#40. Sequence 8
There's a scene in Sleeping Beauty that is famous for one particular reason. The scene features Aurora meeting Prince Phillip in the forest and the two sing a beautiful song together. While fans find this scene adorable, those involved in the production actually hated it.
This scene is known by them as "Sequence 8", and it became famous because Walt Disney himself was not satisfied with it at all. He made animators modify it over five times because he didn't like how it looked, and this almost blew the whole budget of the movie.
#39. Not A Princess Anymore
Many people are surprised when they hear that Tinkerbell is not a Disney princess. The truth is that while she was part of the original Disney princesses from the start, her status as princess was revoked a few years later.
She wasn't removed for being a fairy or anything like that. The reason behind this move was that Tinkerbell got her own franchise in 2005 and is now part of the Disney fairies group in which she is the star.
#38. One In Thirty Years
As you may know, Disney started out strong, but as the years went by, the company faced many difficulties, so much so that it went through what many call a Dark Age. In the late '60s, things started to go south for the studio, and it only got worse during the '70s and '80s.
The last Disney princess to be created before everything went wrong was Sleeping Beauty. It took the company 30 long years to bring back princesses into their studios, and the first one was Ariel with The Little Mermaid. She definitely brought Disney back from the grave.
#37. We Love Blue
Most of us were taught that the color pink is for girls and the color blue is for boys. However, the truth is that everyone loves these colors regardless of their gender, and Disney especially knows that.
In fact, the most prominent color among Disney princesses is blue. It is believed that Disney uses it to emphasize the strength of the characters and to let little girls know that it's OK for them to like blue. Those who favor it the most are Cinderella, Snow White, Elsa, Mulan, and Ariel.
#36. Anastasia
Anastasia is often mistaken by non-Disney fans for an actual Disney princess, but she was created by 20th Century Fox. The movie was very successful but was criticized but holding many similarities to Disney classics. However, she might actually become a Disney princess after all.
Disney recently purchased Fox, meaning that it now owns all the rights to Anastasia. It was recently announced that there were plans to make a Disney remake of the beloved movie, which would make this incredible character an official Disney princess after all.
#35. They Are A Franchise
As we all know, each Disney princess comes from a separate movie, and none of these characters ever cross paths in their storylines. However, because they are all such popular characters, Disney had the brilliant idea to turn them into a franchise. But what does this mean?
This means that all the princesses act as a brand together. This allows Disney to produce merchandise such as toys and clothes with all of the princesses' images on them. The idea wasn't very popular at the beginning but has now become a multi-billion dollar brand.
#34. Princess Sequels
One thing that all Disney princesses have in common is that all their movies were successful. And what happens when a movie is extremely successful? The studio wants to make a sequel to cash in on the success. This has led to many Disney princess sequels.
Not all of them have sequels, thgouh. Cinderella, Mulan, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid have straight-to-video sequels, while Snow White almost got one but it was eventually scrapped. The only princess sequel that actually made it to the big screen was Frozen II.
#33. A Human Princess?
Disney is one of the most powerful companies in the entire world. Over the years, the company grew big enough to even purchase other companies, such as Fox and Marvel Studios. One of its biggest purchases was Lucas Films, which owns the rights to the Star Wars movies.
This means that all Star Wars characters are now Disney characters, so... is Princess Leia a Disney princess? She hasn't been officially accepted as one by Disney, but fans have made several requests for it to happen. She might become the first human Disney princess ever!
#32. Not The Main Character
A very interesting fact about Disney princesses is that all of them are the stars of their own movies, many of them even being named after them, such as Snow White, and Pocahontas. However, there is only one princess who is not the main character of the movie she is in: Jasmine.
As much as we love Jasmine, we have to admit that she is not the main character of Aladdin. She is Aladdin's love interest and is an important part of the plot, but that's about it. When you think about it, she doesn't even appear in many of the scenes. We still love her, though.
#31. Tiana's Name
Disney movies are famous for their attention to detail. Every single thing you see in them is there for a reason, and if you look close enough, you may notice a lot of things you never noticed before. Ever wondered why they chose the name Tiana for this particular princess?
The main character of The Princess and the Frog is called Tiana because the word means "princess" in Greek. Also, the movie is loosely based on an old fairytale called The Frog Princess, which has many versions out there and the princess has no actual name.
#30. Mulan Isn't A Princess
While Mulan is regarded as Disney royalty, she actually isn't a princess. In fact, she's the only "Disney princess" who isn't royalty. She does save all of China from the Huns, so if anyone should be considered a queen, that's Mulan.
