Disney Princess

Disney Princess is a media franchise owned by the Walt Disney Company. Created by Disney Consumer Products chairman Andy Mooney in the late 1990s, the franchise spotlights a line-up of fictional female heroines who have appeared in various Disney animated feature films.

The franchise currently comprises eleven female protagonists from ten different Walt Disney Animation Studios films and one Pixar film who are either royal by birth, royal by marriage, or considered a "princess" due to their significant portrayal of heroism in their film. Most of the unofficial Disney Princesses do not join the line-up either because marketing is not successful, their film's box office gross did not fare well, or they are too young. In the case of Anna and Elsa, they ended up getting their own franchise because of how successful their franchise is and therefore don't need to join the line-up.

The original Disney Princess line-up featured Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, and Mulan. It later expanded to include Tiana, Rapunzel, and Merida after the successes of their respective films.

The Disney Princesses are featured 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 are also featured very prominently at the Disney theme parks.

Since 2013, with the exception of those created after the Disney Renaissance, the Princesses are showcased in their enhanced and modified redesigned outfits (excluding Ariel) instead of the ones that they wear in their own movies.

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 and Esmeralda were once included under the same principle before it was decided that they were not suited for the "mythology". Recently, though, Tinker Bell has starred in her own Disney franchise, the 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, direct-to-video movies and other products based on the characters. At one point, Jane Porter, Giselle, Anna and Elsa were considered to be included in the line-up, but weren't realized.

Character Background
The official Disney Princesses have a number of things in common. While not official, these are sometimes described as the "rules" to become a Disney Princess.
 * 1) The character is human, or human-like in the case of Ariel and formerly Tinker Bell.
 * 2) The character has a primary role in an animated Disney/Pixar film.
 * 3) The character has not been introduced in a sequel.
 * 4) The character has either been born royal, married royal, or has performed an act of heroism.

The characters themselves, despite appearing in separate films, have distinct similarities. The Princesses show good will towards all creatures, evidenced by the common ability to communicate with animals. The Princesses are known for their inner and outer beauty, as well as having beautiful singing voices, apart from Merida, who only sings a song with her mother when she is little in her film.

Each Princess, excluding Merida, has a romance that is resolved by the end of her debut film; the male counterparts known as Disney Princes. These charismatic girls carry a similar personality in their eras, in the beginning with the first three (Snow White, Cinderella, and Aurora), their characteristics were well known as classy, graceful and romantic daydreamers, who suffered from the actions caused by others. They held an inner strength through compassion, love, kindness and, particularly with Snow White, a strong sense of resilience.

After the Renaissance Era, these popular heroines became more active than reactive with Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, and Mulan. Their characteristics were known to be strong-willed, adventurous, feisty, cunning, and determined. As well their goals focused more on adventure and freedom than love, and these girls were more fighters for their dreams than the first three. They also existed in worlds which were more self-aware of the traditional and changing role of women; particularly Ariel, with her villainess assuring her that women on land should keep silent, Belle, with her villain assuring her that "it's not right for a woman to read", and Mulan, with her peers extolling masculine traits in addition to those of the ideal wife. The latest ones - Tiana and Rapunzel - are in the modern era; Tiana, an original character, is much more a realist than the others, she does not want magic to make a dream come true but with only hard work, whereas Rapunzel is much more like the idealistic ones than Tiana.

Snow White, Aurora, Ariel, Jasmine, Rapunzel, and Merida are born of royal heritage as daughters of kings and queens. Pocahontas can be considered as being of royal heritage, as she is the daughter of a chief and considered Native American royalty by the English. Cinderella, Belle, and Tiana become royalty by marriage. Mulan was neither royal by birth or marriage, but is still included in the line-up due to her high status by saving China and receiving grace from the Emperor.

In the 2016 film Moana, Maui states that princesses have animal sidekicks. This has been evidently shown to be a common characteristic among the official members.

