Disney movies where parents aren't dead, dying or evil

DEBBIE33CASEY

Do they exist?

I've been slowly building up a collection of movies that I loved as a kid so I can share them with DD.  But I can't seem to find any where there are good relationships between the main character and their parents.  Is it just too boring for movie magic if a person has two parents that love them?

The only two I could think of were the Aristocats and 101 Dalmations.  I mean I will still get my favorites like Aladdin (orphaned), The Little Mermaid (where's Mom?), Snow White (evil stepmom), The Lion King (Dad, Mufasa dies tragically), Peter Pan (orphan & his band of orphan buddies), need I list more?

I understand there's a place for DD to learn about other types of families besides the two parent household but it seems like those alternative families are all I can find!  Even non-Disney movie favorites from my childhood have the same theme (if I just THINK about Littlefoot losing his mom in the Land Before Time I cry!)

Help!  Which ones am I not thinking of that show happy/healthy families!?

BlairWaldorf

Hercules.

deltagirl79

Sleeping Beauty? Her parents are still together, she doesn't grow up with them but they're together.

Leap08

How about The Incredibles? And, that's all I got.

AfterAll

That's a good point, I never thought about that.   I wonder why that is.

sgrl

Mulan? I don't specifically remember the mom, but I THINK she's alive and I know the dad is alive in the movie. And I think they were pretty cool.

jbl126

I was going to say Beauty and the Beast but she only has a dad also. 

I actually just googled this and the only two that came up were 101 Dalmations and Peter Pan.  But someone mentioned Mulan.

operaapril

sgrl:

Mulan? I don't specifically remember the mom, but I THINK she's alive and I know the dad is alive in the movie. And I think they were pretty cool.

Haha! This made me lol! They were pretty cool people!

rebus82

AfterAll:

That's a good point, I never thought about that.   I wonder why that is.

The source material for fairy tales isn't exactly overwhelmed with good feeling and family togetherness. Disney versions are kind, at their worst.

I most of the movies you mentioned, and pretty much every tale Disney has adopted and mutilated, the characters can't evolve the way they need to if they have two parents and a happy home life. However, they always - and I mean always - have some kind of guiding figures in their lives. They may not be biological, but they are parent proxies. And it happens that way in life a lot too. 

jenny1382

I thnk Mulan too. Both parents are there.

Mrs.Hizzo

Actually, I think there was just a momma cat in the Aristocats. She starts slumming and takes up with the ally cat, remember?

rebus82

Mrs.Hizzo:

Actually, I think there was just a momma cat in the Aristocats. She starts slumming and takes up with the ally cat, remember?

Thomas O'Malley, the alley cat.

Yeah, Duchess (the mother cat) has no "husband" and one is never mentioned in the movie. 

FerreraRochermmm

I've always thought that Disney had some grudge against mothers/females in particular.

Aladdin: Jasmine has no mom

Bambi: Mom is killed

Dumbo: Loving mom is locked up for being crazy. 

The list goes on. It's very odd that it ends up that way. 

To answer your question: Fantasia, Fantasia 2 and The Sorcerer's apprentice are great movies.

BitterOldHag

Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, 101 Dalmations

janice74

Maybe just go with Pixar movies:)   ooo and Bolt!  

jparente

Princess and the Frog..... Tiana has a great relationship with her mother and her father is remember fondly and as a good family man

BitterOldHag

FerreraRochermmm:

I've always thought that Disney had some grudge against mothers/females in particular.

Aladdin: Jasmine has no mom

Bambi: Mom is killed

Dumbo: Loving mom is locked up for being crazy. 

The list goes on. It's very odd that it ends up that way. 

To answer your question: Fantasia, Fantasia 2 and The Sorcerer's apprentice are great movies.

 

It's not Disney, it's the way the fairy tales were written. I wrote a paper on it in college.  The majority of mature females in fairy tales are not positive role models.

If you are the heroine your options after the story ends are essentially to die in childbirth or shortly thereafter, become the wicked stepmother or become an old unmarried witch or spinister.

FerreraRochermmm

BitterOldHag:

 

It's not Disney, it's the way the fairy tales were written. I wrote a paper on it in college.  The majority of mature females in fairy tales are not positive role models.

If you are the heroine your options after the story ends are essentially to die in childbirth or shortly thereafter, become the wicked stepmother or become an old unmarried witch or spinster.

 Ooh, I would have loved to read that paper.

BitterOldHag

BlairWaldorf:

Hercules.

I can't help but snort at the thought of Hera as Hercules' loving mother.

 

Oh and as for Peter Pan, the Darling kids had both of their parents.

DEBBIE33CASEY

BitterOldHag:

FerreraRochermmm:

I've always thought that Disney had some grudge against mothers/females in particular.

Aladdin: Jasmine has no mom

Bambi: Mom is killed

Dumbo: Loving mom is locked up for being crazy. 

The list goes on. It's very odd that it ends up that way. 

To answer your question: Fantasia, Fantasia 2 and The Sorcerer's apprentice are great movies.

 

It's not Disney, it's the way the fairy tales were written. I wrote a paper on it in college.  The majority of mature females in fairy tales are not positive role models.

If you are the heroine your options after the story ends are essentially to die in childbirth or shortly thereafter, become the wicked stepmother or become an old unmarried witch or spinister.

Fairy tales are so mean!  Very masagonistic. I have a book of Grimm's and the original stories that these are based off of are quite violent and disturbing.  I rather like the sugared up version Disney does compared to the alternative.  I would just love to have an even more sugary version for DD lol  That makes me realize how overprotective i am....::sigh::

Mrs.Hizzo

FerreraRochermmm:

I've always thought that Disney had some grudge against mothers/females in particular.

Aladdin: Jasmine has no mom

Bambi: Mom is killed

Dumbo: Loving mom is locked up for being crazy. 

The list goes on. It's very odd that it ends up that way. 

To answer your question: Fantasia, Fantasia 2 and The Sorcerer's apprentice are great movies.

Bambi is based on the book, though. The mom dying is very important to the story. I don't think Disney could have edited it out even if they'd wanted to. 

justme04

The Princess and the Frog has a pretty decent family dynamic.  I mean her father died but there seemed to be much love in that family...and she is working to open a resturant in her father's memory!

Alice in Wonderland, Toy Story (the kids parents are around), The Incredibles, Mulan, Finding Nemo, Lady and the Tramp, Pocahontas, Homeward Bound, Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppins, 101 Dalmations, 102 Dalmations, Swiss Family Robinson, Old Yeller,

Yes some of these have single parents but at least they are good relationships.

mommytoprincesses

This isnt just in Disney movies and I have always wondered this too!!...Lots of kids shows dont have parents or just one....

Icarly no mom...hannah montana...no mom...max and ruby have no parents at all!!... I dont think there is a dad in the toy story movies... the list goes on and on!!!

Soap1

BitterOldHag:

Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, 101 Dalmations

Mary Poppins?!  The parents are pieces of crap!  At least the dad gets better in the end though

What about Lady and the Tramp?  I know the dogs don't have parents, but the owners are together and happy?

KYRN

I bought my niece the prequel to the little mermaid and my sister called me and told me that Ariel's mom was smashed to death in a shipwreck in the opening scene.  I had no idea or I wouldn't have purchased it for her.