40 Best Disney Movies Of All Time Ranked

Since 1937, when The Walt Disney Company made its first foray into feature films with the fully animated "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," the studio has made an indelible imprint on the public consciousness. In 2020, Disney listed over 700 films on its D23 site, and their filmography has continued to grow and grow. Of course, with that many films, some are going to be better than others, but which House of Mouse movies are the best of the best?

Well, whittling that massive list down to the 40 all-time films is a Herculean effort, so we decided to leave out movies associated with Marvel and Lucasfilm, as well as Disney's Touchstone Pictures and Hollywood Pictures imprints. To get the rest of those hundreds of titles down to the best 40, we took several factors into account, including the film's themes, impact, and that intangible je ne sais quoi that exemplifies Disney magic. With that said, here are the very best films in the studio's history, from animated classics to beloved live-action dramas. (Be aware — some of the movies on the list include depictions of race that are offensive. Those films feature warnings on Disney+ to help you decide when and how to watch.)

Updated on February 21, 2023: Disney is still churning out classics, so every time you wish upon a star, be sure to check back here and see if we've updated this list to reflect the studio's ever-growing catalogue.

Though the Disney brand is closely associated with animated fare, some of their best films are live-action or have live-action components. In the fantasy rom-com "Enchanted," Amy Adams stars as Giselle, who lives in the animated land of Andalasia. Evil queen Narissa sends Giselle into the "real" world to stop Giselle's marriage to Narissa's son, and while there, Giselle falls for Robert, the man who helps her deal with her new circumstances. The film plays with traditional Disney animated tropes in live action, such as small woodland creatures helping Giselle clean house while she sings like a princess. Adams is completely delightful in the wonderful world that is "Enchanted."

• Starring: Amy Adams, James Marsden, Idina Menzel
• Director: Kevin Lima
• Year: 2007
• Runtime: 108 minutes
• Rating: PG
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

"Toy Story 3" has the benefit of established character relationships, improved CGI animation from even the second film, and one of the most emotional scenes in the series. This time, the toy's owner, Andy, is about to leave for college. Worse still, the toys are accidentally thrown out and because of a misunderstanding with Woody, they jump into a donation box for a daycare center. Once there, they find themselves in the clutches of the vindictive Lotso, a bitter plush bear who was discarded by his owner. It's another escape adventure for the toys, but what makes it a top 30 film are the inherent sense of loss when a child enters adulthood and that incredibly moving scene when the toys band together as they're about to be incinerated. The love they show for each other in the face of impending doom is palpable. Plus, there's Spanish Buzz. ¡Olé!

• Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack
• Director: Lee Unkrich
• Year: 2010
• Runtime: 102 minutes
• Rating: G
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

Set in imperial Han China, "Mulan" is the second-to-last film of Disney's Renaissance Era and is partially based on the poem about legendary heroine Hua Mulan, "The Song of Fa Mu Lan." After all men are drafted into the army, Mulan disguises herself as a man so she can take her father's place and protect him. She's aided by a red dragon named Mushu who's trying to make up for his own mistakes and helps keep her secret. The animation is reminiscent of both Disney's Golden Era and of Chinese paintings, and Mulan is a strong character with a clear moral compass. Mushu is both sympathetic and hilarious, alleviating some of the tension of the battle scenes for Disney's youngest viewers.

• Starring: Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong
• Director: Barry Book, Tony Bancroft
• Year: 1998
• Runtime: 88 minutes
• Rating: G
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%

"Raya and the Last Dragon" was one of the first big films of Disney's streaming era, releasing on Disney+ and in theaters simultaneously. It's also the first Disney film with a Southeast Asian princess. Raya is both a young royal and warrior who lives in the Heart tribe of Kumandra, a land split into five groups after an attack by evil spirits called Druun results in the creation of a magical dragon gem. Heart wants to reunite with the other four tribes, but fighting over the gem brings back the Druun. Desperate for peace, Raya searches for the last dragon, Sisu, who she believes she can defeat the Druun and save her world. "Raya and the Last Dragon" boasts beautifully detailed, culturally specific backgrounds for each tribe, stellar voice acting, and a thematically rich story.

