Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Mild scares don't dampen joys of darling origin story.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Once Upon a Snowman
What's the Story?
ONCE UPON A SNOWMAN tells the story of how Olaf's (voiced by Josh Gad) rebirth as an animate snowman came to be within the Frozen storyline. The short opens as Elsa (Idina Menzel) scales the North Mountain after exposing her magic to her kingdom, which inadvertently brings to life Olaf, who's standing just out of her sight. His ensuing physical and existential journey to discover his identity reveals tidbits of his personality and zigzags through and around other scenes from the movie.
Is It Any Good?
The breakout star of the Frozen stories gets his own spotlight in this adorable origin story whose only fault is being far too short for fans' liking. Innocent and joyful Olaf never disappoints, and Once Upon a Snowman is no exception. He's immediately likable, being honest in his insecurities and ever willing to trust that even the most worrisome predicament will have a silver lining. In other words, he's Olaf, even before he realizes who that is and what that means.
This short is exceedingly efficient with its time and manages to integrate Elsa, Anna (Kristen Bell), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), the hungry wolves, and even Oaken (Chris Williams) -- who gets a very welcome and delightful new scene of his own -- into Olaf's story. Frozen fans of all ages will want to watch to become better acquainted with this favorite character whose affinity for summer and warm hugs makes him so endearing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Olaf learns about himself in this story and what he discovers. How do his experiences help reflect his kind and generous personality? How does he feel once he remembers who he is? What aspects of your nature do you think it's important for people to know?
How does Olaf persevere through everything that befalls him? Did any of his accidents make you worry about his safety? How does this story make them seem funny rather than scary?
Once Upon a Snowman tells part of the Frozen story from a new point of view. Does it change any of your impressions of the original movie? What value is there in being able to recognize different experiences and points of view in real life?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 23, 2020
- Cast : Josh Gad , Idina Menzel , Kristen Bell
- Network : Disney+
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Book Characters
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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