The 13 Disney Princess films run from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) to Raya and the Last Dragon (2021). The first nine are rated G and the last four PG, and they last 74 to 107 minutes. Nearly every one has a scene that can frighten a preschooler, so watch the first time together.
This is a planning table for parents. The MPA ratings come from Disney's official movie pages and match Common Sense Media; the running times are the theatrical times listed on Wikipedia. The notes on scary moments are our own summary, and the "watch together from" ages are editorial guidance, not ratings.
Checked on 13 October 2026: ratings on movies.disney.com and commonsensemedia.org, running times on Wikipedia, the 13-film lineup on princess.disney.com and in the Disney+ guide (revised 11 September 2026).
The 13 films in release order
| # | Film | Princess | Year | MPA rating | Runtime | Common Sense age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Snow White | 1937 | G | 83 min | 6+ |
| 2 | Cinderella | Cinderella | 1950 | G | 74 min | 4+ |
| 3 | Sleeping Beauty | Aurora | 1959 | G | 75 min | 5+ |
| 4 | The Little Mermaid | Ariel | 1989 | G | 83 min | 6+ |
| 5 | Beauty and the Beast | Belle | 1991 | G | 84 min | 6+ |
| 6 | Aladdin | Jasmine | 1992 | G | 90 min | 6+ |
| 7 | Pocahontas | Pocahontas | 1995 | G | 81 min | 6+ |
| 8 | Mulan | Mulan | 1998 | G | 88 min | 5+ |
| 9 | The Princess and the Frog | Tiana | 2009 | G | 97 min | 6+ |
| 10 | Tangled | Rapunzel | 2010 | PG: brief mild violence | 100 min | 5+ |
| 11 | Brave | Merida | 2012 | PG: some scary action and rude humor | 93 min | 8+ |
| 12 | Moana | Moana | 2016 | PG: peril, some scary images and brief thematic elements | 107 min | 6+ |
| 13 | Raya and the Last Dragon | Raya | 2021 | PG: some violence, action and thematic elements | 107 min | 8+ |
A G rating means the MPA found nothing that would offend parents if children watched, but it is not a promise that a film is gentle. Several G-rated classics contain scenes that frighten preschoolers, and Common Sense Media puts six of the nine G films at 6+.
Running times differ between listings, sometimes by more than a few minutes, and Disney's own pages give different figures for some films. Check the time shown by your streaming service before you start.
What may scare young kids, film by film
The second column is our own summary of each film's frightening moments. The third is the youngest age at which we'd suggest a first viewing with an adult beside the child. It assumes you can pause, talk, or skip ahead.
| Film | Moments that may scare a young child | Watch together from |
|---|---|---|
| Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | The huntsman raises a knife over Snow White; her panicked run through a dark forest full of eyes and grasping branches; the Queen turning herself into an old peddler; Snow White's death-like sleep and the dwarfs' grief | 5 |
| Cinderella | The stepsisters tear apart her dress; the cat Lucifer hunting the mice; Cinderella locked in her room on the day of the slipper search | 4 |
| Sleeping Beauty | Maleficent cursing the baby at her christening; Aurora drawn by a glowing light toward the spindle; Maleficent turning into a fire-breathing dragon in the finale | 5 |
| The Little Mermaid | Ursula's lair, with merpeople shrunk into sad little creatures; a shark chase; Ursula growing enormous during the storm at the end | 5 |
| Beauty and the Beast | The Beast's roaring rages; wolves attacking Belle; a mob storming the castle; Gaston stabbing the Beast and falling to his death | 5 |
| Aladdin | The Cave of Wonders' giant tiger head; guards chasing Aladdin with swords; Jafar turning into a huge snake | 5 |
| Pocahontas | Gunfire, and a character shot dead; both sides preparing for war; John Smith about to be executed | 6 |
| Mulan | A village burned by the Huns; the avalanche battle; Mulan fighting the Hun leader in the palace finale | 6 |
| The Princess and the Frog | The villain's shadow spirits and voodoo masks; a much-loved side character dies | 6 |
| Tangled | Mother Gothel's cruelty dressed up as love; Flynn is stabbed; Gothel ages in seconds and falls from the tower | 5 |
| Brave | The giant bear Mor'du attacking the family in the opening; Merida's mother turning into a bear and, for a moment, growling at her; the clansmen hunting the bear who is really her mother; the final fight with Mor'du | 7 |
| Moana | The lava demon Te Kā; a giant crab in the realm of monsters; Moana's grandmother dies; violent storms at sea | 6 |
| Raya and the Last Dragon | The Druun turn people to stone, including Raya's father; frequent sword fights; a main character is shot and seems to die | 7 |
Our ages run lower than Common Sense Media's for several films because we assume an adult is watching too. If your child is sensitive to villains, use Common Sense Media's ages instead.
