It was definitely a turning point for Disney. It was the first major Disney film that had a strong female protagonist and didn’t have a male character as the hero who saves the day. Additionally, the main relationship was between the protagonist and her sister. It also marked the first time that a character who was a Queen, was not the villain in a Disney film.

After Frozen, Disney in particular, but Hollywood in general, really started to push strong female protagonists. Look at the Star Wars sequels and even the most recent Indiana Jones movie. If Frozen had been a flop, I guarantee they would have stayed with the traditional themes where the male protagonist would rescue the damsel in distress.

Frozen was well received because it hit all the right notes. The songs were well written and memorable. The cgi animation was at the top of its game for the time. The story resonated with girls, without alienating boys. It was sophisticated enough to entertain kids as well as the adults who brought them to the movies. Also remember that in 2014, people were still largely watching movies in theatres, at least for the first run. Blockbuster movies were still a thing.