movies/tv Best/Worst Disney Animated Film of Each Era

[CinemaBrony 1,276]

For you fans of the Disney Animated Features Canon, what are your choices for best and least favorite film from each era?

 

Only the movies from the official Disney canon are qualified in this topic, by the way. That means Pixar, Touchstone, and the direct-to-videos sequels don't count. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon

 

Below are my personal selections; and I'm referring to my least favorites as "weakest" instead of "worst" because some of them I actually do enjoy (to an extent), but they just happen to be the ones I care the least about. Doesn't necessarily make them bad.

 

 

Golden Age (1937-1942):

Best: Pinocchio

Weakest: Fantasia

 

Package Era (1943-1949):

Best: The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

Weakest: (tie) Saludos Amigos / Fun and Fancy Free

 

Silver Age (1950-1967):

Best: The Sword in the Stone

Weakest: Cinderella

 

Post-Walt/Pre-Reinassance (1970-1988):

Best: The Great Mouse Detective (is also my favorite Disney movie, period)

Weakest: The Black Cauldron

 

Renaissance (1989-1999):

Best: (tie) The Little Mermaid / Beauty and the Beast

Weakest: Pocahontas (the soundtrack's really good though)

 

New Millennium (2000-present):

Best: Lilo and Stitch

Weakest: (tie) Home on the Range / Chicken Little (also are my two least favorites out of the entire canon)

 

[A Black Circle 1,586]

I just got a list off of Wikipedia, so let's DO THIS!

 

2000-present

Best: The Incredibles

Worst: Chicken Little, burn in hell

1989-1999

Best: Toy Story
Worst: Doug's 1st Movie

1970-1988

Best: Robin Hood

Worst: Black Cauldron

1950-1967

Best: Alice in Wonderland

Worst: Jungle Book

1943-1949

Best: Mr. Toad

Worst: Fun & Fancy Free

1937-1942

Best: Dumbo

Worst: Saludos Amigos

[MLPFanatic34 3,234]

Golden Age:

Best: Snow White

Worst: Fantasia

 

Package Era:

Best: Bambi

Worst: Saludos Amigos

 

Silver Era:

Best: Alice In Wonderland

Worst: Cinderella

 

Post Walt/Pre Renaissance:

Best: 101 Dalmatians

Worst: The Jungle Book

 

 

Renaissance:

Best: Little Mermaid/Lion King

Worst: The Black Cauldron

 

New Millennium:

Best: Lilo & Stitch

Worst: Home on The Range

Edited May 5, 2015 by MLPFanatic34

[Ziggy + Angel + Rain 11,301]

Golden Age (1937-1942):

Best: Dumbo

Weakest: Bambi

 

Package Era (1943-1949):

Best: The Three Caballeros

Weakest: Make Mine Music (despite Peter and the Wolf)

 

Silver Age (1950-1967):

Best: Alice in Wonderland

Weakest: Sleeping Beauty

 

Post-Walt/Pre-Reinassance (1970-1988):

Best: Robin Hood

Weakest: The Fox and the Hound

 

Renaissance (1989-1999):

Best: Aladdin / The Rescuers Down Under / The Lion King

Weakest: Beauty and the Beast

 

New Millennium (2000-present):

Best: Wreck it Ralph / Big Hero 6

Weakest: Dinosaur / Tangled

[DragonFlyer 328]

I'm gonna snag your use of the word "weakest" because I agree with what you said there. Some of the movies I'm listing as my least favorites I do still enjoy they're just not particular favorites.

