released in 1977, The Rescuers was originally shelved in 1962 due to its political overtones. It tells the story of 2 mice, Bernard and Bianca, who shadow the United Nations, helping abduction victims across the world. The Rescuers success lead to it becoming the first Disney animated movie to have a sequel.

45. Fantasia 2000

Fantasia 2000 is the sequel to the original Fantasia, and was green-lit after the successful release of Fantasia on home video. It follows the same format as its predecessor; segments of animation set to music, and the segments are introduced by a range of celebrities including Steve Martin, Quincy Jones, and Angela Lansbury.

44. The Fox and the Hound

The Fox and the Hound was released in 1981 and tells the sweet tale of a red fox named Tod and a hunting hound named Copper, who become best friends despite society dictating that they should be sworn enemies. The movie itself is better for young kids, and would be viewed as average by most adults. It was a financial success for Disney, and led to a direct to video sequel being released in 2006.

43. Robin Hood

An adaptation of the classic fairy-tale, Robin Hood is not a terrible movie, but it could have been so much better. The story lends itself to a Disney movie, and there are parts of it that Disney got spot on, such as the characterization. But Robin Hood fell way behind schedule, leaving the animators having to reuse dance sequences from previous Disney movies in order to meet its November 1973 release.

42. The Aristocats

Released in 1970, The Aristocats had begun production in 1962, as a 2-part live-action TV show. However, it eventually evolved into this movie, which was a box office success, partly due to its toe-tapping musical score.

41. Meet the Robinsons

Meet the Robinsons is a 2007 CGI animated movie, which was the first movie released by Disney after John Lasseter became Chief Creative Officer. It’s very loosely based on the children’s book “A Day With Wilbur Robinson.” Like other movies towards the bottom of this list, it’s dull in places and could have been so much better.

Page 3: Disney Animated Movies #31-40

40. The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh

Winnie The Pooh is one of Disney’s biggest successes. Based on the stories of A.A. Milne, it’s characters have gone on to become some of Disney’s most popular, really only second to Mickey and the gang. However, the original Winnie the Pooh movie, while cute, enjoyable, and fun, is made up of three previously released Disney featurettes, and its lack of originality is why it finds itself so far down on this list.

39. Chicken Little

The first Disney movie to be released in 3D, Chicken Little is based upon the original fable. Like its successor, Meet the Robinsons, it’s entertaining enough but could have been a whole lot better.

38. Dinosaur

Dinosaur is an interesting mix of CG dinosaurs, blended with live-action backgrounds that were filmed on location. It cost $127.5 million to make, but was a big box office success.

37. The Rescuers Down Under

The sequel to The Rescuers, this movie was the second of the Disney renaissance era, following The Little Mermaid. However, compared with the other movies of this era, it was a massive under performer at the box office. It follows Bernard and Bianca on a rescue mission to Australia.

36. Oliver and Company

Based on the Charles Dickens novel, Oliver and Company follows an orphan kitten named Oliver who joins a gang of dogs on the streets. The single best thing about this movie is the song “Why Should I Worry?” performed by Billy Joel.

35. The Sword In The Stone

With music from the Sherman brothers, The Sword in the Stone became the last movie released before Walt Disney’s death. The movie is based on the novel of the same name, and though reviews were mixed, it proved to be a box office success.

34. Lady and the Tramp

Released way back in 1955, Lady and the Tramp has become best known for its iconic pasta scene. It’s a cute and charming movie, and spawned a direct to video sequel, released in 2001.

33. Brother Bear

Brother Bear tells the story of an Inuit boy named Kenai who is turned into a bear. Released in 2003, Brother Bear misses the mark compared to a lot of the more recent Disney movies, but its themes of tolerance and respect still come through.

32. Sleeping Beauty

This was the last of Disney’s fairy story adaptations for many years, because the movie performed so poorly at the box office. Out of all the ‘classic’ Disney Princess movies, Sleeping Beauty is the weakest. Its score is made up of arrangements from the original ballet by Tchaikovsky.

Read More: Every Disney Princess Movie, Ranked

31. Cinderella

At the time of its release, in 1950, Cinderella was a cinematic smash for Disney, bringing the studio back from the edge of bankruptcy. However, the movie is now dated, and the live-action version from Kenneth Branagh in 2015, is far superior.

Page 4: Disney Animated Movies #21-30

30. Dumbo

One of the shortest of Disney’s classics, Dumbo was made purely for financial gain, after the box office failure of Fantasia. Telling the tale of a cute little elephant who learns to fly, Dumbo is endearing, but far too short and lacks detail.

