If you’ve been wishing on a star for your Prince Charming or for good grades on finals, then keep wishing. But if you’ve ever wished for a Disney movie as magical as the ones you remember from when you were little, then you’re in luck.

Disney’s newest animated feature film, “The Princess and the Frog,” marks the debut of the first black Disney princess, Tiana, voiced by Anika Noni Rose (“Dreamgirls”).

Tiana isn’t born a princess, however. When we meet her, she’s busily making beignets for New Orleans bigshots, hoping one day she can open a restaurant of her own.

As Mardi Gras approaches, Tiana’s spoiled but loveable childhood friend, Charlotte LaBouff, eagerly awaits the arrival of Prince Naveen, who hails from the fictional country of Maldonia.

Despite the fact that he’s a prince, Naveen arrives in New Orleans with no cash whatsoever because he’s been cut off from his wealthy parents. When Naveen stumbles upon Dr. Facilier, a voodoo witch doctor, magical madness ensues and Dr. Facilier turns Naveen into a frog.

As every princess knows, if you wish upon a star and a frog appears, you should probably kiss it, no matter how grossed out you might be. After all, the frog might turn into a prince and then you’ll both live happily ever after. So when Naveen the frog appears before Tiana, she puckers up. But the transformation doesn’t go as planned, and Tiana turns into a frog as well.

Naveen and Tiana set off on a wild adventure through the bayou in search of Mama Odie, the crotchety fairy godmother-esque character who may or may not be able to help them become human again. Along the way, Naveen and Tiana befriend an enormous, jazz-loving alligator and a Cajun firefly who’s missing a few teeth.

Disney obviously pulled out all the stops for Princess Tiana’s arrival. Ron Clements and Jon Musker, the talented duo behind “The Little Mermaid” and “Aladdin,” teamed up again for “The Princess and the Frog.” Pixar and Disney 3D are cool, but it’s hard not to love the hand-drawn animation in “The Princess and the Frog.” In addition, Award-winning composer Randy Newman crafted a catchy score for the film, heavily influenced by New Orleans jazz.

Set in New Orleans, “The Princess and the Frog” is infused with Cajun flavor. The film beautifully captures the essence of the city in the early 20th century. The above-ground tombs, Louisiana bayou and Mardi Gras festivities easily transport viewers to the Big Easy. New Orleans cuisine plays a big role in the film as well, and the thought of Tiana’s famous gumbo will leave your mouth watering as you exit the theater.

Candy-colored scenery, eye-popping Mardi Gras floats and twinkling lights everywhere create a festive atmosphere throughout the film — even the bayou sparkles. In “The Princess and the Frog,” it’s all Mardi Gras, all the time.

“The Princess and the Frog” unfolds at a faster pace than its predecessors, which makes sense since these days the princesses must compete with a slew of badly acted TV shows and prepackaged teen pop stars for the attention of younger Disney fans. Instead of gimmicks, “The Princess and the Frog” succeeds with an intriguing cast of characters and an enchanting array of visuals.

The morals of the story: everything tastes better with an extra shot of Tabasco sauce, never trust the magic of a shady voodoo man, and, most importantly of all, never lose sight of what’s really important in life — love. True, that last one might be cheesy, but it’s a moral that never really gets old — and there are just enough sinister moments, humor and hot sauce in this film to keep it from seeming too sugar-coated.

Beyond the presence of a black princess, “The Princess and the Frog” does not really engage in a discussion about race. The relationship between Tiana and Naveen provides an example of interracial dating, though it seems odd that the film’s creators left Naveen’s heritage completely ambigious while Tiana’s is so obviously rooted in New Orleans culture.

Cultural implications aside, “The Princess and the Frog” is a charming, exuberant and beautiful film. Although college students might have graduated from the predictable plots of G-rated Disney flicks long ago, the music, animation and attention to detail in “The Princess and the Frog” are suberb, and Disney’s newest princess shows us that “dreams do come true in New Orleans.”

4 stars out of 5.