Here is a link to a video highlighting some of the differences between original fairytales and Disney's adaptations. I thought some of them were quite disturbing, especially Sleeping Beauty!!
http://www.buzzfeed.com/video/chrisreinacher/disney-stories-that-will-ruin-your-childhood
To add to the conversation that Disney uses the same formula for every film, there are various ways Disney could have adapted the original tales to be more suitable for kids. For instance, with The Little Mermaid, they could have ended the film with Ariel staying single, representing female empowerment. On the other hand, it is important to take note of the original tale's themes. The original Ariel kills herself after "her man" chooses another woman. Interestingly enough, many people who criticize Disney's creative decisions fail to mention the tales from which they are adapted. When compared to the original, The Little Mermaid seems to take the cake, although they could have portrayed Ariel as a wee bit more strong and independent.
When it comes to Peter Pan, I'm not sure how much insight I can bring to the table on its underlying themes. It's been a while since I've seen the film and the only thing I seem to remember is its main message: Growing up isn't a bad thing if you use it as a time for growth and maturity. This seems to be a pretty positive message although I have failed to look at the film more in depthly. When compared to its original counterpart, it seems to promote more positive values. In the original Peter Pan, Peter kills all the Lost Boys who he suspects of growing older, while he remains the only boy in Neverland to actually stay a boy. The original tale seems to look down on aging, a theme I might suspect from a 21st-Century film instead. Hence, Disney's adaptation, comparitively speaking, promotes a more positive message.
Disney has also been criticized for its adaptation of Pocahontas, citing the fact that it depicts the conflict between Native Americans and Europeans in a more lighthearted way than what really occurred. Although I believe it attempted to demonstrate love transcending race or culture, it definitely put a spin on the classic Disney tale of romance. Some say that Smith and Pocahontas don't end up together because they are interracial, but they probably would have criticized Disney for having Pocahontas disown her own race if she had left with John Smith. Personally, I think by structuring the message of acceptance transcending race through the relationship between the two protagonists, Disney set itself up for criticism from either side of the argument. No matter how they decided to end the film, it would have been the object of criticism due to the fact that historically, Pocahontas is captured and forced to move to England against her will. It is the romanticization of Pocahontas' relationship with her White capture that is really the problem.
Lastly, the video displayed the difference between the two versions of Sleeping Beauty. Many may criticize Princess Aurora for needing a man to kiss her in order for her to awaken from her spell. However, in the original tale, Sleeping Beauty is raped in her sleep and awoken 9 months later by, can you guess? Childbirth. How disgusting!!! Disney obviously takes the cake when it comes to appropriateness on this one.
By these observations I'm not saying that Disney gets away scot-free. However, it is important to note that many of Disney's adaptations came from somewhere, and were often times better than the original tales. The analysis of these tales should be incorporated in Disney criticism much more often than they are. With this said however, Disney still has the creative license to adapt these tales using even more progressive, 21st-century themes.
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