I’m a proud Disney kid and I always will be a huge fan of the movies, the parks, and the lessons that I’ve learned. I grew up watching Disney movies about princesses and animals, the importance of family and friendship, and the magic of believing in yourself. The lessons that I learned through watching Disney movies can apply just as much to college kids and adults as they do to children. Here are just a few of the life lessons that can be found in Disney movies.
1. Be Kind to Others
Cinderella taught us to have the courage and be kind. A little kindness can go a very long way, and while Cinderella was treated badly, she never let that stop her from being the bigger person and being nice to others. Overall, Disney also taught us this classic golden rule from "Bambi."
2. Honesty Really Is the Best Policy
We have all learned that telling lies can’t lead to anything good, and it won’t get you very far at all. If you are honest with others and with yourself, more good can come your way. Like the Blue Fairy in "Pinocchio" said, “A lie keeps growing and growing until it’s as plain as the nose on your face.” Whenever Pinocchio lies, his nose grows a few inches. It is only when he proves that he is good that he finally gets to be a real boy, not just a puppet. Being a good and honest person can get you so much further in life, because really, nobody likes a liar.
3. Don't be afraid to be yourself and be different.
One of the biggest lessons we can learn is to be yourself, no matter what others may think. People may make fun of you for being different at first, but being different isn’t a bad thing at all. Our differences are what make us special and unique. There are so many quotes about being yourself in spite of our differences and no one showcases that lesson better than Dumbo. Embracing your differences makes you who you are, and in the end, it’s way more fun being yourself rather than a copy of someone else.
4. Don’t regret past mistakes. Learn to face your fears.
Simba spends most of his time worrying about what happened in the past, too afraid to go back and face everyone for something that he thinks was his fault. He lets his fear control him and tries to run away from his problems.
Honestly, we all make mistakes. It’s inevitable that we are going to look back and see the mistakes that we’ve made and what we could have done instead. But I really believe that everything happens for a reason and regretting your choices and past mistakes won’t get you very far. It’s facing your fears that can show how brave you really are to keep coming back in the end.
5. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
We’ve all heard this lesson when picking up books or judging others and we likely already know how true this lesson really is. If Belle were to judge someone solely based on their appearances, she likely could have ended up with Gaston. And please, let’s try not to even imagine that!
Belle is a smart girl who loves to read, she is caring and kind, and she is nice to others, even when they call her strange. Everyone seems to like her just because she is beautiful, but she looks beyond appearances at who the person truly is inside.
At first, while the Beast is mean to her and tries to be scary, appearances do seem to match the personality inside. But Belle keeps an open mind and when she and the Beast are nice to each other, they learn to get to know one another beyond how they look. The whole reason the Beast has the appearance of an ugly monster in the first place is because he judged someone negatively based on their appearance. You can’t tell how a person is based on how they look, but rather by how they act. When you look beyond the cover, you see what is really inside and what is worth getting to know, because beauty can be found not on the surface, but from within.
6. Don’t change yourself for anyone else.
This may not initially seem like the best example because, in the end, Ariel does change into a human to be with Eric. However, she learns a very important lesson along the way. Ariel gave up her voice so that she could be on land and try to win over Prince Eric, but this only caused more problems for her throughout the story. Her voice was a gift and it was only when she wasn’t able to use it that she realized how important it actually was. Eric loved her for who she was and for her voice, and fortunately, she was able to get both of them back in the end.
Aladdin also tries to change himself for Jasmine, but Jasmine shows that she loves him for who he is, not what title he has. The important thing in life is to be yourself and not let anyone change you for their sake. If someone wants to change who you are, they’re not worth it. The people that really love you will be the ones that love all of your quirks and traits; they’ll love you for you, not for anything else.
7. Don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself.
This lesson can go along with the previous one as well. Too often, girls especially, are silenced and unable to speak their minds. They are seen as bossy if they try to be in charge or assertive, and in older movies it’s often the princesses being silent and saved, going along with whatever is happening and doing whatever they’re told.
But Jasmine and Merida are both very great role models for speaking up for themselves and not being bossed around. Neither of them wants to marry for anything but love and they don’t see the need to marry at all if it’s not what they want to do. Merida doesn’t let anything stop her from being herself and she is very strong willed and determined that she is in charge of her own fate and destiny, not any boy.
