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 2011. I hope you find this lookback in time helpful and entertaining.
Disney Movies Headlines in 2011:
In 2011, Disney released several movies, including:
- March 11 – Mars Needs Moms
- April 29 – Prom
- May 20 – Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
- July 15 – Winnie the Pooh
- November 23 – The Muppets
Touchstone movies released in 2011 included:
- February 11 – Gnomeo & Juliet
- February 18 – I am Number Four
- August 10 – The Help
- August 19 – Fright Night
- October 7 – Real Steel
- December 25 – War Horse
Pixar only released one movie in 2011 – Cars 2
Overall, 2011 was a busy year for Disney, with a mix of new live-action and animated films.
Disney Parks Headlines in 2011:
Disneyland Headlines:
The following changes occurred at Disneyland in 2011:
- The revamped Star Tours ride in Disneyland Park opens under the name Star Tours: The Adventures Continue.
- The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure and Goofy’s Sky School opens in Disney’s California Adventure.
- Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta replaces Pizza Oom Mow Mow in Disney’s California Adventure.
- The Baker’s Field Bakery and the Bur-r-r Bank Ice Cream shop close in Disney’s California Adventure.
Disney World Headlines:
The following changes occurred at Disney World in 2011:
- The Enchanted Tiki Room building in the Magic Kingdom had a small fire which resulted in (thankfully) the closure of the show’s “Under New Management” version and will lead to the return of a slightly modified version of the original show.
- The Wild Africa Trek opens at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
- Mickey’s Toontown Fair closes permanently to make way for the Magic Kingdom’s new Fantasyland sections which will open over the course of the next few years.
- The queue at The Haunted Mansion was overhauled and a number of new interactive features were added.
- Star Tours: The Adventures Continue opens and Journey into Narnia: Prince Caspian closes in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
- The Cheshire Cafe replaces Enchanted Grove in the Magic Kingdom.
Also, Disney’s portfolio grew significantly in 2011 with the opening of Aulani in August.
Disney’s cruise line also expanded in 2011 with the addition of the Disney Dream in January.
Disney Television Headlines in 2011:
New Disney Shows in 2011 included:
- Jake and the Neverland Pirates
- The Suite Life on Deck
- So Random!
- A.N.T. Farm
- Kickin’ It
- PrankStars
- Jessie
- Handy Manny
- Once Upon a Time (on ABC)
- Minnie’s Bow-Toons
- Austin & Ally
Disney shows we lost in 2011 included:
- Sonny with Chance
- Hannah Montana
- The Suite Life on Deck
- I’m in the Band
- PrankStars (ya, it didn’t last long)
New Disney Channel Original Movies in 2011 included:
- The Suite Life Movie
- Lemonade Mouth
- Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure
- Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension
- Geek Charming
- Tinker Bell and the Pixie Hollow Games
- Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas
That’s all for 2011. Stay tuned for in-depth looks at additional years in the very near future!
