Caroline had expressed an interest in the Disney Princess paraphernalia since around the time she was four. We held her off as long as we could. (She’s now six.) We finally capitulated and she received a few inexpensive princess Barbie dolls this past Christmas. Part of my reluctance was simply an abhorrence of the over-marketing of the entire thing. But I decided it wasn’t a hill I was willing to die on. (If you’ve been reading my blog a long time you know I’m a careful hill picker. Flip flops – yes. Princess movies – no.)
The funny thing is that Caroline had never seen any of the movies. I thought they were too intense for her. Finally a few weeks ago we decided to test the waters. I chose Cinderella first since it is the least scary and I knew she would love the mice. I was right and she was enthralled.
We moved on next to Sleeping Beauty which is my favorite by a mile. It is my favorite story, favorite animation, and favorite music. It is the complete package when it comes to Disney princess stories and is on a completely different level from all the rest. Caroline loved it even more than Cinderella.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and The Little Mermaid followed and she did not like them. I won’t go into the reasons why to protect her privacy, but I wasn’t surprised. I’ve never been a fan of Snow White. And while some of the musical numbers in The Little Mermaid are very good, there is much about the storyline that I really dislike. I especially dislike the adversarial relationship between Ariel and her father.
It was interesting to me that Caroline’s favorite ended up being the same as mine. We haven’t watched Beauty and the Beast yet. I need to preview it before I show it to her. It has been so long since I’ve seen it that I want to see if some of the same dislike problems will crop up in it as they did in Snow White and The Little Mermaid.
I confess to being prejudiced against some of the more recent Disney Princess movies. All of the recent movies are more cartoons than animated films. Call me a snob, but that’s how I perceive them. I also dislike the more contemporary feel to the stories as though each one has a bit of a modern agenda. They don’t feel like classic fairy tales to me like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.
Unlike many women, I don’t get all angsty over the way women are portrayed in the stories. Caroline will get enough input from us regarding who women are in Christ, God’s calling on her life, etc. that I don’t worry about her growing up to be a passive woman waiting around for a prince to rescue her. In fact, even without any input from us at all I don’t see Caroline growing up to be a passive woman in any way, shape, or form! LOL!
The stories have also been a good launching point for starting to discuss good and evil. It isn’t something that has come up much in other places, but the visuals in the movies (especially Sleeping Beauty) make it very real. I anticipate using the stories as catalyst for other discussions in the days ahead.
So which one is your favorite? Least favorite?
SLEEPING BEAUTY is my favorite too. I love the music and the visual style. A few years ago my husband got me a beautiful framed sericel of Briar Rose and Prince Philip dancing in the forest; it hangs near my computer. 🙂
It was a thrill to see the actual “jewel”-covered book which opens the film at a “Treasures from the Archives” exhibit at last summer’s Disney Expo in Anaheim.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is my favorite of the more modern Disney films. I hope that one might work out for Caroline to enjoy.
Best wishes,
Laura
I also like the “classic fairy tale” and Sleeping Beauty is my favorite. We have since bought the ballet and spend time dancing with it. Regarding passive princesses, I like to see women that are doing their best–no matter their situation or it’s fairness. I imagine the challenge Cinderella had being friendly with her unfair disadvantage to her stepsisters. I know my 5 yo is acutely aware of fairness when it comes to privileges she or her 3 yo brother have!
My favorite is Beauty and the Beast but it is a bit scary for younger kids. I was (and still tend to be) a tomboy so am not the best judge on anything “princess”
My all time favorite Disney movies (The Fox and the Hound and Aristocats) have nothing to do with princesses 🙂
My kids actually steered more to the Lady& The Tramp, Dumbo, and those movies, go figure! But the girls did go through the obligatory princess stage for a few years (age 4-6ish) They liked them all. Sleeping Beauty was a family favorite.
Sometimes I really miss those days. My oldest daughter started shaving her legs today 🙁 Not real happy about that, but she’s playing volleyball in a league and she’s quite hairy! 🙁
I wasn’t really a princess girl growing up. Calamity Jane was more my style. I had sleeping beauty and didn’t care for it as a child.
My daughter loved cinderella and from about age 4-6 would flap her hands and tell the mice to “run!” every time she watched it. She also liked beauty and the beast because it had a horse in it. And named her spring-rocking horse “skeddy” because when belle tries to calm her horse she says “steady,steady,” so M thought that was his name.
Heidi
My favorite Disney princess movie is Beauty and the Beast. I identify with Belle’s love of reading! And I like her love and compassion.
I did not like The Princess and the Frog. The voodoo stuff was creepy and far different from the fairy godmother type magic in the other movies. I also didn’t like the relationship between Ariel and her father in The Little Mermaid. It bothers me that she essentially is rewarded for her disobedience.
My girls, particularly my youngest two, have enjoyed the princess movies and dolls.
I love Beauty and the Beast. And Cinderella……such a classic, it seems to me to be the epitome of fairy tales.
My children (boys and girl) LOVE Tangled. I must admit, I do too, although I was prepared to not as I typically prefer the older movies. It’s very funny and entertaining.
My daughter has never been a fan of the princess movies – but she and her brother both loved the early Herbie the Love Bug and The Shaggy DA – both very old Disney films! We were able to borrow them from the library for free – thus not contributing to Disney’s coffers.
Update 2025
I’m in the process of republishing dozens of older posts and this one came up today. Interestingly enough, I wrote it exactly 13 years ago today.
Sleeping Beauty is still her favorite.