Credit: Disney
Happy Valentine’s Day! Disney fans will, of course, want to celebrate their love Disney-style!
There’s no shortage of romantic restaurants in Disney’s Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme parks to share an intimate bite with a loved one.
And there are plenty of romantic activities like carriage rides, balloon rides, and amphicar rides in Disney Springs and at Disney’s Resort Hotels.
But what if your plans for Valentine’s Day don’t involve traveling to Walt Disney World?
Well, you can still cozy up with the people closest to you and watch some romantic Disney movies!
Whether you’re dusting off those old DVDs or perusing Disney+, there are lots of cinematic options that celebrate love in the best Disney fashion. Here are a few of our favorites.
Beauty and the Beast
There’s perhaps no classic Disney animated film that screams “love” louder than Disney’sBeauty and the Beast(1991).
In fact, the timeless appeal of this iconic love story is why Disney’s Be Our Guest Restaurant at Magic Kingdom continues to be a guest favorite!
You know the story – it’s a tale as old as time.
An arrogant prince is cursed by an enchantress and doomed to spend his days as a hideous Beast – unless he can fall in love and learn to be loved in return. Throw in some delightful enchanted servants-turned-household-objects, a beautiful bookworm, an unforgettable score, and a magical castle, and you have a feel-good love story for the whole family.
Viewers can also opt for 2017’s live-action version of the same name.
Lady and the Tramp
Who remembers that famous spaghetti-eating scene where the two title characters fromLady and the Tramp (1955) share a meal and, inadvertently, a kiss?
It’s so iconic that it’s been spoofed time and time again. No less classic is the love song playing during the spaghetti scene – Bella Notte, which has become synonymous with love.
WhileLady and the Trampis without a doubt outdated, it remains a favorite Disney love story for countless fans.
For the uninitiated, it’s the story of a spoiled co*cker spaniel named Lady and a street-smart stray called Tramp.Despite their differences, the two find love.
For those who prefer an updated retelling of the story, there’s a live-action version from 2019 by the same name.
The Princess and the Frog
If you’ve ever been to New Orleans or even stayed at Disney’s fabulous interpretation of this Louisiana city (Disney’s Port Orleans Resort: French Quarter), you’ll be well acquainted with the powerful romantic punch this unique city packs.
If your Valentine’s Day plans don’t involve visiting New Orleans, the next best thing is watching a romantic film set here, like Disney’sPrincess and the Frog(2009).
It’s the story of Tiana, a waitress who dreams of opening her own restaurant in 1920s New Orleans.
But then she meets a prince who’s been turned into a frog, and with one kiss, she’s also turned into a frog. Adventure – and love – ensues. We love this one for its wonderful soundtrack that includes blues, jazz, and gospel music – and the incomparable Anika Noni Rose, who provides the speaking and singing voice for Tiana.
WALL-E
WALL-E is short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class, which is arguably the least romantic term of all time.
But this 2008 animated film is an absolute gem of a love story between the endearing title character, a lonely 700-year-old robot tasked with cleaning up an uninhabitable future version of Earth, and EVE, a robot probe he follows across the galaxy in the pursuit of love.
RELATED: Bake These Sweet WALL-E Cookies for Valentine’s Day
If you doubt the romantic pull of animated robot love, I dare you to watchWALL-Ewithout shedding a single tear.
This creative, heart-wrenching movie also has a timely message to convey about the way we live our lives and treat our planet.
Parent Trap
This 1961 film featuring Hayley Mills as a pair of twin sisters who each discover the other’s existence at summer camp, and then switch places in order to get their divorced parents back together was already dated when I became obsessed with it as a kid, but its magic endures.
With charismatic characters, fun songs, and a feel-good premise, it’s the perfect Valentine’s Day movie to enjoy with the whole family.
Prefer a take that’s a little more recent? Lindsay Lohan stars in the updated version ofParent Trap(1998), featuring a similar storyline but different names for the twins.
Princess Bride
Since when is the classicPrincess Bride(1987) a Disney film, you ask?
Well, it’s notreallya Disney film, but it was distributed by 20thCentury Fox – now rebranded as 20thCentury Studios – which Disney now owns, and as a result, it’s now on Disney+ (yay!!), so we’re including this unforgettable love story on our list!
Princess Bridehas it all – true love, sword fighting, witty heroes and villains, adventure, and some of the most famous movie lines of all time.
It’s been said this beloved film is about as close to a perfect movie as humanity can get. We tend to agree.
Bottom Line
Movies can inspire us, transport us, and bring us closer together. And there’s no shortage of Disney films that celebrate love!
So this Valentine’s Day, why not gather your family members or friends, a significant other, or even a cherished pet, and get lost in a Disney movie in which love plays a starring role?
