Chronology of the Walt Disney Company

Copyright © 1995-2008 Ken Polsson
internet e-mail: kpolsson@islandnet.com
All rights reserved. Permission is granted to create web links
to this site, not to copy these pages to other web sites.
URL: http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/disnehis/

References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2008 June 26.


1996

July 3
  • Buena Vista Pictures releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film Phenomenon to theaters in the USA. [376.80] [559.15]
July
  • The Boardwalk resort area opens at Walt Disney World. [228.62]
July 17
  • Buena Vista Pictures releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film Kazaam to theaters in the US. [376.182] [559.15]
July 25
  • St. Vincent issues ten postage stamps depicting characters in the film The Hunchback of Notre Dame. [656.789]
July 26
  • Guyana issues fourteen postage stamps depicting various Disney characters. [653.561]
  • Guyana issues ten postage stamps depicting Disney antique toys. [653.561]
August 6
  • Hollywood Pictures Home Video releases the film White Squall on videocassette. [501.608] [542.85]
August 7
  • Grenada issues ten postage stamps depicting scenes from Disney's film Hercules. [653.435]
  • Grenada issues eighteen postage stamps depicting scenes of Minnie Mouse in Hawaiian Holiday. Seventeen sequential stamps form a flip-book animation, showing Minnie hula dancing. [653.435]
August 13
  • Walt Disney Home Video releases the animated film Aladdin and the King of Thieves direct to videocassette. [228.12] [542.86]
August
  • Buena Vista Pictures releases the Hollywood Pictures live-action feature film Jack to theaters in the USA. [376.89]
  • Buena Vista Pictures releases the Walt Disney Pictures live-action feature film First Kid to theaters in the USA. [376.98]
  • Disneyland executives modify the name of the Frontierland Station to New Orleans Square / Frontierland Station. [328.268]
August 20
  • Touchstone Home Video releases the film Mr. Wrong on videocassette. [543.98]
(month unknown)
  • Construction begins on Disney's Coronado Springs resort. [209.35]
  • Walt Disney Home Video releases the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Deluxe CAV Laserdisc Edition for US$99.99. [543.98]
September 10
  • Touchstone Home Video releases the film Up Close & Personal on videocassette. [501.582] [543.100]
  • Walt Disney Home Video releases the film Muppet Treasure Island on videocassette. [543.101]
September 13
  • Buena Vista Pictures releases the Hollywood Pictures live-action feature film The Rich Man's Wife to theaters in the US [376.186] [501.469] [543.26]
September 15
  • The Universe of Energy pavilion in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World is updated, incorporating Ellen's Energy Adventure. [501.581]
September 28
  • The Grand Prix Raceway in the Magic Kingdom of Walt Disney World is renamed Tomorrowland Speedway. [501.563]
October 1
  • Canada issues a postage stamp depicting Winnie the Pooh at Walt Disney World, for the 25th anniversary of the park. [648.89]
October 3
  • The World of Disney shop opens in the Disney Village Marketplace at Walt Disney World. [501.620]
October 15
  • Mali issues 29 postage stamps depicting Disney characters and letters of the alphabet. [655.617]
October
  • Disney's Boardwalk officially opens in Walt Disney World, near Epcot. [765.B1]
  • Disney lawyer Sandy Litvack tells Michael Ovitz he is being terminated as president. [745.262]
  • Black Pearl releases the Disney's Pinocchio video game for the Game Boy in the US. [406.95]
  • Buena Vista Pictures releases the Hollywood Pictures live-action feature film The Associate to theaters in the USA. [376.130]
  • The ABC TV network debuts the show Jungle Cubs. [190.88]
  • Buena Vista Pictures releases the Walt Disney Pictures live-action feature film D3: The Mighty Ducks to theaters. [376.188]

