While Disney is well-respected for its classic animations, some content within them is questionable when reviewed under a modern light.
As such, a number of older Disney movies come with a content advisory message when you start watching them on Disney+.
Which Films Come With a Content Warning on Disney+?
The following films have been identified by Disney as portraying people or cultures negatively. As such, they now come with a content warning.
- Dumbo
- Lady and the Tramp
- Peter Pan
- Swiss Family Robinson
- The Aristocats
- The Jungle Book
These films aren’t available when using a child profile on Disney+. They don’t appear anywhere, either on the homepage or search. If you want to watch these films, you must use a standard adult profile.
What Content Warning Appears on Disney+?
Before you watch any of these films on Disney+, the following message will appear on screen for a short time:
This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together. Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe. To learn more about how stories have impacted society visit: www.Disney.com/StoriesMatter
The Stories Matter website goes into detail about the organizations that Disney is working with to support its cultural competency.
The site also explains why some films have been deemed offensive. For example, Peter Pan portrays Native people stereotypically and refers to them by offensive terms, Dumbo mimics racist minstrel shows, and The Aristocats features a cat that is a racist caricature of East Asian peoples.
Why Has Disney Not Removed These Films Entirely?
There would likely be outcry if Disney removed these films completely from Disney+, as many people consider them childhood classics, and capturing nostalgia is a big selling point of Disney’s content library.
So, rather than remove them completely, Disney has added content warnings about the outdated and/or insensitive elements of the films.