Chronology of the Disney Animated Canon

Timelines are fun if often frustrating to make. Some can be confusing, headscratchers, or downright make no sense. Today, we are going to try to piece together a very loose timeline of the fifty-eight installments of the Disney animated canon. 

 This is more of a chronological timeline over the historical eras, then trying to tie everything together. Now, whether or not each film is set in the same universe has always been a bit of a debate, and a lot of guesswork is made based upon easter eggs. For example, a toy of Dumbo appears in The Great Mouse Detective, which takes place in the Victorian era, and lacks the modern day trains that Dumbo has. So, a lot of these references are mostly inserted for fun. Other times, characters even crossover into each other’s films. This also means that some movies will not be included in this timeline.

 

For simplicity’s sake, certain movies won’t be featured in this chronological timeline:

-The Lion King, could easily be said to take place in 1994, but we have nothing to nail that down.

-Wreck It Ralph and Ralph Break the Internet are very meta movies, with Disney itself appearing in the sequel, with Ralph and Vanellope meeting the Disney Princesses and characters from Marvel and Star Wars.

-Melody Time, Make Mine Music, and Fun and Fancy Free as they are package films made up of shorter animates sequences that occur all over the place.

-The same applies for Fantasia and Fantasia 2000.

-I also decided to leave out Robin Hood, Chicken Little, and Zootopia, as they appear to exist in a reality where humans don’t.

-Frozen II isn’t out yet, so we don’t know how long it takes places after Frozen.

Dinosaur – 145-65 Million Years BC - Our timeline starts off relatively easy. Dinosaur is set over 65 million years ago, cause, you know, the title says “Dinosaur”. Aladar, an Iguanodon, is raised by lemurs, until their home and entire species can wiped out by a meteorite. The family then join up with a herd of dinosaurs to reach breeding grounds, encountering Carnotaurs and grouchy ignorant leaders on the way. Most interesting about Dinosaur is that one of the supporting characters is an elderly Brachiosaurus, whose species were more prominent in the Jurassic era rather than the Cretaceous. Heck, one character even mentions the Brachiosaurus is potentially the last of her kind. Boy, Dinosaur got really depressing all of a sudden. The film appears to take place in Africa and Madagascar, since that is the only native place lemurs live.

Brother Bear – 10,000 Years BC - One of my favourite films, the highly underrated Brother Bear occurs during mankind’s early days of living in caves, and when mammoths still walked the Earth. Of course, this carbon dating is purely guesswork (as a lot of this timeline will be!), but according to 10,000 BC’s article on Wikipedia, a lot of cave paintings, man dwelling in caves, and early tools and weapons were rising around this era. Mammoths went extinct around 4000 years ago, and are the only ancient Ice Age-era animals to appear in Brother Bear. Not, that Ice Age - the actual historical ice age.

Moana – 3000 Years BC - Okay, this is where things become as thin as ice. I didn’t really know where to put Moana on the timeline, but I thought it should be near the beginning. Maui steals the Heart of Te Fiti at least a thousand years prior to Moana’s birth, so this film takes place over a long time. According to one CBS article I found, Moana allegedly takes place three-thousands years ago, but I don’t know if that means literally 3000 years ago, or 3000 years BC. I decided to go with the latter, as academic research on Polynesian culture and origins indicates humans moved from the Pacific to the Polynesian area circa 3000-1000 BC. Moana exists in a time where physical gods and monsters lived in the world. And this isn’t the only movie associated with the gods.

Aladdin – 1600-1100 BC - Urgh, Aladdin! Another one that looked like its place in the timeline was solid, but the whole thing is confusing. In this movie, the Genie claims he has been imprisoned in his lamp for 10,000 years, the Sphinx’s nose is accidentally broken, and in the space of four minutes, and Aladdin and Jasmine fly from Agrabah, to Greece, then to China, and back again. I decided to pretty much just plop Aladdin here, as it was driving me crazy on where to put it. Gazeem says “By Allah!” upon seeing the Cave of Wonders, the term for God that existed long before Islam was founded. Pre-Islamic Arabia is said to have had major kingdoms and tribes from 3000 BC to 600 AD. Islam wasn’t around until the 7^th century. I’m probably grasping at straws here, but another reason I put Aladdin is because of its canon/non-canon connection with Hercules.