Snow White
The character of Snow White first originated in 1937 from a Brothers Grimm fairy tale "Schneewittchen" about a beautiful German princess with a jealous stepmother. Walt Disney turned this classic fairy tale into his very first animated feature film. Her true love is the Prince, who breaks her sleeping death 'slumber' (caused by the Evil Queen) with love's first kiss. She befriends the seven dwarfs during her stay at their cottage. At 14, she is the youngest of the Princesses.

Cinderella
The best-known version of Cinderella is the fairy tale "Cendrillon" by Charles Perrault in 1697. In 1950, it was turned into an animated feature-length film by Walt Disney. Cinderella Tremaine is the eldest of all the Disney Princesses. She is 19 years of age during the events of the film. Her stepmother turned her into the family's sole servant after the death of her father. With magical help from her Fairy Godmother, she attends a royal ball and meets Prince Charming, and eventually marries him, thus freeing her from her life of servitude. Cinderella is often considered the leader of the Princesses; often being put in the center of the group shots.

Aurora
Best known as the heroine of the 1959 animated classic Sleeping Beauty, which is very loosely based on Charles Perrault's "La Belle au Bois Dormant". Although her dress changes from blue to pink thanks to a disagreement between two of her guardians, Merryweather and Flora, outside the film, she is most commonly seen wearing pink. She was cursed at birth to die before the sun sets on her 16th birthday by the evil fairy Maleficent by pricking her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel. One of the three good fairies, Merryweather, was able to weaken the curse by changing death to a deep slumber that could only be awakened by true love's kiss. By falling in love with Prince Phillip, the prince of a neighboring kingdom (and unknown to either of them, her betrothed), she was freed from the curse. Aurora is shown to be one of the taller princesses in the franchise.

Ariel
The heroine of the 1989 film, loosely based on the Danish fairy tale "Den Lille Havfrue" by Hans Christian Andersen, and the daughter of King Triton, ruler of the sea. Ariel is a 16-year-old mermaid who falls in love with a dashing human prince named Eric, an extension of her fascination with all things from the surface world. Her dream is to live a life on land. So it comes as no surprise when her dream causes her to fall victim to accepting a shady offer from Ursula the Sea Witch promising her a lifetime of happiness with Prince Eric as long as she carries out the rules outlined in the signed binding contract. Ursula persuades her to trade her beautiful voice, in exchange for becoming a human for three days. During these three days, Ariel must not only make Prince Eric fall in love with her, but the two must seal their love with a kiss. If Ariel is unable to uphold her end of the agreement, she must return to the sea to live out her days in Ursula's lair as a prisoner, joining the many other "lost souls" that have fallen victim to Ursula's "wish granting" over the years. However, Ariel is able to defeat Ursula with Eric's help and thanks to her father, she becomes human permanently and marries Eric at the end of the film.

Hans Christian Andersen's original character dissolves into foam on the sea after the prince marries someone else, but through an act of compassion is transformed into a spirit of the air. Co-director Ron Clements felt the story was too tragic, and changed the original character from the tragic but hopeful heroine to the brave and resourceful Ariel.

Belle
The young 17-year old French commoner who is the heroine of the 1991 animated classic Beauty and the Beast, is loosely based on the French fairy tale "La Belle et la Bête" abridged from the version by. The name Belle translates from the French word for "beauty". In the film, she selflessly trades in her freedom, for that of her father's, in a bargain with the Beast, thus becoming his prisoner/guest. She soon learns to see the good hidden behind his hideous appearance and rough manner and eventually, over time, falling in love with him. By confessing her love at the end of the movie, she breaks the curse placed on him by the enchantress. The Beast and his staff are then restored to their human forms and Belle became his princess.

Jasmine
The spunky, independent Arabian Princess of Agrabah, who dreams of seeing what's beyond her palace and be freed from her father's constant pestering of arranged royal marriage. She falls in love with the title character in 1992's Aladdin, whom she eventually marries.

She is loosely based on Princess Badroulbadour (Arabic بدر البدور, badru l-budūr, "full moon of full moons") featured in the story of "Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp" from "One Thousand and One Nights" of Scheherazade. Interestingly, the original story took place in China and not the Middle East.

