Streaming has become a go-to way for people to unwind, and Disney movies remain some of the most loved films to revisit again and again. But what is the most popular Disney movie around the world? We analysed global search data to uncover the most popular Disney movies by country — and the results might surprise you.
Disney+ quickly captured the attention of families looking for easy, at-home entertainment, giving viewers instant access to hundreds of classic and modern Disney films. From nostalgic favourites to recent hits, people everywhere are searching for their favourite Disney movie to stream. According to CNBC, the platform grew rapidly following its launch.
We wanted to find out what the most popular Disney movies are across the globe. We at Parkdean Resorts used Google search data to rank Disney movies by country and reveal which titles people love most. Did your favourite make the list of the most popular Disney films worldwide?
Worldwide: Research reveals the world’s favourite Disney film is Frozen - getting 1.9 million searches annually
With nearly 2 million annual searches, Frozen is officially the most popular Disney movie worldwide. The 2013 hit has become one of the most watched Disney movies of all time, thanks to its unforgettable songs and loyal fanbase. Frozen achieved significant box office success, grossing over $1.28 billion worldwide. Its sequel, Frozen 2, also became a major box office hit, grossing over $1.45 billion worldwide.
Looking at which countries are the biggest Frozen fanatics, the U.S rules all with a whopping 1.3 million searches!
Sci-fi fantasy Avatar takes the second spot, racking up 1.8 million searches annually worldwide. While not a traditional animated feature, it remains one of the most watched Disney films in Disney’s catalogue and continues to be hugely popular with audiences around the world. Avatar (2009) remains one of the highest-grossing films ever made, earning around $2.9 billion worldwide across its releases.
According to the data, Canada is the biggest lover of Avatar, with a whopping 665 thousand searches per year. Next up are the United States and the UK, who are almost neck and neck when it comes to the number of searches.
Top 10 most popular Disney movies in the world
| Rank | Film | Annual Search Volume |
| 1 | Frozen | 1.9 million |
| 2 | Avatar | 1.8 million |
| 3 | Cars | 589k |
| 4 | Aladdin | 528k |
| 5 | A Bug's Life | 469k |
| 6 | Cinderella | 240k |
| 7 | Mulan | 188k |
| 8 | Lion King | 180k |
| 9 | High School Musical | 168k |
| 10 | Ratatouille | 123k |
Europe’s most searched for films across each country revealed!
| Rank | Film | Country | Annual Search Volume |
| 1 | Avatar | UK | 365k |
| 2 | Moana | Ireland | 125k |
| 3 | Beauty and the Beast | Denmark | 86k |
| 4 | High School Musical | Sweden | 72k |
| 5 | Chronicles of Narnia | Netherlands | 22k |
| 6 | Frozen | Norway | 12.5k |
| 7 | Aladdin | Spain | 9k |
| 8 | Toy Story | Poland | 1.7k |
| 9 | Mulan | Germany | 1.6k |
| 10 | Ratatouille | France | 1.5k |
Across Europe, countries differed on their favourite titles, showing how Disney movies by country can vary widely. According to the research, Avatar is the most searched for Disney film in the UK with 365 thousand searches. In Ireland, Moana is named as their favourite to stream with 125 thousand, whilst Denmark favours Beauty and the Beast and Sweden loves High School Musical.
France are self-confessed Ratatouille fanatics!
And we don’t just mean the food. Ratatouille is all about a little rodent with big dreams of becoming a chef in Paris, and with over 1.5 thousand searches for it a year, it’s clearly a dream the French people support.
Spain are lovers of Aladdin
With over 9,000 searches annually, Spain loves a true Disney classic. They also loved a more modern outing in Cars, which tied with the magic carpet riding hero in first place.
The UK’s top 10 Disney films show a love of both vintage and modern
The UK’s rankings show a mix of old and new, highlighting how tastes in Disney movies span generations. From nostalgic classics to modern blockbusters, British audiences have searched for a wide range of favourites.
| Rank | Film | Annual Search Volume |
| 1 | Avatar | 356k |
| 2 | High School Musical | 73k |
| 3 | Lady and the Tramp | 55k |
| 4 | Cinderella | 51k |
| 5 | Moana | 48k |
| 6 | Aladdin | 32k |
| 7 | Beauty and the Beast | 27k |
| 8 | Lion King | 21k |
| 9 | Cars | 18k |
| 10 | Mulan | 13k |
Africa is a continent of Mulan lovers
Disney’s retelling of Chinese folk tale Mulan is Africa’s favourite, with titles such as Avatar and the Lion King also popular.
When it came to who loves Mulan the most, South Africa is leading the way, with over 8 thousand searches. Next for the top spot is the 2016 animated film with Hawaiian heritage, Moana.
North America loves two Disney classics
With two clear favourites, North America is torn between 101 Dalmatians in Canada and Frozen in the U.S. But the continent definitely agrees on Avatar, with the film being hugely popular across both countries.
South America loves A Bug's Life
1998 Disney classic A Bug’s Life is South America’s absolute favourite. The continent is almost torn between that and Frozen, closely followed by enchanting classics such as Chronicles of Narnia and, of course, Avatar.
Asia is all about Frozen
Asia loves singing along as much as the rest of us, with Frozen as their overall favourite, particularly in Russia. Avatar hits the top spot in China, whereas India are huge fans of Aladdin.
Oceania has one firm favourite
When it comes to the other side of the pond, Australia are huge fans of Frozen, which makes up the majority of searches here. The continent also loves titles such as Cars and The Sound of Music.
Looking for more fun things to do at home? Check out our list of the best virtual tours you can do from the comfort of your own home, letting you explore the world from your sofa.
Methodology
To discover the most popular Disney movies worldwide, we used Google Ads (formerly Google AdWords) search data to analyse how often people search for each Disney movie in different countries. This allowed us to identify the most watched Disney movies based on real search interest.