• Starring: Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Izaac Wang
• Director: Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada
• Year: 2021
• Runtime: 108 minutes
• Rating: PG
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

A combination of live-action with bits of animation, "Mary Poppins" is buoyed by an Academy Award-winning performance by Julie Andrews as the title nanny, who brings her magic to the lives of the Banks family. The Banks household is rather stern, but while Mary is firm, she's also fun. She helps the family loosen up and reconnect in ways it hasn't before with the help of her friend Bert, some dancing penguins, and a spoonful of sugar. "Mary Poppins" also won an Academy Award for its song "Chim Chim Cher-ee" and includes the equally singable "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," "Let's Go Fly A Kite," and "Step in Time." Despite its setting in 1910 Edwardian London, "Mary Poppins" is a timeless delight.

• Starring: Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Glynis Johns
• Director: Robert Stevenson
• Year: 1964
• Runtime: 140 minutes
• Rating: G
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

Released in 2008, "Bolt" finds John Travolta voicing the titular canine, a pooch who's been raised to believe he has superpowers and who stars in a crime-fighting TV show with his human owner, 13-year-old Penny. An accident results in Bolt getting separated by thousands of miles from Penny and having to accept he's not a superhero -– at least, not the kind he thinks. Bolt's accompanied on his journey back to Penny — and to self-discovery — by the hyper hamster Rhino and the sardonic cat Mittens, resulting in a dynamically animated and enjoyable road trip that packs a surprisingly emotional wallop.

• Starring: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman
• Director: Chris Williams, Byron Howard
• Year: 2008
• Runtime: 96 minutes
• Rating: PG
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

"Bambi" is the last film from Disney's Golden Age. It has all the classic hallmarks of a Disney animated film, including a deceased parent, gorgeous animated backgrounds that resemble watercolor paintings, and cute animal sidekicks. Okay, all the characters are animals. Bambi is a fawn –- and technically, a Disney prince –- whose mother is killed by a hunter and whose father is the Great Prince of the Forest. Bambi makes friends with Thumper the rabbit, Flower the skunk, and Faline, another fawn, but the group comes of age together as "Man" encroaches on the forest. It's a gentle, heartwarming tale but with a few scary elements — the perfect mix of light and dark for young audiences.

• Starring: Hardie Albright, Stan Alexander, Peter Behn
• Director: David Hand
• Year: 1942
• Runtime: 70 minutes
• Rating: G
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

"Up" begins with the most emotionally devastating scene in Disney film history since Travis had to, um, "let go" of Old Yeller. In less than five minutes, "Up" shows the entirety of Carl and Ellie's life, from their "meet cute" as children through marriage until her early death, mostly without any dialogue whatsoever. It packs a punch so forceful that you'll be racked with sobs. And that's just the adults in the audience! 

Now, alone and on the verge of losing his and Ellie's house, Carl attaches hundreds of balloons to his home and flies to his and Ellie's dream location, Paradise Falls. Unfortunately, a young scout, Russell, is trapped on Carl's porch. The slowly budding father-son relationship between Russell and Carl, not to mention that perfect union between Carl and Ellie, float this right into our –- SQUIRREL! — top 30.

• Starring: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai
• Director: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
• Year: 2009
• Runtime: 89 minutes
• Rating: PG
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

"Frozen" is part of Disney's modern-day Revival Era and one of its best films ever. Based on Hans Christian Andersen's story "The Snow Queen," "Frozen" features Elsa, a princess born with powers, while her sister, Anna, has none. The sisters have a rift due to a childhood accident, which causes Elsa to withdraw into a world of winter and sparks a tale that upends a lot of Disney tropes, especially when Anna gives precedence to her family bonds over her fairytale dreams of love with a prince in order to find and save her sister. Also adding to the film's joys are the adorably dim but sweet snowman Olaf and the monster hit song, "Let It Go." "Frozen" is like a world's best warm hug.

• Starring: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff
• Director: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
• Year: 2013
• Runtime: 102 minutes
• Rating: PG
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

The film that kicked off Disney's Renaissance Era is also one of its best. "The Little Mermaid" puts a Disney spin on Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairy tale of a mermaid who gives up her voice in order to become fully human and seek the love of a prince. But where Andersen's story gets bleak, "The Little Mermaid" is triumphant. The songs by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman are outstanding, especially the lively "Under the Sea," and the villainous Ursula is one of Disney's best baddies.

