187 Fun Facts About Disney Princess

In Disney's Cinderella, which magic words does the Fairy Godmother sing as she conjures the coach and gown?

Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo is the Fairy Godmother's spell song, but its magic runs out on the stroke of midnight, which is why Cinderella bolts from the ball and loses a slipper on the stairs.

In Disney's Mulan, how does Mulan wipe out most of Shan Yu's army in the mountain pass?

She triggers an avalanche by firing the troop's last cannon at a snowy ridge instead of at Shan Yu, but she is wounded, and the bandaging reveals to the army that she is a woman.

What kind of animal is Rajah, Princess Jasmine's protective pet in Aladdin?

A tiger: Rajah doubles as Jasmine's bodyguard, and he sees off the arrogant suitor Prince Achmed by tearing a piece out of his trousers.

Beauty and the Beast (1991) was the first animated film ever nominated for which Academy Award?

Best Picture: in a first for Disney, an unfinished cut had been shown at the New York Film Festival two months before release, part of a push to sell the film to adults as well as children.

Under what alias do the three good fairies raise Aurora in a forest cottage for sixteen years in Sleeping Beauty?

Briar Rose is the alias; the fairies give up magic to stay hidden, but on her sixteenth birthday two of them duel with wands over the colour of her gown, which draws the attention of Maleficent's raven.

In The Princess and the Frog, which frog prince does Tiana kiss, only to turn into a frog herself?

Prince Naveen takes Tiana for royalty because she is dressed as a princess for a costume ball, so the kiss backfires: he stays a frog and she becomes one too.

What is the name of Belle's father in Beauty and the Beast?

Maurice is an eccentric inventor who gets lost on the way to a fair and is locked up in the Beast's castle for trespassing, so Belle offers herself as prisoner in his place.

In The Little Mermaid, what must Ariel receive from Prince Eric within three days to stay human?

True love's kiss before the third sunset would keep Ariel human for good; she comes within a moment of it in a rowboat, until the sea witch's eels tip the boat over.

In Disney's Sleeping Beauty, what does Aurora prick her finger on to fall into her enchanted sleep?

A spindle: King Stefan has every spinning wheel in the kingdom burned, so Maleficent simply conjures one in a castle tower and lures the hypnotised Aurora up to it.

What type of animal is Rapunzel's loyal companion, Pascal?

Chameleon Pascal is Rapunzel's only friend in the tower and her fiercest protector; at the climax it is he who trips the villain with a length of cut hair, sending her out of the window.

In Aladdin, what is the name of Jafar's loud-mouthed parrot sidekick?

Iago steals the lamp for Jafar while Aladdin is out of his room, yet in the sequel he turns on his master and joins the heroes; his name is borrowed from the villain of Othello.

Who sang 'Colors of the Wind' as Pocahontas's singing voice in Disney's 1995 film?

Judy Kuhn, a Broadway singer, was hired for the songs before anyone had been cast to speak the part, and her recording of 'Colors of the Wind' was used to pitch the film's score to the studio.

Which of these princesses is known for having exceptionally long, magical blonde hair?

Rapunzel's golden hair possesses healing and restorative properties, making it a central element of her story in *Tangled*.

What does Disney's Cinderella produce after her stepmother wrecks the Grand Duke's fitting?

The other slipper saves her: her stepmother trips the servant carrying the first so that it shatters, but Cinderella has kept its twin since the night of the ball.

In Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, what do the dwarfs dig for in their mine?

Diamonds come out of the mine by the cartload, yet the dwarfs' cottage is such a mess that Snow White takes it for the home of seven orphaned children and starts cleaning.

In Disney's Sleeping Beauty, at which royal occasion does Maleficent put her curse on Aurora?

Her christening: Maleficent arrives uninvited, takes offence at the snub and decrees that the baby will die before sunset on her sixteenth birthday.

In Brave, what does Merida slash in a quarrel with her mother and later race to stitch back together?

The family tapestry shows mother and daughter side by side; Merida slices them apart in a fury, then races to sew up the tear because the witch's spell on her mother lasts unless their bond is mended.

Which actor voiced the Prince who wakes Snow White with a kiss in the 1937 film?

Harry Stockwell, a Broadway baritone and father of actor Dean Stockwell, voiced and sang the unnamed Prince in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937).

In Hans Christian Andersen's original tale, what becomes of the Little Mermaid when the prince marries someone else?

She dissolves into sea foam after refusing to save herself by stabbing the prince with a knife her sisters bring her; Andersen softens the blow by making her a spirit of the air.

What is the name of Mulan's dragon sidekick?

Mushu is a demoted family guardian sent only to wake the great stone dragon; he smashes the statue by accident, then goes after Mulan himself in the hope of winning back his post.

Which Disney Princess wishes to open her own restaurant?

Tiana, from *The Princess and the Frog*, is a hardworking waitress in New Orleans whose dream is to open her own restaurant.

In Tangled, what is the name of the kingdom where Rapunzel was born?

Corona's emblem is a golden sun, and Rapunzel has painted that same sun into her tower murals all her life without knowing why; noticing it is how she works out who she is.

In Moana, what kind of creature is Tamatoa, the treasure-hoarder who sings 'Shiny'?

A giant crab from the realm of monsters, Tamatoa keeps Maui's lost fishhook among the gold on his shell, so Moana gets him singing about himself while Maui grabs it back.

