The Walt Disney Company is omnipotent. In terms of quality, there are valid criticisms that can be leveled at the vast majority of the studio’s filmography. Disney has a particular brand they love to market, one stubbornly resistant to the progress of time. Whether watching a Mickey Mouse flick from the ’50s or ’90s, there is bound to be a pseudo-princess, a suave male lead, and an anthropomorphic animal. In some instances, the latter might be replaced by a supernatural entity or statue. Hey, it is hard for anyone to turn their back on a billion dollar formula!
After a couple of genuinely tough decades, especially when referring to Disney’s animated productions, The Little Mermaid brought the Mouse back to the big leagues. While Ariel’s adventure tends to just miss out on discussions concerning the best latter-day releases by the studio, it ushered in a short-lived renaissance period for Disney. ’90s kids got lucky. Their childhood coincided with an upturn in entertainment, as Disney returned to the forefront of cinematic brilliance.
Now, we love to make fun of our collective childhood memories! Sure, The Lion King and Aladdin were pretty decent, but they barely made any sense! A talking lion? What were they thinking?!?
Here are 25 hilarious 90s Disney movie memes that prove they make no sense!
25 WOOSH (Right Over Our Heads)
Colors of the Wind was the hit song from Disney’s Pocahontas, the studio’s disappointing follow-up to A Goofy Movie and there is no point even trying to compare it to The Lion King. Pocahontas attempted to construct a mature storyline based on the title character’s historical encounter with John Smith.
Pet raccoons notwithstanding…
Unfortunately, good intentions mean squat when the final product fails to live up to the hype. It physically pains us to defend this trainwreck, but Colors of the Wind is a fantastic track. Performed by the protagonist, the song deals with Smith’s struggle to see non-English people and nature as worth protecting. The lyric is not meant to be taken literally, as she is simply challenging Smith to try and picture the world from someone else’s point of view. Pocahontas has more than enough genuine flaws that there is no need to invent fake ones.
24 Gaston’s Is The Perfect Wingman
Beauty and the Beast was the first animated flick to be nominated for Best Picture by the Academy. If that was not impressive enough, this was before the Oscars expanded the field to include ten nominees. Released in 1991 and based on Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont’s fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast marks a highpoint in Disney’s history. On the flip side, 2017’s live-action version garnered more of a sigh than an outright emotion. The gothic musical features singing appliances and, despite taking place in 19th-century France, a surprising lack of French accents; still, who are we to nitpick such small inconsistencies?
Gaston’s bulging biceps push things way too far…
Gaston might be the manliest man to ever man in Disney’s Europe, but those three women must be made of paper! Otherwise, our suspension of disbelief is flying right out the window.
23 The Greatest Love Story Ever Told (Or Is It?)
Ah, yes, the old Stockholm Syndrome analysis of Beauty and the Beast. The argument does have merit, but it is definitely grasping at straws. Belle constantly criticizes the Beast and, when provided with an opportunity to leave, she jumps at the chance. Over the course of her time at the castle, Belle slowly develops romantic feelings for her hairy host, but she actively chooses to stay to protect her father. Stockholm Syndrome usually results in situations that are completely out of the victim’s control, and they end up siding with the enemy for self-preservation. Belle never does anything of the sort and returns to the castle to prevent the Beast’s untimely demise. She has nothing against her rescuers - who never actually did any rescuing - but the heroine wants to protect the Beast as he started to improve his personality. Heck, just ask Belle.
22 Buzz And Woody’s Alter Egos
Woody’s eyes paint a picture of someone who has seen things that go beyond the scope of a toy. On the other hand, Buzz is having a blast. Toy Story established Pixar as one of animation’s leading studios, a perspective reinforced by the sequels. Memes are not always done out of spite or ridicule, as the internet tends to react favorably to this particular series.
A scene created for memes.
This meme has literally hundreds of variations, with the majority barely referencing the actual movie. If someone recently thought up a funny or smartish line, it can probably be found stamped on this picture. In relation to Toy Story’s world, this entry brings up a couple of interesting questions. What does it take for an item to gain sentience? Is it restricted to children toys?
21 Preaching To The Choir
In Jasmine’s defense, she has every right to be angry. There will always be someone who has it worse, but that does not invalidate your own challenges. Life is not and will never be fair; but, no matter a person’s background, they have the right to complain without someone one-upping them. Quasimodo is such a nice and sincere guy that this meme’s fictional quote fits his personality. Remove the implied sarcasm and this is exactly the way Quasimodo would react to Jasmine’s plight. The Hunchback of Notre Dame was a great drama surrounded by a terrible comedy, but Quasimodo was a fantastic lead and a welcome change of pace from Disney. Circumvent the gargoyles and you are left with one of the company’s best ever movies. Unfortunately, this is one literary classic which should not have received the Disney treatment.
20 The Circle Of Life (Fudges The Details)
In this case, Simba and Nala are both correct. Male lions are recognized as the King of the Beasts and they rule over their territory. This does not mean they just sit and relax, as they are expected to protect everything that falls within their zone. It is their duty to rule and safeguard their pride.