 

Hercules – 1600-1100 BC - Hercules is the set in an abridged version of the Greek myths, where Hercules (or Heracles) existed after the time of Odysseus, Perseus, Theseus (his cousin), and Achilles, when usually he comes at least second in that list. Anyway, the reason I linked Hercules and Aladdin together through Hercules: The Animated Series, which takes place during Hercules’ training days to be a hero. In this series, Hercules crosses paths with Aladdin. Hades meets the ghost of Jafar in the Underworld, and together they conspire to have Hercules and Aladdin destroy each other. So, this at least confirms Hercules takes place at least after Aladdin: The Return of Jafar. The majority of Hercules takes place when Herc is 18, so, if the animated series was canon, Aladdin has already happened. But, it is possible Hercules: The Animated Series isn’t canon to the movie. In the film, Hades assumed Hercules was dead for eighteen years, but in the animated series, he often interacts with him on an episodic basis. It is like a jigsaw that can’t be put together. So, if the animated series is canon, Aladdin takes place before Hercules in this timeline.

The Sword in the Stone – late 400s-early 500s AD - Phew, time for something a little easier. The Sword in the Stone features a young Arthur Pendragon on his relatively uneventful (but fun) journey to becoming the One True King of England, pulling Excalibur from the stone in London. Merlin pretty much confirms the film takes place in the Dark Ages, and repeatedly travels forward in time to the 20^th century, cause he hates the Dark Ages. The Arthurian legends involve the Saxons invasion of Britain, which took place in the late 5^th century and into the early 6^th century. The Dark Ages began in the 5^th century, so it all adds up nicely.

Mulan – 386-620 AD - There is some debate about when Mulan takes place, but it could be anywhere between 386 AD to 621 AD. Mulan’s historical setting is in the Northern Wei, which existed between 386-536 AD. A thousand years later, playwright Xu Wei also places Mulan’s legend within the same period. However, the Qing dynasty’s Sui Tang Romance, places Mulan around 620 AD, during the foundation of the Tang dynasty.

The Black Cauldron – Dark Ages (5^th-15^th century) - The Black Cauldron also appears to be set in the Dark Ages just judging by the familiar medieval clothes, and how everything seems rather mucky, grubby, and miserable. Fflewddur Fflam is a minstrel, who were extremely popular during this era. Plus, the movie is your standard medieval fantasy story, apart from the psychic pig, zombies, and the most annoying protagonist in Disney history!

Sleeping Beauty – 14^th century - Princess Aurora is the classic princess so to speak, and lives in an equally classic interpretation of the Middle Ages, an age of chivalric romance, big pointy hats, and the like. Prince Philip even quotes that it is the 14^th century, so that pretty much nails down when Sleepy Beauty takes place. Prince Philip, slayer of dragons, and trend setter for the modern era.

The Emperor’s New Groove – 1425-1532 BC - Another movie that doesn’t have an exact date, so The Emperor’s New Groove is set during the Incans’ golden era was between the dates above, and Kuzco has got a pretty swank empire for him to groove around.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame – 1482 - Hallelujah! The first film on the timeline with an actual date. The Hunchback of Notre Dame is set in Paris, during a time where Christianity was huge, gypsies were persecuted by the second greatest Disney Villain of all-time, and a humble hunchback talks with gargoyles who may or may not be alive. Definitely one of Disney’s darkest and greatest movies. Interestingly, Belle cameos in the movie. The mayhem in Paris could explain why Belle and Maurice moved to the “poor provincial town”, but Beauty and the Beast has always been associated with the 18^th century. Belle’s cameo is likely just that.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – 15^th century - At first, I thought Snow White would go just after Sleepy Beauty, but decided to do a little investigation. Another creator’s Disney timeline lists the film has being set in the 15^th century, and I wondered why. I looked into certain objects in the dwarfs’ cottage, discovering both clocks and certain types of pipe organs were not invented until around the 15^th century. Makes sense to include it around this century. As I said, a lot of this timeline is grasping at straws, but I wanted this to be a fun project, not a frustrating one hammered down by utter historical accuracy. Besides, Disney doesn’t exactly tell history as it always happened...