What is the name of the underwater kingdom ruled by Ariel's father, King Triton?

Atlantica's ruler, King Triton, is dismayed by Ariel's fascination with humans; when he destroys her grotto of salvaged treasures in a rage, she turns to the sea witch for legs.

In Disney's 1959 Sleeping Beauty, what are the names of the three good fairies?

Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather each bring the baby a gift; Merryweather, still to give hers when the curse falls, cannot undo it but softens death into a sleep that a kiss can break.

Which Disney Princess film introduced the first protagonist of Native American heritage?

*Pocahontas* (1995) introduced the character of Pocahontas, an Indigenous woman, as its central heroine.

Who is the main antagonist in *The Little Mermaid*?

Ursula is the villainous sea witch who makes a deceptive deal with Ariel to take her voice in exchange for legs.

In Brave, what birthday gift from King Fergus delights young Merida and dismays Queen Elinor?

A bow and arrow sets up the whole film: years later Merida wins the archery contest for her own hand rather than let the clans' sons compete for her.

What is the name of Moana's pet pig?

Pua joins Moana's first try at sailing past the reef and is nearly drowned when a wave swamps the boat; he stays ashore when she leaves for real, and the rooster Heihei stows away by accident instead.

In The Princess and the Frog, what instrument does Louis the alligator play?

Trumpet-playing Louis longs to perform jazz with humans, who only see an alligator and run; he joins the frogs' trek through the bayou hoping the voodoo priestess can make him human.

What is the name of Cinderella's stepmother in Disney's 1950 film?

Lady Tremaine works out who the mystery girl at the ball was when she hears Cinderella humming its waltz, then follows her up to her attic room and locks her in, pocketing the key.

In The Princess and the Frog, which blind voodoo priestess of the bayou do the two frogs seek out for a cure?

Mama Odie, a 197-year-old who keeps a pet snake called Juju, has no quick cure to offer: she tells them the spell will break only if the frog prince kisses a princess.

Against which invaders does the Emperor raise his army in the 1998 film Mulan?

The Huns, led by Shan Yu, breach the Great Wall in Mulan (1998), prompting the Emperor's conscription notice that Mulan answers in her father's place.

In Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, what disguise does the Evil Queen take to deliver the poisoned apple?

An old peddler woman is what the Queen's potion makes of her; Snow White takes pity on the stranger and lets her into the cottage, though the forest animals try to drive her off.

In Aladdin, what does Aladdin do with his third and final wish?

He frees the Genie, keeping a promise even though the wish could have made him a prince again; the Sultan, moved, changes the law so that Jasmine can marry whoever she chooses.

What kind of animal is Flit, the feisty companion of Disney's Pocahontas?

Hummingbird Flit has a temper: he takes against John Smith at first and would rather see Pocahontas with the warrior Kocoum, coming round to the Englishman only later in the film.

What is the name of the palace horse who relentlessly pursues Flynn Rider in Tangled?

Maximus, the palace guard's horse in Tangled (2010), tracks Flynn Rider like a bloodhound before switching sides to help Rapunzel reach the kingdom.

What are the names of Cinderella's two stepsisters in the 1950 Disney film?

Anastasia and Drizella are Cinderella's stepsisters in the 1950 film; red-haired Anastasia and dark-haired Drizella screech through their music lesson while Cinderella does the chores.

In Moana (2016), the ocean chooses the chief's daughter from which Polynesian island to return Te Fiti's heart?

Motunui is fictional, but so is Lalotai, the realm of monsters; Moana's parents Tui and Sina keep her from the water so she can prepare to lead.

In Beauty and the Beast, who curses the prince after he turns away an old beggar woman at his castle door?

An enchantress was hiding under the rags, and her rose sets the deadline: the spell breaks only if he loves and is loved before the last petal falls.

In the 1998 film Mulan, which aged warrior's place in the army does his daughter take?

Fa Zhou, Mulan's father, is a veteran too frail to fight again; Mulan steals his conscription notice, armor and sword and enlists in his place.

What does Rapunzel use to knock out Flynn Rider when he enters her tower?

A frying pan fells Flynn the moment he climbs in; Rapunzel shuts him in a closet, hides his satchel and offers it back only if he will guide her out of the tower and home again.

Which habit of Belle's did screenwriter Linda Woolverton borrow from her own childhood?

Reading as she walks was a compromise: Woolverton wanted Belle with a book instead of baking a cake, others found reading too passive, so the bookworm strolls through town as the writer once did.

In Aladdin, what is the name of Aladdin's monkey companion?

Abu cannot resist grabbing a forbidden jewel, which brings the roof down on them both; he makes up for it by picking Jafar's pocket to steal the lamp back.

Which of the seven dwarfs never speaks in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?

Dopey never speaks in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937); when Snow White asks whether he can talk, Happy answers that he never tried.

In Disney's 1950 Cinderella, what do the stepsisters do to the homemade gown when they spot their own beads on it?

They tear it apart in seconds, which is what brings the Fairy Godmother; the mice and birds had made the dress while Cinderella did her chores.

What are the names of Ursula's two eel henchmen in The Little Mermaid?

Flotsam and Jetsam are Ursula's moray eel henchmen in The Little Mermaid (1989); they lure Ariel to the sea witch's lair, and both were voiced by Paddi Edwards.