• Starring: Jodi Benson, Pat Carroll, Christopher Daniel Barnes
• Director: Ron Clements, John Musker
• Year: 1989
• Runtime: 82 minutes
• Rating: G
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" kicks off not just Disney's Golden Era but its entire film empire. It's the first film to ever use cel animation, and every frame is a beautiful wonder. Based on a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, this version adds in adorable woodland creatures and omits a lot of the more gruesome aspects of the original story. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" has tunes that stick in your head for days (including "Heigh-Ho"), stunning animation, and a villain who's both a wicked queen and an evil stepmother. 

• Starring: Adriana Caselotti, Harry Stockwell, Lucille La Verne
• Director: David Hand
• Year: 1937
• Runtime: 80 minutes
• Rating: G
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

"Pete's Dragon" is the rare case where the remake exceeds the original. It eschews the animated shenanigans of Elliot the cartoon dragon in favor of a CGI creature who looks like a cross between a mythical creature and a dog and acts like both. In this version, Pete's an orphan who's rescued by Elliot, and the two live in the woods for years until Pete is discovered by a kindly forest ranger and her family. Unfortunately, there's also a hot-headed lumberjack in the mix who's none too happy about a dragon scampering about in the forest. "Pete's Dragon" is an old-fashioned, emotionally effective "family is where you find it" film that showcases the best of Disney's ability to soar in the live-action realm.

• Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Oakes Fegley, Wes Bentley
• Director: David Lowery
• Year: 2016
• Runtime: 103 minutes
• Rating: PG
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%

In the charming coming-of-age film "Turning Red," Meilin is a 13-year-old girl who seems very confident. She helps her parents at the family temple, excels in school, hangs with her three besties, and nurses a huge crush on Robaire from the boy band 4*Town. But after a humiliating night courtesy of her mom's overzealous protectiveness, she wakes up as a giant red panda. "Turning Red" is hilariously funny as Meilin deals with her body's changes and the pull between her family duties and her desire to hang out with her friends and chase boys. The film is culturally specific but universal in its depiction of a young girl figuring out who she wants to be, and it's delightful.

• Starring: Rosalie Chung, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse
• Director: Domee Shi
• Year: 2022
• Runtime: 100 minutes
• Rating: PG
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

"Beauty and the Beast" is the classic film of the Disney Renaissance Era. Combining computer-generated backgrounds with hand-drawn art, the film expanded Disney's animation toolbox. As for the tale as old as time, Belle agrees to stay with Beast, a cursed prince who's imprisoned her father. The Beast's enchanted servants, including candelabra Lumière and stuffy clock Cogsworth, help Belle, and before long, she and Beast fall in love. Belle's would-be suitor, Gaston, naturally isn't a fan –- no one holds a grudge like Gaston! Several memorable songs and a heartfelt performance from the Beast's Robby Benson make "Beauty and the Beast" one of Disney's best.

• Starring: Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, Jerry Orbach
• Director: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise
• Year: 1991
• Runtime: 84 minutes
• Rating: G
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

"Ratatouille" stars Patton Oswalt as the voice of Remy, a rat in Paris who dreams of being a great chef. The problem is, well, he's a rat. No one is going to let a rat cook for them. But as Remy's hero, Chef Auguste Gusteau, says, "Anyone can cook." Remy winds up helping hapless kitchen worker Alfredo Linguini, turning him into the toast of the town via a truly unique cooking method that involves pulling Linguini's hair. However, things go wrong as they usually do, and it's up to Remy's cooking skills to save the day. "Ratatouille" is lushly animated, kinetic fun, but it also doesn't shy away from being a little heady, throwing in bits such as a Marcel Proust reference for the adults.

