After 100 Years of Animation, Here Are the Most Annoying Disney Characters Ever

Walt Disney Studios has been telling stories full of vibrant, complex, and memorable characters for a century. Through these years, pop icons like Mickey Mouse have been born, and franchises have been built on the strong shoulders of other leading characters like Captain Jack Sparrow. Disney, as a master storyteller, has always been able to create lasting impressions through different mediums of entertainment with interesting, unique, and well-researched leads, villains, and sidekicks. However, ever so often, they get it wrong.

There are plenty of instances where Disney has created a character that just doesn’t sit well with fans. Sometimes this is done intentionally, but they miss the mark other times. In addition to the many heroes in Disney’s vast repertoire, many characters are collectively disliked. Some characters just rub you the wrong way. Maybe it’s their voice, over-the-top personality, or even their design, but certain Disney characters make you wonder, “What were they thinking?” So with that in mind, today we will be talking about some of the most annoying that Disney has ever created.

Disney Character Number 5: Tigger (Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh)

Credit: Disney

Let’s start with a bang, shall we? We all know that Tigger and his friends are beloved characters derived from A. A. Milne’s 1928 The House on Pooh Corner. We also know that Tigger’s first appeared onscreen in 1968 in Disney’s Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day. Although Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet, and Tigger started out as children’s stories, they took off in popularity once Disney got ahold of them. There’s just something about the loveable misadventures of that chubby pantless bear and his bouncing, loud friend that people first fell in love with.

However, despite the adorable stories and popularity, we have to agree with many out there that Tigger, Pooh’s tiger-like friend, ranks highly on the annoying scale. Not only is Tigger very high energy almost always, but he’s also excessively loud and chaotic. The wonderful thing about Tigger is nothing. He’s like a high-speed toddler, constantly getting into things and causing problems around the house. You love him, but it’s very easy to be frustrated with the character.

Disney Characters Number 4: Mater (Cars)

Credit: Disney

Pixar Studios isn’t excluded from this list, and we’ve got our eye on a particular tow truck that drives us a little insane. Much like others noted as incredibly annoying, Mater from Pixar’s Cars was once a beloved character. However, the act has gotten a little stale. Tow-Mater, voiced by Larry the Cable Guy, is a rusty old tow truck hanging out with Lightening McQueen (Owen Wilson). Although sometimes humorous, the problem is the ridiculous stereotypical picture he paints. 

Although Larry the Cable Guy has made a career in making fun of “rednecks,” some of the jokes are hurtful to those who grew up in the South. They create negative perceptions about lifestyles that aren’t necessarily true. This on-stage persona was carried over to animation and brought to life in 2006 when the first Cars film debuted. It worked well in the film, just as it did for Larry the Cable Guy at first, but now it’s grown old and outdated, like many of Disney’s other jabs at culture.

Disney Character Number 3: Mushu (Mulan)

Credit: Disney

We’re sorry Eddie Murphy, we really are, but Mushu is easily one of the most annoying Disney characters of all time. Premiering alongside Mulan in 1998, the tiny but fiery sidekick is full of self-served confidence that lands him and others in trouble. Mushu is not only loud and always talking, he also is arrogant and needs to be humbled, plus he is mean to Cri-kee. Although funny initially, Mushu’s performance by comedy legend Eddie Murphy was better suited for a different character from a separate studio.

Although Mushu first came into our lives in 1998, Eddie Murphy would resurrect the character in 2001 (kinda) when he voiced the role of Donkey in Shrek. Chances are you’ve never thought about the similarities between these two characters, but they’re almost identical in their performance, and sadly for Disney fans, Donkey was just the better overall character. Eddie Murphy’s comedic style just fits better within the “not so serious” storyline of Shrek compared to Mulan, and Donkey was (and still is) better received.

Character Number 2: Darla (Finding Nemo)

Credit: Disney

Let’s start by stating the obvious: Darla is one of those characters designed for us to dislike. Pixar animation did a fantastic job at creating a character that proved to be troublesome to the heroes of Finding Nemo (2003) but also irked audiences. Darla is unnecessarily abusive and aggressive to animals; what’s not to hate? Not to mention she looks terrifying. 

Of course, Darla represents children’s ability to underestimate their strength when dealing with smaller, more vulnerable creatures. It’s not Darla’s hatred of her uncle’s fishy pets that leads to their demise; it’s her love. However, you get the feeling that Darla is a bit spoiled and has never been set right about how she handles and treats these animals, which doesn’t sit well. The combination of coddled and animal cruelty not only make Darla incredibly annoying, but it also makes her outright hated by Disney fans.

Disney Character Number 1: Snow White (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)

Credit: Disney

Disney traditionalists will want my head served on a platter after this one. As this article simply serves entertainment value, that’s okay; you can be as mad as you want. Rounding out our list of most annoying characters ever created by Disney animation is Snow White. Yes, we know she’s Disney’s first princess, and yes, we know her movie saved The Walt Disney Company, but that had very little to do with Snow White and more to do with the animation style at the time. Instead, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) brought to us a very frustrating and annoying performance.

Many won’t want to hear this, but let’s rip the bandaid off; Snow White’s voice is tough to swallow. It’s high-pitched and leaves a constant ringing in the ears. Honestly, I can’t sit through the film because it gives me tinnitus. That may have been the bees-knees in the 30s, but today it’s challenging to listen to. Although Adriana Caselotti will always have her place in Disney history, her voice didn’t do Snow White any favors. In addition, the film is generally bad. Poor voice acting lends itself to a weird storyline that promotes many things that some would attempt to “cancel” in today’s time, hence the outcry over Disney’s upcoming live-action remake. 

Annoying Disney Characters Honorable Mentions

Credit: Disney

Although not quite making our list, a few other characters are worthy enough to note, so we felt obliged to include them here as honorable mentions. Although not top of their class, these annoying Disney characters also have done enough to earn them a spot on today’s list.

• Lot’s-o’-Huggin’ Bear – Toy Story 3 (2010)
• Tito – Oliver and Company (1988)
• Iago – Aladdin (1992)
• Sadness – Inside Out (2015)
• Tinkerbell – Peter Pan (1953)