Top 20 Disney Moments That Made Us Ugly Cry
#20: Gramma Tala's Death “Moana” (2016)
Moana’s relationship with her grandmother is a close one. But considering Tala’s advanced age, it doesn’t come as a huge surprise when Moana loses her during the story. Moana isn’t present for the bitter end, and watching her light go out from afar is almost sadder. Luckily, Grandmother Tala is reincarnated as a manta ray who helps our heroine begin her journey. Surprisingly enough Moana’s grandmother wasn’t a character in the first iterations of the movie’s storyboard. The figure was later added by one of the writers, giving the film an extra emotional punch.
#19: Rapunzel’s Parents “Tangled” (2010)
Rapunzel’s parents, aka the King and Queen of Corona, were understandably crushed after the evil Mother Gothel kidnapped their infant daughter; and you’d need to be pretty evil yourself to not appreciate their pain. The crux of this heart-wrenching scene is when the Queen gently wipes away a tear from the King’s crestfallen face. A sense of hopelessness lingers throughout the scene, as the emotionally distraught parents mourn the loss of their newborn child. Thankfully, this is a Disney movie, so in the end Rapunzel is reunited with her fam and everyone lives happily ever after.
#18: Dory’s Pleas “Finding Nemo” (2003)
After having been swallowed by a blue whale, attacked by an anglerfish, and chased by sharks in the search for his lost son Nemo, Marlin was ready to throw in the towel; something that absolutely destroys Dory, his friend and search partner. As she desperately pleads with him not to give up, it’s a fool’s errand to try and keep one’s composure. It’s Dory’s stammered yet earnest monologue that gets us all wet and blubbery, particularly when she throws up that last Hail Mary “I look at you, and I…and I'm home." Gets us every time.
#17: Sulley Says Goodbye “Monsters, Inc.” (2001)
When Boo enters the world of Monstropolis the audience knows that she’ll eventually have to return home, but no one could anticipate just how heartbreaking it would be when she finally does. The relationship she forms with Sulley and Mike is a sweet one, so their farewell is inevitably poignant. When “Kitty” tucks her into bed and says his goodbyes, we tear up just as much as he does. It’s made all the sadder by the fact that Boo doesn’t understand what’s going on. Seeing her run to open the closet once he’s gone is probably the saddest moment of all.
#16: The Razed Village “Mulan” (1998)
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“Mulan” is set during China’s Han Dynasty and tells the story of a young woman who impersonates a man in order to help fight an army of invading Huns. While there are plenty of tear-inducing scenes to choose from, we’re going with the one where Mulan and the rest of her military cohorts come upon the remains of a burnt-out village. The scene features a myriad of shots guaranteed to make you shed a tear or two, but the one that really hits home is when Mulan fi
#15: WALL-E Almost Dies “WALL-E” (2008)
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After seeing their relationship unfold with humanlike tenderness, watching WALL-E and EVE say goodbye is almost too much to handle. For a scene with almost no dialogue and no real people involved, it’s surprising how touching the moment is. Thankfully, this isn’t the end for our favorite little robot, as WALL-E is brought back to life. However the moment that follows is possibly even sadder, as WALL-E appears to have lost his memory and can’t remember EVE or anything else from his past. Fortunately, it doesn’t take more than a kiss to spark his memory.
#14: Explaining Death & Loss “The Good Dinosaur” (2015)
Try watching this scene without getting choked up; go ahead, we dare you. “The Good Dinosaur” may not be the most popular Disney flick, but it’s not without its effective scenes. The moment that hit us hardest was when Arlo, freshly separated from his family and still mourning the death of his father, tries sharing his feelings with Spot, a young caveboy. At first it seems like they can’t understand each other, but Spot quickly demonstrates that he comprehends Arlo and that he too has suffered a tremendous personal loss. When they lay their heads in the sand together, it’s too much for us to handle.
#13: Tod Being Left in the Woods “The Fox and the Hound” (1981)
If we were ranking the overall saddest Disney movies, this one would easily be a contender. There are countless moments that left us with tears in our eyes, but this one stands out as the most heartbreaking. After their encounters with Amos and Chief, Widow feels like she has to let Tod free in order to keep him safe. His lack of understanding as she drives him into the forest and eventually leaves him there is tough to watch. What’s possibly even more devastating is the knowledge that Tod is never able to go back to live with her, and spends the rest of his life in the woods.
12: Nick's Backstory “Zootopia” (2016)
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With over a billion in box office sales and an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, we think it’s safe to say that “Zootopia” hit home with viewers. Part of the reason for the film’s success was scenes like this one, which despite being a total tearjerker, is well-acted and incredibly moving. It involves Nick revealing a painful childhood memory to Judy, one where he was betrayed and humiliated by a group of scouts who force him to wear a muzzle and berate him for being a fox. The scene is simply gut-wrenching and one can’t help but sympathize with Nick as he shamefully recounts the harrowing tale. Poor guy.
#11: Baby Mine “Dumbo” (1941)
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There are several tear-jerking moments in this classic 1941 animated film, but by far the saddest is when Dumbo goes to visit his mother in her cell and she rocks him to sleep with a mournful lullaby. Her imprisonment begins when she is defending her baby from being bullied by a bunch of boys who are making fun of his comically large ears. Dumbo is so distraught after this emotional reunion and viewers feel his sadness just as much. No matter how old you are, this Oscar-nominated song is sure to get the waterworks going.