• Starring: Patton Oswalt, Peter O'Toole, Janeane Garofalo
• Director: Brad Bird
• Year: 2007
• Runtime: 111 minutes
• Rating: G
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

"The Jungle Book" may be one of Disney's oldest films but it is also firmly among the company's greatest releases. First hitting cinemas in 1967, it tells the story of Mowgli, a feral child who is raised by animals in the Indian jungle and ultimately persuaded to escape to a human village to avoid the wrath of the evil tiger Shere Khan. While it differed from Rudyard Kipling's 1894 novel as a lighter and more family-friendly tale that did without many of the darker elements, it proved to be one of the last great Disney films until the Disney Renaissance many years later.

Adults in the U.K. voted "The Jungle Book" as the most nostalgic Disney film and it isn't hard to see why. It has all the characteristics that made those early animated movies from the company so brilliant, including stellar voice acting, songs you can't help but sing along to, and vibrant visuals that leave a lasting impression.

• Starring: Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, George Sanders
• Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
• Year: 1967
• Runtime: 78 minutes
• Rating: G
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%

"Big Hero 6" is another modern Disney animation that will no doubt go down in history among other classics. Based on a character from Marvel Comics, Disney was able to create the film after the company acquired Marvel in 2009. Very loosely based on the original comics, the story follows a teenager called Hiro Hamada who teams up with the robot Baymax to fight against a villain who was seemingly responsible for the death of his older brother.

A touching tale, "Big Hero 6" delves into themes such as dealing with grief and what it means to be a hero. The robotic character at the center of the story, Baymax, is a lovable figure and charismatic figure that has become a marketing sensation. It is hard not to love this 2014 animated film and it has already created an impressive legacy with numerous television series based on the characters.

• Starring: Scott Adsit, Ryan Potter, Daniel Henney
• Director: Don Hall and Chris Williams
• Year: 2014
• Runtime: 102 minutes
• Rating: PG
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

It is fair to say that Pixar has dominated much of Disney's animated output over the last few decades, with a few notable exceptions with the likes of "The Lion King" remake and "Frozen." So it shouldn't come as a surprise that the studio has a number of great films among the best that Disney has to offer. One of the oldest Pixar films without a sequel, "WALL-E," tells the tale of a small robot left on Earth to clean up the planet in complete isolation after humanity abandoned the world.

Despite spending years without real companionship, WALL-E meets a probe robot called EVE and follows her back to the human colony ship known as the Axiom. Like many of Pixar's early short films, it has a strong reliance on visual storytelling and is beautifully animated, but "WALL-E" is also a genuinely funny and heart-warming story that is impossible not to like.

• Starring: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin
• Director: Andrew Stanton
• Year: 2008
• Runtime: 97 minutes
• Rating: G
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

One of the more recent films coming from Pixar and Disney, "Inside Out" is a 2015 film from Peter Docter that stars an ensemble cast made up of the likes of Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, and Phyllis Smith. The story focuses on a young girl named Riley who struggles after moving home and her five basic emotions that control all of her actions. These include Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear.

When it was released, it received critical acclaim and has one of the highest Rotten Tomatoes ratings of any recent Disney film. Praised for its inventiveness and originality, "Inside Out" provides a thoughtful look at the way people can have many different sides to their personalities and how we can deal with a variety of complex emotions. The performances of its large cast were also a source of delight for viewers and it was among 2015 best releases.

• Starring: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Richard Kind, Bill Hader
• Director: Pete Docter
• Year: 2015
• Runtime: 95 minutes
• Rating: PG
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

In many ways, "Toy Story" is the movie that launched Pixar. While the studio had previously worked on short films, such as "Tin Toy," it was this 1995 computer-animated adventure that propelled the company and John Lasseter into becoming the latest big hitter in the world of animation. Although "Toy Story" had plenty of production difficulties and was even almost canceled by Disney after executives saw the first cut, the finished product is one of the most memorable animated movies ever released.

Starring Tom Hanks and Tim Allen as Woody and Buzz Lightyear, the story follows a group of toys that come alive when they are left alone. When their owner Andy gets a new Space Ranger action figure, the old-fashioned cowboy toy Woody gets jealous of the attention Buzz receives and this sets in motion a series of events that sees the two characters lost far away from their home. Nominated for a number of Academy Awards, it has become one of the highest-grossing movie franchises ever – cementing its place in Disney history.

• Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles
• Director: John Lasseter
• Year: 1995
• Runtime: 91 minutes
• Rating: G
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%