TL;DR - Mulan is the best Disney film as it actively challenges gender roles and preferences. Many Disney films prize the masculinity of a man above femininity of a woman. However, Mulan shows the benefits of a man and a woman performing both masculine and feminine activities, and does not prize one form over the other. There is also a blur of gender roles from the idea that men and women can be both masculine and feminine, with neither taking precedence over the other.

Often in Disney films, it is the brute strength tied to masculinity and a man that saves the day. This is noted by the many films in which the masculine man saves the feminine woman through the man embodying masculinity as femininity, tied to a woman, is not enough. Whilst other more recent films do have strong female characters such as Moana, there is still this idea that Moana would not have been able to complete her journey without the help and brute strength/masculinity of Maui, something which she is unable to embody herself. However, Mulan shows that girls and boys (as it is aimed at children) can both be masculine and can have brute strength and physical dominance if they wish, but they can also incorporate femininity and both are just as valid as each other.

In the scene in which Mulan and the army are trying to gain entry into the palace, the sheer masculine brute strength in trying to knock down the door does not work, and instead using femininity and what is considered feminine in terms of dress helps them climb the pillars and defeat the guards. However, Mulan also uses typically masculine fighting skills in order to defeat the enemy. This promoting the idea that masculinity and femininity isn't tied to a man or woman but all genders can incorporate attributes seen as masculine and feminine.

This is also shown through the song 'Reflection'. In this song there is a particularly powerful image in which Mulan has half a neutral, half hyper-feminized, whilst also being partially covered by writing. The whole point of this song – and the underlying message of the movie – is that “boy” and “girl” are roles you put on, and not something innate to any one person.

Due to the challenging of these gender roles, I believe Mulan is the best Disney film. It is the film that is most beneficial for children in the exploration of gender and shows that both masculine and feminine traits can be equally as important and useful as each other.

References:

https://thepopcornscoop.wordpress.com/2012/12/29/why-mulan-is-the-greatest-movie-disney-ever-made/

https://www.hercampus.com/school/kutztown/10-reasons-why-mulan-best-disney-movie

https://www.shondaland.com/live/a21073307/disney-mulan-queerness/

https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/mulan-helped-accept-sexuality-gender-55920902

Mulan has always been my favourite.
She is strong, independent and smart. Also, Mulan has a great storyline too. The movie also has a really good soundtrack.
Mulan is the best Disney protagonist as well as the best Disney film.

TL;DR: The Lion King is Disney's best film because it has superior characters when compared to Mulan whilst also providing an amazing plotline and great music.

The Lion King trumps Mulan as the best Disney film any-day! The Lion King has great musical numbers (Hakuna Matata, Can you Feel the Love Tonight, Be Prepared) and deep moral messages (Circle of Life, 'Never run from your past'). The story conveys strong messages about family and I argue that this is what gives Simba his strength as an adult, allowing the film to avoid an unintentional focus on masculine strength and assuming that this is what will save the day. Much like Mulan, the story has unique and more meaningful qualities which are sometimes absent in other Disney films.

What makes The Lion King the superior film in my opinion is its characters. In a direct comparison between these two films, it is clear that The Lion King has more interesting and recognisable characters than Mulan. Timon and Pumbaa as a duo outnumber Mushu in comedic terms as well as creating some brilliant musical numbers. Scar is also one of Disney's most famous, greatest villains - I'm not sure the same can be said for Shan-Yu in Mulan?

TLDR: Whilst Mulan is a great film, Inside Out is such an important film for children to see, as it can help them to understand their emotions, which in turn has far reaching positive implications for their life, such as relationship building and confidence.

So much of our adult lives can be linked to our childhood. Our attachment styles are formed during our early years, and often it is during childhood that we learn how we should consider our emotions (this can be positively or negatively). A film like Inside Out, made for children to help them navigate this learning experience, is such an important teaching tool, and provides symbolism they can apply to their emotions.

Inside Out teaches us that our emotions are not something to be feared or avoided. Each one plays a vital role in how we navigate the world, and we should choose to embrace them. As someone with anxiety, this movie spoke to me in a way that no other Disney film has. It has taken a long time to learn not to just try not think about being anxious, and instead to consider it a moment, perhaps understand where it has come from and then move on. A lot of how I deal with my emotions right now is linked to how I was taught, or at least how I thought I was supposed to deal with emotions as a child. A film like Inside Out would have done wonders for understanding why I was feeling a certain way, and to learn that it is a very human thing, not something to be fixed.

Emperors new groove is best