Snow White, Jasmine, Merida, and Elsa are actual princesses, while Belle and Cinderella marry into royalty. But Mulan is an independent woman who doesn't need any man, and she doesn't get married. And even if she did, her beau Shang isn't a prince, so that wouldn't make her a queen.
#29. Jasmine Is Played By Two Actresses
One key feature of Disney princesses is that they've got some pipes. Some of the best Disney songs ever come from princess movies, such as A Whole New World and Let It Go. However, producers sort of forgot about this when they cast Linda Larkin to play Jasmine.
Linda Larkin is a fantastic actress, but she cannot sing! Aladdin creators asked her if she could sing after she was cast. As she said in an interview: > "They came to me and asked, "Do you sing?"; And I said, "I do, but not like a princess!" And they said, "No problem, we'll find a singer to match your voice."
#28. Princess Cameos
Disney likes to give characters from other movies cameos in upcoming films. Disney fans love taking the time to find hidden characters in movies, which makes watching all the more fun. Ever noticed the cameos in The Hunchback of Notre Dame ?
Since the film takes place in France, the creators thought it would be clever to include Belle in one of the scenes. True to her character, you can see her reading a book as she's walking. But who else can be spotted here? The Magic Carpet from Aladdin. Why? Because why not!
#27. Rapunzel's Hair
Yes, we understand that the story of Rapunzel is a fairytale, and as such, the laws of physics are bent and broken. In Tangled, this happens as well. Have you ever wondered how in the world can this woman walk around with all that hair hanging from her head?
For Rapunzel to carry around 70-feet-long hair is, at most, unrealistic. 100,000 strands of extremely long hair probably weigh around ten pounds. So what we see in Tangled is basically a tiny young girl carrying around ten pounds of hair on her head. That neck is made of steel!
#26. Cinderella Saved Disney
Sure, nowadays we think of Disney as one of the most successful movie companies ever. They broke records and paved the way for the world of animation we enjoy today. However, this was not always the case. Disney struggled for several years and it experienced its ups and downs.
Movies that are now considered masterpieces, such as Bambi, Pinocchio, and Fantasia, actually flopped at the box office when they came out. Luckily, Cinderella came out and saved Disney from bankruptcy. The movie made $85 million worldwide. Phew!
#25. Tiana's Costume Changes
At some point in your life, you might have asked yourself: why don't cartoon characters ever change their clothes? We often see them wearing the same outfit every single time. This is because animation isn't cheap, or at least, it wasn't back when Disney started making movies.
Disney had its princesses wear the same clothes for as many scenes as possible. Just look at Snow White; she only has two outfits! But as animation techniques evolved, animators were able to give characters more outfit changes, and this peaked with Tiana.
#24. Where Are Cinderella's Ears?
Have you ever noticed that Cinderella seems to be missing her ears? This has opened debates that have been going on for decades. Does she have very tiny ears? Are they hidden behind her tiara and her hair? Was it a mistake?
Honestyl, nobody knows. It might have been on purpose, or it might have been a mistake. The peculiar thing about this is that, once you've seen it, you can't unsee it. Creators of Ralph Breaks the Internet gave Cinderella a couple of huge ears as a joke, and we're loving it.
#23. Princesses With Actual Castles
The most famous part of the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando is Cinderella's castle. For decades, she was the only Disney princess who had a castle in real life. Then, when Disneyland was founded in California, Disney decided to build Sleeping Beauty's castle.
Cinderella and Aurora were privileged princesses for decades until Ariel and Belle got their castles too a few years ago. Hopefully, we will live to see a day when each princess has her own castle!
#22. Each Princess Has Her Own Song
Although there are many characters in each movie, each Disney princess gets to have her own solo song, most of which are iconic. What would Frozen be without Let It Go? Would Mulan be the same without Reflection? However, there is one princess who didn't get one.
Princess Jasmine didn't get to have her own song in Aladdin. Sure, we got the legendary A Whole New World, but Jasmine didn't get an opportunity to shine on her own. However, in the 2019 live-action remake of Aladdin, Jasmine finally got her own solo song, called Speechless.
#21. Merida's Inspiration
We can say a lot of things about the lovable Merida. She's rebellious, wild, independent, stubborn, and Brave, obviously. But have you ever wonder who served as an inspiration for this character? While most are based on fairytales or historical figures, Merida's case is different.
The film's director, Brenda Chapman, drew inspiration from her own daughter. Even Merida's personality was written based on Brenda's daughter! Cool, right?