Golden Age (1937-1942):
Best: Bambi; Dumbo
Weakest:: Saludos Amigos

Package Era (1943-1949):
Best: The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
Weakest: Make Mine Music

Silver Age (1950-1967):
Best: Lady and the Tramp; 101 Dalmatians; The Jungle Book
Weakest: Cinderella

Post-Walt/Pre-Reinassance (1970-1988):
Best: The Fox and the Hound; Oliver and Company
Weakest: The Black Cauldron

Reinassance (1989-1999):
Best: The Lion King
Weakest: Hercules

New Millennium (2000-present):
Best: Lilo and Stitch; Brother Bear
Weakest: Chicken Little

[Will Guide 21,357]

Golden Age (1937-1942):

Best: Snow White (All the hard work and risks the makers took to create this emotional film a success is most impressive)

Weakest: Fantasia (The music and art is great, but the lack of dialog might bore kids)

 

Package Era (1943-1949):

Best: The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

Weakest: Fun and Fancy Free (

 

Silver Age (1950-1967):

Best: Alice in Wonderland (The many songs and characters Alice meet are a huge plus)

Weakest: Cinderella (Least watched of all Disney Princess films mostly because I don't want to compare the Evil Stepmother to my own kinder stepmother)

 

Post-Walt/Pre-Reinassance (1970-1988):

Best: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (Due to the interactions with the Narrator)

Weakest: The Black Cauldron (Lost to the Care Bears on opening weekend; although it gained a bit of a cult, which I'm NOT a part of)

 

Renaissance (1989-1999): My Childhood! So ALL the movies are good, but I have to choose so...

Best: Lion King (my 15 year dead mother and I used to act out this movie all the time. Mufasa is with her.)

Weakest: Pocahontas (Despite all the historical inaccuracies, this film remains true to Pocahontas' spirit as a peacekeeper)

 

New Millennium (2000-2008): I decided to go up to 2008 as 2009 onwards feels like a 2nd Renaissance.

Best: Emperor's New Groove for all its humor!

Weakest: (tie) Home on the Range / Chicken Little (I agree with the OP)

 

2nd Renaissance (2009-Present): Actually I want to list each film as having a similarity to the films of the last Renaissance

• The Princess and the Frog is to The Little Mermaid as the first Princess film in years!
• Tangled is similar to Aladdin with some modern jokes, a handsome thief, and a princess who wants to see the world
• Winnie the Pooh is similar to The Rescuers Down Under as they are both overlooked! Anyone who doesn't know the list would think after Little Mermaid was Beauty and the Beast while Wreck-it-Ralph came right after Tangled, forgetting the films in-between. Weakest (They shouldn't have released WtP on the same weekend as the final Harry Potter film.)
• Wreck-it-Ralph actually reminds me more of Toy Story, but the latter's not a Disney film. (Couldn't find anything within the 1st Renaissance to connect it to.)
• Frozen is like Lion King: Both made so much money and even caused some Hype Backlash! Both films are my personal favorites and I considered them the best of their decades! 
• Big Hero 6 is like Pocahontas because they were overshadowed by the films released before them. 

Edited May 3, 2015 by WiiGuy2014

[Megas 27,495]

Golden Age (1937-1942):

Best - Snow White

Weakest - Fantasia(actually really good, but bores me easily depending on my mood)

 

Package Era (1943-1949):

Best - Three Caballeros

Weakest - Ichabod and Mr Toad

 

Silver Age (1950-1967):

Best - Cinderella

Weakest - Sword in the Stone

 

Post-Walt/Pre-Reinassance (1970-1988):

Best - Robin Hood

Weakest - Oliver and Company

 

Renaissance (1989-1999):

Best - Hunchback of Norte Dame

Weakest - Pocahontas

 

New Millennium (2000-present):

Best - Hard one...it's between Emperor's New Groove, Frozen, Big Hero Six, Tangled and Wreck It Ralph

Worst - Home on the Range(only Disney Movie I've seen that I actually disliked...yes I even enjoyed Chicken Little despite a lot of Bullshit)

[CC_Maud_Pie 6,431]

Golden Age (1937-1942):

Favorite: Snow White and the Sever Dwarfs

Least Favorite: Fantasia

 

Package Era (1943-1949): (I haven't seen some of these films in a long time)

Favorite: The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

Least Favorite: Melody Time

 

Silver Age (1950-1967):

Favorite: The Jungle Book

Least Favorite: The Sword in the Stone

 

Post-Walt/Pre-Reinassance (1970-1988):

Favorite: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Least Favorite: Oliver and Company

