Movies & TV
Disney Renaissance Quiz
From Ariel to Tarzan — how well do you know the decade that saved Disney animation?
From Ariel to Tarzan — how well do you know the decade that saved Disney animation?
Howard Ashman — lyricist of "Under the Sea" and "Be Our Guest" — was dying of AIDS while writing Beauty and the Beast, and the film is dedicated "To our friend Howard." From The Little Mermaid in 1989 to Tarzan in 1999, the Disney Renaissance produced ten animated films that rescued Walt Disney Animation Studios from a creative slump and earned the studio its first Best Picture nomination. This quiz covers the directors, songs, voice actors, and box office triumphs of the era.
Each round presents 10 randomized questions from a pool of 50, with four multiple-choice options and instant feedback after every answer. Your final score comes with a performance tier and shareable results.
You'll explore the songwriting partnership of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, the contributions of directors Ron Clements, John Musker, Gary Trousdale, and Kirk Wise, the animators behind Ariel, Beast, and Tarzan, the Best Picture-nominated Beauty and the Beast, the global juggernaut Lion King, and how the Renaissance set the stage for the Disney Revival of the 2010s.
The Disney Renaissance ran from 1989 to 1999, beginning with The Little Mermaid and ending with Tarzan. The decade restored Disney's reputation for prestige animated musicals.
Howard Ashman wrote the lyrics and Alan Menken wrote the music for "Under the Sea," which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1990.
The Little Mermaid, released in 1989 and directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, is widely considered the start of the Disney Renaissance.
Last updated: May 2026