Happy Father’s Day, everyone! In honor of today, I’ve put together a little list of, in my opinion, the top five Disney (animated) Dads.
5. James (Princess and the Frog)
Though not present for most of the film, Tiana’s father James was loving parent. He would work “double, sometimes triple shifts” to make ends meet, but never complained or even let on how difficult it was for him. Even though he passed away, he was still a strong influence in Tiana’s life, compelling her to try her hardest to achieve her goals.
4. Goofy
I grew up watching Goof Troop and the Goofy Movies, so it’s a no-brainer that Goofy popped into my head while compiling this list. He’s a big klutz and a constant source of embarrassment for his son Max, but he means well and is always trying his hardest to be the best father he can be.
3. Mufasa (The Lion King)
The quintessential Disney father, Mufasa is caring and wise, playful yet strict when he needs to be. He was a great ruler and an even greater dad, putting himself completely at risk when Simba was in danger. The lessons he taught Simba stayed with him to adulthood, eventually leading to Simba becoming a strong leader as well.
2. Marlin (Finding Nemo)
You don’t get much cooler of a dad than one who swims across the ocean to rescue his son, but that’s just what Marlin did. His son Nemo always thought Marlin was a scaredy-cat, afraid of anything happening to him, when in actuality Marlin was just scared something bad might happen to Nemo. He traveled through danger after danger to find Nemo, proving to the little fish that his daddy was anything by a scaredy-cat.
1. Donald Duck
I’m sure some of you are now going, “But Dee, Donald isn’t a father, he’s an uncle!” Well, I suppose technically you’d be correct. However, he has raised his nephews since 1938! He took them in when they needed it and has been a wonderful father figure to them ever since. Yes, he does play pranks on them occasionally, and loses his temper frequently, but it doesn’t change that he tries his darndest for three children who aren’t even actually his. He might not be their father, but for all intents and purposes he is their dad. Donald shows that you don’t have to be a biological parent to be a great dad, and for that he earns the number one spot on my greatest Disney dads list.
So do you agree with my list, or have I left out a Disney father you would consider one of the best? Why not leave a comment and tell me what you think?
Disney Dee 