What is the name of the antagonist who keeps Rapunzel locked in a tower?

Mother Gothel steals the baby princess and raises her as her own in a hidden tower, because singing to Rapunzel's hair is the only thing that keeps her young.

What kind of animal is Meeko, Pocahontas's mischievous companion?

Meeko is a raccoon, Pocahontas's food-stealing companion, who feuds with Governor Ratcliffe's pampered pug Percy before the two become friends.

Where was Andy Mooney when girls dressed as princesses inspired the Disney Princess line?

A Disney on Ice show in Phoenix gave Mooney, newly arrived from Nike, his idea: the girls around him were dressed head to toe as princesses, yet none of what they wore was a Disney product.

Which two characters were part of the early Disney Princess line-up but were later dropped?

Tinker Bell and Esmeralda both featured in the line's first years; Tinker Bell left to front her own Disney Fairies brand, launched in 2005, after Disney decided she had never really fitted in.

In early Disney Princess group artwork, why did each princess gaze in a slightly different direction?

To keep their stories separate: the studio feared that grouping heroines from different films would spoil each one's own mythology, so on shared products each looked away as if unaware of the others.

Snow White's voice, Adriana Caselotti, is heard uncredited in which 1939 film?

The Wizard of Oz uses her as the voice of Juliet in the Tin Man's song, calling out 'Wherefore art thou, Romeo?', one of the few jobs she found after Snow White, for which she got no screen credit.

Which two mice become Cinderella's closest helpers in the 1950 Disney film?

Jaq and Gus are the mice Cinderella befriends in the 1950 film; Gus, whom she names Octavius, is the chubby newcomer she frees from a trap.

Which sequence did Walt Disney call his favourite piece of animation ever produced by his studio?

Cinderella's dress transformation was supervised by Marc Davis, who thought the choice said a lot about Walt Disney himself: it is all magic and wishes coming true.

Which composer's ballet supplied the score, including 'Once Upon a Dream', for Disney's Sleeping Beauty?

Tchaikovsky won out late: Disney first commissioned new Broadway-style songs, then judged that they clashed with the film's stylised look and dropped nearly all of them for the ballet's themes.

At its release in 2010, Tangled held which record among animated films?

Most expensive ever made, at an estimated $260 million: the bill includes six years of development, a stretch in which the film changed directors and swapped its title from Rapunzel to Tangled.

Who provides Mulan's singing voice in Disney's Mulan (1998), while Ming-Na Wen speaks her lines?

Lea Salonga had already sung for Jasmine in Aladdin and was first cast to speak this part too; the directors were not convinced by her deeper voice for Mulan's soldier disguise, so Ming-Na Wen took the dialogue.

In Moana, what does Moana learn about her island's ancestors from the boats hidden in a secret cave?

They were ocean voyagers: her grandmother shows her the hidden fleet and explains that the chiefs banned sailing past the reef once the seas turned deadly, and Moana soon takes one of the canoes herself.

Which heroine became the thirteenth official Disney Princess, following Moana?

Raya, from Raya and the Last Dragon (2021), became the thirteenth official Disney Princess, following Moana, who joined in 2019, and Merida, crowned in 2013.

Disney Princess franchise creator Andy Mooney was formerly an executive at which company?

He was appointed president of Disney Consumer Products in December 1999.

What is the name of Pocahontas's best friend in the 1995 Disney film?

Nakoma is Pocahontas's best friend in the 1995 film; fearing for her, she tells Kocoum that Pocahontas has gone to meet John Smith, which leads to Kocoum's death.

Which of these characters was considered for the Disney Princess line-up but never officially joined?

Tarzan's Jane Porter and Frozen's Anna and Elsa were also considered but not inducted.

Snow White premiered in December 1937 at which Los Angeles theatre, since recreated as a restaurant at Disney California Adventure?

Carthay Circle hosted the premiere, where an audience that included Marlene Dietrich and Judy Garland gave the film a standing ovation; the original theatre was demolished in 1969.

Which child star handed Walt Disney his Snow White Oscar, one full-size statuette and seven miniatures?

Shirley Temple, ten years old at the time, presented the one-off award in 1939; the Academy honoured the film as a significant screen innovation that had pioneered a great new entertainment field.

Disney's 1950 Cinderella is based on a 1697 fairy tale by which author?

Charles Perrault's 1697 'Cendrillon' added the fairy godmother, the pumpkin coach and the glass slippers; the Grimms' later version has none of them, only a wishing tree and stepsisters who cut their feet to fit the shoe.

After the costly Sleeping Beauty, Disney replaced hand-inked cels with which copying process for One Hundred and One Dalmatians?

Xerography copied the animators' pencil drawings straight onto cels, doing away with hand inking; Sleeping Beauty had cost about $6 million, and its weak first run brought layoffs at the studio.

Which composer arranged Sleeping Beauty's score and songs from the 1890 ballet?

George Bruns adapted the ballet into Sleeping Beauty's score and songs, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture in 1960.

What is the name of the seagull who misidentifies human objects for Ariel?

Scuttle, the seagull voiced by Buddy Hackett in The Little Mermaid (1989), confidently misnames human objects for Ariel, calling a fork a 'dinglehopper'.

Beauty and the Beast (1991) is dedicated to which lyricist, who died eight months before its release?

