- March 7
- The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, featuring Hamad and the Pirates, part one. [228.225]
- March 14
- The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, featuring Hamad and the Pirates, part two. [228.225]
- March 17
- Buena Vista releases the live-action feature film The Barefoot Executive to theaters. John Ritter makes his motion picture debut. [23] [49.274] [232.47] [370.310] [1378.59] (April [111.332])
- April 15
- The last of 337 concrete beams completes the 6-mile long monorail transportation system for Walt Disney World, and the first Martin-Marietta Mark IV Monorail train is lowered onto the beam. [1342.14]
- April 16
- Disney releases the 16-mm animated film compilation Festival of Folk Heroes. [23] [228.183]
- May 1
- Warner Bros. Pictures releases the film Billy Jack to theaters in the USA. A man wears a Disneyland souvenir t-shirt. [1138]
- May 19
- The Indian War Canoes attraction in Disneyland is renamed Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes. [9] [26.27] [228.119] [1300.216]
- June 14
- The All American College Band first performs at Disneyland. [1300.45]
- June 17
- At 11:13 AM, Disneyland welcomes its 100-millionth guest, Valerie Suldo of New Jersey. [4] [22] [26.27] [96.85] [193.32] [501.625] [757.38] [1073.113] [1300.142]
- June 19
- Walt Disney World opens its own post office, with its own Zip Code: 32830. [1342.19]
vvv advertisement vvv
^^^ advertisement ^^^
- June 22
- Buena Vista releases the live-action feature film Scandalous John to theaters. The film is based on the book by Richard Gardner. [23] [49.274] [111.390] [370.310] [501.486]
- June 30
- Buena Vista releases the live-action feature film The Million Dollar Duck to theaters. [23] [49.274] [228.331] (July [111.375]) ($1,000,000 Duck [111.375] [370.311])
- (month unknown)
- The Magnolia Tree Terrace restaurant in Disneyland closes. [1378.48]
- The River Belle Terrace restaurant opens in Frontierland at Disneyland. [1378.48]
- David Bowie song "Life on Mars?" includes lyrics "It's on America's tortured brow that Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow". [1390.7]
- Disney releases the 16-mm film Project Florida for marketing use. [23] [228.402]
- Disney releases the live-action feature 16-mm film Little Dog Lost. [23]
- Disney releases the live-action feature film Bristle Face to theaters. [23]
- Disney releases the live-action film Wild Geese Calling to theaters. [23]
- The Disney studio purchases the screen rights to The Chronicles of Prydain. (The books are adapted into the film The Black Cauldron.) [228.57]
- Disney releases the animated film compilation The Adventures of Chip an' Dale to theaters in Denmark. [23]
- Disney re-releases the film Lady and the Tramp to theaters. [25] [228.280]
- The book, How to Read Donald Duck is published in Chile, "exposing" Donald Duck as an agent of the CIA. [97.69]
- Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards, the voice of Jiminy Cricket, dies, penniless and virtually unknown. [97.148]
- The Firehouse Five Plus Two band at Disneyland disbands. [228.186]
- Disney re-releases the film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to theaters. [501.575]
- The Crystal Arts shop opens on Main Street, U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [1378.165]
- July
- Disney re-releases the film Pinocchio to theatres. [25] [42.1665] [228.388]
- July 18
- The Walt Disney World phone system beins operation, part of the world's first all-electronic telephone company. [1342.19]
- August
- Disney releases the film Room for Heroes for educational use. [501.476]
- September
- Disney releases the live-action and animated film Teeth Are For Chewing. [23] [501.541]
- September 19
- The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled Charlie Crowfoot and the Coati Mundi. [1378.128]
- September 26
- The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, featuring Hacksaw, part one. [228.223]
- September 30
- In Florida, the Preview Center for Walt Disney World closes. Since opening, 1,332,927 people visited the display area. [228.399] [1364.157]
- (month unknown)
- Dick Nunis becomes executive vice president of Disneyland and Walt Disney World. [409.2] (1972 [228.363])
- October 1
