Best Movies on Disney Plus (Beyond the Obvious)

Amanda Banta:  The Sanderson sisters return to life three centuries after being hanged as witches, finding that things are much different and Halloween is now a holiday for kids. Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker star in one of the all-time best family movies for Halloween. Enough said.

Amanda Banta:  Jack Skellington, leader of Halloween Town, crosses holidays and stumbles into Christmas Town. Parents of young or sensitive kids should be aware that this classic family Halloween movie involves Santa being abducted and has some "bad guy" characters.

Alexandra F.:  I'll never forget when I first watched this movie with my then 9- and 11-year-olds, and seeing their faces mirror Fred Savage's exactly as they began to hear the love story unfold - wary and more than a little skeptical. Never fear! Though it is indeed a story about true love, it is also filled with adventure, sword fights, giants and pirates. Oh. And R.O.U.S. (Rodents of Unusual Size). This movie is hilarious - your tweens & teens will love it.

Beth Wood:  This hilarious comedy stars Robin Williams as a father who wants to spend more time with his children after his divorce. In order to do so, he dresses up and takes on the persona of a British nanny and applies for a job with the family. Keeping up with the charade leads to many funny situations. Some adult themes and language are expressed so this is better suited as a movie for tweens and older.

Gina Blades:  Onward was great, and my kids loved it. They learned some valuable lessons about family, diversity, inclusivity, and kindness.

Michael Farina:  This movie is so much fun! I love that the message deals with embracing sadness, especially as it relates to memories that we can't relive.

Kelly R:  Pixar's charming fish-out-of-water story about a young sea monster who comes to the surface and tries to blend in as a human boy for a summer on the Italian Riviera. We loved Maya Rudolph and Jim Gaffigan as Luca's parents.

Kelly R:  Sports movies are a great way to help teach kids about the importance of teamwork and perseverance, and this one has John Candy!

Tera Lee Culverwell:  This is a wonderful movie that the whole family will enjoy! We've watched this over and over! It will definitely keep the family interested.

Kelly R:  A family movie musical inspired by P.T. Barnum's life, with fun dance numbers and a soundtrack that makes it worthy of repeat viewings for my kids.

Alexandra F.:  There is really nothing like watching this show live, but after having seen the musical my teens and I were really happy to be able to watch it over (and over) again whenever the bug would hit us without having to wait for a live performance!

Amy S.:  We all liked this movie, but I actually think it is a movie for adults, that also appeals to kids, instead of Pixar’s usual formula, which is a movie for kids, that also appeals to adults. The overarching allegory about race and class felt pretty sophisticated for the younger set, although I think some of the message would still translate. The animation and music were lovely and lively.

Alexandra F.:  Boy, did this movie ever take us by surprise. Made for TV, it is now one of our family's favorite Disney movies ever! The children of all our beloved Disney characters are now in high school, and four “villain kids” get invited to the prep school where the kids of heroes & princes, heroines & princesses attend. Hilarity, and great musical numbers, ensue. This is a trilogy your tweens won’t want to miss (and really, you probably don’t want to miss either).

Kristy Pepping:  This Freaky Friday is a remake of the 1976 movie. Basically the storyline is a mother and daughter both think their lives are harder than the other. So they wish to switch bodies and they do. Each realizes the struggles the other person has to endure in day to day life and come to appreciate one another more in the end.

Alexandra F.:  This movie was phenomenal, and surprisingly nuanced for a Disney family movie. I watched it with my teen, and we both loved it, but my six year old kept wandering in and getting hooked, too. Though the story was perhaps more complex and dark than I would normally think my younger kids would enjoy, there wasn’t really anything in it I thought they shouldn’t watch (except the scene with the fire was a little scary). So, while it is especially great for tweens and up, I think it’s an excellent family movie night pick all around!