Summer Disney Movies to Watch While the Weather is Warm
Give me shorts and T-shirts, endless sunshine, tanned skin, and sun-bleached hair 365 days a year and you’d watch my personality immediately transform from a jaded disgruntled city-slicker to the happiest and cheeriest gal on my block. I guess when you’re a kid, every season has a certain allure to it- I used to love to shovel my grandma’s sidewalks when a huge snowstorm would white-out my hometown…but even weekly ski trips with my friends couldn’t outshine the summer.
The older I get, I hate the winter more and more each year, the leaves changing still look beautiful, but the dried crackles underfoot and cold breezes are a precursor to months of cold. And don’t even get me started on “spring”, I can’t remember a time that spring wasn’t as cold and dreary as the winter itself! Summer is by and large the one season that has never failed me, so of course I want to keep the party going from morning to night for as long as the warm weather lasts! When the sun sets and the kids are still jazzed up from a day spent in the pool or playing in the yard, turn on one of these made-for-summer Disney movies that will succeed in keeping the spirit of the season alive when you can’t be outside (or at Disney!)!
From Live Action to Classic Throwbacks
If you’re wondering how in the heck I plan to approach a genre as broad as ‘Disney movies’, you’re wise. Theatrical releases, animated flicks, Disney Channel Originals, live action films…the list goes on and one and on. Arguably, I could stick with films strictly produced by The Walt Disney Studios, but with properties like Marvel and Star Wars now in the mix, it seems unfair and grossly cocky to leave out categories with such amazing summer-appropriate stories to tell, so without further ado, let’s dive into the best Disney summer movies that will make the season last as long as they’re playing in your house!
- The Little Mermaid- This film is the perfect choice for summer, and its combination of upbeat Oscar-winning music and colorful and loveable animated characters earned it the honor of kicking off our list! The Little Mermaid has long since been my favorite animated Disney film, and when you re-watch it as many times as I have, the nuances are just as exciting as the big musical numbers, and since its setting is split between a sun-drenched shoreline and the ocean blue, summer vibes sure are strong ‘Under the Sea’!
- High School Musical 2- Disney Channel Original movies are either fantastic or flops. There is no in between. I’ve been a fan of DCOMs since before I knew what DCOM stood for, and after years of research and summer sleepovers, I’m confident in my knowledge of this too-often overlooked genre is up to par. If you’re 10 or 100, the High School Musical franchise is absolutely something you’re aware of, and the second film in the ever-popular series is set during a school break at a golf resort in the desert- sounds like a dream summer to me!
- A Goofy Movie- The 1995 film starring Jason Marsden as the loveable and clumsy Goofy has stood more than stood the test of time. I know this because on my most recent visit to Walt Disney World, I visited my Resort’s Community Hall and a young guest happened to be there renting a movie. He was no more than 10 years old, and I tried to hide my grin when I heard him enthusiastically request “The Goofy Movie, please!”. Max and Goofy’s doomed summer road trip is a tale every family can relate to, no matter the age!
- Attack of the Clones- I’ll preface this one by saying that Star Wars films are great for any season. Since 1977, families have bonded over the industry-changing series and have proudly passed their love and knowledge of The Force to the next generation. If I’m going to dive into the space saga in mid-August, my choice would (for once) not be one of the original three, but the middle film in the prequel trilogy! Summer is the season of love, and traveling to the sprawling, sun-soaked planet of Naboo with the star-crossed Padme and Anakin always make me wish for a summer romance…but only in between the epic space battles and arena fight, of course!
- Avengers- Although the fate of our planet is at stake, superhero movies can never really be classified as films with any real weight to them. Sure, villains die, but do they REALLY ever end badly? This newest one aside, the original Avengers film is the perfect storm of an engaging story and a super cool superhero mash-up cast practically made for inspiring hours of heroic play long after your viewing party ends.
- The Lizzie McGuire Movie- I’m showing my age here, but just around the time The Lizzie McGuire Movie hit theatres, I was at the age where I could finally walk up the street to my friend’s house without parental supervision. To say that it’s a coming of age story might be a bit of a stretch, but take a tour of Italy with Lizzie and her hot Italian flame and you’ll be booking your ticket to Rome before the summer is out. Or do what I do and live viariously through Lizzie- it’s a lot cheaper that way!
- Frozen- Yes I have seen this film. Yes I know it is called Yes I know the plot revolves around eternal winter. Yet, it is one of the best summer Disney flicks in recent years! Technically, the film is set during summer- until Elsa sets off that enormous storm that causes the whole region to freeze over – and the songs and feel-good characters are just what your little ones will want to see on their TV screens after a long hot day of outdoor fun. Plus, I’ve played some pretty awesome Frozen-inspired pool games with my cousins that they thought up after a viewing of the film last year…hey, you never know what summer-ready game will spark from a frozen fractal until you give it a try. Let us know which of these summer films you’re going to watch first, and comment with your family’s favorite below!
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Special thanks to Maria Salerno for writing this article: Hiya pal! I am a NYC-based writer/musician thrilled to be a part of your Disney vacation planning! I’m a WDW Annual Passholder, so you can find me in the parks regularly throughout the year. In addition to being a Disney Parks loving girl, I’m also a Disney toy and merchandise collector, a runDisney enthusiast, and Disney music and movie aficionado. You can follow me on Instagram: NYCtoAP and find me on YouTube: NYCtoAP. Thanks for reading, hope to see ya real soon!