suggestions for 1st Disney movies for 2yo??

[alliebug]

We are taking DD 2 to WDW in Nov. I would like to start to expose her to some of the Disney movies and characters, beyond Mickey and Pooh (she loves both).

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions of movies a 2 year old might enjoy that don't have parts that may frighten her.

Thanks

 

[mjmcca]

Little Einsteins
Lion King
Finding Nemo
Toy Story
Any of the Stanley Videos or Jo-Jos circus ( both are found in the parks)
Lilo and Stitch

 

[NotUrsula]

For the Fab 5 (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto), I would suggest the Walt Disney Treasures series, including also the Silly Symphonies. These are shorts, done mostly in the 1930's and 40's, but they are still wonderful work, and I can't think of any of them that are really scary. (The inspiration for Philharmagic is one of them; "The Band Concert".) Here is a link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/s...&url=index=dvd&field-keywords=disney+classics

The Fantasia movies are also good, but you may want to skip some segments, incl. Sorceror's Apprentice.

 

[Cheshire_cat]

My daughter's favorite at 2 was Winnie the Pooh.

 

[GEM]

My two year olds favorite Disney movies:

Pooh's Heffalump Movie (I know you said you weren't looking for Pooh, though.)
Home on the Range (He LOVES this movie. He's always been big into farm animals.)
Finding Nemo (He loves fish!)
Dumbo (probably his most favorite right now!)

Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 have been favorites since he was very little. They were some of the first things we ever let him watch, and he has loved them both from the very beginning! Despite what someone earlier mentioned, he's never been frightened by the Sorcerer's Apprentice segments at all. Of course, he's just the type that isn't afraid of much.

 

[alliebug]

Besides recommending the ones you think DD would enjoy could I also get opinions on which ones to stay away from until she is older.

 

[BuzzNutt]

Toy Story - both I & II
Dumbo
Peter Pan
Aladin

 

[mjmcca]

Lady and the tramp are out on DVD and the Nick Jr movie guide recommends it for 3-5 year olds. My kids when they were 2 liked movies for that age range.

 

[camouseketeer]

The only Disney movies that I allow my DD's (ages 2,4) to watch from beginning to end are:

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Pooh's Heffalump Movie
Piglet's Big Movie
Mary Poppins
Cinderella

But, my children are familiar with most Disney movies because they've seen the non-scary parts. With the magic of DVD, I just forward past the scary characters/parts. This way they know the characters and songs, but they aren't scared. I've been most successful doing this with:

Dumbo
Snow White
Beauty and the Beast
The Lion King
Pocahontas
Aladdin
The Little Mermaid
Fantasia (including Sorcerer's Apprentice - the girls love Mickey!)

I've had less success with the following because they don't have the songs to help the keep the kids' attention:
Nemo
Toy Story II
Bambi

Disney films, in reality, have many intense, mature, scary parts to them, but with some parental guidance most of them can be enjoyed by all ages.

 

[mjmcca]

My DD loves the music. I got all of the Disney Sing along Songs.

 

[NotUrsula]

I was the one who suggested skipping Sorceror's Apprentice. The tip came from personal experience. DS saw it first at about age 2, and to this day (@ almost 9) will not watch it again; he finds Yensid very sinister for some reason. He also had issues with Night on Bald Mountain, and from F2000, with some of the Firebird Suite. This from a kid who became a die-hard Star Wars fanatic at age 3, and was never frightened by Darth Vader -- go figure.

The rest of the Fantasia films are great; I guarantee you that the Flamingos in F2000 will delight even the youngest child into helpless laughter, and you'll never hear "Pomp & Circumstance" again without thinking of Donald Duck!

My personal feeling about "scary parts" in movies, for kids that young (esp. now that we have DVD's) is why risk the nightmares? If they show even the slightest sign of apprehension, hit that skip button. As to the ones that are high nightmare risks? My top votes go to Bambi, Snow White, and Pinocchio.

 

[camouseketeer]

I was surprised that my DD3 liked Sorcerer's Apprentice because she is afraid of everything.

I am in wholehearted agreement with the PP about the risk of nightmares. Why take it? My DD didn't even know that there was a wicked queen in Snow WHite for at least a year after she "saw" it for the first time. I just skipped right past any scenes with her (either as the queen or the old woman). Did it mess up the story line, you bet, but that was not my goal for my two year old.

If the goal of the OP is to introduce characters to her child for a trip to WDW, then use the sing-alongs and any and all movie DVD's you would like. Just use your best parental judgement about which characters/scenes you really want your child to remember at that age.

 

[twinkletoesmom]

My DD first movie at the age of 2 was cinderellie..I hold this memory very close to my heart. It was when my dh was hunting and it was the first one of our girlie movie nights! She got up a few times and probaly thought having a candy was the best part. But a few days later she got a bad cold and all she wanted to was watch cinderellie. She is now 6 and it is still her fav.! My suggestion make it one of your favs and make the night special. I'm sure that when my dd is 30 cinderellie will still be our movie!

 

[Valentine]

Nemo.. nemo.. nemo.. OH.. and did I mention Nemo?? My now 2 1/2 year old Nephew's favorite movie.. has been since right before his 2nd birthday.. about 3 months before actually...(He sings the ENTIRE song.. "Somewhere beyond the sea") then he added Polar Express of all movies!! He LOVES trains!! and now we are in Disney Basic Training and have moved into the Toy Story Phase.... We did watch a bit of Monster's Inc.. and he was into that.. and next week I will add Lilo and Stitch...

 

[tigger0215]

When I was like 4yo... i could never watch Sleeping Beauty... i have never finished it b/c i was scared of malificent(spg error) LOL!!

 

[ToTLaugher]

Believe it or not, my 20 mth old son's favorite cartoon is the Jack Jack Attack short from the Incredibles bonus DVD. He goes into hysterics every time he sees it and he makes the sound of Jack Jack turning into a fireball anytime you say the word "campfire". (If you haven't seen this short you should check it out. It is really funny!) However, this is only 4 minutes long so it does not provide longterm entertainment!

I think for a girl the princesses are always a hit and, like others have said, you can fastforward through anything frightening.

 

[twinkletoesmom]

My ds liked nemo but dd tried to give away our dvd because she didn't like the shark, it scared her. But as far as disney goes w/ the scare factor nemo is a good one. I think just a fluke thing w/dd.

 

[mjmcca]

Nemo.. nemo.. nemo.. OH.. and did I mention Nemo?? My now 2 1/2 year old Nephew's favorite movie.. has been since right before his 2nd birthday.. about 3 months before actually...(He sings the ENTIRE song.. "Somewhere beyond the sea") then he added Polar Express of all movies!! He LOVES trains!! and now we are in Disney Basic Training and have moved into the Toy Story Phase.... We did watch a bit of Monster's Inc.. and he was into that.. and next week I will add Lilo and Stitch...

I forgot about monsters. We were at WDW during hurricaine Francis in August 2003 and it was playing nonstop on on of the resort TV channels because the parks and pretty much everything else was closed up. DS was almost 3 (BD in October) at the time and he loved it. A few days later we were at MGM studios and when he saw Mike and Sully in their meet and greet area he HAD to see them!!!

 

[laughinplace199]

You might want to get some of the Disney Sing Along videos. They have clips of songs from various movies. They're a great way to expose young kids to the characters. We did this before we took DD to Disneyland when she was 1.

 

[Cheshire_cat]

My kids loved Nemo but they were a little bit older ( 7 & 5) when it came out and until this day they will not eat fish! Because you know Mom, "Fish are friends and not food!"

Thanks Disney!

A 2 year old may not get that connection yet