October 29
  • Disney releases the film Toy Story on videocassette. [192.104]
November 3
  • The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. A child reads a pamphlet "one of these giant redwood trees can provide enough sawdust to cover an entire day's worth of vomit at Disneyland". [862]
November 6
  • The Disney Channel begins airing the show Waging Peace. [501.590]
November
  • Disney launches Radio Disney. [238.396]
  • Buena Vista Pictures releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film Ransom to theaters in the USA. (North American theater gross receipts: US$136.4 million.) [232.47] [376.137] [552.42] [610.48]
November 19
  • Disney Online officially launches its Disney Store on the Internet. [686]
November 22
  • The Chinese Government complains about the Walt Disney Company's involvement in producing the film Kundun. [767.S2.17]
  • Disney releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film The War at Home to theaters in New York and Los Angeles. The film is based on the play Homefront by James Duff. [501.598]
November 25
  • Turks and Caicos Islands issues ten postage stamps with Winnie-the-Pooh characters in Christmas scenes. [617.649]
  • The Main Street Electrical Parade at Disneyland gives its final performance. The parade made over 3500 trips, to an estimated 75 million guests. [939.132] [1073.178] (October 15 [192.104])
November 27
  • Buena Vista Pictures releases the Walt Disney Pictures live-action feature film 101 Dalmatians to theaters in the US. The film is a remake of the 1961 animated film. The film cost US$45-55 million to make. (Gross North American theater receipts: US$136 million.) [192.105] [376.146] [745.269] [752.S3.9] [771.75]
November 29
  • Saudi-owned satellite relay station Orbit (based in Rome, Italy) announces it will introduce a special version of the Disney Channel to 23 countries in the Middle East and North Africa on April 2, broadcast in Arabic or with subtitles. [753.D10]
December 2
  • Maldives issues 36 postage stamps depicting scenes from Pluto and the Flypaper, and The Little Whirlwind. [655.595]
December 8
  • Disney gives a sneak preview of the film The Preacher's Wife in New York City. [763.14]
December 9
  • Disney launches the family.com Internet Web site. [686]
December 10
  • Disney releases the film The Rock on videocassette for US$107.11, and on laserdisc for US$39.99. [501.474] [762.D18]
December 11
  • Michael Eisner hands Michael Ovitz the press release announcing Ovitz' resignation as president. [745.274]
December 12
  • St. Vincent issues 27 postage stamps depicting scenes from the film The Hunchback of Notre Dame. [656.790]
  • Disney announces the resignation of Michael Ovitz as president of the Walt Disney Company. His total compensation package totals US$140 million. [552.34] [766.A1] [770.34] (December 13 [745.276])
December 13
  • Buena Vista Pictures releases the Touchstone Pictures / Samuel Goldwyn Co. live-action feature film The Preacher's Wife to theaters in the US. The film cost US$70 million to produce. [190.25] [376.153] [763.14] [771.75] [925.D10]
December 16
  • Guyana issues ten postage stamps depicting Snow White characters in Christmas scenes. [653.561]
December 20
  • Disney releases the live-action feature film Shadow Conspiracy to theaters in Taiwan. [501.493]
December 25
  • Buena Vista Pictures premieres the Hollywood Pictures live-action feature film Evita in select theaters in the US. [376.167] [752.S2.17]
December 27
  • Michael Ovitz leaves the Disney company. [870.D2]
Year
  • North American theater market share by ticket revenue: Disney is #1 with 20.9%. [462]

End of 1996. Next: 1997.
The complete timeline can be purchased in a PDF file for US$10 from the author.

You can pay now directly via PayPal. When I receive notification from PayPal, I will email you the PDF file. or send me an email to request my mailing address to mail payment.

1919-1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933
1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943
1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953
1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963
1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973
1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983
1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
2004 2005 2006 2007-end


A list of references to all source material is available.

Other web pages of interest:

  • Chronology of Disneyland
  • Chronology of Walt Disney World
  • Chronology of Mickey Mouse
  • Chronology of Donald Duck
  • Chronology of Goofy
  • Disney References in Pop Culture
  • Polsson's Garage Sale - Walt Disney
  • Ken P's Today in History
  • Last updated: 2008 June 26.
    Copyright © 1995-2008 Ken Polsson (email: kpolsson@islandnet.com).
    URL: http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/disnehis/
    Link to Ken P's home page.


    Hosted by Islandnet.com