Cinderella 2: Dreams Come True Parent Guide

How do you follow up on “and they all lived happily ever after”? In Disney’s direct-to-video sequel to the famous classic, Cinderella’s pet mice fill us in on the details…

Adjusting to their new home at the castle, Jacques, Gus, and the other cheery rodents find time to reminisce and make a scrapbook for their mistress. With a little help from the Fairy Godmother, spellbinding takes on a whole new meaning as the magical pages come together to tell three tales of Cinderella’s early days at the castle.

In our first vignette, the former scouring maid may not be scrubbing and cleaning any longer, but she still has her work cut out for her. Barely back from her honeymoon, the new Princess is left in charge of planning an important Royal Banquet when the Prince and King are whisked away on important matters of state. Floundering in tradition, etiquette, and stuffy customs, she finds herself ill-prepared for imperial life and must do some soul searching in order to assert her identity.

The middle installment highlights the silly antics of our familiar old friends, the mice. Feeling small, insignificant, and somewhat neglected, Jacques has some big dreams of his own and longs for an opportunity to show Cinderella how useful he can be. Once again, the Fairy Godmother comes to the rescue, helping Jacques discover that some of the best things come in small packages.

And finally, love is in the air—or better yet, the aroma of freshly baked bread—when Anastasia falls head over heels for the village baker. Still trying to marry off her surly daughters to nobility, Cinderella’s notorious stepmother is enraged by this disadvantageous arrangement. Attempting to rescue the fledgling romance, Cinderella steps in with some sisterly advice and tries her hand at matchmaking.

Tampering with a perfect fairytale ending to engage our imaginations is like stealing cheese from a mousetrap—a daunting task with some inherent risks. But although Cinderella II lacks a strong storyline, it will still entertain youngsters. As for the rest of the family, they may find themselves Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Bored.

Starring Jennifer Hale, Tress Mac-Neille. Running time: 73 minutes. Theatrical release February 26, 2002. Updated July 17, 2017