These 23 Classic Rom-Coms On Disney+ Are The Escape You Need Right Now

A gentle romantic comedy from 2007, Dan In Real Life follows the story of advice columnist Dan Burns (Steve Carell) who accidentally falls in love with his brother’s girlfriend. As a widower and the father of three daughters, Dan has a lot going on. When he happens to connect with Marie Diamond (Juliette Binoche) in a bookstore, he feels some hope. But at a family gathering in Rhode Island, he learns that Marie is actually the girlfriend of his brother, Mitch (Dane Cook). This understandably leads to a complicated family reunion as the three deal with their romantic entanglements. Part drama, part comedy, this early 2000s love story is clever and memorable.

Stream Dan In Real Life, rated PG-13, on Disney +.

A follow-up to Three Men and a Baby, the 1990 film Three Men and a Little Lady is the continuing story of the three bachelors-turned-dads. Peter (Tom Selleck), Michael (Steve Guttenberg), and Jack (Ted Danson) are happily living in the same home as their adopted daughter and her mother, Sylvia (Nancy Travis). But when Sylvia decides to move to England for an engagement, taking the beloved daughter with her, the three men have to find a reason for her to stay. This heartwarming sequel is both a buddy film and a romantic comedy, and it’s well worth a watch for all the laughs and charm.

Stream Three Men and a Little Lady, rated PG, on Disney+.

A humorous retelling of “The Princess and the Pea,” the 2005 version of Once Upon A Mattress stars Carol Burnett, Tracey Ullman, Denis O’Hare, and Zooey Deschanel. It’s based on the musical from 1959, and Carol Burnett actually got her start in this show as Princess Winnifred. In the film version, Queen Aggravain (Burnett) declares that no one may marry until her son Prince Dauntless (O’Hare), has wed. However, Aggravain also chases off all his potential suitors. But Princess Winnifred (Tracey Ullman) dares to stand up to her test. What happens when a potential princess is not so easy to dissuade? It’s a made-for-TV musical with a super stellar cast.

Stream Once Upon A Mattress, rated TV-PG, on Disney+.

A 1997 retelling of the classic fairy tale, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella features Whitney Houston, Whoopi Goldberg, and pop star Brandy as the titular character. A made-for-TV movie, this G-rated musical is itself a remake of a 1957 TV musical. Basically, it’s worth a watch to see Houston as the Fairy Godmother in an amazing take on the character. With an 86% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella is generally praised as an uplifting musical, with reviewers calling Brandy’s performance charismatic and ethereal. Also, the real-life version of the classic Cinderella dress that Brady wears in the film is nothing short of magical.

Stream Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, rated G, on Disney+.

When teenage best friends Hailey (Joanna "JoJo" Levesque) and Claire (Emma Roberts) find a mermaid named Aquamarine in a local swimming pool, their summer takes a wild turn. Aquamarine (Sara Paxton), who was washed ashore during a big storm, is on a mission to prove to her father Neptune that love does exist. The teens help Aquamarine learn all about the human world and attempt to make a love match with lifeguard Raymond (Jake McDorman). This lighthearted comedy is rated PG for some language and sensuality, but it’s generally a fine movie to watch with your own little mermaid. Love, friendship, and mermaid magic are all at the heart of this 2006 film.

Stream Aquamarine, rated PG, on Disney+.

tarring Julia Stiles and a long-haired Heath Ledger, 10 Things I Hate About You is an updated version of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew set in an American high school. Sophomore Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) isn't allowed to date until her sister, the antisocial senior Kat (Stiles), also starts going out, which feels like an impossibility. But an attempt to hire the resident bad boy Patrick (Ledger) as Kat's suitor turns out differently than anyone planned in this PG-13 hit from 1999. Plus, the ‘90s fashions are front and center in this movie, from the hair tendrils to platform flip-flops to crop tops. Lastly, Kat’s recitation of the poem at the end is still guaranteed to make you tear up a little bit.

Stream 10 Things I Hate About You, rated PG-13, on Disney+.

Take a trip back to 1998 with The Parent Trap, starring Lindsay Lohan as both Hallie Parker and Annie James, a pair of identical twins who were separated at birth. They happen to meet up at a summer camp, where the girls learn they each have half of a photo ripped “right down the middle” of their mother and father. By teaming up and switching places, the girls try to reunite their divorced parents (played by Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson). How many generations of kids have watched this movie and immediately tried to mimic Lohan's posh British accent? It's a rite of passage at this point.

Stream The Parent Trap, rated PG, on Disney+.

In While You Were Sleeping, Sandra Bullock plays Lucy, a subway worker who rescues a man's life after he gets mugged and falls into a coma. But when the man's family mistakes Lucy for his fiancee, the heroine of this 1995 comedy doesn't correct their misunderstanding very quickly. In fact, she gets pulled into his large and friendly family in no time. Oh, and then she starts falling in love with the comatose man's brother, Jack (Bill Pullman), who is more than a little suspicious about her “relationship” with the comatose man. It's a quirky, high-concept comedy that feels like it could only come from the mid-'90s.

