Why are people so harsh on (most of) the DPs?

Stick with people who can appreciate them. Each Princess is fantastic and teach lessons. They do have their oh damsels, but studying them more and more and you don't see that.

Snow White and Aurora are the only princess that did nothing to show their strengths, but Snow White's biggest plus is her kindness. She doesn't judge anybody and although it was rushed she forgave the huntsman. And to survive slavery and death itself is incredible no other princess came back from the dead.

Aurora in underestimated. She is a peasant girl and knows the world from outside her kingdom. She may have strengths we know nothing about. She met a stranger, but she had no plans on marriage. Just to see him again and have another dance.

Cinderella is saved by mice not her prince and in the sequel she takes a stand.

Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, Merida, Anna, and Elsa they don't need explanations their movies, sequels, and even tv shows prove how good they are at taking care of themselves.

Find people who can love all of them. Criticisms, strengths, weakness, Being "Official".

Can't be a Disney Princess fan if you can't find the middle ground and appreciate all of them. Likewise, you can't be a Disney fan if you can't accept the princess or their non-princess co-stars.

I would love to know the answer to that as well.
But my theory is because they are the most well known of animated princesses in animation. Anything that gets a lot of attention - there will always be the idiot or idiots that try to tear them down. Harry Potter is another great example, Fundamentalist Christians who knew nothing about the books except that it contained the words witches and wizards and a school for them- try to have them banned left and right, movies too. Claiming they will turn kids into Devil worshipers, just like most feminists claim a girl who likes pink, sparkles, and Disney Princesses will grow up to be a submissive wife. ( Gaston's kind of wife)-which is ridiculous and why most women I talk to simply say Disney Princesses have nothing to do with feminism, we love them for who they are and their movies are beautiful escapism like all Disney-Feminism about equality not what gender is better or a " a battle of the sexes". - You can have romance and still be for feminism.
Anyway my point or guess like I said is anything big, will have its haters and the bigger the thing the more critics/haters. I know it bugs me too. Hope I helped.

I mean I didn't hate apples after watching Snow White with my brother, I did the wishing apple thing , the fell over and giggled. Then I was the witch and made other people eat it. Most of the Time my brother and I would sing " High Ho- its off to work we go". But most who criticize Snow White don't think about that part that kids or girls might see/do.

I totally agree with Persephone713. Even though I think people are very harsh on Barbie too. Anyway, I think it is because, well, Disney is the most popular. And oh my gosh when people randomly say 'Stockholm syndrome!' it's so ANNOYING! And well, many of these people haven't even seen the movies, they just blindly say they are bad because princesses wear ballgowns, sing and find true love, which is "so stupid, they are totally damsels-in-distress and they wouldn't survive without their man!" If you want an explanation, here's one: People are idiots! The most of them. But I can't give you a serious explanation, I haven't found one myself. I can't stand people who praise Merida, for example, for being a tomboy (!) and adventurous (yeah, like she's the only adventurous DP really). She's not even that brave! Don't get me wrong, I love her, I just find it unfair. For some reason, people seem to have made a picture in their minds about Disney and I can't understand why they don't do the same with Pixar or Dreamworks or even Monster high. since they love to hate fictional characters so much. Sorry, I know I didn't really answer your question, but as I said before, I have no idea.

I think that they're jealous of them. I mean they have pretty good lives (after all the bad stuff) and they're beautiful and most of them sing amazingly! I'm a little jealous of them. ;)