Like it or not, Disney's days on Netflix are numbered. Mickey Mouse and co. have announced that they will launch their own streaming service, which means you should watch Disney's best movies on Netflix while you still can.
All of the movies in this list are currently available on Netflix USA. If they're not available in your country, you can try one of the VPN services that work with Netflix. Or check the other video streaming services in your region, as the same film(s) might be available on a different platform.
1. Cool Runnings (1993)
Everyone loves an underdog story. And it doesn't get any more underdog than a bobsledding team from tropical Jamaica competing in the Winter Olympics.
Based on a true story, Cool Runnings is the tale of Jamaican sprinters who switch to bobsledding after failing to qualify for the Summer Olympics. It's all about perseverance, hard work, and conquering the odds -- all with a dollop of funny scenes thrown in for good measure. Can these unlikely athletes grab glory in a climate they never knew?
2. Fantasia (1940) and 3. Fantasia 2000 (1999)
Fantasia, released in 1940, was Walt Disney's most ambitious vision for what an animated movie could be. Disney took eight famous pieces by classical musicians like Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, and constructed short cartoons to accompany them. Perhaps the most famous of these is The Sorcerer's Apprentice, which turned Mickey Mouse into a superstar. It's a laugh-a-minute riot.
To celebrate the movie's 50th anniversary, Disney Studios released Fantasia 2000. Seven new classical pieces were selected, and seven new cartoons accompanied them. The Sorcerer's Apprentice was the only one to be repeated this time around. To add to the fun, each musical piece and cartoon is introduced by a celebrity duo.
If this gets you nostalgic for the good old days of Mickey and the gang, jump back in time with these sites to watch old classic cartoons.
4. The Mighty Ducks (1992)
Hot-shot lawyer Gordon Bombay gets into a car accident, and is sentenced to coach a children's ice hockey team. The kids have a lot of heart and a lot of talent, but no real understanding of how to play the sport. Bombay was a hockey prodigy himself as a kid, and his new team's rivals are the team he used to play for. Can they turn things around to beat the odds?
A quintessential sports-underdog story, The Mighty Ducks is an absolute delight for kids and adults alike. There is plenty on offer about how to come together as a group, to include those who we usually outcast, and how to win.
5. Zootopia (2016)
For a long time, Pixar and Dreamworks were outshining Disney in animated movies. That all changed with Zootopia, a film that has the best of old Disney values and modern animation.
The film is set in the fictional city of Zootropolis, where all animals live together in a modern world. The protagonist, Judy Hopps, is the first bunny to become a cop, and needs to prove her mettle. And her only hope is a sly fox who is a conman by trade.
There's a mystery to solve, a tussle between the natural order of hunters and preys, and some amazing storytelling. If you haven't watched Zootopia, you're missing out on a modern classic.
6. Moana (2016) [No Longer Available]
A little Hawaiian village is in deep trouble, after their crops are destroyed and the fishermen stop catching any fish. The chief's daughter, Moana, learns that an old demigod named Maui stole the heart of a goddess, and the curse on the island is retaliation.
To save her village, Moana sets off on a grand journey to find Maui—a hilarious man-child of a demigod, with a little tattoo of himself that speaks to him. Together, Maui and Moana must complete a treacherous quest, battling pirates and giant crabs, to lift the curse once and for all.
7. The Jungle Book (2016)
Many years ago, Disney's animated take on The Jungle Book introduced children to the world of Mowgli. There's a new live-action retelling of the story, with bears and tigers and black panthers coming to life like never before.
In case you don't know, Mowgli is a human boy who is raised by a pack of wolves. His best friend is a black panther named Bagheera, and his enemy is the ruler of the jungle, a tiger named Shere Khan.
The Jungle Book is made special by voice-acting from accomplished stars, including Ben Kingsley, Bill Murray, and Idris Elba. I still prefer the animated classic, but this is a fun film nonetheless.
8. Lilo and Stitch (2002) [No Longer Available]
Experiment 626 is an alien bred for the sole purpose of causing chaos and destruction. As an intergalactic federation hunts him, he escapes to a tiny island in Hawaii, where a young girl named Lilo "adopts" him as her pet.
Lilo names her pet Stitch, and as expected, hilarious hijinks ensue. But the film pushes a central message of the choice between being good and evil, and the bond of family. No kid can resist this cute duo.
And Netflix has been kind enough to add the two sequels to the original as well. You can watch Lilo and Stitch 2 (2005), or if you love Stitch and not Lilo, then there's Stitch The Movie (2003). Or maybe download all these animated movies together, so that you have something to watch while commuting.
