Close your eyes and imagine a refreshing vacation at the beaches. More often than not, your mind will conjure up an image of a sunny Hawaiian island, innumerable Mai Tais, and a golden tan! But like us, if you are stuck at your workplace/college/school with no chance of a respite anytime soon, this list of Hawaiian Disney movies is for you! You can escape for a few hours through the life of Disney movies’ characters living their best lives on Hawaiian islands.
Disney movies are always full of hope and messages of the triumph of good over evil. However old we become, all of us still need a dose of optimism in our lives. Add that to a backdrop of the beautiful Polynesian culture of Hawaii, colorful beach backgrounds, and the gorgeous foaming ocean. Plus, there are the volcanoes and all the hula dancing!
It is not without reason that one of Hollywood’s favorite filming locations is the Hawaiian islands. Diverse films like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Waterworld, Waikiki, etc., have all been filmed in Hawaii. From George Clooney in Descendants to Elvis Presley in Blue Hawaii, very few actors haven’t shot in Hawaii for some movie.
Hawaiʻi, has so many beautiful leis, Stitch couldn't just pick one! 🌺 pic.twitter.com/tsfYu0ePxh
— Disney (@Disney) May 1, 2022
And if this is the scene, how can Disney movies be far behind?
Many several Disney movies have been released, with the backdrop being Hawaii. Keep reading to find a list of Disney movies filmed in Hawaii.
9 of the best Hawaiian Disney Movies
1. Moana
- Director: John Musker, Ron Clements
- Cast: Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House
- IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
This Hawaiian Disney movie is an apparent top-of-the-list entry! The music, animation, and vocal performances garnered much praise from critics. It even received two nominations – Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song.
The film is about a teenager’s quest to save her homeland set in the backdrop of the Hawaiian island of Motunui. In the movie, the island’s inhabitants worship the Goddess of Nature, Te Fiti, who was responsible for bringing life to the ocean using a pounamu stone. But a shapeshifting demigod Maui (voiced by Dwane Johnson) stole the heart. It gave humanity the power of creation, but Te Fiti disintegrated. Finally, a thousand years later, the ocean chooses Moana to return the heart to Te Fiti.
The directors of this film are the same ones who brought to life the animations of The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. They weaved their magic again to create Moana in the traditional animation techniques of Disney.
What draws #Moana into the ocean? 🐠 ?🐚 ? #TriviaTuesday pic.twitter.com/btfVSxrLHW
— Moana (@DisneyMoana) March 14, 2017
2. George of the Jungle
- Director: Sam Weisman
- Cast: Brendan Fraser, Leslie Mann, Richard Roundtree
- IMDB Rating: 5.5/10
This Disney film is pure comedy and is based on an animated series of the same name. The main character George is a kind of a spoof of Tarzan! In the film, heiress Ursula Stanhope visits a forest and meets George and his animal friends. They fall in love, but Ursula’s fiance Lyle Van De Groot, comes as the antagonist. The film is about how the two protagonists overcome all trouble to end up together.
One of my favorite films with Brendan Fraser. This movie was soooooo hilarious & had such great music. Haven't seen it such a long time. #GeorgeoftheJungle #Disney #DisneyPlus #BrendanFraser pic.twitter.com/dork5YsX5C
— WolfJillyJill/BLM🏳️🌈🐺🎮🌿🏌🏽 (@thelonewolf28) May 2, 2022
In the movie, they say it is a forest in Uganda, but in reality, the Hawaiian islands are the filming locations. Fraser is apt for the role of George with his bulked-up physique and comedic facial expressions. The film is averagely funny, but the elephant Shep draws the most laughs. George had trained the elephant to follow a pet dog’s mannerisms, like fetching a stick, wagging its tail, etc.
Even though this movie is not animated and is live-action. It has all the feel of an animated Disney movie.
3. Lilo and Stitch
- Director: Chris Sanders, Dean Deblois
- Cast: Chris Sanders, Daveigh Chase, Tia Carrere
- IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
This animated Disney film is in the genre of science fiction. Initially, the makers had decided to set the movie in rural Kansas but then changed it to Kaua’i island in Hawaii. Thus, this film also has Hawaii as its setting. It boasts of six Elvis Presley songs. There are a lot of 0f pop culture references like Godzilla, Jaws, etc.
