With over 90 years of history, the Walt Disney Company had to come up with some way to differentiate its animated films from each other. Aside from noting the years, the company created names for each of the eras.
Arguably one of the best Disney animation eras and a fan favorite is the Disney Renaissance Era. Stretching from 1989 to 1999, the Renaissance Era holds some of the most beloved animated musical classics from The Little Mermaid to Aladdin. With such an iconic line up its hard to image away to rank the films accordingly.
The Rescuers Down Under (1990) - $25 Milli0n
After the success of The Rescuers in the late 1970s, the beloved film got a much-anticipated sequel in 1990. The Rescuers Down Under reunited viewers with their favorite members of the Rescue Aid Society Bernard and Bianca. This time the two mice were sent to Australia to help Cody escape from an evil poacher.
The Rescuers Down Under had a budget of $25 million a huge leap from the original films measly $7.5 million budget. Unfortunately, the budget increase didn't equate to a better movie. In fact, the film was considered a box office flop earning only $47 million.
Beauty And The Beast (1991) - $25 Million
Released in 1991, Beauty and the Beast is the third film released as part of the Disney Renaissance Era. The film centered a young prince who has been turned into a Beast and must find his true love before the Enchanted Rose completely dies.
Beauty and the Beast was a massive success for the Walt Disney Animation Studio. It was created with a $25 million budget and earned an impressive $424.9 million over its history. It also became the first-ever animated film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Aladdin (1992) - $25 Million
Banking on the success of the musical animated features, Walt Disney Animation Studios released Aladdin in 1992. Much like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin focused on a young man instead of the princess. Set in the fictional world of Agrabah, Aladdin along with his magical Genie hopes to win over the heart of Princess Jasmine.
Aladdin was another huge success for the Walt Disney Company though it did not earn the same critical acclaim that Beauty and the Beast did. It did however become the most successful film of 1992.
The Little Mermaid (1989) - $40 Million
The Disney Renaissance Era was kicked off in 1989 with the release of The Little Mermaid. Loosely based on the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, Disney's The Little Mermaid follows Ariel, a curios mermaid, who gives up her voice for a chance to experience the human world. The film was made with a budget of $40 million and went on to earn $100 million during its initial run. Today the film has a gross revenue of $211.3 million.
Ariel became the first princess film since 1959 and certainly proved that Princesses were a key to Disney's animated film success. The Little Mermaid received two Academy Awards both for its music.
The Lion King (1994) - $45 Million
Released in 1994, The Lion King became the fifth film released during the Disney Renaissance. Like the film before it, The Lion King relied on original music to tell its story through this time its characters were animals instead of human princes and princesses.
The Lion King was a huge commercial and critical success for the Walt Disney Company. It earned $763 million during its initial release against a $45 million budget which earned it the title of being the highest-grossing film of all of 1994.
Pocahontas (1995) - $55 Million
After the success of The Lion King, the Disney Renaissance returned to the human world to bring a Disney spin to early American history with the release of Pocahontas. The film follows Pocahontas, a young Native American woman, who is determined to show Englishman John Smith the beauty her world and her people have to offer.
Disney Animation Studios once again turned to musical genius Alan Menken to create the score and original songs for the film. The decision paid off and the film won two Academy Awards one for best originals core and the other for best original song.
Hercules (1997) - $70 Million
In 1997 Hercules became the eight-film to be released during the Disney Renaissance. This time the company put their Disney spin on Ancient Greco-Roman mythology centering their story on the young God Hercules who is sent to Earth in order to prove himself worthy of being a God.
While the film was met with positive reviews and did earn a sizable profit against its $70 million budget, Hercules never earned the success that some of the other Disney Renaissance films did.
Mulan (1998) - $85 Million
Despite previous musical films starting to slow at the box office, Walt Disney Animation Studios wasn't ready yet to give up on their musical storytelling ways. In 1998 they released Mulan which was based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan.
While Mulan has become a Disney classic and a fan favorite, the film didn't break any box office records like some of the other Disney Renaissance films had. In addition, the film's music wasn't as highly received as some of the other musical films of the era.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) - $100 Million
Released after Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame definitely helped begin the winding down of the Disney Renaissance era. Released in 1996, the film centered on Quasimodo, a disfigured young man who is kept captive in the bell tower of Notre Dame Cathedral.
The film was the second most expensive of the Renaissance era costing the studio $100 million to make. Thankfully the film was able to make its investment back earning a gross revenue of $324.3 million. Despite being a commercial success, the film is often an underrated film amongst Disney fans.
Tarzan (1999) - $140 Million
In June of 1999, Tarzan was released becoming the tenth and final film of the Disney Renaissance era. With a budget of $140 million, it also became the most expensive film of the era. Based on the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel, Tarzan follows the life of a young man who has been raised solely by gorillas after his parents die in the jungle.
Tarzan became the first Disney animated feature to open in first place at the box office since 1995 when Disney released Pocahontas. The film holds a special place in Disney history as many considered it to be the animation studio's last big success before entering Disney's Second Dark Age.