Howard Ashman was dying of AIDS as he wrote the songs, so Disney moved the story team to upstate New York, near his home; he died in March 1991, before the film was finished.

In Aladdin (1992), which name does the hero take when the Genie turns him into a prince?

Prince Ali arrives in Agrabah to court the princess, who is unimpressed until a carpet ride, when she works out he is the boy from the market and he lies that he only dresses as a commoner.

Which Full House actor spoke the title role's lines in Disney's Aladdin (1992)?

Scott Weinger won the part with a homemade audition tape on which his mother read the Genie's lines; Full House later had his character Steve turn up at Disney World dressed as Aladdin.

Pocahontas premiered on June 10, 1995, at which New York location?

Central Park's Great Lawn became an open-air cinema for about 100,000 people, who watched on four screens some eight storeys high in what was billed as the largest film premiere ever.

Which talking tree advises Pocahontas after her dream about a spinning arrow?

Grandmother Willow tells Pocahontas the spinning arrow is pointing her down her path; near the end it proves to be the needle of John Smith's compass.

Who provided Li Shang's voice in the Chinese dubs of Mulan?

Jackie Chan voiced Captain Shang in the Mandarin and Cantonese dubs and recorded 'I'll Make a Man Out of You' in both languages, performing it in the music videos too.

Who provided Captain Shang's singing voice in Mulan (1998)?

Donny Osmond had auditioned for the lead in Disney's Hercules and missed out, then won this job because his singing was a near-perfect match for actor BD Wong's speaking voice as Shang.

Which composer scored The Princess and the Frog (2009)?

Randy Newman, the songwriter behind Toy Story, spent much of his childhood in New Orleans, one reason the directors wanted him; he also voices the firefly's Cousin Randy.

Which Disney animator first pitched and initially directed the film that became Tangled?

Glen Keane had the film approved by Disney chief Michael Eisner on one condition, that it be computer-animated; he hesitated, finding that less fluid than hand drawing, then set out to give the new medium a hand-drawn warmth.

The look of Tangled's villainess was partly inspired by which pop star?

Cher's striking, gothic looks were a model for the witch who raises Rapunzel, drawn to look nothing like the girl so viewers sense they are not related; Broadway's Donna Murphy voices her.

Pixar's Brave (2012) closes with a dedication to which of these studio figures?

Steve Jobs funded Pixar's 1986 spin-off from Lucasfilm and became its chairman; he died in October 2011, eight months before Brave opened.

Which actress was originally cast as Merida before Kelly Macdonald replaced her?

Reese Witherspoon had been working on a Scottish accent for the part before Pixar, citing her schedule, recast it with Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald.

Which Broadway songwriter co-wrote Moana's songs with Opetaia Foa'i and Mark Mancina?

Lin-Manuel Miranda had to audition, because Hamilton had not yet opened when Disney was hiring; he then worked on both at once and had Hamilton cast members sing his demos.

Which actress was initially announced as Raya before being replaced by Kelly Marie Tran?

Cassie Steele, known for Degrassi, was announced as Raya at D23 in 2019, but Kelly Marie Tran replaced her in 2020; Awkwafina voices the dragon Sisu.

Which honour did Disney's Snow White receive in 1987?

A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame went to Snow White in June 1987 because her film was turning 50; Mickey Mouse had received his in 1978 for his own 50th anniversary.

In Sleeping Beauty, Aurora is the daughter of King Stefan and which queen?

Queen Leah is never named on screen: the name comes from a later book adaptation, and the studio has no record of who voiced her.

What is the name of Ariel's late mother, King Triton's queen?

Queen Athena, Ariel's mother, appears in the 2008 prequel The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning, where her death leads King Triton to ban music from his kingdom.

Which song was nearly cut from The Little Mermaid after children grew restless at a test screening?

Part of Your World bored studio chief Jeffrey Katzenberg, who ordered it out after a child spilled popcorn during it; the film-makers fought for it, and a later screening saved it.

The singer behind Jasmine's songs in Aladdin won a Tony for her lead role in which Broadway musical?

Miss Saigon was where a Disney casting director heard her and left a note at the stage door; Jasmine became the first Disney princess whose speaking and singing came from two actresses.

Which actress's features helped inspire Mark Henn's design for Jasmine?

Jennifer Connelly's features went into Jasmine, but the model animator Mark Henn leaned on most was his younger sister Beth, whose graduation photo was in his pocket when he was stuck for ideas.

Tiana was inspired in part by which famed New Orleans chef?

Leah Chase began as a waitress and turned Dooky Chase's into the restaurant where civil rights leaders, Martin Luther King Jr. among them, met to plan in 1960s New Orleans.

In Tangled, what fills the night sky each year on Rapunzel's birthday, luring her out of her tower?

Floating lanterns are released every year by the king and queen on their lost daughter's birthday, in the hope they will guide her home; she grows up watching them without knowing why.

Merida's horse Angus is which breed?

Angus is a Clydesdale, a heavy draught breed that takes its name from the valley of Scotland's River Clyde, so Merida's horse is as Scottish as she is.

Who plays the title role in Disney's 2026 live-action remake of Moana?

Catherine Laga'aia, a Sydney teenager of Samoan descent, was chosen from thousands of applicants; Auliʻi Cravalho stayed on as executive producer, saying it was time to pass the role on.