Pocahontas – 1607 – Speak of the devil, here’s Pocahontas, a beloved Disney film, but also their own attempt to distil history. The very first piece of dialogue in the film is establishing it is 1607, where Governor Ratcliffe’s expedition to the New World commences. Pocahontas and John Smith fall in love, creating what looks to be a peaceful union between England and the Native Americans of Virginia. Yeah, we all know history didn’t go like that. The real life Pocahontas did save John Smith from her father’s execution, visited Jamestown a lot, but was later taken captive, raped, married and had children when in her teens, and died at the age of 21. Then again, Pocahontas’ direct-to-video sequel did focus on Pocahontas going to England and marrying John Rolfe, sans the whole capture part.

Beauty and the Beast – 1770s – Honestly, Beauty and the Beast could be set anywhere within 18^th century France, but other websites said it is set around this period, so I decided to put it in the 1770s. Hopefully, Belle and the Beast would go on to survive the French Revolution, if it happened in the Disney animated universe.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – 1790 – Based on Washington Irving’s book, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, though the book itself was published in 1820. Because now most of the remaining films have dates or general years of occurrence, there maybe less to say.

Cinderella – early 1800s – Not sure where Cinderella could take place, perhaps a little earlier in history, but the setting feels a little more modern compared to Beauty and the Beast. The French monarchy dissolved in 1870, so the film is at least set before then.

The Little Mermaid – early 1800s – Another challenging point on the timeline as Ariel’s place and time is a tricky one. I would at least say it is set somewhere in the 19^th century judging by the clothes and fashions. An article of Flavour Wire, where a fashion designer replicated historically accurate costumes for the Disney Princesses, she stated Ariel’s wedding dress is from the 1890s. Another issue is where The Little Mermaid is set. Though the fairy tale was written in Denmark, when has Denmark been tropical with palm trees and that wide variety of exotic fish? I would say that The Little Mermaid may in fact be set in a Dutch colony in say the Caribbean. The King and Grand Duke from Cinderella cameo during Ursula’s “wedding” to Eric, so this could put both princesses living within each other’s lifetimes.

Tangled – 1842 – Tangled and Frozen are both tied together, and were actually the basis for creating this timeline. Both films are confirmed to take place in the 1840s via the official Frozen artbook, despite Tangled looking like it is set in medieval Europe. The design aesthetic was to make it look like it came from a storybook. At the end of Tangled, Rapunzel and Eugene get married, and have been married for three years by the time Frozen rolls around – or at least by the time Elsa turns twenty-one.

Frozen – 1845 – Frozen takes place three years after Tangled. How do we know this? According to some, Elsa and Anna’s parents are going to attend Rapunzel’s wedding in Corona, but didn’t make it. The film picks up three years after the shipwreck, and look who cameos in Frozen, but Rapunzel and Eugene, attending Elsa’s coronation (on the left in the above image). Now if only it was more than a cameo and had exploded into a more ambitious project. Then again, we did get all the princesses together in Ralph Breaks the Internet. As for the year, I chose 1845 mostly because it is when The Snow Queen was published. Presumably, Frozen II will occur shortly after.

Alice in Wonderland – 1865 – 1865 was when Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, so it seems a suitable year. Could easily take place a few years earlier based on Carroll’s relationship with the Liddell family.

Tarzan – 1880 – Tarzan is not related to Elsa and Anna by blood. I’m just getting that out of the way. It sounds very silly. As for the year of Tarzan, I’m not sure. Whilst Wikipedia says the film starts in the 1890s, the Disney Wiki says it starts in the 1880s. Neither of these make any sense, and I’d say it takes place even earlier, while the adult Tarzan’s story occurs in 1880. Jane and Professor Porter plan to take Tarzan on tour around Great Britain, introducing him to “Dickens, Kipling, and Queen Victoria” – only problem is that if this film was set in the 1890s, Charles Dickens would be dead, Rudyard Kipling would have only just published The Jungle Book, and, Queen Victoria would be really old. Dickens died in 1882, so I decided to set the film a couple of years beforehand.

Home On the Range – 1889 – Another film with a confirmed date. Set in the later days of the American Frontier.

Pinocchio – 1890s – While The Adventures of Pinocchio was published in 1883, I’d say the film takes place a little later. Pleasure Island has a ferris wheel on it, the first of which wasn’t built until 1893 in Chicago. Makes sense to put the film at some point afterward.

