Let me just say I am a huge Disney animation fan. I’ve liked every Disney Animation Studios or Pixar film I’ve seen. That being said, the princesses have a special place in my heart. But it’s not just nostalgia or a love of fairytales (although those are factors). It’s that every princess film has been a milestone for its studio, if not for animation as a whole. These movies matter. Big time.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as the first full length animated feature ever made. Every animated film ever made, regardless of what studio it came from, owes its existence to Snow White, a film once referred to as “Disney’s Folly.” Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is also the first animated film to be nominated for an Oscar. Snow White was nominated for a “Best Musical Score” Oscar. Walt Disney also received a special Oscar in recognition of the fact that Snow White was an innovation in film.

Cinderella saved Walt Disney Animation Studios. The studio had lost a big part of their revenue when World War II limited their ability to release films in Europe. As well as losing money, WDAS lost animators when a significant portion of the animation staff went to fight in the war. Cinderella was the first film to have a continuous narrative since Bambi. And if Cinderella had failed, the studio would have gone bankrupt.

Sleeping Beauty was the first Disney animated feature to be filmed in 70mm widescreen format. It was also the last film to use hand-inked cells. The films following Sleeping Beauty used xerography.

The Little Mermaid was the film that started the Disney Renaissance. Mermaid brought the studio back into the limelight. The Little Mermaid was also the first film to have a scene done with CAPS (Computer Animation Production System).

Beauty and the Beast was the first animated film to be nominated for a “Best Picture” Oscar.

Aladdin was the first animated film to gross more than 200 million dollars.

Pocahontas was the first Disney animated film to be based on a true story.

Mulan was the first Disney animated feature to be made primarily at the Florida studio location. Mulan was also the first Disney animated feature to be released on DVD.

The Princess and the Frog was the film that launched the “Revival Era” of Disney animation. The Princess and the Frog was also the first Disney animated film to feature a Black protagonist.

Tangled was the fiftieth Disney animated feature.

Brave features Pixar’s first female protagonist and is the first Pixar film to have a female director.

Frozen is the first Disney animated feature to have a female director.

Each princess movie marks a milestone. A princess movie marked the beginning of feature animation and they continue to mark advances to this day.