5 CLASSIC DISNEY CARTOONS FOR SUMMER

We’re in the dog days of summer, and what better time than now to check out some summer-themed Disney cartoons. I’ve selected 5 that I have a particular fondness for. 

Hawaiian Holiday (1937) is a true Disney classic; one of only two times that Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto appeared together in the same theatrically-released short (the other is On Ice [1935]). We find the gang spending their vacation together on a Hawaiian beach. (Hawaii was not a state when this short was released; it was an organized unincorporated U.S. territory.) 

For those who prefer the wilderness to the sand and surf, try out Father’s Lion (1952). In the 1950s, Goofy was reimagined as a suburban family man, complete with an office job and precocious son, Goofy Junior (precursor to the more famous Max Goof from the 90s.) Goofy takes Junior on a camping trip and encounters a little known Disney character, Louie the Mountain Lion. In Two Weeks Vacation (1952), Goofy finally gets a break from work, but his road-trip is plagued by slow moving travel trailers, busted tires, and a roaring late-night locomotive. Not the best Goofy short, but probably my favorite. 

While I love Goofy, I’m a Donald Duck fanatic. Tea for Two Hundred (1948) was one of the first Donald-centric shorts I ever saw. Donald's picnic is invaded by an army of hungry ants. The short was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1948 (but Tom and Jerry took home the Oscar that night). 

Lastly, let’s finish with the Mouse himself. The Simple Things (1953) is the final Mickey Mouse short released in the original series, dating back to Steamboat Willie (1928). Mickey and Pluto are at the seaside for some fishing, but are bedeviled by a meddlesome seagull. 

Some of these come from “Walt Disney Cartoon Classics - Happy Summer Days”, one of the earliest VHS compilations I owned. Nowadays, all of these shorts are available for free online. (Hawaiian Holiday and The Simple Things are also currently on Disney+). 

So celebrate the dog days of summer with your favorite cartoon dogs, mice, a hot-tempered duck, and some terrific Disney animation. 

-T.Z.