- At 10:00 AM, the Magic Kingdom park at Walt Disney World Resort opens in Orlando, Florida. Similar to Disneyland, six themed areas are Main Street, U.S.A; Adventureland; Fantasyland; Frontierland; Liberty Square; and Tomorrowland. Attendance on opening day is 10,422. First guests to enter the park are William Windsor Junior, wife Mary, and sons Jay and Lee. The day, a Friday, was chosen as the likely slowest day of the week and slowest time of the year for tourists in Florida. Organizers did not want a repeat of the mass crowds during the opening day of Disneyland. Cost of creating the theme park was US$400 million. [1] [5] [6] [14] [22] [23] [34.271] [92.120] [113.315] [192.104] [210.15] [225.41] [62] [226.170] [228.304] [238.207] [234.120] [252.49] [432.42] [475.49] [501.596] [1073.110] [1342.16] [1379.59] (Magical Kingdom [36.27]) (October 23 [40.304] [48.359]) (October 31 [90.61])
- The Walt Disney World Railroad attraction opens in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. It includes three locomotives: the Walter E. Disney (#1), the Lilly Belle (#2), and the Roger E. Broggie (#3). [328.391] [501.595] [1379.73]
- In the Main Street, U.S.A. area of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, opening day attractions are: Fire Truck, Horse-Drawn Streetcars, Horseless Carriages, Town Square Cafe, Market House store, Camera Center shop, Jitney vehicle, Coca-Cola Refreshment Corner, House of Magic shop, Penny Arcade, Main Street Confectionery shop, Emporium store, Main Street Bake Shop, New Century Clock Shop, Main Street Cinema, Chapeau shop, Omnibus vehicle. [228.164,186,242,243,264,306,311,354,369,382] [501.567] [1378.112,128,144] [1379.73]
- In the Adventureland area of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, opening day attractions are: Adventureland Veranda restaurant, Swiss Family Tree House, Jungle Cruise, Sunshine Pavilion, Tropical Serenade. [228.269] [501.530,534] [1378.8] [1379.73]
- In the Fantasyland area of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, opening day attractions are: Dumbo Flying Elephants, Mad Tea Party, Snow White's Scary Adventures, Pinocchio Village Haus restaurant, Cinderella's Golden Carrousel, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Mickey Mouse Revue, It's a Small World, Skyway to Tomorrowland transportation. [228.154,259,303,323,336,388] [501.504,510] [1378.139] [1379.73]
- In the Frontierland area of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, opening day attractions are: Country Bear Jamboree, Frontier Shooting Gallery, Frontier Trading Post shop, Pecos Bill Cafe, Mike Fink Keel Boats, Mile Long Bar, Diamond Horseshoe Revue, Davy Crocket Explorer Canoes. [228.197,330,331,381] [1378.157,175,183] [1379.73]
- In the Liberty Square area of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, opening day attractions are: Hall of Presidents, Columbia Harbor House restaurant, Heritage House shop Liberty Tree Tavern, Haunted Mansion. [22] [23] [228.98,225,229,233,287] (1972 [1378.147]) [1379.73]
- In the Tomorrowland area of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, opening day attractions are: Skyway to Fantasyland, Grand Prix Raceway, Mickey's Mart shop, Tomorrowland Terrace restaurant. [228.216,327] [501.504,563] [1379.73]
- King Stefan's Banquet Hall restaurant opens in Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.276]
- The Crystal Palace Restaurant opens in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [1378.165]
- The Monorail system opens at Walt Disney World. [228.338]
- The Fort Wilderness Resort campground opens at Walt Disney World, on the south shore of Bay Lake. It occupies 640 acres of forest. [10] [228.191]
- Disney's Contemporary Resort hotel opens at Walt Disney World, on the west shore of Bay Lake. It has 1046 rooms, and the monorail passes through its interior. [10] [1247.55] [1378.152]
- The Top of the World restaurant opens in the Contemporary Resort hotel at Walt Disney World. [501.565]
- The Gulf Coast Room restaurant opens in the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World. [228.221]
- Disney's Polynesian Village Resort hotel opens at Walt Disney World, on the south shore of Seven Seas Lagoon. [10] [228.397]
- The Captain Cook's Hideaway lounge opens at Disney's Polynesian Resort. [1378.117]
- The Coral Isle Cafe restaurant opens in the Great Ceremonial House of the Polynesian Village Resort at Walt Disney World. [1378.154]
- The Papeete Bay Verandah restaurant opens in the Polynesian Village Resort at Walt Disney World. [228.379]
- The Market House store opens on Main Street at Disneyland. [228.311]
- The Magnolia Course golf course opens at Walt Disney World. [1379.91]
- October 2
- The Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat begins operation in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [235.92] [1378.7]
