I Ranked The 39 Best Short Films On Disney+ From Good To Must-Watch
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These days, Disney is largely associated with its catalog of classic feature-length films, so you'd be forgiven for forgetting that the studio, and Mickey Mouse himself, were actually born out of the animated short.
Fortunately, the studio never lost sight of the medium's very specific, slice-of-life charm when it expanded its reach to feature films and has continued to churn out stellar shorts alongside its tentpole projects.
Walt Disney Pictures / Via gph.is
From early shorts starring Mickey and the gang to the more recent beauties that air before Pixar films, the company has a pretty impeccable track record. Over the years, Disney has scooped up a number of Oscar wins and nominations in the animated short category (although the name of the category has changed a few times in the past century).
Walt Disney Pictures / Via gph.is
For decades, these shorts were hard to track down, but are now available to stream on Disney+.
Here is a ranking of the very best — spanning the '20s to present day! (And please know that ranking these was EXTREMELY DIFFICULT as we've got a lot of very different tones and subject matters here.)
39.22 vs. Earth (2021)
If you've seen Pixar's Best Picture–winning animated film Soul, then you'll recognize Tina Fey's feisty character 22, a soul who does not want to be placed in a body on Earth. In this prequel, 22 bands together with other new souls in the Great Before to prevent their counterparts from reaching Earth. Obviously, it does not go well.
Watch it on Disney+.
38.Mater Private Eye (2010)
Pixar's Cars franchise was such a hit that they spun off a series of short films starring fan-favorite Mater (voiced by Larry the Cable Guy) that originally ran on Toon Disney and the Disney Channel. This film noir–inspired short sees Mater turned private investigator as he investigates a car-napping. I dare you not to smile.
Watch it on Disney+.
37.The Art of Skiing (1941)
There's no shortage of old-school cartoons starring Mickey and co. on Disney+. Case in point, this funny short in which Goofy attempts to learn to ski. Being tall and gangly (and apparently unable to break bones), he spends most of the short tumbling through the snow.
Watch it on Disney+.
36.Double Dribble (1946)
If there is anything funnier than watching Goofy ski, it might be watching Goofy (and a whole team of characters who look just like him) attempt to play basketball.
Watch it on Disney+.
35.Three Little Pigs (1933)
One of Disney's early fairy tale adaptions, here we get to watch the three little pigs build their houses of straw, sticks, and brick just to have the Big Bad Wolf try to blow them all down. The Big Bad Wolf would make several appearances in later cartoons, and this short is a fun version of a story children hear ON REPEAT in elementary school.
Watch it on Disney+.
34.Burrow (2020)
SparkShorts is a program run by Pixar in which Pixar employees are given a small budget to create a short film, with the hopes that the process will better equip them for a feature in the future. One such short is Madeline Sharafian's Burrow, which follows a rabbit who moves underground for some peace and quiet, only to learn he'll be sharing the earth with dozens of other rodent friends. Charming and beautiful, the film was nominated for an Oscar and will leave you contemplating a pet bunny.
Watch it on Disney+.
33.The Tortoise and the Hare (1935)
One of Disney's Silly Symphony shorts, this musical film based on the Aesop's fable went on to win the 1934 Oscar. We watch the classic race unfold before our eyes to beautiful music. The rabbit races off to a quick start, lays down to take a nap, and the rest of course is history.
Watch it on Disney+.
32.Ferdinand the Bull (1938)
Based on the beloved children's book by Munro Leaf, this short, which came out only two years after the book, follows a kind-hearted bull who is much more interested in flowers than fighting. The short was such a hit that it won the 1938 Oscar for Best Short Subject (Cartoons). Oh and Walt Disney himself is the voice of Ferdinand's Mother.
Watch it on Disney+.
31.Playdate With Destiny (2020)
Thanks to the Fox/Disney merger, The Simpsons are now a Disney entity housed on Disney+. To celebrate the union of the two animation giants, Disney commissioned this short film to air before Pixar's Onward. As the pandemic took out the films' theatrical runs at the knees, both moved to the streaming platform, where you can now watch Maggie Simpson search for a boyfriend.
Watch it on Disney+.
30.Once Upon a Snowman (2020)
If you need a little extra Frozen in your life (and my apologies to parents who have watched those films 900 times already), we've got a short focused on Josh Gad's snowman, Olaf. Not to be confused with the oft-maligned Olaf's Frozen Adventure, this short is set in between Olaf's creation by Elsa and his discovery by Anna. We see Olaf's early days and especially his quest to find a nose. And don't worry — "Let It Go" is featured.
Watch it on Disney+.
29.Santa's Workshop (1932)
Prior to their foray into Mickey Mouse–themed shorts, Disney spent much of their time creating short animated films based on classic children's tales. Their straightforward short focusing on Santa Claus and his elves may not have many twists or turns, but it's a very fun Christmas-themed tale.
Watch it on Disney+.
28.Mail Dog (1947)
I'm unsure as to why Mickey Mouse would force his beloved pet dog Pluto to deliver mail in the frozen tundra (à la Balto), but he has in this short. Pluto is trudging through the arctic waste with a mail bag only to be disturbed by a pesky rabbit.