Pocahontas
Disney's Pocahontas is loosely based on the real-life Native American "princess" of the Powhatan tribe (a name also borne by her father, the chief). Her real name was Matoaka since Pocahontas was her nickname and meant 'Playful One'. She falls in love with a man named John Smith, who helps her prevent a war from commencing between their people. At the end of the film, John is wounded and sent back to London for treatment.

Mulan
Fa Mulan (or simply Mulan) is a brave heroine who impersonates a male soldier to fight for the Chinese Imperial Army in order to protect her ailing father who would have been required to go if she had not gone in his place. Mulan pretends to be her father's son, Ping, risking death, and dishonor if she is discovered. Joining a struggling troop of rookies led by Captain Li Shang (or simply Shang), "Ping" is the driving force behind the troop's dramatic change into respectable soldiers. "Ping" is admired by everyone until "he" is injured during the battle and requires medical care, resulting in the outing of "his" secret. Since "Ping" had saved Shang's life, Shang repays his debt and spares Mulan's life. No longer allowed in the Imperial Army, Mulan goes rogue and defeats the leader of the Hun army Shan Yu. The Chinese Emperor praises Mulan, recognizing her as a hero for saving China and for bringing honor to her family. Mulan is welcomed back into her home with loving, open arms. Shang arrives at Mulan's home shortly after her return, and the two's feelings for each other are made known.

The character of Mulan is loosely based on the heroine from the well-known ancient Chinese poem "The Ballad of Mulan" (木蘭詩). She is the only Disney Princess who is not royal by blood or marriage. However, she has been bestowed the honor of a being an official Disney Princess because of her popularity as well as what she represents. The film is praised for its cultural authenticity and prevailing messages including family, love, courage, and most notably, the empowerment and equal rights of women.

Tiana
Partly inspired from E.D. Baker's 2002 novel The Frog Princess, and the original fairy tale "The Frog Prince", Tiana is the heroine of the 2009 animated film The Princess and the Frog, and is the first African-American princess. She dreams of opening her own restaurant through hard work. By kissing Prince Naveen in frog form, she is turned into a frog because she kissed him for material gain, not love, and the magic can only be broken by a princess, so they are forced to set on a journey to find a way to undo the magic. Eventually, she finds herself falling for the handsome but spoiled prince, and willingly gives up her personal wants to be with him. By marrying the prince, Tiana becomes a real princess, and with her love, breaks the spell with a kiss. They finally open their own restaurant at the end of the film.

Tiana officially became a member of the Disney Princess line-up on March 14, 2010, at the New York Palace Hotel in Manhattan, New York City. She is the only Princess whose story was inspired by an original fairy tale, a novel, and a real-life person.

Rapunzel
The heroine from the animated feature Tangled is loosely based on the German title character from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale "Rapunzel". Her long hair, which is said to measure 70 feet in length, not only has magical healing powers but can be used as a weapon. Given the power by a magic golden flower, Mother Gothel kidnaps her as an infant to use her power to keep herself young. 18 years later, Rapunzel sneaks away from her tower with a thief, Flynn Rider, and sets on her own journey to find the flying lanterns that float into the sky every year on her birthday. To free her from Gothel's clutches, Flynn cuts her hair, thus destroying her power, and she is returned to her family. Rapunzel was "officially welcomed into the Disney Princess Royal Court" during a promotional event at Kensington Palace in London on October 2, 2011. Interestingly, even though Rapunzel's long golden hair is cut off in the movie, changing it from blonde to brown, her redesigned image shows it fully restored back to blonde, although somewhat shorter than its original 70-foot length.

Merida
Merida is the 16-year old daughter of Queen Elinor, who rules the kingdom alongside her husband, King Fergus. Queen Elinor's expectations and demands of her daughter make Merida see Elinor as being cold, unfeeling, and distant, causing friction between the two. Despite Elinor's desire to see Merida as a proper royal lady, Merida is an impetuous girl with wild, unruly ginger hair and a passionate desire to take control of her own destiny. Merida has honed her skill with the bow and is the most skilled archers in her kingdom. She is also well trained in sword-fighting and an expert horsewoman, riding wildly across the countryside on her horse, Angus.