 

Renaissance (1989-1999):

Favorite: The Lion King

Least Favorite: Hercules

 

New Millennium (2000-present):

Favorite: Frozen

Least Favorite: Home on the Range

Edited May 4, 2015 by CC_Maud_Pie

[Evilshy 5,090]

 

 

Weakest: Fantasia

 

 

 

Worst: Fantasia

 

 

 

Weakest: Fantasia (The music and art is great, but the lack of dialog might bore kids)

 

 

 

Weakest - Fantasia(actually really good, but bores me easily depending on my mood)

 

 

 

Least Favorite: Fantasia

 

 

What the actual fuck, guys.

[Rainblow H. Ash 5,091]

Golden Age (1937-1942):

Best: Dumbo

Weakest: Pinocchio

 

Package Era (1943-1949):

Best: Song of the South

Weakest: So Dear to My Heart

 

Silver Age (1950-1967):

Best: 101 Dalmations

Weakest: Mary Poppins

 

Post-Walt/Pre-Reinassance (1970-1988):

Best: The AristoCats

Weakest: The Rescuers

 

Renaissance (1989-1999):

Best: Hocus Pocus

Weakest: Mulan

 

New Millennium (2000-present):

Best: Home on the Range

Weakest: The Princess and the Frog

[Rainboom Dash 1,055]

Golden Age (1937-1942):

Best: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Weakest: Saludos Amigos

 

Package Era (1943-1949):

Best: Song of the South

Weakest: Melody Time

 

Silver Age (1950-1967):

Best: Cinderella

Weakest: The Sword in the Stone

 

Post-Walt/Pre-Reinassance (1970-1988):

Best: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Weakest: Pete's Dragon

 

Renaissance (1989-1999):

Best: The Lion King

Weakest: Pocahontas

 

New Millennium (2000-present):

Best: Toy Story 3

Weakest: Home on the Range

[Buttonmash1973 1,026]

Renaissance (1989-1999):

Best: The Nightmare Before Christmas

 

 

New Millennium (2000-present):

Best: FrankenWeenie 2012

 

Edited June 2, 2016 by Ulrik Raben

[cmarston1 5,958]

Golden Age (1937-1942):

Best: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Weakest: Bambi

 

Package Era (1943-1949):

Best: The Three Caballeros

Weakest: Song of the South

 

Silver Age (1950-1967):

Best: Alice in Wonderland

Weakest: Lady and the Tramp

 

Post-Walt/Pre-Reinassance (1970-1988):

Best: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Weakest: The Aristocats

 

Renaissance (1989-1999):

Best: Beauty and the Beast

Weakest: Pocahontas

 

New Millennium (2000-present):

Best: Zootopia

Weakest: Chicken Little

[Stardust* 3,302]

Golden Age (1937-1942):

Best: Bambi 

Weakest: Fantasia/Snow White

 

Package Era (1943-1949):

Best: The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

Weakest: Make Mine Music

 

Silver Age (1950-1967):

Best: The Sword in the Stone

Weakest: Alice in Wonderland

 

Post-Walt/Pre-Reinassance (1970-1988):

Best: Fox and the Hound/The Great Mouse Dective 

Weakest: The Rescuers 

 

Renaissance (1989-1999):

Best: Mulan/The Lion King

Weakest: The Rescuers Down Under

 

Post Renaissance Era (2000-2009):

Best: The Emperor's New Groove/Brother Bear

Weakest: Fantasia 2000

 

The Revival Era (2010-Present):

Best: Tangled/Princess and the Frog/Wreck it Ralph

Weakest: Frozen (just too much) 

[Denim&Venöm 18,079]

This is based out of the ones I've seen thus far.

 

Golden Age (1937-1942):

Worst: Fantasia

 

What the actual fuck, guys.

