Looking for a specific Disney historical date? Look no further. Here are more than you will ever need to know! Here is what I was able to dig up about the Disney history so far. As always, I will be adding more and updating these periodically as I find new stuff. Be sure to check back regularly.
Disney History Timeline 1901-2021
Disney Company History
- 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
Disney Parks History
- 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
Disney Television History
- 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
- Year the Disney+ was launched: 2019
Disney Movie History
- 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
- Year that Disney purchased Fox: 2019
For more Disney Statistics and Facts, please visit the following articles:
- Disney Company, Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse Facts and Stats
- Disney Revenue Statistics
- Disney Interactive Statistics
- Disney TV Statistics
- ESPN Statistics
- Disney World Statistics
- Disneyland Statistics
- Shanghai Disney Statistics
- Disneyland Paris Statistics
- Tokyo Disney Resort Statistics
- Hong Kong Disneyland Resort Statistics
- Disney Movie Statistics
- Star Wars Statistics
- Marvel Statistics
- Disney Park Attendance Statistics
- Disney Vacation Club Statistics
- Disney Cruise Line Statistics
- Aulani Statistics
- Walt Disney Imagineering Statistics