#10 :Quasimodo's Humiliation “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1996)
“The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” revolves around the struggles of Quasimodo, a disfigured bell-ringer who longs for acceptance. In order to help him overcome his self-imposed isolation, his friends, a trio of stone gargoyles, persuade him to attend the annual Festival of Fools. At first it goes well, with Quasimodo’s strange appearance celebrated by the citizens of Paris. But things take a dark turn when people start to pelt him with food, and within moments, he is being tied up and ridiculed. The worst comes when Quasimodo’s own master refuses to help him. It’s pretty hard to watch, especially for a film that was marketed towards children.
#9: Baymax's Sacrifice “Big Hero 6” (2014)
If you’re surprised that “Big Hero 6” landed so high on our list, then you obviously have not seen “Big Hero 6.” The film has not one but two incredibly moving moments. The first is when Hiro’s older brother Tadashi tragically dies in an explosion after going into a burning building to try to save someone. (xref) The second is when Baymax sacrifices himself in order to save Hiro and Abigail near the end of the film. As the music swells and Hiro says goodbye to his giant robotic friend, a lump will almost certainly begin to form in your throat. Thankfully, Hiro is able to re-create Baymax, so everyone walks away happy!
#8: Bambi's Mom Dying “Bambi” (1942)
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By now we’ve come to know that the death of a main character’s parents is a mainstay for Disney’s animated movies, but back in 1942, children were probably shocked by the brutal demise of Bambi’s mother. Even today it’s hard to watch, despite the fact that it happens off-screen. Since this is a movie that’s shown to children at a young age, it’s often one of the first films they see where a character doesn’t come back to life. It’s a scene doesn’t pull punches, forcing us to accept the cruelty of life and death.
#7: Bing Bong “Inside Out” (2015)
Like many other Disney films, “Inside Out” largely revolves around childhood nostalgia. The movie is all about emotions, so there are plenty of opportunities for heartache, but the story of Bing Bong outdoes the rest. Bing Bong is Riley’s imaginary friend from when she was younger, and throughout the film we see him beginning to fade from her memory and struggling to stay with her. Finally, though, he accepts his fate and lets go so Riley can grow up, leaving audiences remembering their own youthful imaginary pals.
#6: Ray’s Funeral “The Princess and the Frog” (2009)
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A hopeless romantic and a loyal friend, Ray was literally one of this film’s most illuminating characters. So it was with great sadness and a whole lot of Kleenex that we bid him adieu at the end. Watching his tiny little belly light slowly go out as Tiana, Naveen, and Louis solemnly watch is almost too much to handle. Disney has dealt with death on numerous occasions and often times characters find a way to make a miraculous recovery; but when they don’t, it can weigh quite heavily on the conscience. This is one of those times. We’ll miss you, Ray!
#5: Andy Saying Goodbye to His Toys “Toy Story 3” (2010)
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There are many emotional moments in this movie, like when it seems that the toys are going to be incinerated (xref). However, it’s the grand finale that really gets the tears going. After all the adventures they’ve had together, Andy has to say goodbye to his toys. If you’re someone who gets especially nostalgic, this scene will turn you into a wreck. Seeing Andy play with Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang one final time is bittersweet, and there isn’t a dry eye in the room when he finally drives off with the toys watching him go. This wasn’t even the last farewell we’d have to witness though, as Woody’s heartfelt goodbye to Jessie and the rest of his friends at the end of “Toy Story 4” also had us tearing up.
#4: Ellie and Carl's Tale “Up” (2009)
No one went into “Up” knowing they would be bawling their eyes out in the first ten minutes, but that’s what happened to theatregoers everywhere. Before getting into the movie’s main story, we’re shown how Carl ended up living alone in his little house surrounded by high rises. The love story that’s told in the movie’s intro is so simple, and so tragic. The feelings are only compounded by the fact that we’re totally blindsided by Ellie’s death.
#3: When Miguel Sings “Remember Me” to Coco “Coco” (2017)
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“Coco,” the story of a young boy who is transported to the land of the dead, took home two Academy Awards, including one for Best Original Song. The song in question was “Remember Me” and it played a prominent role in the film, especially in this scene where Miguel sings it for his great-grandmother Coco. The scene is especially moving when you consider the fact that earlier in the film, Miguel met his great-great-grandfather and discovered that “Remember Me” was written just for Coco, so that she would never forget him. Put it all together and you have an instantly iconic Disney moment best served with a tissue.
#2: Jessie’s Backstory “Toy Story 2” (1999)
We’ll be blunt; if you don’t tear up while watching this scene you might just be a robot. Jessie, the plucky cowgirl aching to be sent to a Japanese toy museum, has one of the most heartbreaking backstories in Disney history, as this scene poignantly reveals. Watching Jessie transition from beloved toy to abandoned childhood trinket is almost too much to bear. The scene hits on multiple levels and demonstrates the all-encompassing pain of being discarded by someone we believed to have loved us. The montage culminates with Jessie being left in a box on the side of the road... and yeah, we’re balling our eyes out. Why did we make this video again? Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Gurgi's Sacrifice “The Black Cauldron” (1985) The Death of Tarzan’s Parents “Tarzan” (1999) Lewis Almost “Meets” His Mother at the Orphanage “Meet the Robinsons” (2007) Megara's death “Hercules” (1997) Ralph & Vanellope Part Ways “Ralph Breaks the Internet” (2018)
#1: Mufasa's Death “The Lion King” (1994)
There’s no debate that our number one moment has to be the death of Simba’s father in “The Lion King.” Every part of this scene is horrific, as Simba watches his dad get trampled by wildebeest. Although Mufasa tries clawing his way to safety, the villainous Scar ultimately throws him into the gorge. Discovering his father’s body, Simba is unable to understand why Mufasa won’t wake up at first. However, it doesn’t take long for him to accept the tragedy he’s witnessed. No matter how familiar you are with this scene, watching Simba snuggle his way under Mufasa’s paw will get you choked up every time.