Disney Fans Share Which Characters Inspire Them the Most and Why

There are thousands of Disney characters that have been created throughout the years. Yep, THOUSANDS.

©Disney || Just a small sampling

Some characters we love, some characters we hate, and some just give us a great laugh! But, what about the characters that inspire people? Well, we asked our readers which Disney character is the most inspirational to them, so let’s check out what they said!

Princesses

Let’s start with the iconic Disney Princesses! There were a ton of great answers about princesses, so we picked some of the ones that stood out to us the most. First up, one reader said the character that most inspires her is Rapunzel, saying that “despite her horrible upbringing she was always bettering herself and believed something wonderful is out there just for her.” So true!

Say hi to Eugene for us!

Many people said Tiana was the character that inspires them the most. A reader said Tiana shows that “when you work hard, you can get to your dreams.”

What’s cookin?

Mulan was a popular character as well. “The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all,” said one reader. Great words to live by, if you’re asking us! Another reader said Mulan because, “she was so courageous and did what needed to be done despite all the tremendous challenges she faced for doing so, not the least of which being having to go (at) it alone and forsake culture and tradition to do what she ultimately believed to be right.”

Mulan in EPCOT

Merida got some love, too, with one reader saying the inspiration they get from her is, “don’t let societal norms dictate how you live your life” and another saying, “Merida, because nobody else should choose what’s right for you.” Right on!

Merida and Angus!

One reader went for multiple princesses, saying “Moana, Merida, Mulan, Tiana, Pocahontas, basically all of the Disney characters can teach us lessons of courage, honor, hard work, and love.” You got that right!

Hi Moana!

Our readers are inspired by Anna and Elsa as well. One reader said they’re specifically inspired by “Anna & Elsa’s relationship…as someone whose sister is their best friend, there is nothing more inspiring than seeing what they do for each other.” Another reader singled out Elsa, saying “She learned not to let fear overtake her. Plus the whole castle scene makes me want to go back to architecture school or computer animation.” Talk about some serious inspiration!

Anna and Elsa

Cinderella was mentioned, too, with one reader writing that she inspires them to “hold on to your wishes and dreams, that’s all we can do in life.” Princess Aurora was an inspiration to one reader for a bit of a different reason. They said Aurora because “I have a masters in sleeping.” 🤣

Cindy!

A few readers chose Belle, with one saying she inspires them to “be yourself even when others think you are odd.” Another said they’re inspired by Belle because “beauty comes from within, dare to be different (or what others may call “odd”) and her desire to learn, seek knowledge by reading books.”

Belle in The France Pavilion

Finally, one reader said she’s most inspired by Princess Leia because “She’s so strong and caring. She’s a true leader. But she’s also very feminine. She balances the traits very well. I feel she is a Disney princess that never gets attention like she deserves.”

©Disney/Lucasfilm

We totally agree — Princess Leia paved the way for a lot of other female characters, too!

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Wise Characters

You know, these are the characters that give you advice and guidance! One reader said Fairy Godmother because she’s “a symbol that things can always get better.”

There she is!

Another reader picked Jiminy Cricket because of his advice to “always let your (conscience) be your guide.”

Jiminy Cricket

And, one of the most iconic characters mentioned multiple times was Mary Poppins.

Mary!

A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down!

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Winnie the Pooh

Winnie the Pooh gets his own section because so many people are inspired by him and his friends! A lot of people said they’re inspired by Winnie the Pooh himself, with one reader saying “His dedication to food is the best” and another adding “and he never wears pants.” Vibes, honestly. We get it!

We LOVE that silly old bear!

Another person said Winnie the Pooh characters because “no matter how down a friend is, and even if they don’t see the bright side, they always include Eeyore because he is their friend.”

Besties

Speaking of Eeyore, one reader said they take inspiration from the donkey because “he sits in the rain, not because he is depressed, but because he knows you have to sit through the rain to see the rainbow.” We’re tearing up a little bit over here, not gonna lie.

We love him so, so, so much

And, there was love for Tigger, too!

Tigger!

A reader said the tiger inspires them to “live life to the fullest and care about others.”

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Pixar Pals

It’s no surprise that many people are inspired by Pixar characters — those movies are almost guaranteed to make you cry. First up is Buzz Lightyear! One reader said Buzz inspires them to “always hold on to your dreams!!! Be ambitious!!

Buzz Lightyear!

