25 Scenes In Disney Movies That Sparked Audible Reactions in Theaters

These iconic Disney movie moments will always live in our memories.

Jesse

• Published in Film & TV
• June 19, 2022

Disney movies are known for their grandiose moments — the scenes that make you laugh, cry, and everything in between. Of course, there's nothing quite like experiencing these moments in a theater full of people who are just as invested in the story as you are.

It's in these moments that you can really gauge how effective a movie is. If the whole theater is silent, it means the scene probably wasn't that great; but if people are gasping, laughing, or crying aloud, then you know the filmmakers hit the nail on the head.

When you think back on your favorite Disney movies, there are probably certain scenes that stand out in your mind. Could it be when Cinderella's stepsisters rip her dress to shreds? What about when Mufasa dies in The Lion King? Or when Nemo is finally reunited with his dad in Finding Nemo?

These are the moments that stay with us long after the credits have rolled — the ones that touch our hearts and leave a lasting impression. It doesn't matter how many times we see them; they always manage to elicit the same reaction.

So what are some of the most memorable Disney movie moments that have sparked audible reactions in theaters? Well, we asked around and compiled a list of 25 scenes that definitely fit the bill.

Take a look and see if your favorite made the cut!

1. It really hit hard when Woody said goodbye at the end of Toy Story 4

For me, it was Toy Story 4 when Woody said goodbye to everyone and I just yelled, 'NOOOOOO.

—ajl5409

2. Remember in Frozen when Hans revealed his true nature to Anna?

When Hans pulled away from Anna and revealed his true villainous nature. There was an audible, shocked gasp from virtually everyone in the cinema (myself included). Did NOT see that coming at ALL.

—hannahe4f2127f4a

The whole theater gasped so loudly, and one little girl, maybe 10 or 11, stood up and started yelling at the screen while her mom was trying to calm her down. Haven't seen a reaction like that before or since.

—whatever_325

3. Coco - when Miguel was singing "Remember me" to mama Coco and she began singing along

I was in tears and you could hear people bawling loudly all over the theater

—panapuerboli

It destroyed everyone in the theater and we all dissolved into ugly sobs. Still my favorite Pixar movie.

—abigaeljoyceanderson

4. Frozen - Olaf's life drains slowly in Anna's arms

When I saw Frozen 2, I started sobbing the moment I realized that Olaf was dying when Elsa froze. That moment is something I will never forget for as long as I live.

—mmlessner16

5. The scene in Tangled where Flynn gives up in Rapunzel's arms

I saw Tangled in theaters and when Flynn 'dies,' you could tell everyone in the audience was trying not to cry. Then one little girl shouts at the top of her lungs 'I'M. SO. SAD.' It was so cute and pitiful, I think it helped a lot of people suck those tears back in.

—thebiggestsparrow

6. Finding Nemo - Nobody could stand watching Nemo's family get attacked at the beginning of the movie

Seeing Finding Nemo on opening weekend. After the barracuda attack in the beginning, the theater was dead quiet and then someone yelled out, 'Goddamnit, Disney, why is it always the fucking mom?!' Everyone laughed and it broke the tension of the moment.

—marif4e152f170

7. It was a really sad moment for everyone when Ray died in Princess And The Frog

Everyone was so sad when Ray the firefly died, but the little girl one row ahead of me said, 'But mommy, why did the bug die? Is he really dead?' It was so so cute and also so sad. I was glad to see how engaged everyone was.

—kingsashab

8. The audience went wild when Gordo and Lizzie kissed in The Lizzie McGuire Movie

Picture it. Friday, May 2, 2003. A multitude of tweens and a few accompanying chaperones settle in a dark, cold Cinema 6 to watch The Lizzie McGuire Movie. Gordo and Lizzie sneak away to the hotel rooftop and kiss. The army of tween girls in the audience went BUCK WILD with cheers, screams, and squeals.

—dbsx77

9. Frozen 2 - When Kristoff revealed he was going to propose to Anna

The whole cinema whooped.

—kermitzefrog

10. Moana - When the little girl asks Maui about the story behind his tattoo and he replies with, "It's nunya business."

When I was watching Moana for the first time and Maui says, 'It's nunya business' the sweetest little 3- or 4-year-old voice gasped loud and said, 'My mommy says that to me!

—saltwaterlullaby

11. Beauty And The Beast - When princess Belle went out into the snow to help her dad without wearing a jacket.

One of my favorites was when I saw the live-action Beauty and the Beast in theaters opening weekend. A little girl next to me gasped incredibly loudly and yelled, 'She is going to get a cold! She isn’t wearing her coat and there’s snow on the ground!' when Belle rode away from the castle to go help her father. I died laughing, but she had a point!