#20. Belle Is A Funny Girl
Right at the beginning of Beauty and the Beast, we are introduced to Belle, and we get an overview of her character and her life in a small village in France. The first song of the movie, Bonjour, is literally about how Belle is strange and doesn't fit in with everyone else.
The movie creators thought out every single detail of the Bonjour sequence, and Belle's dress is no exception. Have you noticed that she's the only character wearing blue? Also, did you notice that the Beast is the only other character who wears blue? Aww!
#19. Based On True Events
We can't say this about many Disney movies, but a few of them are based on true stories. Sure, they might be loosely based on them, but they still count! Hua Mulan, for example, is part of a real Chinese legend about a woman who took her father's place in war.
Pocahontas was also a real-life perosn, the difference being that there's plenty of evidence of her existence. Of course, there were no talking trees involved. Also, there's no evidence of her love story with John Smith.
#18. Love Interests? No Thanks
Disney princesses have been around since the 1930s, so naturally, things have changed over the years. The early dynamic involved a girly princess who gets to be with a prince by the end of the film. But as times evolved, so did the love dynamics of Disney movies.
Pocahnotas is an interesting case, as she has two love interests, Kocoum and John Smith, and she ends up with neither of them. Also, Elsa and Merida don't have any love interests whatsoever, breaking the stereotype that every princess needs a prince.
#17. Supernatural Powers
Although there's plenty of magic surrounding princesses in Disney movies, most of them don't actually have any magic powers. Cinderella and Aurora have their Fairy Godmothers and Jasmine is caught up in Aladdin's wishing spree, yet they can't do any sort of magic themselves.
Rapunzel was the first Disney princess to have magic powers - and what powers! Her magic hair could heal wounds and keep people young forever, and it ends up saving Flynn's life. Then, along came Elsa and her ice powers, of course.
#16. Jasmine's Origin
Aladdin is based on Aladdin and the Magical Lamp, an old Middle Eastern legend. In the original story, the princess he falls in love with is actually named Badroulbadour, yet they went for a simpler name. And they were inspired by one actress in particular!
Actress Jasmine Guy rose to prominence in the '90s and popularized her name, which caught the attention of Disney executives. Another princess who suffered a name change was Aurora. Well, actually, in the original story, she had no name.
#15. The Princess With The Least Lines
Speaking of Aurora, did you know she's the Disney princess who speaks the least in her own movie? Yes, the movie is centered around her and is named after her but, if you think about it, she's not the true star of the movie.
In fact, Aurora has only 18 lines in the whole movie! We can safely say that the true sheroes of the movie are the three fairies, followed by Prince Philip. Aurora is more of a side character in the movie if you really think about it.
#14. Merida's Incredible Hair
Thanks to the wonders of computer animation, we got to witness the amazing piece of artwork that is Merida's hair. Creating her wild red mane was such a task, that Pixar developed an entire software system for that purpose!
They individually sculpted 1,500 curves to represent each strand of hair and had to program them to interact and bounce in distinct points in a three-dimensional space. All in all, it took three years to finish working on her hair. Wow!
#13. The Inspiration for Belle
Beauty and the Beast is based on the French fairytale of the same name written by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve in 1740. But Belle's character is different in the original story. She's the youngest of the six daughters of a merchant, and she's the prettiest and kindest of them all.
In Disney's version, however, Belle is a total bookworm, and also an only child.Linda Woolverton, the writer behind the movie, was inspired by the character of Jo from the classic novel Little Women, who is an outspoken tomboy who loves to read and write.
#12. The Princesses’ Official Ages
Although we don't get to know this information in most of their movies, Disney has given each princess an official age. Can you guess how old each of them are? Here's a hint: people usually think they're older than they actually are!
The eldest is Elsa, who is 21; followed by Cinderella and Tiana, who are 19 years old. Next, Pocahontas, Anna, and Rapunzel, who are 18. Mulan, Merida, Belle, Ariel and Aurora are 17. The youngest of the bunch are Moana (16) Jasmine (15) and Snow White (14).
#11. Almost Princesses
When Brave was announced to the public, actress Reese Witherspoon was going to be taking the role of Merida. Witherspoon spent a considerable amount of time working in the movie before she quit the project in 2011, and she later confessed the truth about her departure.
She actually left the movie because she was unable to do a Scottish accent, which is basically the signature characteristic of Merida. Beyoncé nearly became a princess too, but she rejected the role of Tiana because she wanted to be hired in the spot instead of going through an audition.
