Why do you think the Princess and the Frog underperformed?

[abdmom]

I took ds4, dd11 and ds14 to see it. None of us particularly liked it, mainly due to the plot. It was not very interesting and the voodoo aspect turned us all off.

 

[Pluto 2]

could it be that it was boring. i thought the movie was boring i seen it on the magic. i usually love the disney annimated movies but not this one.

 

[aprilgail2]

I had no intention of seeing the movie but my daughters girl scout troop was going so I went with them. It was just ok- only thing that was interesting was the voodoo part....but we also love harry potter so we like the voodoo and wizard type stuff.

 

[TwinsinCA]

The marketing didn't turn us off. We still went when it was in theaters. My mom liked the music and thought it was cute. I found the music completely annoying, the storyline dull, and worst of all it just wasn't funny. I think that was my biggest problem with it. My daughters (both 9) thought it was ok but neither asked to see it again nor get it on DVD.

 

[Meriweather]

We all went. We all liked it.
I bought a copy on DVD and got DDIL a copy for her birthday.
She absolutely loved it. For the rest of it....it was just okay.
I actually like going back to the hand drawing. The story line just had a low appeal for me.

 

[Micca]

I don't see Disney movies in theaters because I wait and buy them on DVD(now blu-ray). This may be the first feature animated Disney movie I'm not buying. When I don't see major excitment for a Disney flick here on the Dis, there is def a problem. I just didn't hear or read a lot of great reviews on this movie.

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

I took dd to see it and we both enjoyed it. I really like the hand drawn look. I couldn't have dragged ds in there with a bag over his head. There was no way that child was going to willingly go into a movie with the word Princess in it. Thankfully, he was invited to see another movie with his friend's family and dd and I went to Princess and the Frog at the same time.

 

[savannahcat]

I took my DD3 to see it in the theater - my DD6 wasn't interested. We loved it! DD3 was up dancing in the theater. I loved it simply because it is "classic" Disney. It seems as if it could have been produced decades ago. If that's what Disney was going for, I really think they scored on that aspect.

On Friday night, there was a free showing at our public library. DH and I took both girls, and we ALL loved it. DD3 is getting it as a birthday gift when she turns 4 on Tuesday.

 

[lillygator]

we'll probably buy the dvd, but had no interest in going to the theatre so see it. not sure why.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Well, I don't think that it was the fact that it was not all computer generated.

Maybe the Princess theme held it back with families with boys and older kids??? (which, it really shouldn't have)

For me ( I haven't seen it) It just didn't have that 'HOOK', anything catchy to grab your attention... It just didn't.... From the limited promo that I have seen... I didn't see any good villians, any good 'action', etc...

The whole "Ohhhh nooo!!! I'm a frog...." bit only goes so far.

If what I am saying is not true, then it is failure of their Promotional efforts...

Hey, really the whole thing is just so classic.... Great movies from Sleeping Beauty, to Beauty and the Beast, to The Little Mermaid, have similar themes... (breaking spells, kissing animated animals, etc...)

Not sure, but it just seems from what I see and hear, that something is lacking???? I guess I am afraid that just seem to have better characters, story line, villians, and action...

Now that I think about it, what I am not seeing is any meaningful emotional involvement. Maybe that is the HOOK that I am not seeing.

 

[jamimb]

The trailers didn't wow us either but being the Disney fans that we are we went and saw it anyway. Let me tell ya it was awesome. I cried at the end. Right up there with Beauty and the Beast (my fave) if you ask me!!!! We saw it twice in theatres.

I think people have maybe lost faith in the Walt Disney animated features what with the last few being terrible and all.

 

[pearlieq]

I really liked it, and I was kind of sad to see that it wasn't a huge blockbuster. I think there were a few reasons:

1.) There are WAY more kids movies coming out now--a few a month most of the time. It's not the same kind of "event" it was back in the 90s.
2.) I can't imagine there was too much appeal for little boys.
3.) The echo boom is over and those kids were too old to want to see The Princess and the Frog and too young to have kids who wanted to see it. There are simply less kids of the appropriate age than there were in the 90s.
4.) The economy was pretty bad and movies are much more expensive than they used to be. A movie ticket during the depression was $0.25. Adjusted for inflation that's $3.82 today. Movies in my area are $12 now.

 

[lillygator]

I think that the princess was not an established princess may have had something to do with it too.

 

[mrsklamc]

I think that the princess was not an established princess may have had something to do with it too.

Cinderella was not an established princess.

Someone mentioned their not being a market for princesses but there must be since WDW is totally redoing fantasyland to be more 'princess.'

I thought the music could have been better, I was a little scared that the voodoo aspect would frighten the little ones we wanted to take, but they were fine.

I think it was just the marketing.

 

[Nancy F]

My hubby and I went to see it on a Monday night and were the only two people in the theater. Two weeks later we were in DW and I was really surprised that I couldn't find more Princess Tiana merchandise for sale. I don't think Disney was feeling the "love" for this movie at all.

I did buy it last night and intend to watch it today.
Nancy

 

[ReneeA]

We took the kids to see it in the theater a few months ago. I was feeling pretty "meh" about it until I saw it.

Honestly, it is my favorite of the princess movies. I thought it was fantastic...as did my DD. DS thought it was "pretty good" which is high praise from an 8 year old boy for a princess movie.

I will be buying it on DVD/blueray for Easter. I think that the marketing for the movie was poor, and that's probably why it didn't do so well in the theater.

 

[PebblesMom]

We were not going to watch it (we have boys), but my SIL bought it and we watched it, and we loved it! My DS was singing along with the song "Love is Wonderful" (?) and kept saying "Dad sing too" (I would have loved to see that, but my DH wasn't having any part of it). While it is a Princess movie, my DS loved the frogs and bugs.

 

[lillygator]

Cinderella was not an established princess.

huh? I agree they all started out sometime, but my kids have grown up knowing the "princesses" that are at WDW and on the movies...they have always been around to them...as has Tink, the fab 5, etc. Other characters that have been introduced (for us) Handy Manny, the Little En, Phineas and Ferb - all have had tv shows.

 

[Robinrs]

I don't go to Princess movies, white or black.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

I was really excited to see it, the I went to see it in theaters but I was kind of disappointed.