This time has been hard on us all, and with the end of the school year coming and the summer and next semester uncertain, I think it’s important to have at least some semblance of normality and familiarity. That’s why I’ve compiled the best Disney films to watch during this quarantine.

The Lion King (1994)

It’s a classic favorite, has some of the most iconic songs, and never gets old. The hyenas, Scar, Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki remain a staple, and it’s endlessly quotable. I’m waiting for Disney to release the Broadway version on Disney Plus. As soon as they do, consider it on this list.

Frozen (2013)

This is, quite simply, the best animated movie Disney released since their Renaissance era of the ‘90s. It had just as many iconic songs, beautiful animation, and original and complex characters. “Let It Go” didn’t leave our heads until 2015, and the rest of the soundtrack is nothing to sneeze at, either. An honorable mention is Frozen 2 (2019), which had an amazing soundtrack, though was a let down in comparison to the original in terms of plot and character development.

Mulan (1998)

This film closed out the 1990s with a bang for Disney. Upon revisiting it this week, I realized just how gorgeous this film is. It marked the beginning of the end for the 2-D hand drawn animation that had been a Disney staple since the beginning of the studio. It’s the most fluid one by far, even better than their later 2-D films (Lilo and Stitch, The Princess and the Frog), and the story still evokes emotion, even on the 50th rewatch.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937)

You have to go back to the film that started it all. The very first hand-drawn technicolor feature-length animated film, it set the stage for every animated film to follow, and is still completely iconic. It was a massive feat that began in 1934, directly following the Great Depression and Walt Disney had to mortgage his house to keep it in production. Keep this in mind when you watch it; you’ll appreciate it even more.

Brave (2012)

This movie deserved better. It’s often overlooked in favor of its more glamorous, fellow luscious-haired, weapon wielding princess, Rapunzel from Tangled (2010). And while Tangled is amazing (It’s an honorable mention), Brave deserves the same fame. Merida is an independent young woman who forges her own path and has to undo a beastly curse! And she has a bow and arrows! What’s not to love?

Cinderella (1950 and 2015)

“Bippity Boppity Boo” is all I have to say in favor of this film. Forever one of the best. And the 2015 version is one of the best live-action remakes that Disney has done to date. It was the one that gave me massive hope for these new remakes before The Lion King (2019) crushed it and the trailer for Mulan (2020) revived it ever so slightly. The cast, the simplicity, the costumes, the music… it’s almost perfect.

Honorable Mentions:

Tangled (2010)

Zootopia (2016)

Bambi (1942)

Beauty and the Beast (1991 and 2017)

Big Hero 6 (2014).