#10. Walt's Last Princess
The brilliant Walt Disney founded the legendary company in 1923. His first work included a short film called Alice's Wonderland and several Mickey Mouse cartoons. The first Disney princess,Snow White, graced the big screen in 1934, but did you know that Disney himself only created 3 princess films?
Sixteen years after the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella came out, and Sleeping Beauty came out in 1959. Sadly, Disney passed away in 1969 after a long battle with lung cancer.
#9. Unexpected Ratings
You would think that Disney movies are suitable for all audiences right? Well, that's not what the Motion Picture Association of America thinks. It's true that some Disney films are more on the darker side, such as The Hunchback of Notre Dame. But did you know that Tangled was rated PG?!
Not only that, but for some reason, Frozen and the live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast were also rated PG, meaning that parental guidance is suggested. Why? We have no clue. We are even more confused by the fact that The Hunchback received a G rating.
#8. Elsa Was Evil
Yes, you heard that right. Originally, Elsa was going to be the villain of the movie, and she wasn't even going to be Anna's sister. In fact, the movie was going to be a more faithful adaptation of The Snow Queen, which is about a cold magical creature that lives in the woods and kidnaps a boy.
Anna was going to be Disney's adaptation of the kidnapped boy. However, when Disney got a hold of Let It Go, the story changed completely, and they literally let go of the whole Elsa-is-the-villain thing, making her the heroine instead!
#7. Ariel's Look
There is a very specific reason why The Little Mermaid looks the way she does. Originally, Ariel was supposed to be blond, and in fact, she was for a long time. This changed, however, when movie creators realized that she looked a bit too much like the mermaid from the movie Splash.
Not only that, but the gorgeous princess of the sea was inspired by actress Alyssa Milano, who served as a model for the character. Do you see the resemblance? Also, the evil witch Ursula, was actually modeled after Divine, a drag queen who starred in Pink Flamingos.
#6. Princesses' Origins
Most Disney princesses are based on classic fairytales, and as such, most of them are European. As we've mentioned before, Beauty and the Beast takes place in France, but what about all the other movies? The nationality of the princesses is not always clear, but we've got the answer.
Snow White and Tangled both take place in Bavaria, Germany, and Ariel is from Denmark. Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty are also presumably French, while Anna and Elsa are from Norway.
#5. Another Princess Cameo
As we've mentioned before, Disney loves having cameos in their films, and these are never done in an obvious way. One thing that has been discovered hundreds of times are hidden Mickeys, which have appeared in over 40 Disney movies.
But one interesting princess cameo happened in Frozen, which also has a hidden Mickey, by the way. If you pay attention during Elsa's coronation scene, you'll notice that Rapunzel and Flynn are in attendance. This gave rise to the fan theory that Tangled and Frozen take place in the same universe.
#4. Records Broken By Princesses
Our beloved princesses are more unique than we think. Pocahontas was the first Disney character ever to have a tattoo. Another super cool record broken by one of them is that Snow White is the only princess to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
But Mulan holds the most unusual record of them all. We all know that she saved China from the Huns, right? Well, this happened because she purposely caused an avalanche that buried a whopping 2,000 Huns alive, this being the highest kill-count in Disney history.
#3. Recycled Animation
The Disney Studios have been caught reusing animation many, many times. But hey, there's nothing wrong about that! Animation used to be an extremely difficult and expensive process, so whenever movie makers could recycle some animated sequences, they did.
But the one that takes the cake is the end sequence of Beauty and the Beast, which is a frame-by-frame copy of the final scene of Sleeping Beauty. Both scenes are iconic and beautifully animated, so we're not gonna complain about it, are we?
#2. Sleeping Beauty Wasn't Successful
Disney's work was groundbreaking, and that came with a lot of risks. Animation used to be very expensive, and each Disney movie took lots of time and money to make. This not always resulted in a big return for the company and it almost went bankrupt.
The Disney classic that was a flop in its time was Sleeping Beauty. The movie cost $6 million and it only made half of that at the box office. Because of its failure, Disney didn't make another princess movie until thirty years later, when The Little Mermaid came out.
#1. Princess Requirements
There are many female-led Disney movies out there, like Alice in Wonderland, yet not all of these characters are considered Disney princesses. In fact, some real princesses, like Marian from Robin Hood, aren't considered one. So what makes a character a Disney princess?
First, the character has to be human, which is why Marian doesn't qualify. Second, the movie has to actually be successful - if not, what's the benefit for Disney, right? Also, the princesses have to either be born royal or marry into royalty or do such a great deed that basically turns them into royalty, like Mulan saving China.