She is the second princess from a Pixar film (the first is Princess Atta from A Bug's Life), the first original princess in the line-up that is not inspired by either literature (Snow White, Cinderella, etc.) or real-life (Pocahontas, Mulan) works, and the first without a love interest. She also never sings a major song, thus breaking away the traditional line-up, though as a child, she sang a small verse of a song in Gaelic with her mother, and Merida's rich Scottish brogue makes her the second Disney Princess with an accent other than Standard American. Merida officially joined the Disney Princess court on May 11, 2013, at Walt Disney World's Cinderella Castle.

Guest characters
Other Disney characters have guest starred alongside the eleven above princesses in various Disney Princess products.
 * Disney Princess Dolls:
 * Disney Store Classic Dolls: Tinker Bell and Esmeralda are included.
 * Assorted Dolls: Alice, Wendy Darling, Tinker Bell, and Melody are included.
 * Disney Princess Fashion Figures: Minnie Mouse, Tinker Bell, Anna, and Elsa are included.
 * Disney Princess Lego Sets: Anna and Elsa are included.
 * Princess Collection 2: Songs by Maid Marian, Nala, and Megara are included.
 * Disney Princess Sing-Along Songs - Once Upon a Dream: Sing along segments by Minnie Mouse, Megara, and Ting-Ting, Su, and Mei are included.
 * Disney Princess Sing-Along Songs Vol. 2 - Enchanted Tea Party: Sing along segments by Alice, Maid Marian, and Melody are included.
 * Disney Princess Sing-Along Songs Vol. 3 - Perfectly Princess: Sing along segments by Alice and Melody are included.
 * Disney Princess: "It's Not Just Make Believe" Music Video: Alice and Melody are included.
 * The Glow (Sarah Geronimo): Anna and Elsa are included.
 * Disney Princess Magazines: Alice, Esmeralda, Jane Porter, Anna, and Elsa appeared in magazines, and in the cases of Jane, Anna, and Elsa, they came to be presented as new princesses for the franchise.
 * Once Upon a Princess: Volume 1: A storybook segment by Esmeralda is included.
 * My Princess Collection (books collection): Alice, Dot, Jessie, and Kida are included.
 * Disney Princess Puzzle: Minnie Mouse is included.
 * Disney Princess: Journey to London: Megara and Esmeralda are included.
 * Disney Junior's Once Upon a Princess (video series): Anna and Elsa are included.
 * Dream Big, Princess (commercial series): Anna, Elsa, Moana, and Elena are featured in occasional commercials alongside the official line-up.

Unofficial Princesses
Disney heroines and actual princesses that are not part of the official line-up but are princesses/heroines in their respective films. These characters have appeared in some official Disney Princess products or promotions.


 * Minnie Mouse
 * Alice from Alice in Wonderland.
 * Wendy Darling from Peter Pan.
 * Tinker Bell from Peter Pan.
 * Maid Marian from Robin Hood.
 * Princess Leia from the Star Wars series.
 * Princesses Attina, Alana, Adella, Aquata, Arista, and Andrina from The Little Mermaid.
 * Queen Nala from The Lion King.
 * Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
 * Megara from Hercules.
 * Queen Atta from A Bug's Life.
 * Princess Dot from A Bug's Life.
 * Jane Porter from Tarzan.
 * Jessie from Toy Story 2.
 * Kiara from The Lion King II: Simba's Pride.
 * Princess Melody from The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea.
 * Empress Kida from Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
 * Kairi from the Kingdom Hearts series.
 * Ting-Ting, Su, and Mei from Mulan II.
 * Kilala Reno from Kilala Princess.
 * Giselle from Enchanted.
 * President Vanellope von Schweetz from Wreck-It Ralph.
 * Sofia from Sofia the First.
 * Princess Anna from Frozen.
 * Queen Elsa from Frozen.
 * Princess Elena from Elena of Avalor.
 * Chief Moana from Moana.