Raya is the daughter of the chief of which tribe of Kumandra?

Heart holds the Dragon Gem, and when it shatters, the Druun turn people to stone, including Raya's own father.

Paige O'Hara, the voice of Belle, made her Broadway debut in which 1983 revival?

Paige O'Hara made her Broadway debut as Ellie in the 1983 revival of Show Boat; she also works as a painter and cites Judy Garland as an idol.

Anika Noni Rose, the voice of Tiana, starred in which 2006 film musical?

Dreamgirls cast Rose as Lorrell, the third member of its trio beside Beyoncé and Jennifer Hudson; she said she had always dreamed of being a voice in a Disney film, but never of being a princess.

Which 1999 debut single launched the pop career of Mandy Moore, later the voice of Rapunzel?

'Candy' came out when Mandy Moore was 15, and she spent that summer on the road as an opening act for NSYNC; eleven years later she was singing as Rapunzel.

Kelly Macdonald, the voice of Merida in Brave, first appeared on screen in which 1996 Danny Boyle film?

Kelly Macdonald debuted as Diane in Trainspotting (1996) after answering an open casting call; she earned a BAFTA nomination for No Country for Old Men.

In Disney's Cinderella (1950), what does the Fairy Godmother's spell turn the family dog Bruno into?

A footman: the spell reshuffles the whole household, so the mice become the horses and the old horse, Major, becomes the coachman who drives them.

Mary Costa, the voice of Aurora, was cast in 1952 and spent how long recording the role?

Mary Costa, a Knoxville native, was cast as Aurora in 1952 and recorded the role over three years before becoming an opera and concert soprano.

Irene Bedard, the speaking voice of Pocahontas, was born in which city?

Irene Bedard was born in Anchorage, Alaska, in 1967; she also served as the physical model for Pocahontas's animators and starred in Smoke Signals (1998).

Kelly Marie Tran, the voice of Raya, played which Star Wars character?

Rose Tico was Kelly Marie Tran's first film role, won after a five-month audition while she was working as an office assistant and thinking of giving up acting.

Ming-Na Wen, the speaking voice of Mulan, had her breakthrough role in which 1993 film?

The Joy Luck Club cast her as June Woo; Hollywood then waited 25 years, until Crazy Rich Asians, for another major studio film with a mostly Asian cast in a modern setting.

Auliʻi Cravalho was born in which part of Hawaii?

Auliʻi Cravalho was born in Kohala on Hawaii's Big Island in 2000 and raised in Mililani, Oahu; she later played Sally Bowles in Cabaret on Broadway.

Ron Clements, co-director of several princess films, was born and raised where?

Ron Clements was born and raised in Sioux City, Iowa, where he made amateur animated films as a teenager before joining Disney's animation training program in 1974.

In Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, what does the Huntsman bring the Queen in place of the princess's heart?

A pig's heart goes into her box, but the Magic Mirror gives the Huntsman away, telling her whose heart it is and that Snow White is alive in the dwarfs' cottage.

In Moana, which lava demon guards the way to Te Fiti's island?

Te Kā turns out to be Te Fiti herself, turned to fire and fury when her heart was stolen; Moana realises it, and returning the heart restores the goddess.

'Under the Sea' was Disney's first Best Original Song Oscar since which 1964 song?

Chim Chim Cher-ee grew from a screenwriter's sketch of a chimney sweep and the old British belief that sweeps bring good luck; Disney then went 25 years without winning the award.

Which actress recorded the title song of Beauty and the Beast in a single take?

Angela Lansbury doubted the song was her style, and a bomb scare forced her flight to the session to land in Las Vegas; she arrived late, refused to go home and sang it straight through.

Which Disney song won the 1994 Grammy for Song of the Year?

'A Whole New World' reached the Grammys as a chart-topper: its pop duet version had ended the 14-week run of Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' at number one.

Which lyricist wrote 'Colors of the Wind' with Alan Menken?

Stephen Schwartz drew the lyric from a letter attributed to Chief Seattle; it was the first song he and Menken wrote for the film, and it shaped how the rest of the story developed.

'How Far I'll Go' lost the Best Original Song Oscar to which song?

City of Stars is sung in La La Land by Ryan Gosling, who learned the piano from scratch for the film and used no hand double; it beat Moana's song at the Golden Globes too.

Which singer, aged 17, recorded the pop version of 'Reflection' for the Mulan end credits?

Christina Aguilera won the job with a demo of a Whitney Houston song, recorded to prove she could hit the high note Disney wanted; her record deal with RCA followed.

Which Tangled song was nominated for an Oscar?

I See the Light began as a grander anthem and was reworked into a gentler, folk-style duet, in keeping with songs Alan Menken gave a medieval flavour and a 1960s folk-rock sound.

Which actress voiced the villains of both Cinderella (1950) and Sleeping Beauty (1959)?

Eleanor Audley did more than speak the two villains: she acted out both roles on film so the animators could copy her gestures and expressions.

Which drag performer inspired the look of Ursula in The Little Mermaid (1989)?

Divine, the star of John Waters' films, gave the sea witch her make-up, jewellery and build; she also has only six tentacles, because eight cost too much to animate.

Which Beauty and the Beast character did Disney invent, with no counterpart in the original fairy tale?