29. 101 Dalmatians

101 Dalmatians was the movie to pull Disney out of its big financial crisis. Prior to 1961, the studio had been failing to secure the big hit it needed, but this movie, about Pongo, Perdita, and their puppies, did the trick. It also gave us one of the most iconic Disney villains, in the form of Cruella De Vil.

28. Snow White

Yes it’s the movie that started it all, and yes, at the time it was a magnificent marvel, but putting this list together in 2019, Snow White is very dated and out of touch. The Wicked Queen is still suitably chilling though.

27. Alice in Wonderland

A delightful tale of madcap whimsy, based on Lewis Carroll’s original story, Alice in Wonderland was perfect source material for Disney. However, it was panned by critics when release in 1951. Regardless, it’s gone on to become a very much loved classic.

Read More: Here’s Everything That Disney Now Owns From Fox (& What It Means)

26. Bolt

Bolt is the story of a dog who has spent his whole life on a TV set, and believes he has superpowers. It’s funny, well-told, and the CG animation is good, but Bolt didn’t set the box office alight despite its strong reviews. It is, however, credited with being the start of the Disney revival era.

25. The Emperor’s New Groove

This movie is consistently underrated, but The Emperor’s New Groove is actually incredibly funny, and the character of Kronk is hilarious. The movie performed badly at the box office but fared much better on home release.

24. Tarzan

At the time of its release, in 1999, Tarzan was the most expensive animated movie ever made. A retelling of the classic story of Tarzan of the jungle, it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “You’ll Be In My Heart.”

23. Pinocchio

Although Pinocchio is a huge part of our popular culture, especially in the Disney parks across the globe, the movie was a box office flop when first released. It was its subsequent reissue in 1945 that saw it become such a success. It’s part of the National Film Registry for being culturally significant.

22. Peter Pan

Peter Pan is now considered culturally racist due to its depiction of native Indians, and this 1953 movie is definitely of its time. Still, it has given us one of the most fun Disney villains, Captain Hook.

21. The Jungle Book

Famously the last movie that Walt Disney himself produced, The Jungle Book is fun from start to finish, with just the right amount of terror and menace in its villain, Shere Khan. Arguably, though, the live-action version from Jon Favreau in 2016, is better.

Page 5: Disney Animated Movies #11-20

20. Pocahontas

Following on from The Lion King was never going to be an easy task, and so in comparison to that, Pocahontas is seen as a disappointment. It is a really good movie, though its overriding cultural insensitivities are hugely problematic. The best thing about Pocahontas is its musical score.

19. Winnie the Pooh

There’s no denying the impact that Winnie the Pooh and friends have had on popular culture, and that’s largely thanks to Disney’s version of the bear. Released in 2011, Winnie the Pooh was not all that successful at the box office, but its story is delightful, and its characters are joyous.

18. Lilo & Stitch

Stitch has gone on to become one of Disney’s best-loved characters, thanks to his rebellious and playful nature. Lilo and Stitch spawned an entire franchise of TV shows, direct to video sequels, and even a Japanese anime show.

17. Hercules

Another movie that under performed at the box office, Hercules had strong reviews from critics, in particular the voice performance of James Woods, as Hades. Hercules is a great movie, with an awesome soundtrack, but Woods’ turn is what really makes it fantastic.

16. Fantasia

Fantasia was originally a huge loss for Disney, owing to WWII cutting off distribution to European countries. However, it’s been re-released and restored multiple times since then, and is now the 23rd highest grossing film in the U.S., when adjusted for inflation.

15. Wreck-It Ralph

A total joy from start to finish, Wreck-It Ralph took audiences inside the world of video games, with Ralph voiced by John C. Reilly. The movie was a big hit for Disney, and spawned a successful sequel, which arrived in 2018.

14. The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Seriously underrated, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is regarded as one of Disney’s darkest animated movies. However, its darkest scenes were actually cut, in order that the movie could get a G rating. Themes explored in the movie include genocide, religious fanaticism, and infantcide. Its score, from Alan Menken, with songs from Menken and Stephen Schwartz, is outstanding.

13. The Princess and the Frog

The Princess and the Frog took Disney back to the extravagant, Broadway musical style that it had so much success with during the renaissance era. Based on The Frog Princess, the movie explores voodoo magic and is pretty dark for a kids movie. However, it’s a great story, well told, with a toe-tapping soundtrack and is a fantastic watch.