Stream While You Were Sleeping, rated PG, on Disney+.

Years before The Little Mermaid debuted, there was Splash, the 1984 mermaid comedy starring Tom Hanks as businessman Allen Bauer and Daryl Hannah as Madison. In this quirky fish-out-of-water story, Madison (Hannah) saves Bauer’s life when he falls overboard in a boat. She doesn’t immediately come clean about the fact that she has legs on land, but mermaid fins whenever she’s in water. Still, the romance that develops between Bauer and Madison is iconic, even as they get into comedic mishaps all over the city. (Honestly, the movie is worth watching for the lobster scene alone.) It’s one of the most charming, silly rom coms on Disney+, and it still holds up.

Stream Splash, rated PG, on Disney+.

It’s the movie that makes “kissing scenes” acceptable for just about anyone. Made in 1987, The Princess Bride is a delightful fairy tale fantasy filled with epic sword fights, classic one-liners ("I'm not a witch, I'm your wife!"), and perfectly filmed romantic scenes. Cary Elwes is absolutely dreamy as the farmer-turned-pirate Westley, and Robin Wright’s performance as The Princess Bride herself is timeless. All the supporting characters are amazing, too, including André the Giant as Fezzik and Mandy Patinkin as the swashbuckling Iñigo Montoya. (Oh, and don’t miss baby Fred Savage as the grandson in the storytelling scenes.) You'll be saying "as you wish" to your loved ones long after watching this movie.

Stream The Princess Bride, rated PG, on Disney+.

For kids who grew up with the TV series, watching Lizzie (Hilary Duff) start to fall for Italian pop star Paolo (Yani Gellman) in The Lizzie McGuire Movie was the height of romance. Lizzie, along with her buddies Kate (Ashlie Brillault), Gordo (Adam Lamberg), and Ethan (Clayton Snyder), go on a class trip to Rome, Italy. But when Italian pop stars Paolo and Isabella, famed for their duets, have a falling out, it turns out Lizzie is the spitting image of Isabella. Paolo invites Lizzie to join him onstage at a concert while pretending to be the famous singer. Fashion shows, pratfalls, and giant concerts are all part of the adventure as the romance between Lizzie and Paolo blooms. Watching this 2003 movie now is quite the nostalgia hit, especially when you look back and realize Lizzie was in Italy for her junior-high graduation trip.

Stream The Lizzie McGuire Movie, rated PG, on Disney+.

Relive Gabriella and Troy's connection by watching the original High School Musical again. The 2006 TV movie sets up athlete Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) and new student Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) as school musical co-stars who start to become more than friends. But the intense diva Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) wants a callback, too. There are now three High School Musical movies, a television series, and of course Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure, because the Wildcats have some serious staying power. So sing along to “We’re All in This Together” and “Breaking Free” in the comfort of your home while enjoying this romantic Disney movie that defined the early aughts.

Stream High School Musical, rated TV-G, on Disney+.

Watch this 1969 film and you'll immediately understand why Barbara Streisand is such a star. In Hello, Dolly!, Streisand is matchmaker Dolly Levi, who fixes up the love lives of all her friends while trying to get the attention of her own love interest. Winner of 4 Academy Awards in 1970 (including Best Art Direction, Best Sound, and Best Music), the beloved classic features tons of romantic pairings from Levi, who has her own designs on "half-a-millionaire" Horace Vandergelder (Walter Matthau). It’s a giant musical featuring loads of dancers, catchy songs, and Streisand in a glittering gown with a giant feather boa, AKA everything you could want in a movie.

Stream Hello, Dolly!, rated G, on Disney+.

OK, so this might not be the first film that comes to mind when you think of a rom-com. But in the supremely silly 1997 comedy George of the Jungle, the romance between Ursula (Leslie Mann) and George (Brendan Fraser) is real. After a plane crash strands baby George in a jungle, he is raised by an ape named Ape (John Cleese). After a chance encounter with Ursula on a safari, adult George relocates to San Francisco. There are some classic scenes as he learns to navigate city life, such as a trip to the “big, shiny cave” Neiman Marcus where he discovers he looks “pretty darn good” in Armani. In addition to all the cartoony humor, though, the movie has way more heart than you might expect from a Tarzan spoof.

Stream George Of The Jungle, rated PG, on Disney+.

Yep, it's another Lindsay Lohan feature, because Lilo ruled the early aughts movie world. In the 2004 feature Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Lohan plays Lola, who will stop at nothing to become a famous actress. After trading NYC for the suburbs in New Jersey, however, Lola finds it difficult to keep pursuing those dreams. There’s a video game dance-off with her biggest rival Carla (Megan Fox). There’s pageboy hats. And there’s also plenty of adorable romantic moments with Sam (Eli Marienthal). Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen *does* have a 14% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with some reviewers calling it a “guilty pleasure.” But the gentle romance and trendy (at the time) teen fashions are worth a watch.

