Disney Princess

The Disney Princesses are fictional characters that have appeared in Disney Animated Feature Films. The character list has varied since the creation of the franchise, but Princesses Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, and Jasmine have most consistently been included. The current character list includes Princess Pocahontas as well. Mulan is also included, despite having no familial ties to royalty.

The Disney Princesses feature in various sing-a-long video series released through The Walt Disney Company. In addition, the franchise includes dolls, miniature castles, and other toys. The princesses also feature in the nightly “Fantasmic! Nighttime Show Spectacular” in Disneyland and Disney-MGM Studios.

The characters themselves, despite originally appearing in separate films, have distinct similarities. All the princesses show good will towards all creatures, evidenced by the ability to commune with animals common to many of the characters. The princesses are known for their inner and outer beauty as well as having beautiful singing voices. Each princess has a romance that is resolved by the end of each film. (See: Disney Princes).

History
In early 2000, when Andy Mooney was hired by the Disney consumer- products division to help combat dropping sales, the idea for the Disney Princess franchise was born. Soon after joining Disney, Mooney attended his first “Disney on Ice” show. While waiting in line, he found himself surrounded by young girls dressed as princesses. “They weren’t even Disney products. They were generic princess products,” he mused. Soon after realizing the demand, the Disney Princess line was formed.

Despite limited advertising and no focus groups, the various Disney Princess items released became a huge success. Sales at Disney Consumer Products rose from $300 million in 2001 to $3 billion in 2006. Today there are over 25,000 products based on the franchise.

The princesses to be featured in the line were chosen from classic Disney films. The characters were not chosen specifically for their royal titles, but rather for how well they fit into what Disney executives deemed “the Princess mythology”. Mulan is an example of this concept; she has no familial ties to royalty, but is still included in the character list. Tinker Bell was once included under the same principle before it was decided she was not suited for the "mythology".

Recently, Tinker Bell has starred in her own Disney franchise, Disney Fairies. Other fairies were created specifically for the franchise. The line began with a book series by Gail Carson Levine, and has since spawned toys and other products based on the characters.

Snow White
The character of Snow White first originated in a Brothers Grimm fairytale about a beautiful princess with a jealous step-mother. In 1937, Walt Disney turned this classic fairytale into his very first animated feature film. Snow White is the daughter of a king, who re-married a manpiulative and cruel woman. This woman hated Snow White, because she wanted to be the fairest in the land. As long as Snow White was alive, this title went to the princess. After her step-mother tries to have her killed, Snow White runs away and lives in a cottage with seven little dwarfs. Her step-mother finds out that she is still alive, and using dark magic, poisons an apple and changes her own appearance. In disguise, she goes to the cottage and gives Snow White the poisoned apple. The apple, however, does not kill her; it merely puts her to sleep until the Prince wakes her with his kiss.

Cinderella
The best-known version of Cinderella is the fairytale by Charles Perrault in 1697, which was based on an earlier version by Giambattista Basile in 1634. In 1950, it was turned into an animated feature-length film by Walt Disney.

Pirate and Princess Party
From January 22, 2007 to March 8, 2007, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World ran the “Pirate and Princess Party”. The event is a mix of “Pirates of the Caribbean” and the Disney Princess line. Cosplaying as pirates and princesses is encouraged. Visitors can have meet and greets with characters from both franchises and take part in various activities. Other features include a new parade, the “Disney’s Enchanted Adventures Parade”, and a new light show, the “Magic, Music and Mayhem” fireworks spectacular.

External link

 * Official Disney Princess site