This movie will satisfy grown-ups as well as kids. The Disney team, which made the high-rated Mulan, also made this one. Two siblings, Nani Pelekai and Lilo, live together after the death of their parents in a car crash. They adopt a dog, Stitch, and become a family of sorts.
The theme of Hawaii is sewn into the film. They live on the Hawaiian island and are Lilo waitresses in a traditional Hawaiian musical revue. Stitch, the dog, is an illegal experiment by an intergalactic scientist. The best part of the movie is that the ending is realistic and not the overly sweet characteristic of the Disney ending.
QOTD: Lilo and Stitch pic.twitter.com/GZQu9YlBgO
— Harry Downing (@harrydowning96) November 11, 2022
4. Stitch! The Movie
- Director: Tony Craig, Bobs Gannaway
- Cast: Chris Sanders, Daveigh Chase, Tia Carrere
- IMDB Rating: 6.1/10
The movie came released in 2003 after the critical acclaim of the first Lilo and Stitch movie in 2002. Like the previous film, this Disney movie is also filmed in Hawaii. We find out Jumba is still alive in the form of tiny pods. They can come alive if they come in touch with water. However, the film’s main kidnapping plot is downplayed with its comedic nature for its younger audience.
The animation quality of this film is lower than the first one. However, it was not unexpected as it was a straight-to-video production, unlike the first installment in the series. Even though the start is rocky. The film finds its footing midway and ends with a climactic scene. Like the original movie, this one also conveys the message of the importance of family in our lives.
Lilo and Stitch 2: Stitch Has A Glitch https://t.co/uew1BCuU69 pic.twitter.com/vTmzef4rol
— Eddie Barrett (@EddieBa95442882) November 20, 2020
5. Lilo and Stitch 2: Stitch has a glitch
- Director: Michael LaBash, Tony Leondis
- Cast: Chris Sanders, Dakota Fanning, Tia Carrere
- IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
In this film, Dakota Fanning replaced Daveigh Chase as Lilo Pelekai. Also set with Hawaii as the backdrop, it opens a few months after Lilo and Stitch 1 movie. Like most sequels of famous first movies, this one’s attempt at humor is juvenile. The witty dialogues of the first installment are missing in this one. The previous movie in this list was not a Lilo and Stitch sequel. It was released just on DVD.
The film begins with Stitch having a nightmare that he turned terrible and hurts everybody. After this, he gets sad that he might hurt Lilo, but Lilo comforts him. However, in the course of the film, due to some glitch, Stitch starts behaving uncontrollably. This was because Jumba had not been able to complete the process of charging his molecules. If not done quickly, it will eventually kill Stitch.
Thrown to the mix is a hula competition where Lilo and Stitch are to participate. It is an excellent way to incorporate the Polynesian culture into the islands of Hawaii.
6. Hawaiian Holiday
- Director: Ben Sharpsteen
- Cast: Walt Disney, John Sutherfilm
- IMDB Rating: 6.9/10
This animated short film, all eight minutes, is one of Disney’s retro classics with the Hawaiian theme. It was released in 1937 when Walt Disney was still lending his voice to his timeless creation Mickey Mouse. In this Disney film set in Hawaii, Mickey and his friends Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald are enjoying a vacation on a Hawaiian island. But to their dismay, the ocean and the sea creatures seem to be at odds with them.
Donald Duck has not come into the picture yet as he is yet to be born. The only drawback of this film is it’s too short. This one is perfect for playing in the lobbies of Hawaiian resorts to put the tourists in the mood.
Tuesday Sketchbook: Mickey and Minnie’s Hawaiian Holiday: pic.twitter.com/6B0nyaQHUL
— Debbie Perry (@debbieanne_11) August 2, 2022
7. Johnny Tsunami
- Director: Steve Boyum
- Cast: Brandon Baker, Lee Thompson Young, Kirsten Storms
- IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
This is another of the Hawaiian Disney movies which was a part of Disney Channel Original Movies. This 1999 film is about a resident of Hawaii, Johnny Kapahala, who loves surfing and comes from a happy family. But due to his father’s job transfer, the entire family shifts to Vermont, where Johnny encounters trouble with his new schoolmates.
By the movie’s second half, everybody returns to Hawaii, where the climax occurs between Johnny and his rival Brett. This film, shot in Hawaii, conveys very important messages of tolerance and the importance of unity in the family. It ends with the characteristic happy endings of Disney.