 

(Sorry, but it bored me and evreypony else as kids)

Best: Pinocchio

 

Package Era (1943-1949):

N/A

 

Silver Age (1950-1967):

Worst: Sleeping Beauty 

Best: 101 Dalmatians

 

Post-Walt/Pre-Reinassance (1970-1988):

Worst: The Black Culdron

Best: Fox & The Hound/Many Adventures Of Winnie The Poo

 

Renaissance (1989-1999):

Worst: Pochahontas

Best: Hunchback Of Notre Dame/ Lion King

 

Post Renaissance Era (2000-2009):

Worst: Fantasia 2000

Best: Emperors New Groove 

 

The Revival Era (2010-Present):

Worst: Big Hero 6

Best: Zootopia

[Dreambiscuit 9,295]

Golden Age (1937-1942):

Best: Bambi/Snow White 

Weakest: Fantasia (still love it though)

 

Package Era (1943-1949):

Best: Song of the South

Weakest: Saludos Amigos (love this one too, but something has to be last) 

 

Silver Age (1950-1967):

Best: Peter Pan

Weakest: Jungle Book

 

Post-Walt/Pre-Reinassance (1970-1988):

Best: Fox and the Hound

Weakest: The Black Cauldron (a nice try though)

 

Renaissance (1989-1999):

Best: Beauty and the Beast

Weakest: Pocahontas/Mulan

 

New Millennium (2000-present):

Best: Empreror's New Groove

Weakest: Chicken Little 

[Merion 783]

Golden Age (1937-1942):

Best: Bambi

Weakest: Dumbo (that messed up acid trip sequence with pink elephants... a big NOPE for me)

 

Package Era (1943-1949):

I don't really like the package format so I haven't seen most of these films. I kinda liked Melody Time as a kid, tho.

 

Silver Age (1950-1967):

Best: 101 Dalmatians

Weakest: The Jungle Book

 

Post-Walt/Pre-Reinassance (1970-1988):

Best: The Rescuers (One of my fav childhood movies!)

Weakest: The Great Mouse Detective

 

Renaissance (1989-1999):

Best: The Lion King, my favourite movie of all time <3

Weakest: Aladdin 

 

New Millennium (2000-present):

Best: (tie) Lilo and Stitch / Zootopia. Wreck-It-Ralph was pretty amazing too!

Weakest: Chicken Little (Conveniently omitted by Disney staff every time they brag about Zootopia being their first movie to feature  anthropomorphic animals since Robin Hood X'D)

[Paleopony 695]

The Golden Age (1937-1942)

Best: Bambi

Weakest: Fantasia (technically a great movie but got boring at times)

The Package Era (1943-1949)

I've only seen two of these movies so I can't say which one is the best or worse.

The Silver Age (1950-1967)

Best: Lady and the Tramp / Sleeping Beauty

Weakest: Alice in Wonderland

Post Walt Era (1970-1988)

Best: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh / Who Framed Rodger Rabbit (if that counts)

Weakest: The Black Cauldron

Renaissance (1989-1999)

Best: The Lion King

Weakest: Pocahontas

Post Renaissance Era (2000-2009)

Best: The Emperor's New Groove

Weakest: Home on the Range

The Revival Era (2010-Present)

Best: Tangled

Weakest: Frozen 2

I haven't seen all of the animated Disney movies so I might change my list in the future.

[Sonic Shimmer 4,131]

Golden Age (1937-1942):

Best: Pinocchio

Weakest: Dumbo

 

Package Era (1943-1949):

I haven't watched any of these movies so I don't know.

 

Silver Age (1950-1967):

Best: Peter Pan (I had some trouble deciding between this and The Jungle Book)

Weakest: The Sword in the Stone

 

Post-Walt/Pre-Reinassance (1970-1988):

Best: Robin Hood

Weakest: The Black Cauldron

 

Renaissance (1989-1999):

Best: So hard to choose, almost every movie here is great. It's a tie between Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid

Weakest: The Rescuers Down Under (Pocahontas is pretty mediocre too)

 

New Millennium (2000-present):

Best: Lilo and Stitch (Big Hero 6 is a close second)

Weakest: Chicken Little (There's a lot of forgettable movies here like Dinosaur and Brother Bear but Chicken Little is horrendously bad)