Frozen and Frozen II
Elsa and Anna are not official Disney Princesses, but many families watch these two alongside the princess films. Both are rated PG.
| Film | MPA rating | Runtime | Common Sense age | Moments that may scare a young child | Watch together from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frozen (2013) | PG: some action and mild rude humor | 102 min | 5+ | The sisters' parents lost at sea; wolves chasing the sleigh; Elsa's huge snow monster; a trusted character's betrayal; Anna freezing solid | 5 |
| Frozen II (2019) | PG: action/peril and some thematic elements | 103 min | 6+ | Earth giants hurling boulders; the water horse in a stormy sea; the sisters finding their parents' wrecked ship; Olaf fading away for a while | 6 |
We explain separately why Elsa isn't an official Disney Princess. The princesses themselves, with the year each joined the lineup, are on the official list of Disney Princesses in order.
Which order to watch them in
Older children may enjoy release order, because it shows how the heroines change from Snow White to Raya. For a three- or four-year-old's first princess movie, start with a gentle one: Cinderella is the shortest film on the list and the only one Common Sense Media rates 4+. We'd save Brave and Raya and the Last Dragon, both rated 8+ there, for school-age children.
This list covers only the original animated films. Live-action remakes, such as Snow White (2025) and Moana (2026), and animated sequels are separate films with their own ratings.
Before the first viewing
- Watch the villain's first scene yourself, or read a scene summary, so you know what's coming.
- Sit close and narrate during tense moments: "That's the bad queen. Snow White will be safe soon."
- Use the pause button. Asking "What do you think will happen?" can turn fear into curiosity.
- Afterward, ask which part was scary and which part was the best. Naming both can help a child put the scary part in its place.
FAQ
What is the order of the Disney Princess movies?
In release order: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Cinderella (1950), Sleeping Beauty (1959), The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), Pocahontas (1995), Mulan (1998), The Princess and the Frog (2009), Tangled (2010), Brave (2012), Moana (2016) and Raya and the Last Dragon (2021).
Are any Disney Princess movies rated PG?
Yes, four of the 13. Tangled (2010), Brave (2012), Moana (2016) and Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) are rated PG, for violence, peril, scary images or action. The nine films from Snow White (1937) to The Princess and the Frog (2009) are rated G. Frozen and Frozen II are also PG.
Which Disney Princess movie is best for a 3- or 4-year-old?
Cinderella is the gentlest place to start. It runs 74 minutes, the shortest on the list, and Common Sense Media rates it 4+. Its tense moments are a cat chasing mice and the stepsisters tearing a dress. Every princess film has some peril, so watch together and be ready to pause.
Which Disney Princess movie is the scariest?
For young children, Brave and Raya and the Last Dragon have the most sustained danger, and Common Sense Media rates both 8+. Among the G-rated classics, Snow White's dark forest and the Queen's transformation, and Maleficent's dragon in Sleeping Beauty, upset many preschoolers despite the gentle rating.
How long are Disney Princess movies?
Between 74 and 107 minutes in their theatrical versions. Cinderella is the shortest at 74 minutes and Sleeping Beauty runs 75; Moana and Raya and the Last Dragon are the longest at 107 minutes each. Times differ slightly between listings, so check your streaming service before starting.
Are Frozen and Frozen II Disney Princess movies?
Not officially. Elsa and Anna are not in the 13-member Disney Princess lineup, because Frozen is its own franchise. Many families still watch the two films alongside the princess movies. Both are rated PG; Frozen (2013) runs 102 minutes and Frozen II (2019) runs 103.
Sources
- Disney Princess official site, character lineup: https://princess.disney.com/ (checked 13 October 2026)
- Disney+, "Disney Princess Movies," revised 11 September 2026: https://www.disneyplus.com/explore/articles/disney-princess-movies (checked 13 October 2026)
- Disney Movies official pages, MPA ratings: https://movies.disney.com/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs, https://movies.disney.com/cinderella-1950, https://movies.disney.com/sleeping-beauty, https://movies.disney.com/the-little-mermaid, https://movies.disney.com/beauty-and-the-beast, https://movies.disney.com/aladdin, https://movies.disney.com/pocahontas, https://movies.disney.com/mulan, https://movies.disney.com/the-princess-and-the-frog, https://movies.disney.com/tangled, https://movies.disney.com/brave, https://movies.disney.com/moana, https://movies.disney.com/raya-and-the-last-dragon, https://movies.disney.com/frozen, https://movies.disney.com/frozen-2 (checked 13 October 2026)
- Common Sense Media reviews (age ratings, MPA rating reasons, content notes): https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs, /cinderella, /sleeping-beauty, /the-little-mermaid, /beauty-and-the-beast, /aladdin, /pocahontas, /mulan, /the-princess-and-the-frog, /tangled, /brave, /moana, /raya-and-the-last-dragon, /frozen-0, /frozen-2 (all under https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/; checked 13 October 2026)
- Wikipedia film articles, theatrical running times: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_White_and_the_Seven_Dwarfs_(1937_film), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinderella_(1950_film), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleeping_Beauty_(1959_film), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Mermaid_(1989_film), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauty_and_the_Beast_(1991_film), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aladdin_(1992_Disney_film), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocahontas_(1995_film), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulan_(1998_film), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_and_the_Frog, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangled, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brave_(2012_film), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moana_(2016_film), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raya_and_the_Last_Dragon, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frozen_(2013_film), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frozen_2 (checked 13 October 2026)
- Wikipedia, "Disney Princess" (live-action remakes): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_Princess (checked 13 October 2026)
After the movie, keep the story going with our princess story starters.