Important Dates in Disney History | Disney Resources

Posted By: Craig Smith

Last updated on: 01/20/19

Looking for a specific Disney historical date? Look no further. Here are more than you will ever need to know!

Disney History

Here is what I was able to dig up about the history of Disney so far. As always, I will be adding more and updating these periodically as I find new stuff. Be sure to check back regularly.

Important Dates in Disney History

Important Disney Company Dates

  • Year of the founding of The Walt Disney Company: 1923

  • When was Walt Disney born? December 5, 1901

  • When did Walt Disney die? December 15, 1966

  • When did Roy Disney die? December 20,1971

  • Year that Radio Disney was launched in: 1996

  • Year that the first Disney Store opened: 1987

Important Disney Parks Dates

  • What year did Disneyland open: 1955

  • What year did Disney World open: 1971

  • Year that Epcot was announced: 1978

  • What year did Epcot open: 1982

  • What year did Disneyland Paris open: 1992 (as Euro Disney Resort)

  • When did Euro Disney become Disneyland Paris: 1995

  • What year did Hong Kong Disneyland open: 2005

  • What year did Tokyo Disney Resort open: 1983

  • Year that Tokyo DisneySea opened: 2001

  • Year Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa opened: August 29, 2011

  • When did Shanghai Disney Resort break ground? 2011

  • What year did Shanghai Disney Resort open? 2016

  • When did the Disneyland Monorail open? June 14, 1959

  • Original run of Main Street Electrical Parade at Disneyland: June 17, 1972-November 25, 1996

  • Date the Main Street Electrical Parade returned to Disneyland: January 20, 2017

  • Year the Disneyland Hotel opened: 1955

  • Year Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel opened: 2000

  • Year that Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa: 2001

  • Year that Disney California Adventure Park opened: 2001

  • Cars Land opening at Disney California Adventure: June 2012

  • Year that Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room opened in Disneyland: 1963

  • Year that New Orleans Square opened at Disneyland: 1966

  • Year that It’s a Small World opened at Disneyland: 1966

  • Year that Space Mountain opened at Disneyland: 1977

  • Date that Star Tours opened in Disneyland: January 9, 1987

  • Year that Disneyland started using Disney Dollars: 1987

  • Year that Downtown Disney opened at Disneyland Resort: 2001

  • When was Walt Disney World announced? November 15, 1965

  • Year that the Reedy Creek Improvement District was created: 1967

  • Year that Space Mountain opened at Disney World: 1975

  • Year that the PeopleMover at Disney World opened: 1975

  • Year that Disney’s Hollywood Studios was announced: 1985

  • When did Disney’s Hollywood Studios open? Disney’s Hollywood Studios opened on May 1, 1989 as Disney-MGM Studios

  • When did Disney’s Animal Kingdom open? Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened on April 22, 1998

  • When did Blizzard Beach open? Disney’s Blizzard Beach opened on April 1, 1995

  • When did Typhoon Lagoon open? Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon opened on June 1, 1989

  • When did Disney Springs open? Disney Springs opened on March 22, 1975 (as Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village)

  • Year that Discovery Island opened at Disney World: 1974 (as Treasure Island)

  • Year that Discovery Island closed at Disney World: 1999

  • Year that River Country opened at Disney World: 1976

  • Year that River Country closed at Disney World: 2001

  • Year that the Polynesian Resort opened at Disney World: 1971

  • Year that the Contemporary Resort opened at Disney World: 1971

  • Year that Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground: 1971

  • Year that Disney World’s Grand Floridian opened: 1988

  • Year that Disney World’s Caribbean Beach Resort opened: 1988

  • Year that Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts opened: 1990

  • Year that Disney’s Yacht Club resort opened: 1990

  • Year that Disney’s Port Orleans Resort French Quarter opened: 1991

  • Year that Disney’s Old Key West Resort opened: 1991

  • Year that Disney’s Port Orleans Resort Riverside opened: 1992

  • Year that Disney’s Wilderness Lodge opened: 1994

  • Year that Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort opened: 1994

  • Year that Disney’s All-Star Music Resort opened: 1994

  • Year that Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Boardwalk Villas opened: 1996

  • Year that Disney’s Coronado Springs resort opened: 1997

  • Year that Disney’s All-Star Movies resort opened: 1999

  • Year that Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (Jambo House) opened: 2001

  • Year that Disney’s Beach Club Villas opened: 2002

  • Year that Disney’s Pop Century resort opened: 2003

  • Year that Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort opened: 2004

  • Year that Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas (Kidani) opened: 2007

  • Year that Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary opened: 2009

  • Year that the Treehouse Villas opened: 2009

  • Year that Disney’s Art of Animation opened: 2012

  • Year that the Disney World monorail was extended to Epcot: 1982

  • Years that Fantasyland in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom was overhauled and expanded: 2012-2014

  • Year that Downtown Disney at Disney World was relaunched as Disney Springs: 2016

  • First year the Disney World Marathon was run: 1994

  • Year the Disney Vacation Club launched: 1991

  • Year that the Disney Cruise Line launched: 1998

Important Disney TV Dates

  • Year the Disney Channel began broadcasting: 1983

  • Year that Disney merged with ABC: 1996

  • Year that Disney first appeared on television: 1950 (An Hour in Wonderland)

  • Year that The Mickey Mouse Club made its TV debut: 1955

  • Year that DisneyXD was launched: 2009

  • Year that Disney Junior was launched: 2010

Important Disney Movie Dates

  • Year that Disney purchased Pixar: 2006

  • When did Mickey Mouse make his debut? November 18, 1928

  • Year Disney purchased Lucasfilm (Star Wars): 2012

  • When did Disney purchase Marvel? 2009

  • Year that Disney began production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: 1934

  • Year that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released: 1937

  • Year that Walt Disney Home Video was launched: 1980

  • Year that Disney launched Touchstone Films in: 1984

  • Year that Disney launched Hollywood Pictures in: 1984

  • Year that Disney purchased Miramax Films in: 1993

  • Year that Disney launched Disneynature in: 2009

  • Year that Disney purchased the rights to The Muppets: 2004

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About the Author

Craig Smith
I am founder and editor of DisneyNews.us. My passion for all things Disney goes pretty far back but was deepened by two semi-recent developments: 1) The birth of my son (who is now 7 years old and can't get enough Disney); and 2) Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm/Star Wars (did I mention I was a super Star Wars geek?) I recently came to the realization that I spent a significant portion of my day reading articles about Disney and watching it with my son, so it only made sense that I would start sharing some of what I read and see and building a little community around it. Other interests include Disney, Sports, 80's Nostalgia, LEGO, Star Wars and Tech Gadgets. Other sites include DMR and VideoGamesStats.com.