Oldest to Newest: All the Disney Princess Movies In Order

Everyone at some point in their life has watched a Disney princess movie. Names such as Snow White, Aurora, Jasmine, and Cinderella have become well known worldwide because of these movies. Princesses have held a special place in the hearts of many children because of their stories. Stories about a true love’s kiss and acts of kindness for many are synonymous with the word “Disney.” Princess movies have been around for decades, but do you know which of these movies is the oldest? The newest? Here you’ll find a list of all the Disney princess movies in order of their release dates with a brief description:

It should be noted that some Disney movies are arguably problematic and detrimental to young girls’ mindsets about love and power. Enjoy Disney films, especially princess ones, with a critical eye.

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”

Almost every Disney fan knows that Snow White was the first Disney Princess. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was released in 1937, making it not only the first Disney princess movie, but also the first film Disney released. Snow White’s stepmother, the Evil Queen, is jealous of her beauty. In order to remain “the fairest in the land,” the Evil Queen orders a huntsman to kill Snow White. The huntsman, however, is unable to complete the task and lets Snow White go. She finds herself in the woods, where she meets the dwarfs. The queen finds out that Snow White is still alive and poisons her with an apple, which leaves Snow White in a death-like sleep that is only broken by a “true love’s kiss.”

“Cinderella”

The story of Cinderella has been presented in many ways. There have been multiple versions of the character but the animated version of “Cinderella” was released in 1950. When her mother dies, Cinderella’s father remarries Lady Tremaine. Cinderella’s father also dies and she is left with her stepmother and her two stepsisters, Anastasia and Drizella. She is mainly seen attending to the Lady and her daughters, cleaning around the house. When word of the King’s royal ball spreads around, Cinderella wishes to attend. Lady Tremaine, however, does not let Cinderella attend the ball. Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother comes to the rescue, allowing her to go to the ball and win the heart of the prince.

“Sleeping Beauty”

Many people have heard “Sleeping Beauty” references thrown around. The movie was released in 1959, and everyone has a vague idea of the story. When Princess Aurora is born, the entire kingdom celebrates, until an unwanted guest, the evil fairy Maleficent, arrives. Maleficent places a curse on Aurora, saying that she would prick her finger on a spinning wheel on her 16th birthday and die. One of the three fairies, Mayweather, is able to alter the curse so that Aurora falls into a deep sleep instead. The sleep could only be broken with a true love’s kiss. In an attempt to prevent the curse, the three fairies care for Aurora as best they can.

“The Little Mermaid”

Princess Ariel is one of the most favored Disney princesses. This could be because of the fact that many people when they were kids always dreamed of being a mermaid. In 1989, children got to see the mermaid swimming around onscreen. In this movie, a 16-year-old mermaid princess yearns to go above the water. Her father, King Triton, however, does not like the idea of her going to the surface, because of the dangers. Ariel disobeys and falls in love with a prince. To be with him, Ariel makes a deal with the sea witch, Ursula, for a pair of legs.

“Beauty and the Beast”

Another one of Disney’s most well-known princess movies is “Beauty and the Beast.” This movie, released in 1991, includes the tale of Belle and a prince who was turned into a beast. The Prince and his castle’s servants were placed under a curse until he learned to love and was loved in return. Belle, a village girl, finds herself in the Beast’s castle after her father was captured and held captive. Belle trades her father’s freedom for her own and in the time she spends with the Beast, she is able to help him with his curse.
“Aladdin”

Though this movie doesn’t center around the princess, Princess Jasmine is another Disney princess you might see walking around on Halloween or at a themed birthday party. In 1992, “Aladdin” was released and Princess Jasmine was officially Disney’s sixth princess in a movie. Aladdin is a poor street urchin figuring out how to survive day after day. He meets a young girl in the market, who happens to be the princess, struggling with the marriage arrangements presented to her by her father. When he is picked out by Jafar, the Sultan’s sorcerer, to find a magic lamp in the Cave of Wonders, his luck suddenly changes.

“Pocahontas”

This movie marks the first, out of seven, Disney princess movies not based on a fairy-tale. The Disney animated tale of Pocahontas, the daughter of an Algonquin chief, was released in 1995. Chief Powhatan orders Pocahontas to marry the greatest warrior of the village. Things, however, begin to change when an English ship lands near Pocahontas’ village full of English sailors, including Captain John Smith, looking for riches. Governor Ratcliffe believes that the people of the village, or “savages” as he called them, “are hiding the gold he expected to be plentiful.” The chief believes that these people are there to destroy their land. Smith and Pocahontas are left with the task to prevent a war, while still preserving the love they felt for each other.

“Mulan”

This movie was based on the legend of Hua Mulan, making it Disney’s second non-fairy-tale based movie. In 1998, the story of how a young maiden secretly takes her father’s place in the army was released. The ancestors of Mulan try to prevent her from taking honor away from her family’s name, by sending a last-option dragon named Mushu to join her and force her to rethink her decision. Mushu does not succeed but ends up aiding her in her quest to become “one of China’s greatest heroines.”

“The Princess and the Frog”

This movie, released in 2009, was a take on the classic, “A Frog Prince.” This movie follows a hardworking waitress named Tiana, and Prince Naveen. When Prince Naveen is turned into a frog by a voodoo magician, Tiana kisses the prince in an attempt to return him to his body. Instead of Prince Naveen returning to his human self, Tiana turns into a frog herself. With the help of a few others, Tiana and the prince must figure out a way to reverse the curse.

“Tangled”

Yet another one of Disney’s most known princesses includes Rapunzel in “Tangled.” This movie was released in 2010 and tells the story of a princess who was kidnapped and hidden from the kingdom until her 18th birthday. Rapunzel was born with the ability to heal people after her mother drank the juice of a golden flower. The juice of the flower helped Rapunzel’s hair grow longer than the average length. With the help of runaway Flynn Rider, Rapunzel is able to fulfill her birthday wish of seeing the city’s lanterns and returning to her parents.

“Brave”

Based in Scotland, “Brave” was released in 2012 and follows the story of Princess Merida. Merida is determined to forge her own path in life instead of following the one her parents, specifically her mother, had in mind. When Queen Elinor doesn’t let Merida make her own path, Merida sets out a way to get back at her mother. When things go awry, she must find a way to reverse the curse that she placed on her mother.

“Moana”

In 2016, “Moana” proved to be a big hit. From the songs to the scenes, a lot of people enjoyed the movie. The movie follows Moana, the daughter of a chief of voyagers, who sets out on a quest to do what the ocean chose her to do: reverse the effects of the Demigod, Maui. Moana must convince Maui to help her return the heart of Te Fiti in order to help heal the island that she grew up on.

“Raya and the Last Dragon”

Finally (and unofficially), on the list, is Raya from “Raya and the Last Dragon.” Raya was thought to be the next official Disney Princess, though some people still believe that she is not a Disney Princess. In the world of Kumandra, monsters known as the Druun return to the land 500 years after the sacrifice of the dragons took place. Now it’s left up to Raya to find the last dragon and stop the Druun from destroying the world she knows.