The Walt Disney Company has an almost century-old collection of movies, short films, and cartoons. Production quality has improved over their extensive history, releasing classic after classic with each passing decade. Determining Disney's most productive year can be challenging to decide.
Some fans may argue that the Disney Renaissance of the 90s was their best year. After introducing their standard but high-quality CG animation, other fans may say the 2010s were better. Regardless of fan favorites, even the most seasoned Disney veterans will struggle to discuss which was the better decade for movies, from a historical standpoint or a cultural standpoint.
10 With Only One Major Film, The 1930s Was Disney's Starting Point
At the beginning of the 1930s, Disney was still in its infancy. Two years prior, Mickey Mouse made his official debut in the cartoon Steamboat Willie, but Disney didn't create any feature-length films until 1937.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was a commercial success as one of the first traditionally animated films and one of the top ten highest-performing films at the box office. The movie was a trailblazer in both color and sound, creating a brand-new viewing experience for moviegoers of the 1930s. It remains a well-loved classic to this day, but it was the only movie Disney made at the time.
9 Only 14 Movies Came From The 1940s
After Snow White's success, Disney had more budget to work with in the following decade. The company was starting to grow in popularity, and at the time, Walt Disney decided to move his studio to Burbank, California.
Despite Pinocchio debuting two years after Snow White, the 1940s was Disney's decade of anthology films and documentaries. They showcased studio tours and compilation films of Technicolor cartoons that featured newly-introduced characters such as Donald Duck and Goofy. Unfortunately, the 1940s wasn't without its setbacks, with the racially-offensive Song of the South airing in 1946. But this movie wasn't the only stain on Disney's filmmaking career.
8 The 1980s Produced About 28 Films, Most Being Live-Action Movies
Disney did produce live-action films in previous decades. With its president's change, the company decided to expand its audience by delving further into the genre. Disney collaborated with other studios such as Paramount and Silver Screen Partners and released about 28 films throughout this decade.
Unfortunately, not many of these live-action films performed well at the box office, forcing Disney back to the drawing board. But in the late 1980s, the company began picking up momentum. The releases of Honey, I Shrunk The Kids and The Little Mermaid became box office hits, which helped kick off the Disney Renaissance.
7 The 2020s, Of Course, Just Has 29 Films And Counting
Considering that we're two years into a new decade, Disney has yet to finish the 2020s. Regardless, they have still released almost 30 films for moviegoers to enjoy. However, Disney released many of them through Disney+, their exclusive streaming service.
Including the Marvel and Star Wars universes, Disney has more material to work with. They have also released a couple of documentary-style concert films, such as Billie Eilish's Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter To Los Angeles and The Beatles' Get Back - The Rooftop Concert. In addition, Disney's storytelling has moved into family-oriented films like Encanto and Turning Red, which have received positive feedback.
6 The 1950s Made 29 Films, 6 Of Which Were Animated
Disney films from the 1950s seemed to focus heavily on the American prairie and 19th- and 20th-century literature. Out of the 29 films they released, some stand out as classics in the modern age.
Except for Lady and the Tramp, which was based on a magazine's short story, most of Disney's animated films were loosely based on European fairytales. Cinderella captured moviegoers' attention as Disney's first feature-length animated film after a series of anthology projects. Other titles such as Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Sleeping Beauty followed.
5 In Disney's "Not-So-Great" Decade, The 1970s Released About 45 Films
The 1970s weren't some of Disney's best years. After Walt Disney died in 1966, the company struggled to find direction in the coming years. There were disagreements between long-time animators who disliked how the higher-ups ran Disney.
The lack of budget is reflected in their movie productions, mostly in their animated films. Disney stuck with mainly live-action throughout the 1970s, but they went relatively unknown. The most famous Disney titles of the 70s were The Aristocats, Robin Hood, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and The Rescuers. Similar animation cuts can be seen throughout these movies if viewers pay enough attention.
4 In The 1960s, Disney Came Out With 52 Films
Unfortunately, films from the 1960s would be the last with Walt Disney's personal touch. He passed away in 1966 from lung cancer, just ten days after his 65th birthday. Disney films from the 1960s have a special place in fans' hearts, for they showcase the founder's image portrayed throughout the story.
Out of the 52 films made in the 1960s, a handful of them had remakes — two of the most famous being The Parent Trap with Lindsey Lohan and 101 Dalmatians with Glenn Close — released in later decades. One of the most famous live-action Disney films was Mary Poppins, released in 1964 and starring award-winning actress Julie Andrews. Her debut as the titular Mary Poppins helped her career take off, as her charm and captivating beauty kept audiences entertained.
3 The 1990s Kicked Off The Disney Renaissance With 68 Films
The 1990s was also known as the "Disney Renaissance," a period when several animated films received significant recognition and subsequent success. Starting in 1989 with the success of The Little Mermaid, Disney felt like it had its old spark back. They still produced some live-action films, but most of them weren't as popular as the animated titles. Some outliers became cultural staples amongst the millennial generation, such as Hocus Pocus, Flubber, and the live-action remake of 101 Dalmatians.
If asked about their favorite Disney movie, most fans will refer to a film from this specific period. Other than The Little Mermaid, other successful 90s films were A Goofy Movie, Beauty and The Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, and Mulan. Not to mention, many fans' favorite Disney songs came from these movies. During this decade, Disney produced about 68 films.
2 The 2010s Produced A Whopping 89 Movies
One could argue that the 2010s was a second Disney Renaissance, going full-throttle into a new form of animation. This decade released about 89 movies, a mixture of live-action, Pixar sequels, and original storylines. As 2010 rolled in, Disney officially retired its classic 2D-style art style in favor of more computer-generated imagery. Sure, Disney released other computer-animated films, such as Pixar's Toy Story and the 2001 film Dinosaur, but this new art was unique and fresh in the movie industry.
The 2010s were also the time when Disney started remaking their classic movies. The remakes are a controversial subject, mostly deemed "poorly-made cash grabs" by most movie fans. While the remakes are a fresh take on Disney filmmaking and storytelling, they couldn't beat out their animated counterparts. Tangled, Coco, and Frozen were three of which took the world by storm upon their releases.
1 The 2000s Was The Decade of Disney Sequels, With 125 Films
The 2000s were riddled with direct-to-video sequels to established classics, much to Disney fans' chagrin. Most of them were not so well-received by the public, but that doesn't mean the 2000s were a complete flop decade. Along with sequels, Disney introduced 125 new titles to Western audiences, some of which came overseas.
Millennials will credit the 90s and 2000s as their "golden era," with movies such as The Princess Diaries and The Pirates of the Caribbean, while The Lizzie McGuire Movie introduced them to Disney Channel. The 2000s also introduced Western audiences to Studio Ghibli's breathtaking movies, such as Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle.