Best Movies & Shows to Watch on Disney+
Do you suddenly have a lot of free time at home to watch Disney+ movies, television shows, documentaries, and so forth? Here are our Disney Plus top picks. Rather than simply sharing what has the best scores on Rotten Tomatoes, we’ll share some personal favorites and overlooked gems.
Actually, that’s mostly what the list is. If you’re reading this blog, you’re a Disney fan. You probably don’t need anyone to recommend the Disney animated classics, or anything Star Wars or Marvel. We’ll mostly refrain from pointing out the obvious, with a few exceptions of things that are near and dear to our hearts.
This is also not a comprehensive list because we’re adults without kids who are most definitely not the target audience for a lot of the programming on Disney Plus. (As we’ve said before, HBO is more our speed.) While we enjoy a ton of Disney+ content, we also have huge blindspots. Accordingly, expect a list fueled by 1980s/1990s nostalgia, plus random other stuff on Disney+ that we’ve really enjoyed…
Along those lines, this list is fairly light on Disney+ original programming. Part of that is there’s just been little that has appealed to us. The World According to Jeff Goldblum, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Diary of a Future President, and Forky Asks a Question have all scored decently with critics and audiences, but we couldn’t get into any of them.
That’s all a long-winded way of saying that your mileage may vary with our list of Disney+ favorites. With all of that said, here are the Disney+ television shows, movies, and documentaries that we love…
Waking Sleeping Beauty – The documentary for people who are too lazy to read DisneyWar. This film documents the history of Walt Disney Feature Animation from 1984 to 1994, chronicling the events that precipitated and culminated in the Disney Renaissance. Waking Sleeping Beauty vacillates between brutally honest and Disney fairy tale, and is essential viewing before watching any animated films from the late 1980s or early 1990s. (Seriously though, read DisneyWar. It’s exponentially better than this documentary–which itself is excellent!)
Beauty and the Beast – Perhaps you’ve heard of this one? It’s my favorite Disney animated film of all-time, and is a great immediate follow-up to Waking Sleeping Beauty.
Wall-E – It still boggles my mind that this film got made, as the not so subtle subtext of Wall-E is a vicious critique of companies like Disney and their core demographic. Wall-E was in development before the Pixar acquisition–I cannot fathom Disney green-lighting this masterpiece today.
The Imagineering Story – This Disney+ original documentary about Walt Disney Imagineering is the must-watch for anyone reading this blog. The six episode series chronicles key moments in the design of the parks, from the opening of Disneyland through Shanghai Disneyland and beyond. The best episode is unquestionably “Hit or Miss,” which is far more candid and honest than you’d ever expect–and will disabuse diehard fans of the notion that Disney is infallible. The final two episodes teeter too much into marketing puffery, but it’s still an exceptional docu-series.
Wild Yellowstone – Impressive camera work and technology makes this an intense but not overly-dramatic look at survival in Yellowstone National Park. It borders on being gimmicky and overly flashy, but the counterpoint to that is it’s more likely to keep the attention of kids.
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids – The next trio of films is my “Disney-MGM Studios Must-Watch” list. (If Dick Tracy were available on Disney+, it would also make that list.) Not because any of them had an outsize presence in the park, but because they are imbued with that same ethos that guided the original sensibility of the park now known as Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Watching this trio will give you a pretty good idea of what the park felt like during its first ~5 years.
The Rocketeer – One of the most exciting Disney films for me as a kid. I remember wearing an issue of Disney Adventures dog-eared as I read and re-read the cover story about this exciting new film. At the time, my love was predicated upon the “flying rocketman” element of the film. As an adult, I love the Rocketeer on another level entirely, appreciating the Art Deco stylization, period elements of 1930s Los Angeles, beautiful score & cinematography, and more. This is deserving of cult classic status, and holds up today.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit? – This ranks up there with Chinatown and L.A. Confidential in terms of film noir crime thrillers. It’s also a relatively true story of Los Angeles, covering topics ranging from the Pacific Electric Railway system conspiracy to political corruption. Truly a masterpiece.
Home Alone – Apropos of our current collective situation, albeit possibly not so much the “alone” part. Also contains some potentially practical advice for security, should things come to that.
Muppet Christmas Carol – If we’re opening the door on Christmas programming, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention all-time favorite Muppet Christmas Carol. Might as well drown our sorrows in some holiday wholesomeness. (And ice cream.)
The Muppets – While we’re on the topic, we could recommend nearly all things Muppets. One we’d encourage you not to overlook is the most recent series on ABC, which was cancelled after only one season. It starts out a bit too cynical and reality television-esque, but found its footing after the first few episodes and turned into something quirky, almost like a Muppet-y version of 30 Rock.
Boy Meets World – A delightful mix of 1990s nostalgia and family-friendly fare with occasionally poignant messages. Perfect comfort food television for putting on in the background or as a reprieve from the non-stop negative news.
Pete’s Dragon – If the criterion for Disney live action remakes is “the degree to which it improved upon the original” then Pete’s Dragon is far and away the best one. We’d love to see more like this, and fewer attempts to cash-in on the popularity of animated masterpieces. After all, some smart creative dude once said, “you can’t top pigs with pigs.”
Ratatouille – Everything about Ratatouille is brilliant. It’s at once a love letter to Paris, an inspiring story about the pursuit of excellence, and so much more.
Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers – I’d like to think that this show can be appreciated on multiple levels–after all, Chip and Dale are stand-ins for Magnum P.I. and Indiana Jones–but perhaps that’s just my nostalgia. For my money, this was the best show on Disney Afternoon.
Inside Out – Pixar’s most emotional film, arguably in more ways than the obvious. This is one of my top 10 films of the last decade, and no other Disney movies made that list. (Oddly enough, the end credit segment with cats is what has stuck with me the most–why can’t we have more ‘cats doing cat things’ movies?!)
Moana – Sarah’s favorite Disney animated film. The music really sticks with you, and makes this such an enjoyable movie.
Country Bears – You might think I’m biased towards this critically-panned, commercially-unsuccessful film because it features two things I love: Christopher Walken and the Country Bears. I am not. This is utterly unwatchable. Including Country Bears is very much my transparent attempt to juice the stats in the hopes that Disney will see tons of people tuning in, and will make a live action Country Bear Christmas movie as a result of its newfound cult popularity.
The Mandalorian – This is bound to be an unpopular opinion, but I think the Mandalorian is overrated. Its surprise character is undeniably cute, but the show leans too heavily on Baby Yoda. The supporting cast does a great job and the visuals are gorgeous, and those together with the ultimate payoff in the final two episodes makes the build-up worth it. At times getting there feels like an uneven slog, with a dull main character.
John Carter – Everyone has their own “criminally underrated” Disney movie that could’ve been a smash commercial success if it were just marketed or edited differently. This is ours. It won’t be available on Disney+ until May 2020, but we love it so much it’s making the list now.
The Good Dinosaur – This is basically a quirky movie about dinosaurs set in a Thomas Moran painting. What’s not to love? Well…a lot, as it turns out. It’s definitely a minor entry into Pixar’s formidable catalog, but it’s fun, gorgeous, and worth a watch.
Apollo: Missions to the Moon – At a time like this, an inspiring true story of American ingenuity and innovation can provide just the morale boost that is needed. This is a good, albeit uneven, look at Project Apollo.
Classic Animated Shorts – Literally all of them. Highlights include Pluto’s Christmas Tree, Boat Builders, the Art of Skiing, and How to Swim. These are each only a few minutes long, but are beautifully animated, full of gags, and containing tremendous heart and emotion.
Tron: Legacy – I’ll level with you: I’m not a huge fan of the original Tron. I get why it’s beloved by so many, but it does nothing for me. Tron: Legacy is by no means great, but it’s a slicky-produced popcorn flick with a beautiful aesthetic and great soundtrack. For us, it’s a ton of fun and infinitely more “watchable” than the original. (Sorry?)
I know there are dozens of additional titles we’re leaving off the list, but this is more than enough to get started. Who knows–maybe you’ll have suggestions of things we should watch, and in fitting Disney fashion, we’ll follow this list up with a sequel or live action remake!
Need Disney trip planning tips and comprehensive advice? Make sure to read Disney Parks Vacation Planning Guides, where you can find comprehensive guides to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and beyond! For Disney updates, discount information, a free download of our Money-Saving Tips for Walt Disney World eBook, and much more, sign up for our free monthly newsletter!
Your Thoughts
What do you think of our list of the “best” things to watch on Disney+? Any non-obvious movies or shows you’d recommend? Underrated or overlooked gems? Overrated content that you would not recommend? Agree or disagree with any of our picks? Any questions? We love hearing from readers, so please share any other thoughts or questions you have in the comments below!
Have you watched Togo, the made-for-Disney+ original movie about the Alaskan Diphtheria epidemic and the sled dog team relay to deliver medicine from Anchorage to Nome in 1925? I really enjoyed it.
Three words: Swiss Family Robinson
My son and I LOVED the movie Togo. He didn’t want to watch it, but I told him if after 10 minutes it wasn’t interesting we could turn it off. That didn’t happen. We were hooked immediately. It is such a warm, touching story with a wide range of emotion. I cried, I laughed, I was on the edge of my seat with anticipation. I’m not even a dog person and I fell in love with Togo! It’s a great family film.
I LOVED Togo as well!!! I’ve even had my parents (who don’t have Disney+) come to my house just so they could see it. They, of course, also thoroughly enjoyed it!
Yes! I just posted about this as well! After we watched it, my girls (5 and 7) immediately wanted to watch it again.
I second the Clone Wars commenter! Ahsoka is the best character in possibly the whole Star Wars universe. I watched the whole series for the first time on Disney+. Just be aware any Obi-Wan/Anakin only episodes are kind of boring. Rebels is also great quality.
Tom, I am really enjoying your non-Corona related posts. Keep up the good work!
I’ve been a big fan of your blog for years, but this is my first time commenting. I must defend The Mandalorian! ;P
It is my favorite Star Wars anything. It’s atmospheric, it has great characters, great instant classic dialogue (“This is the way” “I have spoken”), great sets. Not every episode is perfect (a couple I would have left on the cutting room floor) but overall I loved it. Are you a fan of Westerns and Samurai films? Because I am a big fan of both, and the Mandalorian HEAVILY references many classics in both genres. If you don’t like Westerns/samurai movies, or you’re not familiar with them this might be why you’re not as hooked as the rest of us.
I also love The Rocketeer. I didn’t see it until a few years ago, but it’s one of those unique one-off kind of movies that really appeal to me (and the art direction!) I know Disney is all ABOUT IP, but I do wish they’d do more unique concepts (like Wall-e, Rocketeer, etc) instead of only focusing on the franchises.
What are your other top ten movies of the last decade?
I agree, Mandalorian was the TV series we dreamed of as teenagers (mid 90s) when Star Trek was getting all the spotlight.
It is the super slick, ultra cool slow burn TV for Star Wars fans. Each episode is so packed with Easter eggs from past legends and canon you can fanatically watch a few YouTube shows and then watch it all again.
Baby Yoda is cute, and I see the point Tom makes about him carrying the show. But there are so many new and interesting characters introduced that a monosyllabic Mando and a Goo -goo Baby Yoda character isn’t a down side.
In fairness, I don’t dislike the Mandalorian. I just think it’s overrated. I love Kurosawa samurai films, but it’s been ages since I’ve seen Westerns (I’m guessing Unforgiven and Tombstone don’t count). I have seen every Tarantino film, so I think I more or less “get” the Spaghetti Western style.
Here are my favorite movies of the last decade:
-Social Network
-Florida Project
-Mission Impossible: Fallout
-War for Planet of Apes
-Skyfall
-Inside Out
-La La Land
-Boyhood
-Before Midnight
-Nightcrawler
-Nocturnal Animals
-Get Out
-Parasite
-Uncut Gems
-Whiplash
-First Reformed
-The Master
-Her
Thank you for the list. I finally broke down and got Disney+ this weekend. I’ve fallen in love with the new Mickey shorts that so many people seem to hate. (Ok, yes Goofy is incredibly creepy) Watching a few of them right after Steamboat Willie I was struck with how close the design on Mickey and even more so Minnie were to their oldest versions. Plus I love the visual gags.
I am enjoying The Mandalorian and am looking forward to watching The Imagineering Story. I love Clone Wars, but haven’t watched any on there yet.
Thank you so much for sharing this list! This should help ease the loss of our Disney World trip (today was supposed to be our first day there). I’m looking forward to watching many of your suggestions with my boys. We loved The Imagineering Story, and I also agree with your comments on The Mandalorian, though my boys did like it!
I was so very happy when Disney released Frozen 2, but I wish next week they could release Rise of Skywalker !!! Or at least charge us a minimal amount. Just saying…
Love the Rocketeer!
As an aside – any thoughts on whether the Spaceship Earth reno is likely to be scrapped? I figure they’re going to have to cut the expenses big time after this.
Shout out for “Encore,” which is the household favorite here.
Encore! gets my vote, too. Fingers crossed that they cast me and my buds to redo our 1998 version of the Music Man!!
Lots of great stuff on there but there are also some abominations too. I watched “The Black Hole” for a shot of nostalgia but man, that was horrible! I do love the VINCENT and BOB robot designs though. Plus Ernest Borgnine!
Same feeling I had, Barry….and there are several others that I have slogged through and wondered “How did Disney survive these films?”….but I always watch em to the end because I remember going to see them as a child. there is usually something redeeming in even the worst of them.
Imagine trying to watch some of those films but *without* any of the nostalgia. I’m sure some of the live action stuff was better-regarded at the time, but much of it has not aged well.
Interesting to see “John Carter” on the list. I have severely conflicted emotions about it. Growing up, I was an enormous, voracious Edgar Rice Burroughs fan (as an adult turned collector, I’ve still got a complete set of everything he published, many original editions, including the treasure of my bookshelves, a signed copy of “Tarzan of the Apes”).
As such I was tremendously looking forward to the release of John Carter; then watching it was a series of highs and lows, loving moments from the original book that made it on screen, and gnashing my teeth at things I thought they got wrong. But in the end the lowest low was when it bombed at the box office: I liked it well enough that I did hope for sequels.
And I wish they’d stuck with the original title, “A Princess of Mars,” if only because there’d just have to be a character meet-and-greet with Dejah Thoris somewhere in WDW if they had. They could give her a spot next to Eilonwy from “The Black Cauldron.” 😉
I think it’s tough to see a book or author you love adapted to film. It is *never* going to comport with your expectations or what you envisioned. I can’t think of a single time I’ve read a book first and ended up liking the movie as much or more.
Going the other direction (movie first, book second), it’s usually much easier to appreciate both.
Great recommendations! I’m already familiar with Rocketeer but it’s nice to see it get some love. It’s amazing how many places that score pops up in the theme parks. Heck, when I hear it in the front lot of WDSP, I can convince myself that I’m in a world class theme park…
Coronavirus was the impetus I needed to sign up for Disney+ which launches imminently in the UK, so your article is well timed for more than one reason. Quite excited.
I would add Frank and Ollie for anyone who enjoys documentaries and Disney history. These two elderly men sharing their first hand accounts of working with Walt and through the early days of Disney was entertaining, interesting, and informative.
I second Frank and Ollie. What a wonderful film. Those guys played a big role in Disney as we know it today.
Hi Tom – 2 recommendations, one on Disney+ and one a personal one to you:
The Apple Dumpling Gang – a silly, sweet-hearted film. Don Knotts and Tim Conway were brilliant comedians.
The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures comic book collection by the late Dave Stevens – if you’re into the Rocketeer and haven’t read this, it’s the basis for everything that came after. Stevens was an amazing artist. Available through Amazon Prime.
For anyone who is a Star Wars fan I would also recommend the Clone Wars animated series. At first I thought this was just for kids and never gave it any thought. But after giving it a shot on Disney+ I was completely hooked and finished the whole series in a matter of weeks (well, finished up to the new season that’s currently coming out). Definitely a great show for children and adults alike.
Everyone seems to love the Clone Wars, so that would definitely seem to be a worthwhile recommendation. Not high on our personal list of things to watch, but maybe if this goes on long enough and we run out of other things to watch!
If you do decide to watch it, be sure you watch it in chronological order and not release order. The show will make much more sense then. StarWars.com has a chronological watch list (with links to the Disney+ episodes, I believe). It’s a roller coaster of a show, with some phenomenal Star Wars, and some garbage. I’d recommend watching Star Wars Rebels directly after. The two compliment each other very well, and I believe Rebels does a better job at storytelling.
I remember growing up in the 80s with the Sunday night Disney movie on ABC. I had a lot of these taped on vhs that I watched over and over again. The only one I’ve revisited so far on Disney+ is flight of the navigator, which is one of my favorites. I’m also looking forward to watching candleshoe and mr. Boogedy with my kids.
Also excited to watch the original witch mountain movies one of these days.
I couldn’t agree more about Candleshoe. My kids loved it when they were younger. I found a DVD copy when Blockbuster went out of business. My kids (19, 22, 25 and 30) were all super excited when they found that on Disney+. Not for everyone but really makes you remember those cheesy movies of the 70’s.
Tron:Legacy actually is the only movie on my list of “movies I fell asleep during”. Though I would say it really wasn’t a bad movie and I was really tired that day.
I mostly pretend the Good Dinosaur didn’t exist and I find Wall-E to be vastly overrated (though I still like it). But I like the rest of this list.
I can get past the rest of that, but Wall-E being vastly overrated?! Dang.
Yeah, I know I’m in a small minority on that one. But there are 22 Pixar movies currently and I’d probably put Wall-E 14th, give or take 1 on a given day. From what I’ve read, most people seem to have it in their top 5.
Good list. But it was an oversight to leave off 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. A true Disney Classic.
Tom, thank you for a post that has made me smile.
We all love Disney & hope everything is back to normal soon.
Much love to you both from the UK x