A lot of us probably grew up watching that one Disney Princess movie on repeat. I know I did, to the expense of my brother. For this ranking, I’m following Disney’s list of official Disney Princesses, but let’s be real, there are so many amazing characters in Disney films who deserve to be official princesses.
11. Snow WhiteLook, if you’re just going to go around cleaning up after old men and eating food offered to you by creepy strangers, I’m probably not going to want to be hanging out with you any time soon. Sorry, Snow but I hope instead of waiting for your prince to come you learn to fight your own battles with your evil stepmom.
10. Aurora (aka Sleeping Beauty)Honestly, I wish I could take a nap as long as Aurora did (although I bet she did not want to sleep for a long time after that). I don’t know if I really have anything for or against Aurora, she kinda just had a bad break being cursed and everything.
9. CinderellaOne of the reasons I like Cinderella is best articulated by this quote from author Kiera Cass: “Cinderella never asked for a prince, she asked for a night off and a dress.” Cinderella just wanted to have a good time, considering all the bullshit she dealt with from her stepmom and stepsisters. Honestly, I also really love so many Cinderella remakes, from the 2015 live-action Disney Cinderella movie to the retellings starring Drew Barrymore, Hilary Duff, and Selena Gomez. Those retellings definitely made up a bulk of my childhood if I’m being honest, and if A Cinderella Story was on right now I’d probably settle down to watch Hilary Duff rock it as Sam.
8. ArielAriel’s drive is admirable, but her decision-making skills are not. I’ll be honest I love Ariel a lot because she’s a mermaid and because she’s complimented my long hair numerous times when I’ve visited her at Disney World. I definitely get why she wanted to explore outside of her world “Under the Sea,” and if Ursula really put her in the position where she needed to get a prince to keep her legs, then okay. I mean, crushes at Ariel’s age can be pretty consuming anyway. But this girl seriously doesn’t know better than to sign a contract without reading it, and she really couldn’t write to Prince Eric explaining what was up? As Ariel said, “flipping your fins you don’t get too far,” but you also won’t get very far in life if you don’t think things out a little more.
7. BelleBelle’s thirst for adventure and love for books is honestly so relatable, and seeing as how I’m also a brunette, I feel like we’re practically the same person. But how Belle could decide to spend her life with someone who has as big a temper as Adam/the Beast is beyond me. Honestly Belle, if you “want adventure in the great wide somewhere,” I think you’re best leaving your man, but hey, that’s just me. Belle is smart, brave, and patient, and I obviously don’t know the whole story behind her relationship with Adam because it’s a Disney movie, but I guess at least she was super chill about the fact that she was in a cursed castle.
6. JasmineOkay, having a pet tiger would actually be pretty cool. Jasmine is pretty badass for searching for her freedom. She knows her responsibilities to her kingdom, but she also just wanted a day off. And Jafar was pretty creepy when he was in charge (and when he was not), but Jasmine still helped defeat him without batting an eye. Her and Aladdin should probably question whether it’s a good idea to start a relationship based on lies, but other than that Jasmine is pretty awesome for searching for independence.
5. PocahontasHonestly, it feels a little weird ranking a character I know was a real person. Pocahontas was totally in touch with the world around her, and I love her search for freedom. I don’t know what she saw in John Smith, but I love how she’s not afraid to stand up for herself and others.
4. MeridaMerida’s ready to show that she doesn’t need a man, and that she’s better than any of the men who are supposedly her equals. Merida is fearless, independent, stubborn, and caring of her family. She’s generally just an awesome princess.
3. RapunzelRapunzel has been through a lot because of Mother Gothel. And when she finally got the chance to do what she’s been wanting to do her whole life, she took that chance even though it meant capturing and threatening some random stranger. Rapunzel is possibly one of the most relatable Disney Princesses ever (a lot of us totally got what she was going through that first time she stepped outside). She’s brave, considerate, caring, talented, and she totally took down her biggest enemy, the person she grew up loving. That took a lot of guts, but she didn’t let anyone stand in her way.
2. TianaTiana understood the importance of hard work. She didn’t let anyone or anything get in the way of her dreams, and she was calm and an amazing leader in the face of stressful situations. Anyone with a drive like Tiana (and anyone who can handle being turned into a frog that well) deserves to be a Disney Princess and at the top of anyone’s list.
1. MulanMulan is the Disney Princess I grew up rewatching, so I might be a little biased here, but how can I not put her at the top of my list when she saved China? Mulan is kind-hearted, brave, determined, and smart as heck for coming up with so many life-saving ideas. She’s an awesome warrior, and she doesn’t let defeat tear her down, she just keeps fighting. She’s my role model and what I aspire to be. I love her.
*Images credit: Disney