Similarly, Jasmine won’t let anyone but herself decide her future for her. She “is not a prize to be won” and she won’t let you think otherwise. She is a princess who is more assertive than some, and will not be walked all over. She won’t do something if she doesn’t want to and she will definitely let you know if she does not agree with you.
8. Never grow up.
Peter Pan - and Walt Disney - both taught us to never grow up. When we were little, we all couldn’t wait to grow up, make our own choices, and be independent. It’s only now that I realize how wrong I may have been wanting to grow up so fast. Time already moves quickly - quicker than any of us really notice - but the true magic comes from being a kid at heart.
We need to understand how major this lesson really is because as a kid, and even as an adult, adventure is always out there. Being an adult and having a lot of responsibilities isn’t always much fun, but it doesn’t mean that you have to grow up. Walt Disney said, “Growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional,” and with the magic of Disney and "Peter Pan," we can all be kids at heart and remember that place where dreams are born, time is never planned, and happy thoughts can help us fly away.
9. Family is everything.
The first thing I think of with this lesson is not "Frozen," but the song “You’ll Be In My Heart” from "Tarzan." Growing up, this was my favorite song to sing with my mom, and the lesson in the movie behind this is not one I’ll ever forget. Kala finds baby Tarzan alone in a tree, saves him from a leopard and takes him home to raise him as her own. Family is more than just skin deep and the bonds we share with family and friends really are forever. Kala and Tarzan grow and protect one another, love each other as family, and would never turn their backs on each other.
This lesson can also be shown through Mulan’s story. She disguises herself as a man all in order to save her father and go fight for him. He is an older man who has already been in a war and is somewhat injured, but that doesn’t stop the Chinese army from trying to draft him in the war again. If there were another man in the family that could step up, her father would be excused, but because there isn’t another man, Mulan steps up and tries to take his place and save his life and the fate of China. All she wants is to keep her family safe and to bring honor to those that she loves. As we learn in "Tarzan, "Mulan, "Frozen," and even "Winnie the Pooh," the bonds of family and the friendships that we create will endure all odds, no matter what.
10. Follow your dreams.
Not only did Rapunzel teach us the importance of following your dreams, but also how important it is it believe in yourself and step outside of your comfort zone. All she wanted was to go into town and see the floating lights for her birthday, but instead, she was convinced to stay in her tower, locked away for years. They say that life begins outside of your comfort zone, and while at first Rapunzel was terrified to leave her tower, afraid of what the repercussions may be, she did eventually take that step, leap, and jump outside and actually had the “Best. Day. Ever!”
In the movie, she and Flynn/Eugene talk about how important it is to have a dream and follow it to the end. Some dreams may seem silly, but they mean something to you for a reason, and they are worth it all because dreams really do come true. But what if your dream doesn't turn out to be all you hoped for?
11. Hard work pays off.
Tiana embodies working hard and making a living doing what you love. She’s had a dream to own her own restaurant since she was little and she knows that nothing is guaranteed and she isn’t likely to get anything handed to her. She also knows that she can do anything she puts her mind to and even though it may be hard and take some time, it will be worth it to know that she did this and that she deserved it.
12. “Even miracles take a little time.”
The lesson to be patient can go a long long way. In the end, everything will work out for the best, and it’s important to try your best and have patience throughout any of your goals. It’s the things that we struggle with and work for that are worth it in the end. The things that are worth it won’t come overnight - no reward is going to be instant. But the real lesson is that great things can happen if we keep trying and if we don’t give up. It may take longer than we want, but patience pays off in the end.
The lessons that we can learn through Disney movies really are ones that we can take throughout all of our lives. They may seem silly at first as kids, watching the movies and hearing the songs, but when you really think about the meanings behind each story and song you’re bound to leave with at least one new moral. Watching Disney movies is so much fun as a young adult because I can catch little jokes that I didn’t pick up on before and I can really appreciate all the lessons along the way.
So thanks, Disney, for teaching us to always have fun and be kind while also giving us great music and quotes along the way. And we all know that we’re going to continue watching these movies until we’re old and gray because you’re never too old for a Disney movie.