9. Finding Dory (2016)
Once upon a time, a clownfish named Marlin searched all the oceans for his son in Finding Nemo. One of the people to assist him was a regal blue tang named Dory, who suffers from short-term memory loss. Marlin and Dory fell in love, and now live with Nemo in their coral reef.
But one day, Dory is captured by humans. Father and son team up this time to find Dory, who is on her own quest to find her long-lost parents. It's almost a reprisal of the first film, as Marlin and Nemo search the oceans while Dory looks for a way to escape her captors, with a little help from other captive fish. Simply put, if you liked Finding Nemo, you'll love Finding Dory.
10. Mr. Magoo (1997)
Leslie Nielsen is perhaps the best physical comedian in the last generation. So when he takes on the role of the classic Mr. Magoo, a wealthy man with terrible eyesight, you know you're in for a laugh riot.
The film's plot isn't too important, and is quite hackneyed, to be honest. The premise is what matters, as Mr. Magoo unknowingly causes plenty of chaos because he refuses to wear glasses. From foiling plots to kill him to disrupting a criminal organization, all unknowingly, Mr. Magoo is the perfect children's movie.
11. High School Musical (2006)
High School Musical is like a child-friendly, modern version of Grease. The school jock falls for the nerdy girl next door, and they both try out for their high school's big musical. A meet-cute scene, a jealous conniving rival, a funny sidekick, and every other cliched plot point makes an appearance.
But you know what? That's what an adult would think of it. If a child hasn't seen one of the countless such movies before, then High School Musical is a pitch perfect rendition. After all, it's what launched Zac Efron and Vanessa Anne Hudgens into stardom.
And once you're done with it, maybe check out High School Musical 2 (2007) as well.
12. Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)
Miley Stewart has been leading a double life, as the famous pop star Hannah Montana. After a feud with another celebrity, Miley's dad takes her to a farmhouse in the heart of America to rediscover who she really is.
Hannah Montana: The Movie is an extension of the hit persona that Miley Cyrus created for her TV show. Sure, Cyrus has changed a little now and boasts one of the most disliked YouTube videos of all time. But the film is from a more innocent time in her life, with a basic feel-good plot and a coming-of-age story about a teenager.
13. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
One of the most ambitious projects in the history of animated films, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a must-watch for everyone. It marries live-action filming with cartoons, and tells a compelling story while at it.
Roger Rabbit, the biggest cartoon star in Toontown, hires a private eye to investigate whether his wife is having an affair. But then his wife's alleged lover shows up dead. Now private eye Eddie Valiant has to figure out who framed Roger Rabbit, interrogating some of the most famous Disney cartoons in history to figure it out.
14. Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Across The 2nd Dimension (2011)
One of the most beloved TV cartoons, Phineas and Ferb's movie is just as entertaining, if not more. The two step-brothers are back to their regular hijinks, developing new inventions. Meanwhile, their sister Candace is determined to expose the duo's experiments to their mother once and for all.
Meanwhile, Phineas and Ferb's pet secret-agent platypus, Agent P a.k.a Perry, wages all-out war on his evil nemesis, Dr. Doofenshmirtz. Even with parallel dimensions and doppelgangers, the plot is simple enough for kids to follow and enjoy.
15. Pooh's Heffalump Movie (2005) [No Longer Available]
The old gang from Winnie The Pooh are back for yet another adventure. There's a new "monster" loose in the Hundred Acre Wood they inhabit. It's called a Heffalump, and the gang must capture it to be safe!
As responsible friends, they leave little Roo behind. But as fate would have it, Roo befriends this monster, who is much like a friendly elephant. The movie is a wonderful, educational tale about friendship, supposed "monsters," and not judging others too quickly.
And thankfully, it uses good old 2D animation like Pooh fans are used to. CGI won't ruin your childhood memories of this gang quite yet.
16. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) [No Longer Available]
Ah, the movie that launched a celebrated franchise and one of the most beloved characters on screen. Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow is like nothing you have seen before, romanticizing the life of a pirate.
The Curse of the Black Pearl also stars Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, who Sparrow and his crew abduct. Set sail on the high seas for a mighty adventure, and don't be surprised if you find yourself rooting for a pirate instead of an officer of the law.
What About TV Shows?
While this list should keep you entertained with movies, Disney also produces several interesting TV shows. Phineas and Ferb is an obvious example, but Disney is also behind Bill Nye The Science Guy, the classic that teaches science to kids and adults.
Which other Disney-made movies and TV shows do you enjoy watching on Netflix? Will you be subscribing to Disney's new streaming service? Or would you prefer they kept their movies on Netflix? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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