Chronology of the Walt Disney Company

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References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2023 December 20.


1988

July 1
  • Touchstone/Warner releases the film Deadly Pursuit (Shoot to Kill in the US) in theaters in the UK. [66.54]
July 3
  • The TV special Walt Disney World 4th of July Spectacular airs. [501.595]
July 5
  • The Maelstrom boat ride opens in the Norway pavilion in World Showcase in EPCOT Center. [228.303]
July 15
  • Disney re-releases the film Bambi to theaters. [14] [85.298] [214.C15] [1378.58]
July 25
  • Grenada Grenadines issues sixty postage stamps depicting scenes from films: Bambi, The Fox and the Hound, 101 Dalmatians, Dumbo, Lady and the Tramp, and The Aristocats. [219.72] [653.457]
July 29
  • Disney releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film Cocktail to theaters in the US. [14] [66.44] [85.319] [104.49] [112.451] [1378.144]
(month unknown)
  • Sierra On-Line releases The Black Cauldron game for the Amiga computer. [778.46]
August 1
  • Grenada issues ten postage stamps marking the 60th anniversary of Mickey Mouse, depicting various Disney characters in Australia. [653.422]
  • Grenada Grenadines issues ten postage stamps depicting various Disney characters in Australia. [653.457]
August 5
  • Disney releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film The Rescue to theaters in the US. [66.159] [85.319] [104.133] [112.490] [228.412]
August 6
  • The Disney Channel airs the Disney Channel Premiere Film Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss. [228.129,368]
August
  • Disney releases the educational film Disney's Animated Alphabet. [228.139]
  • Disney releases the film School Hero (A Story About Staying in School) for educational use. The film is part of the EPCOT Educational Media Collection. [501.488]
  • Disney releases the educational film Choices (A Story About Staying in School). [1378.134]
  • Groundbreaking begins on the site for the Disney theme park in France. [12] [60.2] [225.72]
August 26
  • Disney releases the film Big Business to theaters in the UK. [66.29]