- October 3
- The Peter Pan's Flight attraction opens in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [228.385]
- The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, featuring Hacksaw, part two. [228.223]
- October 7
- Buena Vista premieres the animated and live-action feature film Bedknobs and Broomsticks in London, England. The film cost almost US$20 million to make. [8] [11] [23] [25] [15] [97.267] [191] [235.92] [370.310] [1378.67] (November [111.33])
- October 14
- The 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction opens in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [501.576]
- October 15
- The cover of Life magazine shows 1500 Disney employees and characters in front of Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World. [423]
- October
- The Indian Village attraction in Disneyland closes. [228.254] [1300.214]
- October 23
- A three-day gala Grand Opening ceremony begins at Walt Disney World. Arthur Fiedler conducts the World Symphony Orchestra, formed by musicians from 60 countries, playing to 2500 invited guests. 40,000 visitors to the park on the first day. [267.329] [1342.16] [1379.56,106]
- October 24
- During the three-day gala Grand Opening ceremony at Walt Disney World, a three-hour torchlit luau and show are held on the beach of the Polynesian Village for 1000 invited guests, with the debut of the Electrical Water Pageant. [267.329] [1342.19]
- October 25
- On the final day of the three-day gala Grand Opening ceremony at Walt Disney World, a dedication is read by Roy Disney. The world's largest marching band with 1076 instruments plays "76 Trombones". A 1500-voice choir sings "When You Wish Upon a Star", and thousands of balloons are released. [192.41] [252.7] [267.184,329] [1073.110] [1342.16] [1379.114]
- October 29
- The NBC TV network airs the TV special The Grand Opening of Walt Disney World. Approximately 52 million people in the US view the 90-minute show. [226.170] [228.216] [422.80] [1342.19] [1364.158] (Disney World - A Gala Opening - Disneyland East [386.127])
- October 31
- The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled The Strange Monster of Strawberry Cove, part one. [501.527]
- November 7
- The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled The Strange Monster of Strawberry Cove, part two. [501.527]
- November
- Disney releases the film Trees for educational use. This film was originally released as a segment of Melody Time. [501.570]
- The floating parade of lights Electrical Pageant is first run, on the Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon at Walt Disney World. [228.158]
- The Tinker Bell Toy Shop opens in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [501.559]
- The AristoCats shop opens in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [1378.40]
- November 25
- The Circle-Vision 360 film America the Beautiful opens in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [1378.27]
- November 28
- The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled Lefty, the Dingaling Lynx. [228.284]
- (month unknown)
- Disney officials reverse their decision to not show the film Song of the South again. [370.78]
- December 1
- The #4 locomotive, the Roy O. Disney, begins operation in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [328.391]
- December 2
- (to December 5) The Walt Disney World Open golf championship is held, at the Magnolia Course. [1379.91]
- December 13
- Buena Vista generally releases the film Bedknobs and Broomsticks to theaters in the US. [1378.67] (November [370.311])
- December
- Disney releases the 16-mm film Get the Message for educational use. [23] [228.204]
- Disney releases the animated 16-mm film The Cold-Blooded Penguin. It was originally released as part of the film The Three Caballeros. [1378.145]
- December 19
- The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled Disney on Parade. [228.132]
- December 20
- Roy Oliver Disney dies of a massive brain hemorrhage, at age 78. Roy was CEO of Walt Disney Productions for 40+ years, and president for 25+ years. [4] [14] [22] [23] [34.271] [40.305] [48.358] [92.120] [113.320] [192.42] [230.30] [234.120] [252.8] [267.339] [1073.114] [1300.138] [1342.27] [1378.188]
- Donn Tatum becomes chairman and chief executive officer of Walt Disney Productions. [14] [40.305] [48.358] [85.259]
- Card Walker becomes president of Walt Disney Productions. Mountain Born. [14] [40.305] [48.358] [194.541] [501.591] [914.165] (becomes CEO [751.D2]) (Walker named president in 1976 [34.271]) [228.343]
|