Disney Theories That Will Change How You Watch Your Favorite Movies

Are you one of those Disney fan theory collectors or obsessors who loves looking for all of the Disney movie connections and sharing your wizardry with others? Then you probably already know all these theories. But if you’re brand new to the world of Disney theories, consider this list your very own Disney Theory 101.

Did you hear the one about Boo from Monsters, Inc. showing up in Brave as the witch? Or the one about Andy’s mom from Toy Story actually being Jessie’s owner, Emily? And what about the brutal murder in The Emperor’s New Groove? That spider committed straight-up homicide.

There are some downer Disney movie theories out there too, so brace yourself. Some fans believe that Carl passes away at the beginning of Up and that the rest of the film is his journey through the afterlife to reunite with his beloved Ellie. That theory is nearly as upsetting as the one behind Finding Nemo…

Some Disney fan theories aren’t negative, though. Bing Bong could be alive and well in the Monsters, Inc. universe even though he faded from Riley’s mind in Inside Out. Plus, there are some pretty interesting Disney movie connections that make Elsa, Anna, and Rapunzel cousins, as well as Ariel and Hercules. Delve into this Disney theory list and capture even more Disney magic than you knew these movies held!

Are you one of those Disney fan theory collectors or obsessors who loves looking for all of the Disneymovie connections and sharing your wizardry with others? Then you probably already know all these theories. But if you’re brand new to the world of Disney theories, consider this list your very own DisneyTheory 101.

Ariel and Hercules Are Cousins

Searching for a little genealogy, Disney and Greek mythology style? See if you agree: Ariel’s father is King Triton, the son of Poseidon. Poseidon is Zeus’s brother. Hercules is the son of Zeus. King Triton and Hercules are first cousins, making Ariel and Hercules first cousins once removed.

Jessie’s Owner Was Andy’s Mom

So many things help line up the theory that Andy’s mom is Emily. Andy wears a Jessie hat, not a Woody hat in the original Toy Story; Emily probably wanted to share a piece of her childhood when she got him Woody, one of the Roundup Gang. Also, Emily decorated her room with ‘60s era pop culture so she’d be the right age, in her thirties, when the Toy Story trilogy begins.

Anna and Elsa Are Rapunzel’s Cousins, Blondes Hold the Magic

When King Agnarr and Queen Iduna sail off, they may have been heading to Rapunzel’s wedding. When Rapunzel turned up for Elsa’s coronation, fans definitely saw these two events as a sign that Anna, Elsa, and Rapunzel are related. They argue that Rapunzel wouldn’t make the journey from Germany just for any ol’ royalty.

There’s also a theory that the blonde cousins carry the magic in the family. Rapunzel’s superpower hair and Elsa’s freeze ray powers are no accident. And King Agnarr and Queen Iduna may have very good reasons for hiding their daughter away after seeing what happened to her cousin Rapunzel.

Did Captain Hook Kill Ariel’s Mom?

There’s a striking mermaid in Peter Pan who looks a lot like Ariel and could very well be Athena, who was killed by pirates. The two films’ release dates help bolster the theory as well. The Little Mermaidwas released in 1989, when Ariel was 16. Peter Pan was released in 1953 and the unnamed red headed mermaid would have been 36. Ariel was born in 1973. So maybe Athena was killed as a result of the actions of Captain Hook?

Did Ariel See the Evidence of King Agnarr and Queen Iduna’s Sunken Ship?

A theory puts the sunken ship carrying Elsa and Anna’s parents somewhere around Atlantica. There are similarities between the King and Queen’s ship and Ariel’s shipwreck. But then again, maybe all Disney ships look the same.

Elsa and Anna’s Mom and Dad Are Also Tarzan’s Parents

This rumor has been floating around for a while, but the co-director director of Frozen, Chris Buck, reignited the rumor during a Reddit AMA. The theory goes like this: The King Agnarr and the pregnant queen of Arrendelle survived their shipwreck and ended up in the jungle. Although Queen Iduna gives birth to a boy who turns out to be Tarzan, she and her husband don’t fare so well.

Buck explains it, “They end up building a tree house and a leopard kills them, so their baby boy is raised by gorillas. So in my little head, Anna and Elsa’s brother is Tarzan – but on the other side of that island are surfing penguins, to tie in a non-Disney movie, Surf’s Up. That’s my fun little world.”

Buck encourages Disney fans to connect as many dots as their hearts desire.

Check out this other crazy Disney theory.

Belle and Beast’s Granddaughter Is Tarzan’s Jane

Here’s why fans believe this. Jane understands Tarzan, so she must be fluent in Beast, like her grandmother; they resemble each other; and Jane has some pretty fancy plates in the jungle that seem like something her grandmother would have handed down.

Bing Bong from Inside Out Is a Monsters, Inc. Monster

He saved Joy so she could save Riley, but the good news is that maybe he’s not gone forever. We learn from Monsters, Inc. that children outgrow their childhood fears, so the theory holds that Bing Bong was a monster from Monsters, Inc. and didn’t really perish inside Riley’s mind, it was only her memory of him died. Hopefully, he’ll live on behind the door of another child.

Carl Dies Early on in Up

Depending on who you ask, this theory could be seen as either very sweet or incredibly sad and depressing. Just before Carl goes to the retirement home, he passes away in his sleep and the rest of the movie is his journey through the afterlife. Russell, according to this theory, is an angel guiding Carl and will get his wings/badge when he has reunited Carl with Ellie. As well, perhaps Dug is a delightful talking dog spirit guide who wishes that all squirrels will rot in Hades?

Mother Gothel from Tangled Is the Evil Queen from Snow White

Either Disney is having us on, saying that all power-hungry witches are the same, or the Evil Queen is Mother Gothel. There’s the dagger they both use; Gothel keeps hers in a box, while the Evil Queen gave hers to the Huntsman to end Snow White. Then there’s the obsession with perpetual youth, and when they both turn into crones, they look pretty similar.

Aladdin Happens in the Future

Due to the all the pop culture references, the story may very well take place way in the future. It’s possible that there, jokes about the ‘90s and flying carpets are a thing. Another theory holds that the lamp salesman was merely pitching a tall tale just to make a sale.

Brave’s Witch Is Monsters, Inc.’s Boo

Boo learned a thing or two during her time with Sulley and Mike. One of those things being that she knows how magical doors work. The theory holds that when Boo grows up, she begins her search for Sulley. One of the doors she goes through takes her to Brave’s world, way before Sulley’s time. While she hangs out in Merida’s world, she still searches for him while gaining full knowledge of the will-of-the-wisps. This explains the way she disappears when she goes through the wooden doors. Plus, she’s carved herself a Sulley to remind herself of her old friend.

Kristoff Is Wearing Sven’s Mom’s Pelt

Kristoff and Sven grew up together, but possibly they became close because Sven was abandoned when his mother was killed by ice harvesters. Kristoff is given a reindeer pelt as a baby and it’s possible that it was Sven’s mom’s. Even if the coat isn’t made of her specific pelt, it’s still made of reindeer.

Nemo Is Dead the Whole Movie

This bummer of a theory holds that Nemo died along with his mother Coral and the rest of his potential siblings, and that the movie is Marlin’s journey to cope with his grief – literally the five stages of grief. There’s also a hint in the name “Nemo”; it means “nothing” in Latin.