They released the film just for television, and it fared pretty well. Brandon Baker shines in his role and plays Johnny with an effortless charm. But, of course, the scenic beauty of the Hawaiian islands also helps.
After watching Johnny Tsunami we felt inadequate to properly unpack the skiing and snowboarding rivalry. So we got Krista's uncle, Fred Beam, to represent skiing and Krista's friend, Carly Zielke, to represent snowboarding. Can skiers and snowboarders share the mountain? pic.twitter.com/KSDJSE7mpm
— DCOM Deep Dive (@DcomDeepDive) November 9, 2022
8. Rip Girls
- Director: Joyce Chopra
- Cast: Camilla Belle, Dwier Brown
- IMDB Rating: 5.9
One of the many Disney movies you might have forgotten or not known was shot in Hawaii. It was also made just for television and was a part of Disney Channel Original Movies. The target audience for this film shot in Hawaii was teenage girls, as the protagonist herself was a thirteen-year-old girl.
In this Hawaiian Disney movie, we see Sydney Miller move away from Hawaii with her father after her mother’s death. She returns to Hawaii at thirteen years of age with her father and stepmother to decide the fate of a Hawaiian plantation she inherited. The film shows her getting interested in surfing and discovering more about her late mother, who also loved surfing.
One of the best things about this film is that, unlike most Disney movies with trademark evil stepmothers, Sydney and her stepmother have a good relationship. As a result, the young audience will learn valuable lessons on losing loved ones, protecting the environment, and facing one’s fears.
These are some of the most famous Disney movies you didn’t know were shot in Hawaii. All of these are available for streaming on Disney plus platform. It is not without reason that whenever Disney thinks of putting a vacation theme to their films, they opt for the beautiful sunny beach locations in Hawaii. So what if you cannot go for a real vacation, curl up on the couch with any of these Hawaiian Disney movies and take a well-deserved (or not!) break.
#LPDisneyPlusPick 4/22/20: 20 years ago today, the DCOM "Rip Girls" premiered on Disney Channel. Celebrate this milestone anniversary on #DisneyPlus. https://t.co/XbmAENZT3E pic.twitter.com/qaUkKa6sAp
— LaughingPlace.com (@laughing_place) April 22, 2020
9. Hello Aloha
- Director: Jack Kinney
- Cast: Pinto Colvig, Harry Owens, Jimmy MacDonald
- IMDB Rating: 6.4/10
Released in 1952, Hello Aloha is the story of George Geef (Goofy) who has been daydreaming about taking a holiday because he’s been overworked for several weeks. Finally, Goofy chooses to quit the chaos of his current employment for a more tranquil existence in the tropics since he finds it far too exhausting.
Geef travels by ship and settles in Hawaii. Collecting beach shells, building a hut in which to reside, reconnecting with nature, and even taking part in the massive luau feast are all things he finds to be really delightful there. He now adopts Hawaiian culture and offers himself as a sacrifice to a volcano deity.
Goofy in Hello Aloha 1952 Rd3EqGEo8BM # Play disney Games # Watch Cartoons https://t.co/BU0BZwhhEW pic.twitter.com/Wu7M3EhMiN
— alibaba-Japan (@Japan_Alibaba) December 24, 2016
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Which is the Disney movie Hawaii alien movie?
Ans: The Disney movie Hawaii alien movie is Lilo & Stitch. Two siblings, Nani Pelekai and Lilo, live together after the death of their parents in a car crash. They adopt a dog, Stitch, and become a family of sorts. The theme of Hawaii is sewn into the film.
Q2: Which are the Hawaiian cartoon movies?
Ans: The Hawaiian cartoon movies are Moana, Lilo, and Stitch, Stitch! The Movie, Hawaiian Holiday. These are the animated musical adventure film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures.
Q3: Which are the Disney Movies with Hawaii surf?
Ans: Disney Movies with Hawaii surf are Rip Girls and Johnny Tsunami. The former movie revolves around a protagonist Sydney Miller who moves away from Hawaii with her father after her mother’s death. The latter is based on Johnny Kapahala, who loves surfing and comes from a happy family. But due to his father’s job transfer, the entire family shifts to Vermont, where Johnny encounters trouble with his new schoolmates.