Gaston was invented because the fairy tale has no real villain; the writers made him a vain foil for the Beast, who starts the story just as selfish.

Which Simpsons star voiced the Genie in The Return of Jafar after Robin Williams fell out with Disney?

Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer Simpson, kept the role for the TV series too; Robin Williams came back for the third film only after Disney's studio chief apologised.

Which Little Mermaid character began in early drafts as an English butler named Clarence?

Sebastian became Jamaican at the suggestion of the film's lyricist, so that the score could shift its style to match; his calypso number 'Under the Sea' went on to win the Oscar.

Which supervising animator designed Mushu?

Tom Bancroft was Mushu's supervising animator, while his twin brother Tony Bancroft co-directed Mulan with Barry Cook; Eddie Murphy voiced the dragon.

At the start of Tangled, what does Flynn Rider steal from the royal palace?

A tiara, and it belongs to the kingdom's lost princess, the very girl whose tower he hides in next; she takes it from him and uses it to bargain for a guide.

Ursula disguises herself as which human girl to hypnotise Prince Eric?

Vanessa wears Ariel's stolen voice in a shell; when sea creatures wreck the wedding the shell breaks, the voice returns to Ariel and the spell on the prince lifts. Morgana is Ursula's sister in the sequel.

Who was the first Disney prince to be given a name in his own film?

Prince Phillip was also the first Disney prince with real work to do: armed by the good fairies with an enchanted sword and shield, he hacks through a forest of thorns and kills a dragon.

In Disney's 1950 Cinderella, what is the name of the stepmother's cat?

Lucifer nearly ruins the ending, trapping the key to Cinderella's room and the mouse carrying it under a bowl, until the dog Bruno scares him out of the tower window.

Where was Tiana's 2010 'coronation' into the Disney Princess line-up held?

Tiana's induction ceremony on March 14, 2010 was held at the New York Palace Hotel (renamed Lotte New York Palace in 2015), making her the ninth official Disney Princess.

What is the name of Moana's grandmother, who tells her the legend of Te Fiti?

Gramma Tala, voiced by Rachel House, calls herself the village crazy lady and returns as a manta ray spirit to send Moana on her voyage.

Disney Princess retail sales rose from $300 million in 2001 to roughly how much by 2006?

Disney Princess retail sales reached roughly $3 billion a year worldwide by 2006, up from $300 million in 2001; the line launched with no focus groups and little marketing.

Who directed the 2015 live-action Cinderella starring Lily James?

Kenneth Branagh took over after Mark Romanek left over creative differences; Cate Blanchett, as the stepmother, was the first actor cast.

Who plays the Fairy Godmother in the 2015 live-action Cinderella?

Helena Bonham Carter also narrates the film, and first turns up as an old beggar woman before revealing who she really is.

Roughly how much did the 2017 live-action Beauty and the Beast gross worldwide, the second-biggest film of that year?

$1.27 billion made it the biggest live-action remake until The Lion King; it trailed only Star Wars: The Last Jedi in 2017.

Where did the 2017 Beauty and the Beast hold its world premiere in February 2017?

Beauty and the Beast held its world premiere at Spencer House in London on February 23, 2017; filming had taken place at Shepperton Studios on a budget estimated around $255 million.

Who directed the 2019 live-action Aladdin with Will Smith as the Genie?

Guy Ritchie made his name with London crime capers such as Snatch, yet this family musical became the biggest hit of his career, passing $1 billion worldwide.

Which Mediterranean island hosted location filming for the 2023 Little Mermaid?

The 2023 Little Mermaid shot its island scenes on the Italian island of Sardinia after pandemic delays pushed filming to January–July 2021; the film is dedicated to Howard Ashman.

Who plays the sea witch in Disney's 2023 live-action The Little Mermaid?

Melissa McCarthy's sea witch is King Triton's estranged sister, and so the heroine's aunt, an idea the makers of the 1989 film had considered and dropped.

Who plays the Evil Queen in Disney's 2025 live-action Snow White?

Gal Gadot's queen rules over a changed story: the prince is gone, replaced by a bandit leader named Jonathan, played by Andrew Burnap.

The 2020 live-action Mulan was filmed in China and which other country?

New Zealand was home ground for director Niki Caro; Disney said almost the whole film was shot there, with about 20 locations in China used for its landscapes.

What did Disney+ call the extra-fee release that debuted with the live-action Mulan in September 2020?

Mulan launched on Disney+ Premier Access on September 4, 2020 for a $29.99 fee after its theatrical release was cancelled in the pandemic; cinemas showed it in countries without Disney+.

Disney's Aladdin was moved from which real city to the invented Agrabah because of the Gulf War?

Baghdad was the original setting, and several characters and plot points were based on the film The Thief of Bagdad. The invented name Agrabah replaced it during production.

In Disney's The Little Mermaid, which salvaged human object does Ariel learn to call a 'dinglehopper'?

A fork is what Ariel's self-styled expert on humans names a dinglehopper, and he is just as sure that a smoking pipe is a 'snarfblatt'.

In Disney's Sleeping Beauty, two good fairies keep changing Aurora's birthday gown between which colours?

Pink and blue were both in play because the studio itself could not agree on the gown's colour, so the dispute was written into the film as a quarrel between the fairies.