Royal Toddlers
This line features the Disney Princesses reimagined as young children.

Palace Pets
In July 2013, the Princesses received a spin-off franchise called Palace Pets. Currently, 10 of the 11 Princesses have more than two Palace Pets.

Kingdom Hearts series
In the games, five of the official princesses are part of the Seven Princesses of Heart (セブンプリンセス Sebun Purinsesu), a group of maidens with hearts of pure Light, devoid of Darkness, and were created when the X-blade was split into seven pieces of light and thirteen of darkness. They are referred to this name because they allow access to the Door to Darkness when gathered together, and whoever gathers them will gain the power to rule over the worlds. The members in this incarnation are:
 * Kairi
 * Alice
 * Snow White
 * Jasmine
 * Belle
 * Cinderella
 * Aurora

Notably, two other Disney Princesses, Ariel and Mulan, appear as well but are not Princesses of Heart. Instead, they serve as party members that fight alongside Sora in their journey to save the worlds.

In Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, it was revealed that another generation of the Princesses of Heart exists, and will be elaborated upon in Kingdom Hearts III. Referred to as the "New Seven Hearts of Light", these pure-hearted maidens consist of the more recent members from the Disney Princess franchise. Kairi is the only member from the original group that will be part of the new seven lights. Anna, Elsa, and Rapunzel will also be potential candidates; unfortunately they will become targets to Organization XIII in the process.

Kilala Princess series
In the manga series, six of the official princesses appear, each having the power to bring peace to the world. After her best friend Erica is kidnapped, Kilala uses the power of the Magic Tiara to open the Gate of Dreams in order to find her, interacting with each of the princesses and receiving a gem from each of them to power the Tiara during this time. Using the six gems she'd collected, Kilala manages to free the citizens of Paradiso from Valdou's control - gaining the final gem when she accepts that she is the seventh princess and chooses to become one in her own way. The seven princesses appear as follows:
 * Snow White
 * Ariel
 * Aurora
 * Cinderella
 * Jasmine
 * Belle
 * Kilala Reno

Mickey's Pirate and Princess Party
Beginning on January 22, 2007, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World hosted their newest hard ticket (separate admission) event, "Disney's Pirate and Princess Party", renamed "Mickey's Pirate and Princess Party" in 2008. The event combines the "Pirates of the Caribbean" attraction and movie series and the Disney Princess line, and ing as both pirates and royalty is encouraged. Visitors can have meet and greets with characters from both franchises, as well as the other classic characters dressed as buccaneers and royals, and take part in various activities. Other features include the "Disney's Enchanted Adventures Parade" and the "Magic, Music and Mayhem" fireworks spectacular. Because the event has become so popular, Pirate and Princess events have become an annual hard-ticket staple with dates into August and September of 2007 and January through June of 2008.