Simba is off to a great start…
When it comes to hunting and supplying food for the pack, the lionesses tend to carry most of the burden. Male lions only join a hunt when pursuing a particularly big target. In defense of The Lion King, this does seem to be the case. Scar tasks Nala and the other lionesses with finding food, but they fail to meet their goal due to the male lion neglecting his kingdom. The Lion King slightly oversells Scar’s terrible reign, but Disney nailed this part.
19 Hocus Pocus (Mixing Biology With Magic)
At the time, Hocus Pocus struggled to leave much of a fiscal impression, but Disney’s quirky Halloween comedy gradually earned the status of a cult classic. Even though the plot and characters can be eccentric, dumb, and overbearing; Hocus Pocus has a certain likable charm to it. The hammy acting might not be to everyone’s taste, but the Sanderson sisters are a laugh riot. A couple of their lines are downright hilarious, prompting this meme decision to just quote the movie, as any alterations would merely detract from its brilliance. Rather than outright scary, the villainous witches were presented as bumbling idiots, so these type of jokes fit their personas. At the same time, their make-up was outwardly enough to ensure they remained a threat. Hocus Pocus is one of the better live-action films released by the studio during the decade.
18 Meg Was ALWAYS Counterculture
Hercules has its fair share of problems, but Meg was a cut above the rest. This witty and progressive character deserved to be stuck in a much better flick than this mediocre animated comedy. Despite serving as the love-interest to a DemiGod known for strength and masculinity, Meg avoids coming across as a run-of-the-mill damsel in distress.
Meg makes damsels seem cool.
This meme hits it right on the head, although Meg is way too awesome to waste time proclaiming her awesomeness. Who needs another princess? During the ’90s, Disney tried to move away from this cliché, but their leading women nearly always ended up as rulers or acted like ones. Meg was having none of that.
17 Rajah Is Just A Big Cat
While the meme seems to make sense, tigers are a lot more mundane than flying carpets. If someone grew up alongside Rajah, they are unlikely to see him as anything more than a pet. Aladdin is set in another time period and culture, so they would react differently to certain things. Whether someone grew up with a tiger or monkey, they are still likely to react with skepticism when faced with a sentient rug. In the world of Disney, there are few things safer than a pet animal. The meme criticizes the film from the perspective of a modern person whose only interactions with a tiger is Aladdin and a rare visit to the Zoo. Our point is that the weird part is the sentient carpet and not Jasmine’s reasonable reaction to its existence.
16 Seems About Right…
In Europe, witch trials were largely spread over a couple of centuries. The Hunchback of Notre Dame is set in 1482, which makes sense for the plot. While the issue was at its worst during the 17th century, cases go as far back as the 15th century. In 1484, Pope Innocent VIII failed to live up to his name by issuing the Summis desiderantes affectibus, a document allowing the imprisonment of anyone caught worshiping someone other than the religion’s deity.
Gypsies were often targetted.
After using a magic trick to free Quasimodo, Esmeralda was labeled as a witch. For the time period, that makes total sense. In Frollo’s case, the priest only targetted her as punishment for rejecting his advancements. Dancing had nothing to do with it.
15 Living The Goofy Life
A Goofy Movie was such an odd duck. Goofy first hit the scene in 1932’s Mickey’s Revue, although he was nothing more than a background joke. Two years later, Goofy was promoted to a name character and started to appear alongside Mickey and Donald Duck. Disney’s mascots are iconic for a reason, but there was something genuinely special about Goofy. Dippy Dawg was never presented as cool, yet the anthropomorphic animal deserves recognition as a slapstick great. Soaked in the ’90s, A Goofy Movie tries excessively hard to be fresh and hip with the kids, while painting the legendary title character as an outdated father. Yet, this lack of suave or sophistication helped endear Goofy to millions of people. Max, there are worst things than growing up to be one of history’s most influential comedians.
14 The Enchantress Skips Leg Days
You know what, this meme is completely and utterly right! There is not a single negative side-effect to the Enchantress’ spell. Okay, that is not actually true, as the Beast’s gains are rather disproportionate. While his upper body received enough muscles to lift a building, the Prince’s legs would struggle to hold up a dollhouse. Seriously, how is he able to walk on those things without crutches?
Oh - right - the “monster” thing is also a downer.
Time for a little confession, but anyone else considers the Enchantress to be the villain of the story? The prince was rude, but she reacted by trying to ruin his entire life. She might frame it as a life-lesson, but the punishment did not fit the crime! Talk about overreacting.
13 Actions Demand A Mighty Price
Upon release, 1992’s The Mighty Ducks was slammed by critics. Emilio Estevez’s stint as a hockey coach earned a scathing 18% on RottenTomatoes. Despite its less than stellar reception, which was not surprising for a live-action Disney flick during that era, The Mighty Ducks has cultivated a decent following. Nowadays, sports movies are somewhat of a rarity; but, for a short period, they were dropping like flies. The Mighty Ducks is extremely predictable, as an arrogant lawyer is arrested for driving recklessly and ordained to coach a pee-wee league hockey team. Moving past the family-friendly humor, The Mighty Ducks is subtly satirizing the justice system. It taught children how society reacts to the privileged, with the law changing its tune depending on someone’s background. Otherwise, this hockey team’s coach would change on a weekly basis.
