Disney is known for telling stories that end with happily ever after and the characters finding their true loves. However, as Disney and audiences have evolved, the media empire has started producing movies without romance. These movies focus on different ways of finding happily ever after, like reconciling old friendships or discovering one's true identity and being confident in it.
While Disney will always have romance at the core of their most famous movies, movies without romance have provided fresh air to fairytales. The non-romantic movies give a message of being independent and finding happiness outside a romantic relationship.
10 Raya & The Last Dragon
Raya And The Last Dragon is one of few Disney movies where the main character doesn't encounter a potential love interest. Raya's story focuses on family and restoring the balance of the world. The movie discusses people's biases against other people from other regions and countries. One of the main morals of the story is that perception isn't always reality.
Raya And The Last Dragon has heavy comedic tones despite being a grand adventure full of danger and exposing ancient secrets. While there was room for romance, as one of Disney's longest movies, leaving it out improved the film and established Raya as a stronger hero.
9 Ralph Breaks The Internet
Ralph Breaks The Internet is part of a franchise that is light on romance but heavy on comedy and friendship. In the first movie, Fix-It Felix finds love with another video game character, but Ralph is left loveless. This carries on into Ralph Breaks The Internet, as Ralph has no interest in finding love.
Ralph is more focused on ensuring Venellope is okay, discovering the internet and how he can use it. The movie is more about connecting pop culture to the Disney universe and showing the wonders and dangers of being on the internet.
8 Brave
Brave may mention marriage and suitors, but there is no romance in the movie, as Merida doesn't want anything to do with the men who want to marry her. As a Disney movie that would have been better as a show, Brave explores Scottish mythology and the relationship between mothers and daughters.
Merida is much different than her mother, and that causes them to fight. One of their main conflicts stems from Merida not wanting romance, even though her mother insists she sticks to tradition. Overall, the suitors play a small part in the film, and Merida never conforms to Queen Elanor's ideas of being a lady.
7 Alice In Wonderland (1951)
Alice in Wonderland is one of Disney's earliest movies that doesn't include romance. Alice is like many of Disney's newer female characters who are more interested in traveling and exploring than finding someone to care for them. Alice finds friends when she falls down the rabbit hole and the courage to stand up to The Queen Of Hearts.
Alice could have found someone to fall in love with in Wonderland, but instead, she found stories she could tell for generations. The story has no room for romance as Alice is plagued with riddles and trying to find a way back home.
6 The Emperor's New Groove
The Emperor's New Groove is a beloved Disney movie that bombed at the box office and has no romantic storylines. Most of the characters in the film don't care about finding love; they care about taking power. Kuzco is selfish and can't find anyone that meets his high standards to call his wife. Yzma and Kronk are focused on their plan to take power, so they have no time to fall in love.
The Emperor's New Groove is more about finding what it means to be a good person and forgetting personal wants for the sake of the greater good. Even though Kronk finds love in his movie, there aren't any traces of romance in the first installment.
5 Dumbo (1941)
Dumbo is a classic Disney film filled with love but no romance. Dumbo's mother loves her baby and sings to him, but his father is not shown. After Dumbo is taken from her and goes on his adventure with Timothy Mouse, the baby elephant doesn't find love. Dumbo is a child, so he has no reason to be involved in a romance.
Even though Dumbo hasn't aged well, it doesn't include problematic romantic relationships. Dumbo is more about finding confidence in one's differences and believing in what can happen when someone does.
4 Winnie The Pooh
Winnie The Pooh has several Disney movies in its franchise, most of which don't include romance. Pooh Bear is one of Disney's cutest characters and has friends who are just as cute. The franchise is made for children; romance doesn't always exist in Pooh's adventures.
Winnie The Pooh focuses on teaching children lessons about being a good friend and constructively working through emotions. There aren't new characters introduced to the world of Winnie The Pooh often, but even when they are, they don't have a romantic storyline. New characters provide Pooh and their friends with new challenges and new ways to see the world.
3 Meet The Robinsons
Meet The Robinsons is one of Disney's more underrated movies that focus on family rather than finding love. The film has elements of time travel and heavy storylines like Lewis trying to reconcile with his mother for giving him up for adoption.
Meet The Robinsons doesn't fit the Disney mold as the story doesn't have many happy moments, even though there is humor. The film's villain has a dark backstory and is one of Disney's scariest-looking villains. While the movie doesn't fit the typical style of Disney movies, it provides a meaningful tale of found family.
2 Bolt
Bolt is one of many Disney movies featuring animals as the main characters as they try to return to where they belong. That being said, Bolt has no time for romance; his only goal is to get back to Penny and get back to work. As the only dog in the movie, there isn't anyone for Bolt to fall in love with, and the same can be said for the other animals.
Penny is Bolt's best friend, and since she is so young, she doesn't fall in love with anyone either. Her heart belongs to her dog, and she will give up everything to have him back. Bolt has similar motifs as Homeward Bound making it emotional and sentimental.
1 Moana
Moana has repeatedly been praised because of its lack of romance between characters. Unlike other movies that feature the main character denying romantic suitors, Moana is never put in a position to decide if she wants to find love. The central conflict comes from Moana's desire to voyage across the ocean and discover new islands for her people to live on.
Even Maui's storyline focuses on his lack of family and how he tried to be the demigod everyone expected him to be. Moana kicked off a new era for Disney, leading to several movies with no romance.