Hi, my name is Amanda. I'm 19, I'm a college student, and I am completely obsessed with Disney. ("Hi, Amanda.")
To be obsessed with Disney is a hard job. In fact, it could be a paid nine to five career. Do you know how many Disney Parks commercials I have spent valuable time crying over? Or how many trips to the parks I have planned, or even helped others plan? I deserve a nice pat on the back.
One of the things that I also do a lot is watch Disney movies. From classics to newbies, I've seen more than I can count. After seeing so many Disney movies (more than once) as I got older, I have come to realize that almost every single one has a lesson that it teaches the watcher. Some people may overlook those lessons, but not me. Maybe after reading this, you as well will remember the lessons, and take something from them!
Here are 6 Classic Disney movies that taught us valuable lessons:
1. Pinocchio (1940)
For those of you who haven't seen it, Pinocchio is a movie about a puppet carved from wood who wants to be a real boy. However, he is a liar, which causes his nose to grow and his reputation to be stained. To be a real boy, the Blue Fairy tells him that he must prove that he is truthful. When his creator (and wannabe father) Geppetto gets into trouble, Pinocchio drops everything to save him. The Blue Fairy decides that after the mission Pinocchio had selflessly completed, he deserved to be a real boy. This movie taught us that if you want something, you will get it by working hard and doing the right things that need to be done. Pinocchio may have wished for what he wanted, but it took him doing the right thing to get it.
2. Dumbo (1941)
Try to tell me baby Dumbo isn't the cutest. Try it. Dumbo is a movie about an elephant born with abnormally large ears. These ears are so big, that Dumbo is able to fly with them. He feels as though this makes him an outcast, and leaves the circus. In the end, Dumbo realizes that his flying trick makes him the star of the circus. This movie taught us that being a little different doesn't make you an outcast, it makes you unique and beautiful. We shouldn't all want to be like one another. Dumbo and his mother became celebrities of the circus, and the people who made fun of him got nothing special.
3. Peter Pan (1953)
Ah, Peter Pan, the movie that makes me smile. This movie is a classic, and even the Broadway shows of this movie are always spectacular. Peter Pan is a young boy who refused to grow up. He resides in Neverland with the Lost Boys. When Wendy Darling is told she needs to grow up, Peter visits her and takes her to Neverland, showing her that she doesn't have to grow up. After lots of adventure, the Darling children decide it would be best for them to go home, but still remember all their adventures. This movie taught us that while we get older and more mature, there is no reason we can't relive childhood memories and play around like kids every once in a while. While Wendy Darling eventually grew up, she still always recalled the stories of her and Peter Pan.
4. The Fox And The Hound (1981)
If you can tell me you made it through this movie without sobbing, you're lying. When a widowed woman adopts the fox (Tod), she introduces him to her neighbor and his new dog (Copper). The two start playing together and become friends. After years go by, Copper becomes a hunting dog and is not allowed to play with Tod. After some trouble, the woman gets rid of Tod and Copper and his owner decide they are going to hunt him down as revenge for the problems they had. Tod saves Copper's life even after he betrayed him. To repay him, Copper stops his owner from shooting Tod. The two are separated, but both remember the memories they had together. This movie taught us that friendship is EVERYTHING. While there may be some falling outs and difficult times, you should always have each other's backs. While Tod and Copper are now living different lives, they can always rely on each other for help.
5. Beauty And The Beast (1991), (2017)
I love the classic of this film as well as the remake. I don't know who hasn't seen or heard of this movie, but I'll still give the plotline. Adam was a rude Prince who denied helping a poor woman. She revealed herself to be a witch and casted a spell on him and the entire castle. If an enchanted rose lost it's petals before he found true love, he was doomed to remain a beast. Belle was a young lady who felt unwelcomed in her own town. She was always hit on by lady's man Gaston, but never agreed with anything he said. When her father gets lost, Belle finds him in Beast's castle. She agrees to stay there if the father can go home. After a long tale of trouble, adventure, and singing, her and the beast fall in love, the spell is broken, and he is human again. This movie taught us that beauty on the inside is what counts and that a person should not be judged on looks only. If Belle never gave the beast a chance, she would have never seen the side of him he truly was trying to be.
6. The Lion King (1994)
There are several lessons in this popular Disney movie. The Lion King is a movie about a lion family. Mufasa is the king of the tribe with everyone looking up to him. A jealous brother, Scar, wants to be the king and kills Mufasa. Simba is heartbroken (and so were all of us) and doesn't understand his dad is dead. He is told it is his fault, and runs away. He sees his dad in the stars everywhere he goes, and years later makes some new friends and a love interest. These new friends teach him that 'Hakuna Matata' means he should not be worrying. With help from people around him, he learns the truth and what he needs to do. This movie taught us that family will be with you no matter what, and you must stay true to who you are because of that. Simba always sees his dad in the sky and listens to what he tells him. This movie also taught us that sometimes, stepping away from the stress and worries can be insanely helpful in hard times. If Simba didn't stop to have fun, he would have had his entire youth taken away from him.
There you have it . A small but mighty list of classic Disney Movies that taught us lessons. I will always be a Disney Child.