If you grew up in the ‘90s, you may not have known it, but you were living in a golden age of Walt Disney Animation Studios movies. Some of the best and most popular Disney animated movies debuted in the 1990s, and we’re going to do what everyone loves to see most – a ranking! To be clear, this list is only going to include those movies that were produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, so Toy Story, which was from Pixar, will not be included on this list.
Honestly, ranking these movies is going to be hard because some of them are more beloved to one person than another. What’s not hard, though? Actually watching them — all of these movies are available to stream on Disney+! No having to wait for the Disney vault to open and buy them for yourself. Man, remember that?
10. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
Now be honest, do you really remember The Hunchback of Notre Dame? Personally, I never saw this movie back when it first released. But, I watched it recently to make sure I was giving it its fair due, and I was not missing much. The story is too brisk, and though Quasimodo should be a protagonist that is easy to root for, because he is one that doesn’t want to stand out, he almost plays second fiddle in his own movie. It does feature the first time a Disney animated film used CGI for large background crowds, but it’s very dark in tone at times, while being very silly at others.
9. Pocahontas (1995)
If you grew up with the VHS tapes of Disney movies, you’ll recall that they often featured a song from an upcoming movie on the tape prior to the film itself. Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas was one of those featured songs, and honestly is probably one of the reasons why this movie isn’t ranked last. It’s a rare stab for Disney at a true story, and proves they probably should’ve stuck to fairy/classic tales. It’s not the worst movie ever, but it’s definitely second tier when compared to others of this time period.
8. The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
True, you may not remember (or have even seen) The Rescuers Down Under either, however you really should -- it’s a lot of fun! The Rescuers, Bernard and Bianca, work to save a young boy in Australia from an evil poacher. This is the rare sequel to a previous animated movie (The Rescuers) that actually got a theatrical release, though it didn’t perform as well as they hoped. Perhaps that is why all future animated sequels were released just on home video, though I would argue that this sequel is way superior to all of those others.
7. Tarzan (1999)
The animation and music (the songs are by Phil Collins, and this is a rare Disney movie where the main characters themselves don’t sing) in Tarzan are in and of themselves a reason to watch, but the movie itself also does a good job of telling the story while adding in a good dose of humor throughout. Like most Disney movies, it features a nice romance between Tarzan and Jane, and some fun side characters that actually aren’t super annoying.
6. Hercules (1997)
Disney dives into Ancient Greek mythology with Hercules, a take on the classic tale of the son of Zeus and a mortal human woman. It's fast-paced and fun, with a unique animation style (if you pay attention, there are a lot of swirls). Despite not doing very well at the box office in comparison to some other Disney films of this era, it’s still worth a second viewing if you’ve only seen it once.
5. Mulan (1998)
Mulan is Disney's take on a popular Chinese folktale about family, duty, and honor. Though most of the female leads in these films are strong-willed and independent, Mulan goes one step further by joining the army and fighting alongside the men. That said, it lacks some of the enchantment that many other Disney animated movies possess, relying a great deal on Mushu to provide both some charm and some humor.
4. The Little Mermaid (1989)
Now, if you asked the kid version of myself back in the ‘90s, I would’ve told you The Little Mermaid was the best animated movie (I thought mermaids were very cool and interesting, you know?), but now, while it certainly is a nostalgic personal favorite, I don’t think it can quite make it to the top. Nonetheless, it is eminently rewatchable and has some of the most catchy songs. On top of which, it was the movie that actually started the Disney renaissance, so without it we might not have gotten any of the rest of the movies on this list.
3. The Lion King (1994)
What do you get when you put together a son, a father who happens to be king, and a jealous uncle who kills said father? Well, I’m sure quite a few different stories, but throw in the fact that they’re lions, and you’ve got The Lion King. Nearly every song is undeniably catchy -- Hakuna Matata is still a saying people repeat today -- and there are quite a few scenes that became iconic (hello opening scene presenting Simba to the Pride Lands).
2. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
The first animated movie to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, the Beauty and the Beast story has been done so many times over the years, but this version is still the best. With beautiful animation, great songs, and fun side characters, it’s a classic for a reason. It was originally conceived without the musical element, but can you imagine if the songs didn’t exist today? Now that would be a tragedy.
1. Aladdin (1992)
Some people may argue that Beauty and the Beast is the better movie, but let’s just ask this -- which movie would you rather watch over and over again? I’d say for most people, that’s probably Aladdin. An engaging main character, Robin Williams voicing the lovable Genie, a romance, and the villainous Jafar -- what’s not to love? Filled with humor and fun, and getting to live vicariously while Aladdin makes his wishes, Aladdin is the Disney renaissance at its best.
Do you agree with our ranking? Let us know in the comments!
- Part of what kickstarted the Disney Renaissance was competitiveness with Don Bluth, a former Disney animator who left to create his own company, and released such films as An American Tail and The Land Before Time.
- Hayao Miyazaki, who co-founded Studio Ghibli, also inspired Disney animation’s competitiveness after the release of My Neighbor Totoro in 1988, and is credited with being a huge influence on Disney’s animated films ever since The Rescuers Down Under.
- The Little Mermaid had been in development since the 1930s, and in 1988 they finally decided to move forward with it, with a more Broadway-inspired musical feel.
- The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Pocahontas all won Academy Awards for Best Original Song.
- This time period also marked the beginning of success in television animation as well — DuckTales debuted in 1987, and was soon followed by many other hits.
- Part of what kickstarted the Disney Renaissance was competitiveness with Don Bluth, a former Disney animator who left to create his own company, and released such films as An American Tail and The Land Before Time.
- Hayao Miyazaki, who co-founded Studio Ghibli, also inspired Disney animation’s competitiveness after the release of My Neighbor Totoro in 1988, and is credited with being a huge influence on Disney’s animated films ever since The Rescuers Down Under.
- The Little Mermaid had been in development since the 1930s, and in 1988 they finally decided to move forward with it, with a more Broadway-inspired musical feel.
- The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Pocahontas all won Academy Awards for Best Original Song.
- This time period also marked the beginning of success in television animation as well — DuckTales debuted in 1987, and was soon followed by many other hits.
