Disney+ Restricts ‘Dumbo,’ ‘Peter Pan,’ More From Kids Accounts For “Negative Depictions”

As companies across the world continue to reckon with their controversial pasts, Disney is taking steps to protect young children from offensive content. Following the launch of Disney’s “Stories Matter” initiative, Disney+ has removed films like Peter Pan and Dumbo from its children’s accounts. With this in mind, it’s important to be clear on the issue: Disney+ is not removing Peter Pan or Dumbo or “canceling” any movies, so everyone can relax!

If you still have questions about the new Disney+ policy, you’ve come to the right place. Is Disney+ removing movies? Why is Disney+ removing Peter Pan from kids profiles? Here’s everything you need to know.

IS DISNEY PLUS REMOVING MOVIES?

While a few films tend to leave Disney+ every month (unlike Netflix, the service doesn’t announce which movies will be departing), Disney classics like Dumbo, Peter Pan, and Swiss Family Robinson are not being removed from the service. However, they have been removed from Disney+ kids profiles — more on that below!

DISNEY PLUS PULLS PETER PAN: WHY IS PETER PAN BEING CANCELLED?

Despite what you may have heard from angry people on social media, Peter Pan is not being “canceled,” nor is it being outright pulled from Disney+. Rather, Disney+ is taking steps to shield young children from offensive content, and as such, kids profile users (typically children seven and under) will no longer be able to stream films with depictions and characters that we would now consider insensitive.

As the Disney+ Kids Profile Help Center explains, “Titles with a content advisory notice related to negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures have been excluded” from the children’s profile library.

DISNEY PLUS PULLS DUMBO, THE ARISTOCATS, AND MORE MOVIES FROM KIDS’ PROFILES

Of the films on Disney+ with a disclaimer, four are garnering attention for their removal from kids profiles. These films are as follows:

The Aristocats
Dumbo
Peter Pan
Swiss Family Robinson

Given the widespread reckoning around racist depictions in film and television, it’s no surprise that Disney+ is trying to prevent children from watching and internalizing these messages. In the case of Dumbo, for example, the chorus of crows relies on minstrel show stereotypes, and the film features a very racist song that glorifies work done by Black laborers. Yeah, kids can probably do without this kind of messaging.

HOW TO WATCH DUMBO AND PETER PAN ON DISNEY PLUS

If you absolutely must watch Dumbo, Peter Pan, The Aristocats, or Swiss Family Robinson, simply switch over to a non-kids profile and begin streaming. You may have to complete an “exit challenge” in order to toggle between a kids profile and an adult profile, but the feature can be turned on or off in the new Parental Controls menu in your settings.

Where to stream Dumbo