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August 27
  • The Disney Channel airs the Disney Channel Premiere Film A Friendship in Vienna. [228.129,195]
September 3
  • Disney's syndicated TV show Live with Regis and Kathie Lee begins airing. [228.293]
September 6
  • The CBS TV network airs the show Tickets Please as a pilot for a series. [501.557]
September 9
  • Tokyo Disneyland welcomes its 60-millionth guest. [55.40]
  • Tanzania issues ten postage stamps depicting various Disney characters. [617.372]
September 10
  • The ABC TV network debuts The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. [383.359]
September 11
  • The last The Disney Sunday Movie airs on ABC TV. [228.132]
September 13
  • The CBS TV network airs the special Roger Rabbit & the Secrets of Toon Town. [501.475]
September
  • Disney releases the educational film The Children of the Soviet Union. [1378.132]
  • Disney releases the film Would You Eat a Blue Potato? for educational use. It is part of the EPCOT Educational Media Collection: Language Arts Through Imagination series. [501.622]
  • Disney releases the film San Diego Zoo for educational use. The film is part of the EPCOT Educational Media Collection: Minnie's Science Field Trips series. [501.483]
  • Disney releases the film What Can You See by Looking? for educational use. The film is part of the EPCOT Educational Media Collection: Language Arts Through Imagination series. [501.604]
  • Disney releases the educational film The Jamie Fort Story / A Story About Self-Esteem. [228.262]
  • Disney releases the film Mickey Mouse: Safety Belt Expert for educational use. [228.323]
  • Disney re-releases an updated version of the educational film I'm No Fool as a Pedestrian. [228.250]
  • Disney re-releases an updated version of the educational film I'm No Fool with a Bicycle. [228.251]
  • Disney re-releases an updated version of the educational film I'm No Fool with Electricity. [228.251]
  • Disney releases the Johnson Space Center educational film in the EPCOT Educational Media Collection: Minnie's Science Field Trips series. [228.265]
  • Disney releases The Living Seas educational film in the EPCOT Educational Media Collection: Minnie's Science Field Trips series. [228.294]
  • Disney releases the educational film D.A.R.E. to Say 'No', part of the EPCOT Educational Media Collection. [1378.172]
  • At Walt Disney World, the Buena Vista Club golf club is renamed to the Disney Village Clubhouse. [228.71]
  • Disney releases the educational film Do Dragons Dream, in the EPCOT Educational Media Collection: Language Arts Through Imagination series. [228.142]
  • Disney releases the educational film How Does It Feel to Be an Elephant?, in the EPCOT Educational Media Collection: Language Arts Through Imagination series. [228.244]
  • Disney releases the educational film How Does It Feel to Fly?, in the EPCOT Educational Media Collection: Language Arts Through Imagination series. [228.244]
  • Disney releases the educational film How Does Sound Sound?, in the EPCOT Educational Media Collection: Language Arts Through Imagination series. [228.244]
September 30
  • Touchstone/Warner releases the film Good Morning, Vietnam to theaters in the UK. [66.91]
  • Buena Vista Pictures releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film Heartbreak Hotel to theaters in the US. [85.319] [104.138] [112.466] [228.230] [375.393] (1989 [66.98])
  • Revenues from Disney's film studio pass US$1 billion for the first time. [1]
(month unknown)
  • Disney releases the film The Rescue on videocassette. [228.412]
  • Buena Vista Software releases the Who Framed Roger Rabbit game for the Commodore 64 computer. Price is US$29.95. Price for the Amiga computer version is US$44.95. [268.10]
October 1
  • Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort hotel opens in Walt Disney World. [10] [14] [1378.119]
  • The Calypso Trading Post shop opens at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort at Walt Disney World. [1378.111]
October 8
  • The NBC TV network debuts the Disney-produced TV show Empty Nest, a spin-off from The Golden Girls. [1] [59.324] [228.164]
October 9
  • The NBC TV network begins airing The Magical World of Disney on Sunday nights. [14] [57.48] [59.165]
October 12
  • A Los Angeles Superior Court judge rules that the Walt Disney Company can use the MGM/UA name and company's logotype on a Florida studio tour. [213.D5]
October
  • The Card Corner shop in Disneyland closes. [1300.90] [1378.118]
October 16
  • The NBC TV network airs The Magical World of Disney show, entitled Disney's All-American Sports Nuts. [228.139]
November 4
  • Buena Vista Pictures releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film The Good Mother to theaters in the US. The film is based on the book by Sue Miller. [66.91] [85.319] [104.86] [112.463] [228.210] [375.392]
November 11
  • The Disney Channel airs the Disney Channel Premiere Film Good Old Boy. [228.129,210]
  • Buena Vista Pictures releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film Ernest Saves Christmas to theaters in the US. [66.76] [370.284,319] [104.93] [112.458] [228.168] [375.392]
November 13