—mcramer4

12. When Gaston died in Beauty And The Beast

When we were in a silent, packed cinema for Beauty and the Beast, and [my kid] yelled 'haha!' at Gaston dying and everyone laughed.

—Cheryl C., Facebook

13. The epic moment in Mulan when Shan Yu and his army were buried in an avalanche, then suddenly...Shan Yu punched through the snow.

A memory that really sticks out for me was when we went to see the original Mulan in 1998. I was 10, my brother was 6, and it was the first time he had ever seen a movie in a cinema. The part where Shan Yu and his army is buried in an avalanche, the snow settles, it all goes quiet, then suddenly...'boom!' Shan Yu punches through the snow! My brother screamed and then said very loudly 'Mummy, I don't like it, it's too loud, turn it down!' and then started looking for a TV remote!

The whole cinema just about died laughing at a moment that was supposed to be tense and serious.

—pennyguide

14. In Planes, when Dusty was inches away from colliding with a train in the tunnel

I went to see Planes when I was 9, and the moment when Dusty almost collides with the train in the tunnel, a little kid (probably 6 or 7) screamed 'NO!!!!' Now whenever I watch it, I scream 'NO' and no one understands.

—hkennedy050k

15. Toy Story 3 - When the gang held hands in the incinerator

When I saw Toy Story 3 in theaters, this little boy behind me started crying when the gang is in the incinerator and saying, 'I wanna leave, I wanna leave!' I felt so bad.

—marye18

16. The audience was stunned to find out that Ernesto De La Cruz was the real villain in Coco

The whole theater audibly gasped when they found out he murdered Héctor to steal his songs and become famous.

—heiressofthekinge

17. Hannah Montana - When Hannah took off her wig

When I saw the Hannah Montana movie in theaters and she took off her wig, a little girl screamed 'NO!' and started sobbing lol.

—Emma R, Facebook

18. Frozen 2 - When Anna destroyed the dam

I was watching Frozen 2 in the theater with my little 6-year-old cousin for her birthday on opening night and after the part where Anna destroys the dam, this one lady yelled, 'That's right 'cause Anna is a badass' and all the moms in the room shushed her.

—coolbeanz101

19. Wall-E - Remember when Wall-E was dying and they had limited time to save him?

When Wall-E's health was failing and they were rushing back to Earth to get his parts replaced. There was a few seconds there where you think he's going to die. A kid cried out in tears, 'What's going to happen to WALL-E?' We all laughed cause, secretly, we all were scared too.

—zeilerra

20. Lilo & Stitch - when Lilo was trapped in the spaceship and looking helpless behind the glass

My daughter was maybe 3 or 4 when Lilo & Stitch came out and it was her first ever movie in a theater. She did really well until the climactic scene when Lilo was trapped in the alien spaceship. She just lost it, screaming and crying, 'Liiiillloooo! Stitch, save Lilo!' She spent the rest of the film in my lap, trying to calm down.

—jennyporterw

21. The Princess Diaries - The scene where Mia rips the pore strip from her nose

I went to see The Princess Diaries in theaters and yelled 'ouch!' during the scene where she rips the pore strip from her nose. I got a couple chuckles out of the audience and my 11-year-old self was horrified and so embarrassed.

—gmoneyb

22. The heartbreaking opening montage in the Disney movie, UP

I remember seeing the Pixar movie Up in the theater. After the heartbreaking opening montage that shows Carl and Ellie growing old together, everyone in the audience was silent. A little voice rose through the crowd asking very innocently, 'What happened?' It still makes me laugh when I think about it!

—tiffanyb25

23. When Frollo smells Esmeralda's hair in The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Huge inhale from the audience, like, 'Holy-cats-Jesus-Christ-Jiminy-crickets, they went there!

—contessachalice

24. When Bing Bong sacrificed himself in Inside Out

"I cried actual tears.

—hannahg472fd3ea9

25. The sad scene in the Lion King where Mufasa dies

So no one wants to talk about Mufasa’s death? Or any scene in The Lion King for that matter. I didn’t see if in theaters (because I wasn’t alive yet) but relatives have and they said the theater was dumbstruck when they got to the stampede scene.

—s8354932

"The Lion King, when Mufasa died and Simba is just sitting there trying to process the grief beside his father's dead body.

—13p05h2003m

From the hilarious to the heart-wrenching, these Disney movie moments had audiences around the world gasping, laughing, and crying in their seats. We're pretty sure you were on a feels trip while scrolling.

We hope you enjoyed revisiting these scenes as much as we enjoyed putting this list together. Before you leave, tell us which one of these movie moments made YOU audibly react in the theater?

Jesse