Stream Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, rated PG, on Disney+.

Take it back to 2003 with this film. Although the mother-daughter switcheroo is of course the heart of this movie, Freaky Friday also has some pretty adorable romantic subplots too. Teenager Anna (Lindsay Lohan) and her mom Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis), who are as different as can be, wake up one morning to find they have switched bodies, and each has to get through a day pretending to be the other. Going back to high school as Anna, Tess learns more about her daughter’s struggles with a difficult teacher and a frenemy. Meanwhile, Anna struggles with her mother’s therapist clients. The film follows both as they try to figure out a way to switch back before Tess’ pending wedding to Ryan Volvo (Mark Harmon). The movie is generally well-received, and the 2003 version of Freaky Friday has an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Stream Freaky Friday, rated PG, on Disney+.

If you want a truly lighthearted flick, then nothing really tops the original Disney Channel romance movies. In Geek Charming, filmmaker Josh (Matt Prokop) and popular girl Dylan (Sarah Hyland) work together on a film about popularity, learning more about themselves in the process. Dylan agrees to the film to boost her own ratings in time for a popularity contest, but Josh winds up documenting a different story instead. It’s a look back at high school social dynamics (from a 2011 perspective, at least), and the love story between the leads feels very sweet and real. The movie is based on the novel by Robin Palmer.

Stream Geek Charming, rated TV-G, on Disney+.

Sure, you've seen the Lohan version a zillion times (and it still holds up), but the 1961 version of The Parent Trap is definitely worth a watch. Hayley Mills stars as a set of identical twins who switch places in a bid to get their divorced parents back together. It’s a very similar plot to the ‘90s film, and the 1960s version was even nominated for a couple of Oscars. The parents are played by classic actors Maureen O’Hara and Brian Keith. Honestly, this film is worth watching for the amazing 1960s wardrobe and hair alone, as well as the slapstick humor.

Stream The Parent Trap, rated G, on Disney+.

Of course the first movie is an absolute classic for all time, but The Princess Diaries 2 is also a gem. Princess Mia (Anne Hathaway) has to find a husband, and quickly, in order to be Queen of Genovia. The 21-year-old finds the task a little complicated, to say the least, and there are plenty of goofy potential suitors along the way. At least Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews) is there to help along the way. Set in a giant royal palace with all the luxuries, and filled with gorgeous costumes, the film also features a cute love story with Andrew Jacoby (Callum Blue). Also: mattress surfing.

Stream The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, rated G, on Disney+.

Much lighter than the Madeleine L'Engle book used as its basis, A Ring of Endless Light follows the story of Vicky Austin (Mischa Barton), a young teen who discovers she can communicate with dolphins. Her budding romance with the marine researcher Adam Eddington (Ryan Merriman) is adorable, and there's plenty of beautiful scenes of them interacting with dolphins. This 2002 Disney Channel Original movie is a pretty film for anyone who loves to romanticize the sea, and there are tons of gorgeous underwater scenes to sit back and enjoy. Lastly, fans of Supernatural will love seeing Jared Padalecki in an early role.

Stream A Ring of Endless Light, rated TV-G, on Disney+.

It's always the right time of year to watch romantic Christmas comedies. In Snowglobe, Christina Milian stars as Angela, who finds herself transported to a perfect wintertime world in a place called Snow Globe. The people there celebrate Christmas all the time, and one of the residents even seems to have a thing for her. So does she end up with a partner from this seemingly perfect place, or go for someone from the real world? The 2007 rom-com, rated PG, is comforting as a mug of hot chocolate, and Milian even won an Imagen Foundation Award for her role.

Stream Snowglobe, rated TV-PG, on Disney+.

There’s nothing like a coming-of-age rom com with a bit of celebrity thrown in the mix. In StarStruck, pop star Christopher Wilde (Sterling Knight) questions his meteoric rise to fame when he meets the down-to-earth Jessica Olson (Danielle Campbell). Will he choose fame or what his heart wants? It’s fun to enjoy their Los Angeles adventure vicariously. And of course there’s a soundtrack of original songs you can stream on Spotify, because the song “Shades” is kind of a banger? It's a cozy Disney Channel romance movie from 2010 that was nominated for a Favorite Family TV Movie by the People’s Choice Awards.

Stream StarStruck, rated TV-G, on Disney+.

Well, it had to make the list, didn't it? The movie you've already seen a thousand times, High School Musical 3: Senior Year follows the senior Wildcats as they prepare for life after high school. Will Troy (Zac Efron) and Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens) be separated by college? Will Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) finally get her say in a school musical? With songs like “Can I Have This Dance?” and “We’re All In This Together (Graduation Mix)”, it’s another feel-good installment in the wildly popular TV movie series. Although this movie came out in 2008, fans are still holding out hope for a High School Musical 4 installment, so time will tell.

Stream High School Musical 3, rated G, on Disney+.