Watch it on Disney+.
27.Lava (2015)
It wouldn't be a Pixar film without a short in front of it, and hitting theaters in tandem with Inside Out was this film about a lonely volcano. A musical love story highlighting the evolution of Hawaiian volcanos, Lava shows viewers how islands (and true love) are formed.
Watch it on Disney+.
26.Destino (2003)
Destino (Spanish for "destiny") is a short film over 50 years in the making. Walt Disney originally teamed up with Salvador Dali (yes, that Salvador Dali) to work on the short film in 1945. The project, however, was scrapped due to World War II and only reemerged in 1999 when animators unearthed the clip while working on Fantasia 2000. The beautiful short follows a woman named Dahlia as she floats through surrealist images inspired by Dali's work.
Watch it on Disney+.
25.Boundin' (2004)
If you didn't see this in theaters before The Incredibles, or if you did but you want to rewatch since it's been 17 years since that movie was released (yes, you're old), it's streaming now. A dancing sheep loses his confidence when he has all of his wool shorn off, and so a traveling jackalope must help to restore him to his former dancing grandeur.
Watch it on Disney+.
24.Kitbull (2019)
Another of the SparkShorts films, Kitbull is about a friendship that's formed between a feisty stray KITten and a worn out old pitBULL (get it?). The bittersweet film is a bit darker than Disney's usual animated fare, but with an Oscar nomination under its belt, it's well worth the watch.
Watch it on Disney+.
23.Presto (2008)
The short accompanying Wall-E into theaters is this Looney Tunes–styled (or maybe I'm just associated the two rabbits together) farce involving a magician and his white rabbit. While Alec the rabbit is being asked to cooperate, things go haywire when his hunger for a carrot grows ravenous. Oh, and we got another Oscar-nominee for Pixar.
Watch it on Disney+.
22.The Hockey Champ (1939)
Donald Duck is apparently a hockey champion (and he's got the trophy to prove it.) When he takes his nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie to the frozen pond for a lesson however, the young ones end up showing ol' Uncle Donald a thing or two.
Watch it on Disney+.
21.Forky Asks a Question (2019)
The breakout star of Toy Story 4 was Forky, a spork-and-pipe-cleaner creation, voiced by Tony Hale, that doesn't think of himself as a toy, but rather as trash. In this spinoff series of shorts created for Disney+, our unsung hero explains subjects such as money, friendship, and art to humorous results.
Watch it on Disney+.
20.One Man Band (2006)
The preshow short that debuted along with Cars, this Oscar-nominated film watches competing one-man-bands dueling it out for a single gold coin owned by a peasant girl. The music composed by Michael Giacchino is epic and fun, and the animation style ventures into something more angular and realistic than Pixar's usual fare.
Watch it on Disney+.
19.Pluto's Surprise Package (1949)
Pluto attempts to bring in Mickey's mail, but spoiler alert, there is a turtle in the box, and he's going to make Pluto's life difficult. This is another classic example of old-school Disney shenanigans at their finest.
Watch it on Disney+.
18.Day & Night (2010)
Another of Pixar's pre-feature shorts, this one originally ran in theaters before Toy Story 3. Rendered in a 2D animation format largely unused by Pixar prior to its release, Day & Night watched the two titular characters grapple with their differences before realizing that they are actually more similar than they thought.
Watch it on Disney+.
17.Us Again (2021)
The most recent addition to this list, this short made its debut along with the theatrical run of Raya and the Last Dragon. When an elderly Art doesn't want to go out in the rain with his wife, Dot, he begins to think about his past, and so we see the two dance together through their history on the vibrant, rainy streets of New York City. There's nothing to say here other than it's a pure joy.
Watch it on Disney+.
16.Auntie Edna (2018)
Another Pixar spinoff, this short, originally released with copies of Incredibles 2, follows superhero fashion designer Edna Mode as she babysits and attempts to create a supersuit for Jack-Jack. You can never have enough Edna Mode. Give us a whole spinoff series, darling!
Watch it on Disney+.
15.Wind (2019)
A bit darker than the other entries into the SparkShorts program, this quiet film follows a boy and his grandmother as they try to escape a dark chasm that they've been entrapped in. They float up to collect objects they can use to build a rocket in hopes of escaping. Artistically beautiful, the end really packs a punch.
Watch it on Disney+.
14.Loop (2020)
Yet another of Pixar's masterful SparkShorts, Loop focuses on a chatty Black boy and a non-verbal autistic girl out exploring in a canoe. While they don't understand each other at first, through their adventures they learn how to read what the other is saying.
Watch it on Disney+.
13.Out (2020)
Hooray for LGBTQ+ representation!! This short (another a part of the SparkShorts program) is both the first Disney and Pixar film to feature a gay main character and storyline. Greg struggles to come out to his parents despite the encouragement from his boyfriend, Manuel. A magical cat and dog, however, bodyswap Greg with his dog in an attempt to spur him into action. The delightful little film includes an onscreen same-sex kiss as well. More of this please, Disney!