Which action-film actor voices Maui, the tattooed shape-shifting demigod in Disney's Moana?

Dwayne Johnson has said Maui was based on his grandfather Peter Maivia, a wrestler and Samoan high chief whose body was covered in tattoos.

What does Ariel hand over to the sea witch in return for three days as a human in The Little Mermaid?

Her voice is locked inside a nautilus shell, and it returns to Ariel only when that shell is destroyed.

In Pixar's Brave, a witch's enchanted cake turns Merida's mother, Queen Elinor, into which animal?

A bear is what Elinor becomes, unable to speak, and the spell turns permanent unless Merida can 'mend the bond, torn by pride' by the second sunrise.

Which animated Disney sequel gathers the Disney Princesses, most voiced by their original actresses?

Ralph Breaks the Internet secured every original voice actress except those of the three earliest princesses, and veteran animator Mark Henn helped bring the heroines into computer animation.

Which comedian voices the pint-sized guardian dragon who follows the heroine to war in Disney's Mulan?

Eddie Murphy balked at recording in Disney's studios, so he voiced the dragon from the basement of his Bubble Hill mansion in New Jersey.

Which Disney film's heroines are kept out of the Princess line-up because their own franchise is so successful?

Frozen made Anna and Elsa eligible by Disney's own standards, but the franchise's standalone success has made bundling the sisters into the Princess line unnecessary.

Which theme park opened its Sleeping Beauty Castle in 1955, well before the Disney film of that name reached cinemas?

Disneyland unveiled the castle that July, making it the oldest of all Disney castles, while Sleeping Beauty did not arrive in theatres until January 1959.

In Disney's Sleeping Beauty, the curse says Aurora will prick her finger on which household object?

A spinning wheel is the threat, so King Stefan has every one in the kingdom burned. The villain simply conjures a fresh one on Aurora's sixteenth birthday.

Unwilling to bury Snow White after she bites the poisoned apple, the dwarfs lay her in what in the forest?

A glass coffin was the image Walt Disney had in mind when he pointed his story team to MGM's 1936 film Romeo and Juliet as a reference for the scene.

In Disney's Beauty and the Beast, which room of his castle does the Beast give Belle as a gift?

The library scene was among the fastest Paige O'Hara recorded as Belle: a book lover herself, she only had to imagine her husband giving her that room.

Which royal vizier of Agrabah is tricked into wasting his final wish on becoming a genie in Disney's Aladdin?

Jafar forgets that genies are not free beings, so the wish that makes him all-powerful also shuts him inside a lamp of his own.

In Disney's Mulan, which insect, said to be lucky, tags along with the heroine's guardian to the army camp?

A cricket named Cri-Kee was wanted by neither the directors nor the story team, so veteran artist Joe Grant kept slipping sketches of him under the directors' door.

In The Princess and the Frog, which pastry does Charlotte pay Tiana to make for her father's masquerade ball?

Beignets for that one party pay well enough for Tiana to buy the old mill she has been saving for.

When a lock of Rapunzel's magical golden hair is cut in Disney's Tangled, it instantly turns which colour?

Brown and powerless is how a cut lock ends up, which is why the villain abducts the baby princess rather than simply taking her hair.

What kind of bird is Heihei, the dim-witted pet who ends up at sea with the heroine of Disney's Moana?

A rooster, Heihei joins the voyage only because he stowed away on the canoe Moana launches from a hidden cavern.

Which Hollywood actor voices English settler John Smith in Disney's Pocahontas, and also did the character's singing?

Mel Gibson took the part wanting to make 'something for my kids', and he called singing as John Smith the hardest part of the role.

Which actress plays Belle opposite Dan Stevens's Beast in Disney's 2017 live-action Beauty and the Beast?

Emma Watson's casting was called 'perfect' by Susan Egan, Broadway's first Belle, and Paige O'Hara, the 1991 voice, said Watson would have been her own first choice.

Which yellow tropical fish is Ariel's best friend and joins her trips to the surface in The Little Mermaid?

Flounder, despite his flatfish name, is drawn to resemble a royal angelfish, and he is at Ariel's side when she watches Prince Eric's birthday celebration.

In Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Mrs. Potts's young son Chip has been transformed into which household object?

A teacup with a single line was the original plan for Chip, until Bradley Pierce's performance impressed the filmmakers into expanding the part and dropping a mute music box.

Which of Snow White's dwarfs is the group's bespectacled leader, forever getting his words mixed up?

Doc lost a finished scene: his argument with Grumpy over whether Snow White should stay was animated in its entirety and then cut from the film.

In Disney's Moana, which magical object lets the demigod Maui shapeshift into different animals?

A fish hook is no use to Maui at first, because he has lost it and must win it back from a giant crab in the Realm of Monsters.

In Disney's Cinderella, the Fairy Godmother turns mice into horses, but what does the horse Major become?

A coachman is what Major becomes, so the horse ends up driving a coach pulled by mice, while Bruno the bloodhound rides along as the footman.

Which singer, one half of a musical duo with her sister, plays Ariel in Disney's 2023 live-action The Little Mermaid?

Halle Bailey first became known in the duo Chloe x Halle, and Ariel was her first lead role in a film.

Under what first name does Mulan pass herself off as a man at the army training camp in Disney's 1998 film?

Ping gave animator Mark Henn two characters to play with: he drew Mulan slightly differently whenever she was disguised as the soldier.

