Almost every Walt Disney movie in existence has been a hit. No matter when they are released, people always flock to watch them, be it the classics or the modern animated ones. The fact that people even re-watch Disney movies is proof that they are timeless and great to consume. Here are the five (5) most popular animated Disney movies of all time, among the many options available from the franchise. 

5 Most Popular Animated Disney Movies of All Time

Take note that all the Disney films on this list are based on their Rotten Tomatoes scores and IMDb ratings. 

1. Lion King (1994)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93% IMDb rating: 8.5

Who would forget the fluffy, lovable lion cub that stole the hearts of many around the world? What about singing to tunes like Circle of Life and I Just Can’t Wait to Be King? Disney’s timeless film The Lion King never fails to amuse and bring out the child in all of us. 

The movie is about the adventures of a young lion cub named Simba, whose dream is to become king but is trampled on when his uncle, Scar, does a terrible deed that would later cause the banishment of Simba from Pride Rock. 

As the plot develops, the audience travels with Simba on his quest to reclaim his rightful throne as king of Pride Rock. 

2. Aladdin (1992)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95% IMDb rating: 8.0

The iconic blue genie, the magic carpet, and the monkey named Abu are characters that most of us will never forget. All these characters belong to the movie Aladdin, and this is a tale of a young stray that roams the streets of Agrabah, scavenging for food and indulging in mischief. 

Later, he is persuaded by Jafar, the Sultan’s evil advisor and the movie’s antagonist. Aladdin is given the order to visit the Cave of Wonders and get a magic lamp. Young Aladdin was successful in doing so, and thus began his adventures with Genie. 

Aladdin gets his first wish by asking the Genie to make him a prince. Later on, he has the princess, Jasmine, smitten with him. Jafar interferes because he wants to become Sultan, endangering their relationship. Jafar must now be vanquished by Aladdin if he is to save Jasmine, the Sultan, and the entire town of Agrabah. 

3. Pinocchio (1940)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100% IMDb rating: 7.5

Songs like When You Wish Upon a Star, the ideology of lying is bad, and listening to your conscience being a good thing, all originate from the Disney classic, Pinocchio. This film is about a woodmaker named Geppetto, who wishes that his wooden creation, a boy puppet, would come to life and become a real boy. 

The Blue Fairy grants Gepetto’s earnest wish, and he ends up having Pinocchio come to life. However, he is still a puppet. The Blue Fairy asks for Jimminy Cricket to serve as the puppet’s conscience. Suddenly, a wicked boy named Honest John deceives Pinocchio and brings him to Pleasure Island. 

With the guidance of Jimminy Cricket, Pinocchio must now find his way out of the island filled with naughty boys and overcome other challenges thrown at him as he finds a way back to his father, Geppetto. 

4. Zootopia

Rotten Tomatoes score: 98% IMDb rating: 8.0

Zootopia, a movie where animals take center stage, is one of Disney’s more innovative film creations, given that it is a 3D animated one. We have our main protagonist, Judy Hopps, the police force’s first rabbit to become a member. Preys like herself face difficulties frequently, but she overcomes them and shows everyone that this does not prevent her from performing her duties. 

Together with her con partner, Nick Wilde, they work to expose the plots that lead the predators to attack prey animals. 

5. Snow White 

Rotten Tomatoes score: 98% IMDb rating: 7.6

No one can deny that Snow White is still a great Disney classic to watch. While this movie may seem commonplace to us now, Snow White was once thought to be the most fantastical fairy tale ever told through animation. Children and adults alike were captivated by how Snow White was crafted and how brilliant the story was. 

The story goes like this, Snow White, being the fairest of them all, is being tracked down by the Evil Queen due to her jealousy. The Evil Queen does not accept that someone else is fairer than her, so she orders the murder of Snow White, her stepdaughter. 

Snow White then goes into hiding, wherein seven dwarves help her and take her in. Later on, the Evil Queen discovers that Snow White is alive. She guises herself as an old, unattractive hag and offers the princess a poison apple. This puts Snow White in a deep slumber, from which she can only be awakened by a kiss from a prince. 

Disney movies often get passed on through generations of viewers. In the mood for some nostalgia? Gather up the family and watch one of these most popular animated Disney movies today, if only for old times’ sake.

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