  • The NBC TV network airs the special Mickey's 60th Birthday, featuring John Ritter and Carl Reiner. [228.328] [1300.137]
November
  • Disney releases the educational film Disney's Countdown. [228.139]
  • The Carefree Corner area returns to Main Street in Disneyland. [1300.90]
November 16
  • Peggy Lee, the voice of several characters in the film Lady and the Tramp, sues Disney for US$25 million, claiming her approval was not sought before the release of the film on videocassette. (The final settlement, in 1991, is US$2.3 million.) [17] [56.89] [216.C20] (settlement is US$3.83 million [85.128])
November 18
  • Buena Vista Pictures releases the Walt Disney Pictures animated feature film Oliver & Company to theaters. It cost US$18 million to make. (North American theater gross receipts: US$53 million, a new record for an animated feature film.) [1] [8] [11] [14] [25] [85.319] [104.95] [112.483] [191] [215.B22] [228.368] [375.395] [532.83] [745.88] [1074.217]
November 20
  • The NBC TV network airs The Magical World of Disney show, entitled Rainbow in the Thunder airs. It is a two hour show about Davy Crockett. [1378.174]
November 23
  • In Disneyland, the Bear Country area is renamed Critter Country. [26.93] [98] [757.40] [939.99] [1300.119] [1378.63,163]
  • The Crocodile Mercantile shop opens in Critter Country at Disneyland. Former name was Ursus H. Bear's Wilderness Outpost. [1300.120,434] [1378.163]
November 25
  • The syndicated TV special Ducktales: Time Is Money airs. [228.153]
November 27
  • The TV special "The Absent-Minded Professor" airs. [1378.3]
November 30
  • The Disney Channel begins airing Good Morning, Miss Bliss. (After five episodes, the series is cancelled, but then continues on the NBC TV network as Saved by the Bell.) [228.210]
(month unknown)
  • The Walt Disney Music Company releases its last 12-inch vinyl record, the soundtrack of the film Oliver & Company. [501.594]
December 1
  • Antigua & Barbuda issues 14 postage stamps marking the 60th anniversary of Mickey Mouse. [629.375]
  • Dominica issues ten postage stamps marking the 60th anniversary of Mickey Mouse. [648.754]
  • Grenada issues ten postage stamps marking the 60th anniversary of Mickey Mouse, depicting various Disney characters at Christmas. [653.422]
  • Grenada Grenadines issues ten postage stamps marking the 60th anniversary of Mickey Mouse. [653.457]
  • Sierra Leone issues ten postage stamps marking the 60th anniversary of Mickey Mouse. [656.980]
  • The Walt Disney Company announces it will create another movie company, Hollywood Pictures, on February 1. Touchstone Pictures' vice president Richard Mestres is named president of the new company. [1] [212.D1]
  • The Briar Patch shop opens in Critter Country in Disneyland. This location was formerly the Indian Trading Post. [1300.83,214] [1378.98]
December 2
  • Uganda issues ten postage stamps marking the 60th anniversary of Mickey Mouse, in Christmas scenes. [617.677]
  • The Company D cast member store opens at Disneyland. [1378.149]
  • Disney acquires KHJ-TV, an independent television station in Los Angeles, for US$320 million. [1] [195.D4] [228.271] [286.D9] (early 1990 [238.193])
  • Disney releases the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit to theaters in the United Kingdom. [66.198]
December 3
  • The Disney Channel airs the Disney Channel Premiere Film Goodbye, Miss 4th of July. [228.129]
December 11
  • The NBC TV network airs the special Disneyland's All-Star Comedy Circus. [228.138] [1300.137] (December 18 [386.127])
December 18
  • The NBC TV network airs The Magical World of Disney show, entitled Davy Crockett: A Natural Man. [1378.174]
December 21
  • Buena Vista Pictures premieres the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film Beaches in a New York theater. The film is a Bette Midler drama made by Garry Marshall for Disney. [1] [66.27] [85.319] [104.106] [112.444] [375.389] [1378.63]
December 22
  • Disney releases the film Return to Snowy River on videocasstte, and on laserdisc for US$37. [15] [501.469]
December 23
  • St. Vincent issues ten postage stamps depicting Disney characters in Christmas and train themes. [656.774]
Year
  • Total new Disney animation created for television for the year: 19 hours. [260.D8]
  • North American theater market share by ticket revenue: Disney is #1 with 20%. This is the first year that Disney has been the top selling Hollywood film company. [1] [453.73] [500.34]

End of 1988. Next: 1989.

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1919-1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933
1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943
1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953
1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963
1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973
1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983
1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
2004 2005 2006 2007-2008 2009 2010-2011 2012-end


A list of references to all source material is available.


Last updated: 2023 December 20.
Copyright © 1995-2024 Ken Polsson (email: ken@kpolsson.com).
URL: http://kpolsson.com/disnehis/
Link to Ken P's home page.

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