Walt Disney Animation Studios has faced ups and downs. The lowest point was right before their iconic Renaissance period of the 90s. Beginning with The Little Mermaid in 1989 and ending officially with Tarzan in 1999, the Disney Renaissance produced some of the greatest animated films and some of the greatest films of all time.

However, I decided to rank all pre-Renaissance films (not including most of the package films of the World War II era that I haven’t seen).

22. "The Sword and the Stone" (1963)

I’ve only seen this film once, and could hardly pay attention. It’s one of my least favorite Disney films. It’s not terrible, just not enjoyable to me.

21. "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad" (1949)

As a compilation of two stories, this film is based on The Wind and the Willows by Kenneth Grahame and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, or Ichabod Crane as he’s called in the film, by Washington Irving. This the last of Disney’s dry “package film era” of the 1940s. I love the stories, but there’s not much that stands out about this film.

20. "The Black Cauldron" (1985)

This is the film that really drove Walt Disney Animation Studios into the ground in the mid-80s. It was really dark, not very popular, and inspired the company to rethink their approach which ended up producing their Renaissance Era with The Little Mermaid.

19. "Robin Hood" (1973)

This used to be one of my favorite Disney movies as a kid. It was exciting and different and Medieval. Upon viewing it as an adult, it was a lot more boring and slow than I remembered and plummeted down my list. I still enjoy watching it though.

18. "The Rescuers" (1977)

This is another one of those drier 70s Disney films. It has a vibe about it that is really only similar with films of that era - Network, Taxi Driver, All the President’s Men. It’s fun, and adventurous, but not nearly as good as its sequel.

17. "Dumbo" (1941)

Dumbo is a very classic character. The film is one that doesn’t resonate with me as much as others. It doesn’t stand against the competition of the films that surrounded its release like Bambi or Pinocchio.

16. "The Aristocats" (1970)

My sisters loved this film growing up. I’ve fluctuated in my opinion of it. I really enjoy it for nostalgic reasons, but it still isn't much of a movie. I love the jazz and French influences, but beyond “Ev’rybody Wants to Be a Cat”, there isn’t much more to this film.

15. "Oliver and Company" (1988)

With Billy Joel, Bette Midler, Dom DeLuise and others, this film has an incredible cast! It’s the last film before the beginning of the Renaissance Era, and I personally think it is very underrated. It’s a retelling of Oliver Twist in a fresh, new way.

14. "Sleeping Beauty" (1959)

Sleeping Beauty is my least favorite of the pre-Renaissance Princess films. Its plot is generic, its characters aren’t great. It’s a rehash of Snow White. But what makes this film really different for me is its art direction. Not only did the character design of Sleeping Beauty really encompass the perfect beauty of a 14th century princess, but the entire design of the film was greatly influenced by Italian Renaissance, Medieval and Persian paintings. It’s among one of the more beautiful films of Disney’s repertoire. It is also one of the first films to take advantage of the newly popular widescreen format.

13. "Fantasia" (1940)

This film was such a fantastic idea. Whoever though animating abstract short films to classical pieces and getting Leopold Stokowski to conduct was a genius. This is definitely one of the greatest animated films of all time. It's enjoyable and truly a transcendent experience matched only by its sequel, Fantasia 2000.

12. "The Fox and the Hound" (1981)

I love this movie. It is under-appreciated and so good! It's so passionate and excellent that I get emotional just writing about it. The writing is astounding, the music is great, and the cast is phenomenal (Kurt Russell, Mickey Rooney, Jack Albertson and others). Make sure you have a box of tissues with you when you watch this movie.

11. "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" (1961)

Not only does this movie have one of the most iconic villains ever, the song that accompanies her is just as iconic along with the hundreds of white and black spotted characters. This movie is so fun, and enjoyable. Cruella de Vil is so threatening and scary, she’s the star of the film. But those puppies are just so adorable, there’s just so much to love about this movie.

10. "Alice in Wonderland" (1951)

This is a really weird movie. It’s so trippy and out there, but I just love it so much. All of the characters fit so well into this world, and Disney does a great job of taming Lewis Carroll’s story for a larger and younger audience. The music is fantastic and the art direction is so progressive for its time! This was the point in which animation started to get really experimental. I could watch this all the time and get something new out of it every time.

9. "Pinocchio" (1940)

Pinocchio is such a timeless story, and Disney does it so well. It was Disney’s second feature film and it is so great. Jiminy Cricket is such a great character! He was so thoughtfully developed and animated, he follows our protagonist perfectly throughout the film. It’s exciting, its intense, it has great morals.

8. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937)

This was Walt Disney’s first picture and the first ever fully-animated feature film. And it is so good! The amount of work that went into this film is amazing. The music is fresh and new, the witch was masterfully handled and the dwarfs were designed with such perfection that they are still iconic to this day. This is one of those timeless films that can be enjoyed 80 years later. Walt, we all applaud you for giving us this catalyst and masterpiece.

7. "Lady and the Tramp" (1955)

“He’s a tramp, but they love him.” Everything about this movie is great. The story, the outstanding cast, the design. It’s incredible! This was the first animated feature shot in the CinemaScope widescreen format. It’s such a lovely, pure piece and it’s done to perfection.

6. "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" (1977)

This movie… it get’s me. I get so emotional thinking about this film. It’s so special. It’s special to me, my family, and the Disney canon. It’s actually a compilation of short films: Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, and Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too. It’s beautiful. It perfectly translates the stories of A.A. Milne to screen and creates a world for these characters to inhabit for generations to come.

5. "Peter Pan" (1953)

When I was a kid, I was Peter Pan. My family loves this movie. Peter Pan is such an important piece of literature in my family and this film resonates with us so much. I love it with all my heart. What more can I say?

4. "The Great Mouse Detective" (1986)

Now, getting to the top of the list, each film has so much to offer. This movie is so underrated and so under-appreciated. It is Disney’s interpretation of the Sherlock Holmes stories. It is so well done and an absolute masterpiece! From the outstanding villain to the bumbling protagonist and his loyal sidekick, this story is so perfectly written with suspense, mystery, excitement, and all you could wish for.

3. "Bambi" (1942)

Bambi is one of the most beautiful films ever made. The way it captures the forest is so artistic and true. Each of the animals are unique and the story is so pure. The animators actually brought real animals into the studio to study their movement and take inspiration. It is an absolutely perfect piece. Everything about it is beautiful and meaningful.

2. "Cinderella" (1950)

This is my favorite princess movie of the pre-Renaissance. Everything in this film is great. Cinderella is so graceful and mature, the mice are funny and enjoyable, the stepmother and stepsisters are perfectly ugly, and even the prince is interesting! And the music is fantastic with “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo,” and “So This is Love.” An all around incredible work of art.

1. "The Jungle Book" (1967)

The Jungle Book was Walt Disney’s last project before his death. It is phenomenal. Every single frame of this film is exceptionally good. The design of the jungle is magnificent. The character design and casting is superb. The songwriting of the Sherman brothers is iconic. Disney didn’t get to see the final cut of this picture, but I know he would be beyond pleased with this film.

There are so many great films on this list, I thought it would be impossible to rank them. I have such a love for these films that my ranking will probably continue to change for the rest of my life, and that will be an awfully big adventure.