Watch it on Disney+.
12.Flowers and Trees (1932)
Part of Disney's Silly Symphonies series of whimsical shorts set to music, this film watches as trees and flowers sway to orchestra music. This was the first film ever to win the Oscar for Best Cartoon Short Subject, becoming an instant classic. I mean, who doesn't want to watch two dancing trees fall in love with each other?
Watch it on Disney+.
11.Thru the Mirror (1936)
Perhaps a Toy Story predecessor, this classic short sees Mickey (in his iconic red and yellow) break through the mirror on his mantle and into a room where inanimate objects have come to life. Mickey leads a deck of playing cards through a Fred Astaire dance number and has a run-in with a fountain pen.
Watch it on Disney+.
10.Partly Cloudy (2009)
We've made it to the top 10! One of Pixar's more inventive shorts (and that's saying something), this one, which originally ran before Up, focuses on clouds who make the babies that storks then deliver to new parents. One such cloud, however, has a penchant for creating especially dangerous babies (crocodile, porcupine, shark, etc.), and so we watch his stork labor away by bringing these babies to their rightful parents.
Watch it on Disney+.
9.The Band Concert (1935)
Sometimes our best-laid plans go to hell. As is the case in this short starring Mickey Mouse as a band conductor whose performance is constantly interrupted by outside forces. Leading the orchestra through a medley of classical music, Mickey epitomizes "the show must go on" even as a tornado arrives. A classic for the ages.
Watch it on Disney+.
8.Piper (2016)
While Pixar typically aims for a more imaginative, cartoonish style of animation in their features and shorts, with Piper (which ran before Finding Dory) the animators are flexing a bit. Following a sandpiper on the beach, the short serves up realistic pebbles, sand granules, and waves. There are shots that will leave you asking, "Is this real?" which is the point, given that the dialogue-free short took the team three years and a big chunk of change to create.
Watch it on Disney+.
7.Mickey's Trailer (1938)
This is my favorite of the Mickey cartoons. We start with the gag that Mickey's trailer has a beautiful backdrop to obscure the town dump, and the jokes just keep on coming. Watch as his trailer careens down mountainsides and over ravines as Mickey, Donald, and Goofy get up to their usual antics. A must-watch.
Watch it on Disney+.
6.For the Birds (2001)
I've watched this short approximately 700 times because it aired before my beloved Monsters, Inc., which is the best Pixar movie (don't @ me). A bunch of snobby little birds are sitting on a telephone wire, only to get VERY annoyed when a bigger (and different) bird arrives to join them. It's a lesson in acceptance, humor, and groundbreaking animation. (And yes, both For the Birds and Monster's, Inc. won Oscars, so there.)
Watch it on Disney+.
5.Sanjay's Super Team (2015)
If you've never heard of this Pixar short, it's probably because it ran in theaters before The Good Dinosaur, which was underwatched and underappreciated when it was released. (It's a stunning Western with surprisingly dark themes, a touching ending, and top-shelf animation, but I digress.) In this semi-autobiographical short, directed by Sanjay Patel, we follow young Sanjay as he grows bored with Hindu meditation and reimagines the Hindu gods as superheroes. It was deservedly nominated for an Oscar as well.
Watch it on Disney+.
4.Mike's New Car (2002)
"Its like we've released the panther." THIS RIGHT HERE is a HYSTERICAL short. Or at least so I thought back when my siblings and I would watch it on repeat as a part of the special features on the Monster's, Inc. DVD. Is it the most inventive or artistically beautiful? No. But humor counts for extra points here. So I boosted it up the lineup. Billy Crystal and John Goodman are back in this Oscar-nominated short in which Mike tries to impress Sully with his brand-new car. There is nothing better.
Watch it on Disney+.
3.Bao (2018)
Pixar, a perennial leader in the animation space, snatched up an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film for this 2018 short that played before Incredibles 2. In it, a tiny dumpling comes to life before a lonely Chinese Canadian mother's eyes. She raises the steamed bun as if it was her own child before coming face to face with empty nest syndrome as the little guy grows up. Have some tissues close at hand.
Watch it on Disney+.
2.Geri's Game (1997)
Geri's Game was an early Pixar creation, and its first film to feature a human. In the short, we see Geri, an elderly man, theatrically play chess against himself at the park. The short, groundbreaking for its use of 3D animation, won an Oscar and was paired the following year theatrically with A Bug's Life, which it ran before. It's simple, it's clever, and — despite an impressive collection of Pixar short films that have been released in the years since — nothing from this century has hit in quite the same way.
Watch it on Disney+.
1.Steamboat Willie (1928)
The Mouse. The Myth. The Legend. The cartoon that launched a thousand theme parks if you will. There isn't a cartoon more famous on the Disney+ roster than the original Mickey Mouse flick, so I had to rank it number one. Mickey and his domineering boss Pete are central to this short. Mickey with his iconic round pants and ears would go on to become the face of Disney as a whole. Crazy what a little short can do.
Watch it on Disney+.
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