The Jungle Book – 1893 – The Jungle Book lacks a date, so I placed it in 1893 when the actual book was published.

The Great Mouse Detective – 1897 – Set in 1897 during the Victorian era. Interestingly, we see that Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson actually exist in the Disney universe, Basil living under Holmes’ house in Baker Street.

Wind in the Willows – 1909-1910 – Though The Wind in the Willows was published in 1908, the film is set a year after, over several months between late 1909 and early 1910, based on Mr. Toad’s time in prison. Toad escapes prison on Christmas Eve 1909.

Lady and the Tramp – 1909 – Confirmed to take place in 1909, though it could occur over the next couple of years due to the arrival of Jim Dear and Darling’s baby, and the time Lady grows from a puppy, and then has puppies of her own.

The Aristocats – 1910 – Confirms the year straight away at the start of the movie.

The Fox and the Hound – 1910s – Lacks a date, so I’m setting The Fox and the Hound in the 1910s, mostly based on the antique Model T automobiles seen in the film.

Peter Pan – 1911 – Another film that lacks a date, so I set it around 1911, when Peter & Wendy was published by J.M. Barrie. Its sequel, Return to Neverland, is set during the Blitz in World War II.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire – 1914 – Confirmed at the start of the film, though the prologue occurs centuries ago.

Winnie the Pooh films – 1926 – As this was the time A.A. Milne published the classic books, set during Christopher Robin’s childhood, it makes sense to place them in 1926. I would say that all of the animated Pooh films and the animated series could take place in the same year, or over a couple, ending with the events of Christopher Robin in the 1950s.

The Princess and the Frog – 1926 – The film first begins in 1912 when her Tiana is a child, her late father participating in World War I. The main plot occurs in 1926, and during Mardi Gras.

Everything onwards takes place in the modern day, or at least during the time that they were released, so most of the remaining films on the timeline are mere place markers. Dumbo is up first, set in 1941, followed by Bambi in 1942, which may take place at least over a couple of years based on a deer’s lifespan. Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros occur between 1942-1944, depicting Latin American countries in the era, inspired by Walt Disney’s tour of the region. Next is 101 Dalmatians, which takes place in 1961. The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under take place within a short space of one another. Since The Rescuers was released in 1977, I set the sequel around a year later. Oliver & Company felt like the most modern day movie of its time, set in New York City around 1988.

Lilo & Stitch may have one of the longest timespans in the canon. While the film takes place in 2002, the franchise spawned a sequel, an animated series, and a tie-in movie to that, not to mention an anime spin-off/sequel where an adult Lilo appears, and has an identical daughter, and then a Chinese animated spin-off. I don’t know if the anime and Chinese show are considered canon, but I decided to put them in. The original animated series had crossovers with Kim Possible, The Proud Family, Recess, and American Dragon.

Next in the timeline, we have Bolt, which occurs in 2008. But, then we have Meet the Robinsons, which came out in 2007, but involves time travel. Part of the movie occurs in 2037 where the world effectively turned into Tomorrowland. So, Meet the Robinsons takes place both before and after Bolt.

Big Hero 6 was released in 2014, but its positioning and place in this timeline are a little vexing. It is set in San Fransokyo, which appears to be an alternate version of San Francisco, with Japanese technology and themes. Of course, it could be a different city and location altogether. Or maybe I’m just looking too much into this already wobbly timeline.

And finally, we have Treasure Planet, set…in the future. Some when far into the future! A time of intergalactic voyages, farting aliens, and the 18^th century was fashionable again. Okay, it is based on Treasure Island, so the aesthetic makes sense. We see a toy of Stitch in Jim Hawkins’ bedroom. Perhaps, Stitch’s placement on Earth by the Intergalactic Federation kicked off an eventual, stronger relationship between mankind and aliens, leading to the eventual development of the world of Treasure Planet. This union perhaps wouldn’t take place centuries later, as we see no aliens walking around in Meet the Robinsons’ future.

So, there you have it. My attempt to weave the Disney universe together into a timeline. Again, all of this is just guesswork and wish fulfilment. Animators and filmmakers from Disney have said that these films are all disconnected from each other, and exist in their own standalone stories. Still, it is fun to try to join the dots together.