7 Disney Movies for People Who Hate Musicals

Angie Dahl
Movies Disney
Movies Disney

Disney movies are cherished worldwide for how they have shaped our childhoods. For the past 80 years, Disney films have given us protagonists to root for, villains to root against, and lovable sidekicks that make us laugh. The company is also known for having songs in their films that burrow deep into our brains forever. Anyone else still have “Let it Go” stuck in their heads? While some of us love musicals, we understand that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, especially when celebrating one’s unbirthday. So, we’ve done a deep dive into the vault to find the top seven Disney movies for people who hate musicals.

The Rescuers Down Under

McLeach and Cody in The Rescuers Down Under

The Rescuers Down Under is the sequel to The Rescuers and is a lesser-known Disney movie that’s still totally deserving of our praise. The heroes of both movies are two mice, Bernard and Miss Bianca, who are part of a bigger mouse organization called the Rescue Aid Society. When Percival McLeach, a poacher, kidnaps a boy named Cody, Bernard and Miss Bianca go to Australia to rescue him.

No music was needed to show how evil this villain is. In fact, the lack of music made his presence even darker. McLeach has no empathy for animals nor children, which is a parent’s worst nightmare. Luckily, the two mice combat the film’s darkness by taking on the villain and succeding, which is inspiring. Also, McLeach’s pet goanna named Joanna is the most hilarious villain sidekick in Disney history. This clip of Joanna stealing eggs will certainly make you laugh.

Big Hero 6

Baymax in Big Hero 6
One of Baymax's lesser known functions is having lollipops at the ready. He's the best.

Most people will remember Big Hero 6 for Baymax, the cuddly healthcare robot. Although Baymax is a robot, he has a big heart. He’s the one who helps the hero, aptly named Hiro, deal with the grief of his brother’s death. Though Disney, and pop culture at large, has had its fair share of male heroes, we’re glad that the hero of Big Hero 6 is a preteen boy.

Baymax teaches Hiro that the best way to deal with grief is to let our loved ones back into our lives. This is especially important for boys to hear, as they are traditionally taught to bury their feelings and hide their emotional side. Baymax is also referred to by male pronouns as well. By making this story about them, the audience learns that it’s okay to be emotional. If we find our tribe and push ourselves, we can move past grief and do great things.

Bambi

Bambi

Watching Bambi is a childhood rite of passage. It’s a coming-of-age story with a twist since its focus is on adorable forest animals. Like The Lion King, Bambi teaches children that their parents aren’t immortal. The fate of Bambi’s mom is emotionally scarring, but it reminds us to value life.

Bambi’s friends, Thumper and Flower, follow Bambi’s life trajectory, even finding mates around the same time (who are also super cute). The group of friends remind the audience of their own pals, the ones we’ve grown up with and watched reach their milestones. Bambi’s future mate is another one of his childhood friends, Faline. Their courtship got the word “twitterpation” into the English lexicon, which is a useful word indeed.

Brave

Merida and Elinor in Brave

For a long time, Disney love stories were about the princess finding a man to love. Brave starts out like so many Disney stories: Merida, the princess, is bored with her royal life and craves a change. This is usually when the love interest rides in with a song and a white horse. However, in Brave, the “love story” is actually between a mother and daughter.

Many Disney films have killed off the princess’s mother for a tragic backstory, so it is uncommon to see a relationship between the female hero and her mother. The mother-daughter relationship is inherently complicated, which provides a challenge for filmmakers. Disney successfully explores this relationship in its signature fun way (the Queen turns into a bear). In the end, the lesson learned is that we can’t change our family, but we can change our fate. If we’re brave enough.

The Incredibles

The Incredibles

Rarely do we see the life of a Disney couple post-happily ever after. The Incredibles begins with the happily ever after moment. Two superheroes, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, get married and start a family. Unfortunately, the government forces all superheroes into retirement, and the former Mr. Incredible, Bob Parr, then has to get a not-so-super job as an insurance claims adjuster. Unsurprisingly, he becomes increasingly dissatisfied with the trajectory of his life.

The Incredibles Bob Parr
The face you make when you're stuck in traffic and hate your job.

This film not only has a great, heartwarming story to tell about family, but it’s arguably the best superhero film ever. We hardly ever get to see what it means for superheroes to have a family and raise children. This movie also has a villain with surprising ties to the hero, a mysterious woman, and a character voiced by Samuel L. Jackson (the best). All of this awesomeness is packaged together without any songs.

Treasure Planet

Treasure Planet

Pirates! In space! That concept alone was enough to sell fans on Treasure Planet, Disney’s retelling of the classic Treasure Island story. Though the main character of the film is a teenage boy named Jim Hawkins, it’s the women of this film that really earn it its place on our list.

Sarah Hawkins is a single mother who raised Jim the best that she could given their circumstances. She works hard at their family’s inn to provide for Jim. Kids may not realize how big of a deal this is but adults will. Jim’s quest for greatness leads him to Captain Amelia, a feline-like female who captains the RLS Legacy with a searing vocabulary. She’s not seen much on merchandise or in fandom art, which is a pity since she’s got smarts and sass.

Up

Carl and Ellie in Up
The handshake that started the greatest love story ever told. Sorry, Titanic.

Up tells a sweeter love story in its first ten minutes than most romantic movies. Since childhood, Carl and Ellie have spent their lives together. Unlike other Disney movies, we see this couple go through the ups and downs of ordinary life, and, along the way, we learn what it means to be a supportive partner.

More than anything, young Ellie wanted to be an explorer in South America. However, as she got older, her definition of an adventure changed. Carl initially feels guilt that he didn’t give Ellie the life he thought she deserved. The lesson he learns, which we can all learn, is that dreams can evolve. The film continues to get better from there: Carl flies his house to South America where he has adventures with a boy named Russell, a colorful bird, and a talking dog.

What’s really magical about Disney movies is that you can find one that suits nearly every person’s taste. This includes those who prefer to get character development without singing. Disney movie magic is not limited to singing on magic carpets, or under the sea, or while deciding what to eat for dinner. Yes, you can try the grey stuff (it’s delicious), but you can also enjoy Disney without musical numbers. Who knew?

Angie Dahl
Angie is a FANDOM writer whose hobbies include boxing and going to Disneyland. She's easily bribed by coffee and easily excited by the latest in sci-fi, fantasy, or superhero movies. A Ravenclaw at heart, she'll read the book before she watches the thing.