12 Class Is Overrated
Ah, the late ’90s, when Lindsay Lohan could be described as young and innocent. Times have changed and The Parent Trap really drives home that fact. A remake of Walt Disney’s 1961 technicolor film, this comedy was elevated to new heights due to Lindsay Lohan’s double performance. The plot was not particularly special and, at times, painted the parents as rather terrible.
Seriously, divorces do not work like that!
The Parent Trap had more than a couple of silly or questionable moments, but this one takes the cake. During that time period, there was not a single teenager who did not know about Leonardo DiCaprio! The Parent Trap came out in 1998, a year after the second-highest grossing film of all time, Titanic, hit the market. Disney, there is a lot we are willing to accept, but this is simply not one of them.
11 A Million Dollar Product
This LIE probably flew over the heads of most children. In all honesty, if this meme did not exist, it would have gone unnoticed by anyone with limited experience using makeup. On the flip side, Mulan’s magical remover might just be the most unrealistic part of a movie that includes a mystical dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy. Apparently, there is no need to pick up any expensive kits, as a sleeve is more than enough to clear a face caked in makeup. Clearly, Disney is in the wrong business, as this product would outsell the entirety of their filmography. Entertainment might be important for a healthy mind, but it is no match for comfort.
10 Does A Lion Have Nine Lives?
The Lion King believes the answer is a resounding “no.” Based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Disney’s 1994 epic boasted a thrilling soundtrack, fantastic visuals, and a handful of heartbreaking moments. For those just waking up from a twenty-year slumber, Mufasa is introduced as Pride Rock’s king but ends up as a star in the sky.
Scar inflicted so many scars.
Cats are rather graceful, especially when compared to dogs and other household pets. They tend to land on their feet when jumping off a short ledge or a cabinet. From the same height, a decent amount of people should be able to land safely. Mufasa’s dive was considerably deeper than a couple of meters. Honestly, the fact he was still presentable after suffering such a massive fall is a testament to Mufasa’s strength. Anyway, landing on his feet would not have caused the stampede to disappear.
9 The Apple Does Not Fall Far From The Tree
The Santa Clause confirmed that Tim Allen could do more than Home Improvement. While the actor’s film career consists of more misses than hits, the latter will always have a special place in the hearts of children born in the decade of grunge. In 1994, Disney released a pretty strange Christmas comedy that started with Tim Allen accidentally bumping St. Nicholas into early retirement. With Santa out of the picture, Calvin is tricked into serving as his replacement. Change a couple of things around and you have yourself a horror movie. At one point, Charlie pledges to continue the family business, which spells trouble for Allen. On the other hand, he might appreciate an opportunity to get away from the office and enjoy some quality time without any elves. Charlie is currently at that age where he believes in Santa, so his enthusiasm might fade in a couple of years.
8 Scrooge’s Family Fortune
Admittedly, we needed a second to understand the point presented by this meme. Initially, Scrooge’s fortune took priority, but there did not seem to be much of a joke. In due time, our brain started to work and the punchline hit with the power of a tornado. Scrooge never wears pants, so why is he covering up a part of his body that is always out in the open?
On occasion, Scrooge thinks about the children.
DuckTales is hardly the only cartoon to use this cheap joke and it never makes any sense. Animals might wear clothes, but they are not usually given a choice. With larger stacks of untraceable cash than a Swiss bank, Scrooge might feel pressured to pick up some clothes just to spend a fraction of his money, but it is a fashion choice.
7 Pocahontas Was An Early Bloomer…
Whether adapting history or a literary classic, Disney plays by its own rules. Accuracy hardly takes precedent, as the studio shapes the source material to suit their brand. Frozen is a huge departure from Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame’s annoying gargoyles undercut any attempt to remain true to Victor Hugo’s novel. Pocahontas gets a couple of things right but largely drops the ball. The title character was only ten years old when she ran into John Smith, which made their relationship problematic for Disney. In order to avoid any issues, the studio aged up Pocahontas to be around the same age as the Englishman and proceeded with the couple. By all accounts, Smith and Pocahontas were just friends and harbored no romantic feelings towards each other; therefore, on this point, Disney could have easily remained historically accurate.
6 The Ugly Truth
In comparison to Victor Hugo’s novel, Disney’s Quasimodo had it easy. The original has absolutely no happy endings, so Quasimodo would have been delighted to just not get the girl. Despite Disney’s attempt to soften up The Hunchback of Notre Dame, it remains among the darkest entries in the studio’s filmography.
The Black Caudron was less mature.
For once, the male and female lead did not end up together. With Disney changing so much of the original story, why not go the distance and permit Quasimodo and Esmeralda to date? Well, the cartoon’s serious moments largely emulate the tone of Hugo’s story, so this would have meant a total betrayal. Ignoring the original, this ending would have felt out of place for the film.