Trivia

 * As of 2016, there are a total of eleven Princess films featuring nine Princesses (six by birth, three by marriage), one heroine and one is a daughter of a chief.
 * One of the unspoken rules of the franchise is that none of the Princesses ever make eye contact in any official merchandise, keeping their "mythologies" separate. The Disney Princesses were designed to have all the Princesses unaware of each other's presence.
 * Roy E. Disney was against the creation of the Disney Princess franchise, as he said, "Cinderella and Snow White could never be seen together because their stories take place in different times and places."
 * Going against the marketing strategy of the franchise, the princesses, along with Vanellope, Anna, Elsa, and Moana, will interact with each other for the first time in the upcoming Wreck-It Ralph sequel.
 * The reasoning for including Elsa, Anna, and Moana in the film's variation of the lineup was due to the filmmakers recognizing the unofficial princesses as princess characters that have the strongest association with the franchise, as well as sharing the connection of being from Walt Disney Animation with Vanellope.
 * Out of all the eleven Princesses, seven of them have used magic actively on others or their surroundings: Cinderella and Aurora with wands, Ariel with her father's trident, Belle with the Enchanted Mirror, Jasmine with Carpet, Rapunzel with her hair, and Merida with the Spell Cake.
 * Merida is unique among the Disney Princess for not only being from a Pixar film, but also isn't from real-life or literature, and doesn't have a love interest. However, it should be noted that Young MacGuffin was intended to be Merida's Prince during production, before it was ultimately decided she would remain single. She is also the first princess to display an actual accent.
 * Pocahontas is the first Disney Princess with two love interests with John Smith and John Rolfe. She is the only Disney Princess to not end up with her original prince however, and falls in love with John Rolfe (who she married in real life) in the sequel. Despite that, she's commonly marketed with John Smith.
 * Alternatively, the Princesses may fall into three categories based on their eras:
 * Walt Era (Golden Age/Classic Era) (1937-1966): Snow White, Cinderella, and Aurora.
 * Renaissance Era (1989-1999): Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, and Mulan.
 * Revival Era (2009-present): Tiana, Rapunzel, and Merida.
 * Each of the Princesses has a signature color based on their outfits:
 * Snow White: red
 * Cinderella: blue (despite her dress being silvery in the film)
 * Aurora: deep pink/blue
 * Ariel: green/pink
 * Belle: yellow
 * Jasmine: turquoise
 * Pocahontas: tan
 * Mulan: rose pink/chartreuse
 * Tiana: light green (occasionally blue)
 * Rapunzel: purple
 * Merida: teal
 * Each Princess is represented by one or more objects:
 * Snow White – red apple
 * Cinderella – glass slipper, pumpkin
 * Aurora – golden tiara, spindle, spinning wheel, pink rose
 * Ariel – dinglehopper, seashell, trident
 * Belle – book, red rose, mirror
 * Jasmine – the magic lamp, flying carpet
 * Pocahontas – her mother's necklace, feather, compass
 * Mulan – peach blossom, fan, sword
 * Tiana – lily pad flower, gumbo pot
 * Rapunzel – sun insignia, lantern, paintbrush, the golden flower
 * Merida – bow/arrow, will o' the wisp, bear pendant
 * Mulan and Tiana are the only Princesses to kill the main antagonist in their films. Mulan has actually killed more people than any other original Disney character, having buried an entire Hun army in an avalanche from which few escaped.
 * In Japan, only seven of the dozen Princesses are considered as official (Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, and Rapunzel) with the excluded Princesses rarely featured in local merchandise and promotional material.
 * The first eight Princesses were once represented as elements on a periodic table at a candy store at Downtown Disney in Orlando, FL.
 * Snow White: S - sulfur
 * Cinderella: C - carbon
 * Aurora: Au - gold
 * Ariel: Ai - fictional
 * Belle: B - boron
 * Jasmine: J - jodium, former name of iodine
 * Pocahontas: P - phosphorous
 * Mulan: Ml - fictional
 * Rapunzel was the first princess in the franchise to be computer-animated, rather than traditionally hand-drawn. However, she (as well as the other computer-animated Princess, Merida) has a hand-drawn redesign when appearing with the other Princesses in merchandise or pictures.
 * Several of the Disney Princesses are animated by the same person. Marc Davis animated Snow White, Cinderella, and Aurora, Glen Keane animated Ariel, Pocahontas, and Rapunzel, and Mark Henn animated Belle, Jasmine, Mulan, and Tiana.
 * Tiana, Rapunzel, and Merida are the only Princesses to have a change of title in their film from their intended titles. Tiana's was originally The Frog Princess, Rapunzel's was simply called Rapunzel, and Merida's was The Bear and the Bow.