Next, is a long response that is definitely worth reading! “Ok mine has a tiny twist to it. Lightning McQueen from, specifically, Cars 3. I really related to him in that movie cause it’s about getting older and how you need to adjust to being older. And just because you are aging does not mean you’re out for the count. I found that very inspirational as I approach my 51st birthday. Still very active and racing around but I have a few more aches and pains that I never used to have. So love the cars universe KACHOW!!!!!” Wow, we are living for this mindset!

It’s Lightning McQueen!

Another great character that inspires one of our readers is Dory from Finding Nemo with the message “Just keep at it. Don’t give up!” Just keep swimming…just keep swimming…just keep swimming, swimming, swimming!

Dory and friends

Some people are inspired by characters from Up, too. One reader said Carl inspires them because he shows that “you are never too old to chase your dreams.” And, another reader said they’re inspired by Ellie because “I’m living her story and working on my next adventures.” BRB, we need to grab a tissue!

Carl

And finally, one person simply said Bing Bong from Inside Out. We don’t even know if we can talk about this one without crying — his sacrifice was so inspirational.

Bing Bong

Take her to the moon for me, okay?😭

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Underdogs

Now, this category is either for characters that are underdogs in their own story or for unexpected characters! First up is Hercules (honey, you mean HUNKules😉). One reader said they’re inspired by Hercules because “He was a small guy who put in the work and changed his life!”

©Disney

Another reader is inspired by a newer character — Luisa from Encanto! They said they’re inspired by her because she shows that “it’s okay if you’re struggling sometimes, and it is acceptable to ask for help.” So important and such a great message!

©Disney

Okay, here’s one of our favorite responses. A couple readers said they’re inspired by Chicha from The Emperor’s New Groove, with one reader saying “She kicks serious butt, all while pregnant.” If that’s not inspirational, we don’t know what is!

©Disney

Another reader said they’re inspired by Lewis from Meet the Robinsons because “He made the toughest choice, he could have changed his past, tried make childhood easier, but he was mature enough to know that his past made him who he was to become in the future.” We love when people pick characters we wouldn’t have even thought of!

©Disney

One reader said, “Without any exaggeration, Baloo from TailSpin and Launchpad McQuack made me want to be a pilot. So I became a pilot.” Um, WHAT?! That is SO cool — talk about feeling inspired!

Launchpad McQuack

Dopey was also given some love. A reader wrote “Dopey. Nobody expecting much from me and always happy!” He sure is a jolly guy!

Dopey

Finally, we have Flynn Rider who inspired our reader with one of his most important accomplishments. This reader said Flynn “achieved cosmetological excellence through the execution of a perfect bob with a sword in Tangled.” YES! The skill it took for him to give Rapunzel such a perfect haircut is unmatched!

©Disney

Flynn should take up cutting hair in his free time, honestly.

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The Classics

Now, we have our classic Disney characters! A lot of people are inspired by Goofy. One reader said “he just takes everything in stride. Never has a bad day.” His positive attitude is for sure something we can look up to!

The Goof!

Other readers said Donald Duck, with one writing “He gets stuck with all the bad luck…yet, he keeps on quackin’.” The little duck does persevere through some tough spots!

Donald Duck

Another reader said they’re inspired by Donald’s Uncle, Scrooge McDuck, saying he makes them want to “get that gold and hold it baby.” Hey, we would swim in a bathtub of money, too, if we could!

Scrooge McDuck

Peter Pan was a response from a few readers as well, with one person saying “think of the happiest things, like having wings…your dreams come true.” You can only fly if you think happy thoughts!

Peter Pan

A tale of friendship inspired one reader, who said “Copper and Todd from The Fox and Hound. They found a way to get along despite their differences.” They are a great example of best friends!

Best Buds!

And finally, we have Stitch! We don’t care what anyone says, Stitch is a classic Disney character in our eyes. He had his own ride and gets a ton of his own merch, so we’re placing him in this category! One reader said they’re most inspired by Stitch because “I just love him. I’m too goody goody….he is not.” Stitch is definitely a little troublemaker! But, we love him anyway.

STITCH!

Those are the characters that are the most inspirational to our readers! Was yours on the list? The good thing is that Disney has SO many great characters, there’s really no shortage of inspiration. Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney news and updates!

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Which Disney character inspires you the most? Tell us down in the comments!

The post Disney Fans Share Which Characters Inspire Them the Most and Why first appeared on the disney food blog.