12. Ralph Breaks the Internet

The sequel to Wreck-It Ralph, Ralph Breaks the Internet takes us inside, you guessed it, the internet. It’s not the most gripping and engaging plot, but its interpretation of the internet is very clever, and the Disney Princesses completely steal the show.

11. Zootopia

Zootopia takes us into a world where animals coexist happily side by side, laws of nature are forgotten, and a bunny is a cop. Zootopia is another very smart movie; its portrayal of animals in every day human settings is hilarious, and the movie has real heart.

Page 6: The 10 Best Disney Animated Movies

10. Mulan

Mulan was released during the Disney renaissance, and followed the tried and tested successful format of a flawless musical score and emotionally heartfelt storyline. While many have criticized the cultural insensitivity of the movie, arguably it has introduced the ancient Chinese legend of Hua Mulan to a global audience. It also gave us Mushu.

9. Bambi

It’s pretty hard to find anyone not emotionally ruined by Bambi. Most will remember the heartbreaking moment the baby deer lost his momma at the hands of man. Bambi is impactful, sweet, and full of joy and sadness, all at once. For a very early Disney movie (1942), it’s pretty much as close to perfection as one can get.

8. Moana

A much more recent release, from 2016, Moana rewrote the rule book when it comes to making a successful animated movie, because it focuses on a strong, independent young woman and there’s not a hint of romance. While that didn’t please some, it certainly didn’t affect the movie’s performance at the box office. Again aided by a really great score, Moana grossed over $640 million at the box office.

7. Big Hero 6

Very loosely based on the Marvel comic book team of the same name, Big Hero 6 follows teenage robotics expert Hiro and his healthcare companion, Baymax. The movie was critically acclaimed and it’s easy to see why. It’s perfect viewing, Baymax is a joy, and the rest of the team are all made up of fantastic characters. It’s also a huge tear-jerker, but Baymax will make everything better.

6. Tangled

Tangled is based on the fairy tale Rapunzel, but was renamed in order that it would also appeal to boys. It lands this far up the list mainly thanks to its stunning animation- particularly Rapunzel’s hair, and its Alan Menken penned score.

5. The Little Mermaid

The movie that truly kick started the Disney Renaissance, The Little Mermaid became staple viewing for most 80’s and 90’s kids growing up. Its score from Alan Menken sounds like its straight from the Broadway stage, and its characters will endure for a lifetime. There’s really not much separating our top 5, and The Little Mermaid is more or less the perfect Disney movie.

4. Frozen

The global impact and popularity of Frozen is vast. The movie smashed $1.2 billion at the global box office, with Elsa, Anna, and Olaf instantly becoming favorite characters for many. Easily Disney’s best animated feature since the renaissance era, Frozen has gone on to become a Broadway show, and Frozen 2 will be released in November 2019. “Let it Go” is considered to be one of Disney’s greatest ever songs.

3. Beauty and the Beast

Alan Menken and Howard Ashman delivered total and utter perfection with the musical score to Beauty and the Beast. In fact, it’s so good that it received 3 Academy Award nominations for Best Song (winning for “Beauty and the Beast”), and won Best Original Score. But the score would be nothing without the visuals to back it up, and Beauty and the Beast tells its story in a grand, sweeping Broadway style that has never been seen since in animation. The first animated movie to be nominated for Best Picture and the Academy Awards, Beauty and the Beast is sublime from start to finish.

2. The Lion King

Our top 3 entries were all part of the Disney renaissance era, when Disney produced box office smashes one after the other. The Lion King is another movie who’s phenomenal musical score combines with perfect characters to deliver an outstanding film. The Lion King has spawned multiple sequels, a TV show, and an internationally acclaimed stage musical that has been running for 22 years, grossing over $8 billion. Rightly so, The Lion King remains one of Disney’s most beloved movies, and a new live-action version, directed by Jon Favreau, will be released in July 2019.

Read More: Lion King CinemaCon Footage Description: Life Lessons With Mufasa

1. Aladdin

Some will disagree with Aladdin as top choice, but realistically, any of our top 3 movies could sit at number 1. However, Aladdin just makes it to the top spot. The idea for Aladdin was first pitched by the late Howard Ashman, who wrote the music for the movie with Alan Menken. After Ashman’s death, Tim Rice took over to work with Menken on the rest of the movie. The story is a traditional fairy tale, but Disney breathes new life into it with fabulously funny characters, a dastardly villain and a glorious romance. However, the reason Aladdin is top of this list really comes down to one flawless performance; Robin Williams as Genie will go down as perhaps the greatest Disney voice performance of all time.

Next: All The Live-Action Disney Remakes In Development