Thanks to its classic animated films, despite many ups and downs, Disney has always maintained its reputation as one of the most powerful cinematic studios in the world. Its movies have always been focused on both the storylines and their good-life values, and therefore, they receive the passionate love of fans despite the test of time.
It’s easy for Disneyphiles to identify whether a movie is in the beginning, middle, or more recent eras in the company’s history, but do you know exactly which Disney phase it belongs to? Disney animated films are divided into 7 different periods of time, distinguished by Disney’s memorable historical milestones. Each era has its own characteristics in terms of development direction and film production style.
If you are curious, this article will bring you a quick history lesson about these 7 Disney eras, clarifying what the highlights of every period are and what films are included in each. Go down the page to discover the timeline you should know and let us know which epoch is your most favorite!
#1 The Golden Age (1937-1942)
Source: The Walt Disney Studios
This historical time is called The Golden Age because it marked a leap in the development of Walt Disney Studio in particular and the animation industry in general when Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released as the very first full-length animated film. This age includes the following movies: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, and Bambi.
#2 The Wartime Era (1943-1949)
Source: The Walt Disney Studios
From its name, it is easy to see that this era took place during the time of war (World War II). That’s why, during this time, the company had a lot of difficulties and they could almost only produce compilations of short films, not a full-length film like Snow White. Films from this period are: Saludos Amigos, The Three Caballeros, Make Mine Music, Fun and Fancy Free, Melody Time, and The Adventures of Icabod and Mr. Toad.
#3 The Silver Age (1950-1967)
Source: The Walt Disney Studios
The Silver Age marked Disney’s return to its original formula that it had in Snow White after the war. During this time, Disney produced many classic movies that we still watch regularly today such as Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, and The Jungle Book.
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Every Disney Princess Whose Parents Are Still Alive
#4 The Bronze Age (1970-1988)
Source: The Walt Disney Studios
This era is known as one of Disney’s most underdeveloped periods after Walt’s passing. The Aristocats, Robin Hood, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, The Rescuers, The Fox and the Hound, The Black Cauldron, The Great Mouse Detective, and Oliver and Company are the films that are included in The Bronze Age.
#5 The Disney Renaissance (1989-1999)
Source: The Walt Disney Studios
The Disney Renaissance, named after the medieval European renaissance, is considered Disney’s most successful and beloved period. The films included in this era are The Little Mermaid, The Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Mulan, and Tarzan. Most of these movies follow the original Disney motif which usually had a princess as the main character in its film.
#6 Post-Renaissance Era (2000-2009)
Source: The Walt Disney Studios
Because The Disney Renaissance did its job so well, the Post-Renaissance Era was considered as a step backward for Disney, even though the studio still released quality films, such as Lilo & Stitch. The films included in this era are Fantasia 2000, Dinosaur, The Emperor’s New Groove, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Lilo & Stitch, Treasure Planet, Brother Bear, Home on the Range, Chicken Little, Meet the Robinsons, and Bolt.
#7 The Revival Era (2010-present)
Source: The Walt Disney Studios
With its generous investment in scripts and visual effects, Disney gradually returned to its peak and produced a series of wildly successful films. All the films in this era are Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Winnie the Pooh, Wreck-it Ralph, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Moana, Ralph Breaks the Internet, and Frozen II.
Interesting fact: Did you know that Frozen and Frozen II are Disney’s most profitable movies ever?
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