 * The first six Princesses have home releases in the form of "Disney Vault" limited time only editions.
 * There are seven Caucasian princesses: Snow White and Rapunzel (German); Cinderella, Aurora, and Belle (French); Ariel (Danish); and Merida (Scottish). The four non-Caucasian Disney Princesses are Jasmine (Arabian), Pocahontas (Native American), Mulan (Chinese), and Tiana (African American).
 * Tiana is the first Disney Princess to have a public coronation as all of the Princesses up to Mulan were already in the line-up when the franchise first launched in the early 2000s.
 * Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the only film in the franchise which won an honorary Oscar. Brave won an Oscar as Best Animated Feature Film of the Year. The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas won two Oscars (Best Soundtrack, Best Original Song). Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Mulan, The Princess and the Frog and Tangled were just nominated for an award.
 * Merida and Mulan are the only Princesses to wield a real weapon in her merchandising form. Rapunzel's frying pan is also shown in merchandise but doesn't count as a 'real' weapon.
 * Cinderella, Tiana, Rapunzel, and Merida are shown as children in their original films. Ariel is shown as a child in her prequel movie, The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning.
 * With the exception of Pocahontas, all classic Princesses made an appearance in the line of pins Disney Princess Premiere Birthstone of the Disney parks. Tinker Bell, Alice, Esmeralda, Megara, and Jane Porter also made ​appearances, despite not being official Princesses.
 * Out of the eleven Princesses Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel, Tiana, and Merida all speak/sing the last line in their respective movie.
 * Ariel is the only Disney Princess who isn't born a human, but she eventually becomes a human.
 * Pocahontas is the only Princess whose official artwork remained unchanged. However, at one point, she was shown wearing her London dress from Journey to a New World.
 * Out of the 11 Princesses in the line-up, only five are actually seen getting married on screen: Cinderella, Ariel, Jasmine, Tiana, and Rapunzel. Jasmine got married in the sequel Aladdin and the King of Thieves, and Rapunzel is the only princess who got married in the short Tangled Ever After. Mulan almost gets married in the sequel Mulan II to a prince of a neighboring kingdom for political reasons, but Mushu interferes and stops the marriage.
 * Pocahontas and Merida are the only Disney Princesses to retire in the Disney on Ice shows.
 * Cinderella, Aurora, and Belle are so far the only Princesses to have a live-action reimagining of their original films, though Aurora's film was reimagined to focus on Maleficent's point of view. Mulan, Ariel, and Jasmine are confirmed to have a live-action remake of their respective movies in progress.
 * Aurora is the only true blonde Princess. Rapunzel's a blonde by way of the sun's magic, but is a natural brunette by genetics, while Cinderella is a strawberry-blonde.
 * Out of all eleven Princesses, Snow White and Cinderella are the only orphaned Princesse, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, and Pocahontas are the only ones who have only their fathers alive, and Tiana is the only one who has only her mother alive and the first to have only her father die.
 * In their redesigns, they're made to look roughly the same age and height.
 * Although most of the princesses have been a damsel in distress, Ariel is the first Disney Princess to be in a heroine role — saving Eric from drowning.
 * Fa Mulan is the only Disney Princess to have a known last name.
 * Aurora and Mulan are the only Disney Princesses to go by aliases (Aurora as "Briar Rose" and Mulan as "Ping"). Although in Aurora's case, she thought Briar Rose was her real name until she was informed of her true identity.
 * Snow White, Cinderella, Belle, Pocahontas, Mulan and Rapunzel's names are from their original stories.
 * The Disney Princesses, have appeared in the ABC series Once Upon a Time, with the series centering on Emma Swan, the daughter of Snow White who has to break a curse. The ABC Studios is owned by Disney, and therefore they have rights to the Princesses. Snow White, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Mulan, Tiana, and Merida have all appeared on the show. The series has also featured two different versions of Cinderella and Rapunzel.
 * Pocahontas is the only Princess who did not appear on the show, nor did she appear in its spin-off.
 * Alice, Wendy Darling, Tinker Bell, Maid Marian, Anna, Elsa, and Megara are the only unofficial Princesses who appear on the show.
 * Only four of the eleven princesses (Jasmine, Mulan, Rapunzel, and Merida) have appeared as playable characters in Disney INFINITY. Anna and Elsa are also playable characters, but they are not viewed as official members of the Disney Princesses.
 * In Sofia the First, Pocahontas is the only Princess who hasn't appeared in the series.