In Disney's Cinderella, which fussy royal official must try the lost shoe on every girl in the kingdom?

The Grand Duke shares a voice with his master: Luis van Rooten played both the fussy Duke and the loud, short-tempered King.

Which sheepdog owned by Prince Eric is first to recognise Ariel as his master's rescuer in The Little Mermaid?

Max was voiced by an uncredited Frank Welker, and the excitable dog works out who Ariel is long before his owner does.

In Disney's Snow White, the Huntsman spares the princess and fools the Queen with the heart of which animal?

A pig supplies the heart that goes into the Queen's jeweled box, and her rage at discovering the swap drives her to brew the poisoned apple herself.

In Disney's Aladdin, the magic lamp lies hidden in which cavern whose entrance is a giant tiger's head?

The Cave of Wonders owes its tiger-head entrance to computer animation, one of several digital elements in the film, and Frank Welker gave the cave its voice.

Which comedian voices Iago, the villain's loud-mouthed parrot sidekick, in Disney's 1992 Aladdin?

Gilbert Gottfried turned the part around: Iago was conceived as an uptight British type until the filmmakers saw the comedian in Beverly Hills Cop II.

In Disney's Pocahontas, Governor Ratcliffe has which settlement built so that his crew can start digging for gold?

Jamestown goes up in a wooded clearing, and Ratcliffe sets his crew digging at once, sure that gold will win him King James's favour and his 'last chance for glory'.

What is the name of Pocahontas's father, the chief who orders John Smith's execution at dawn in Disney's film?

Powhatan was voiced by activist Russell Means, who disliked parts of the script at first but later praised the film for admitting a 'historical deceit'.

In Disney's Mulan, the heroine uses a cannon on a mountain pass to bury the invading army under what?

An avalanche wins the battle but costs Mulan her secret: she is badly injured, and her true identity is discovered while the wound is bandaged.

Which voodoo witch doctor, nicknamed the Shadow Man, is the villain of Disney's The Princess and the Frog?

Dr. Facilier is undone by his own debts: when his talisman is smashed, the voodoo spirits he calls his 'friends on the other side' drag him away.

In The Princess and the Frog, Ray the Cajun firefly is in love with Evangeline, who is really what?

A star, the Evening Star, is what Ray takes for a lady firefly, and her name comes from a 19th-century Longfellow poem.

In Disney's Tangled, Flynn Rider takes Rapunzel to which pub, where she charms a room full of thugs?

The Snuggly Duckling is packed with men who try to capture the wanted Flynn, until Rapunzel coaxes them into revealing their softer, friendlier sides.

In Pixar's Brave, which spirits lead Merida from a circle of standing stones to a woodcarving witch's hut?

Wisps return at the film's end, when the freed spirit of a cursed prince silently thanks Merida, turns into one and disappears.

In Disney's Beauty and the Beast, which forbidden part of the castle does Belle enter, nearly touching the rose?

The West Wing visit ends with the Beast frightening Belle out of the castle, a loss of temper he regrets before saving her from wolves in the woods.

Which comedian voices King Fergus, Merida's father, and joins in the drinking song in Pixar's Brave?

Billy Connolly is among the singers of 'Song of Mor'du', a drinking song written in Scots, a Germanic language distinct from Scottish Gaelic.

Which actress voices Sisu, the dragon who disguises herself as a human in Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon?

Awkwafina was announced as Sisu at Disney's D23 Expo in August 2019, and she kept the part even after the film's lead actress was recast.

Which Disney Junior series follows a young royal who can summon the Disney Princesses?

Sofia the First gives its heroine a magical amulet that rewards her good deeds, curses her for wrongdoing and lets her talk to animals.

What is the name of the villain's pet raven, who spots the fairies' wand duel in Disney's Sleeping Beauty?

Diablo was added to solve a problem: the villain kept talking to herself and touched no one, so animator Marc Davis designed a raven for her to play against.

Which band of coconut pirates attacks Moana and Maui at sea in a deliberate homage to Mad Max: Fury Road?

The Kakamora are after the heart of Te Fiti that Moana is carrying, but she and Maui manage to outwit them.

Prince Naveen, cut off from the family fortune in The Princess and the Frog, comes from which fictional kingdom?

Maldonia's prince comes to New Orleans planning to marry the wealthy Charlotte La Bouff, because his parents have stopped paying his way.

Which giant coconut crab, a collector living in Lalotai, the Realm of Monsters, appears in Disney's Moana?

Tamatoa is voiced by Jemaine Clement, and the collector crab is holding the one thing Maui must take back before the voyage can go on.

In Raya and the Last Dragon, what is the name of Raya's steed, a cross between an armadillo and a pill bug?

Tuk Tuk is voiced by Alan Tudyk, and he is both trusty steed and best friend to Raya on her trek across Kumandra.

Which stern warrior does Pocahontas fear she must marry, finding him 'too serious', in Disney's 1995 film?

Kocoum dies when the young settler Thomas shoots him during a fight with John Smith, and his death pushes the chief to declare war on the English.

Which actor voices Flynn Rider in Disney's Tangled, having auditioned with James Taylor's 'Sweet Baby James'?

Zachary Levi decided to audition once he learned he would also be Flynn's singing voice, and the directors said he 'nailed' it.