The Walt Disney Company has a rich and lengthy history with decades of amazing movies, shows and park experiences. To commemorate Disney’s 100th birthday this year, I am spotlighting the company’s history year by year in this new ‘Disney by the Years’ series.
Here is a quick rundown of everything that happened in the world of Disney in the year 1972. I hope you find this lookback in time helpful and entertaining.
Disney 1972 Company Headlines:
1972 was a relatively quiet year for the Disney company. They company was still in the midst of a decade or so long executive shuffle as things were still settling from the deaths of Walt and Roy. The company continued to experience a box office slump and with the opening of Walt Disney World just a few months prior to the start of 1972, the parks division was somewhat quiet throughout the year as well.
Disney 1972 Movies Headlines:
In 1972, Disney released several movies, including:
- March 22 – The Biscuit Eater
- July 5 – Napoleon and Samantha
- July 12 – Now You See Him, Now You Don’t
- October 18 – Run, Cougar, Run
- December 20 – Snowball Express
As was custom at this time, Disney also re-released a number of classic movies to theaters in 1972:
- January – Song of the South
- March – Darby O’Gill and the Little People
- October – Dumbo
- October – The Legend of Lobo
- December – Saludos Amigos
- December – The Sword in the Stone
Disney was nominated for 5 Oscars in 1972- all for the 1971 film Bedknobs & Broomsticks. The film won one of the Oscars (Special Visual Effects) in April.
Overall, as was the case with much of the 1970’s, 1972 was not a particularly strong year at the box office for Disney. As we will see in the coming years, this theatrical slump won’t end for some time.
Disney 1972 Parks Headlines:
Disneyland Headlines:
1972 was a busy year at Disneyland with a new Bear Country land opening and the debut of the Main Street Electrical Parade. Notable new attractions in Disneyland in 1972 included:
- New Century Clock Shop (January)
- Bear Country (March)
- Country Bear Jamboree (March)
- Mile Long Bar (March)
- Teddi Barra’s Swingin’ Arcade (March)
- Ursus H. Bear’s Wilderness Outpost (March)
- Main Street Electrical Parade (June)
- Crystal Arts shop (June)
- Golden Bear Lodge restaurant (September)
- Cafe Orleans (Unknown)
Notable Disneyland closures in 1972 included:
- Creole Cafe
Disney World Headlines:
Having just opened the year prior, 1972 was a very quiet year for Walt Disney World in terms of attractions closing and opening. Notable new attractions in Disneyland in 1972 included:
- Olde World Antiques (March)
- Merlin’s Magic Shop (March)
- If You Had Wings (June)
- Columbia Harbour House (Summer)
Disney 1972 Television Headlines:
The Wonderful World of Disney continued its Sunday night superiority for NBC in 1972, showcasing Disney films, specials and vignettes.
Also in 1972, the Disney syndicated show The Mouse Factory debuted. The show was a variety-ish show with celebrity hosts showing a number of clips from Disney films and parks. It lasted 1 year.
That’s all for 1972. Stay tuned for in-depth looks at additional years in the very near future!
