It really makes me SO MAD to no end. Everyone holds Disney to a double standard making it seem like they have to be innocent and good. Pinocchio(so some extent), The Black Cauldron, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame are darker films and are quite underrated for it by many, even though I'm not a fan of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (though I like it). In my opinion The Black Cauldron is one of the best Disney movies.

Movies like The Land Before Time, The Prince of Egypt, The Secret of Nimh, and An American Tail are very dark films and are praised for that and are much beloved by many. I love The Land Before Time and The Prince of Egypt but the other two I find overrated. I mean these films are actually much darker than the dark Disney movies. So why aren't they just as much criticized. I mean An American Tail and The Secret of Nimh have cats that they treat like mindless monsters that they have act and sound like the Sharp-tooth from The Land Before Time. Over the top much? Plus did you seem the owl scene in Secret of Nimh? That's just disturbing!

I believe Disney is held to a double standard and people just don't want it to be risky like the Non-Disney films. I believe Disney should be allowed to make dark films and be praised for it like the others do.

It is unfair, and I totally see what you're saying - you make complete sense. It's just that Disney is marketed so much towards children, and sometimes dark movies can be really inappropriate for children to watch.
I mean, The Hunchback of Notre Dame's movie trailer is so light and fun - with sweet Quasi, nice Esmeralda and all Quasi's hilarious gargoyle friends! And then you watch the movie and it is so dark. I never watched HOND as a kid, and I'm greatful for that because some scenes are just too dark for kids. When I watch it with my little sister I send her out of the room and fast forward certain scenes.
Disney is marketed as 'The Happiest Place on Earth', so you'd expect happy movies most of the time. And when there are dark movies - mind you dark movies marketed towards KIDS - people often get annoyed.
BUT, the movies that KataraLover pointed out are also marketed towards kids and are huge successes, so I have no idea whats going on with people. Disney can't make dark films but other kids movie companies can - whats up with that? That was a lot of writing, sorry for ranting...

I don't' find it surprising, as media and families hold Disney on such a high pedestal of being good, wholesome entertainment. I myself find it stupid, as literally EVERY Disney film has some sort of death and/or crying scene, and most has scary visuals.
Really, it's the merchandising and advertising of Disney characters fault. For example, with Pinocchio there is smoking, drinking, and gambling by young children, and some pretty gruesome visuals. But at the parks and stores, Pinocchio is painted as one of the most pure films the company's made, what with one of its songs made as the company's jingle.
Heck, the company's being pressured by its status! The Black Cauldron was originally 12 minutes longer, but Katzenburg, CEO at the time, thought it would be 'too scary' for people and clumsily hacked up the film (especially noticeable the Cauldron's activation; there are giant skips in the soundtrack).
Overall, I'm seriously not shocked or anything, but I really wish that they did more darker films.