With the release of The Princess and the Frog (Ron Clements and John Musker, 2009) the phrase Classic Disney' has re-entered popular discussion. Unfortunately, the concept of Classic Disney' has evolved in recent years, developing from a seemingly straightforward term featured in numerous discussions of Disney, to one which lacks the specificity required to support shorthand' critical engagement with the studio's animated features. This article develops the neologism Disney-Formalism' as a potential alternative to the term Classic Disney', referring to the formation, and continuation, of the aesthetic style forged in the films Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (David Hand, 1937), Pinocchio (Ben Sharpsteen et al., 1940), Dumbo (Ben Sharpsteen, 1941), and Bambi (David Hand, 1942).