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.


1999

July 2
  • Disney releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film Summer of Sam to theaters in the USA. [488.66] [578.28]
July 4
  • David Geffen (of DreamWorks SKG) and Stanley Gold (on Disney board of directors) negotiate a settlement for the breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by Jeffrey Katzenberg against Disney. Katzenberg is paid an undisclosed amount (US$280 million) for a two percent bonus in perpetuity from all film and TV shows produced or acquired while he was at Disney. [579.47] [745.328] [1074.436]
  • The Bear in the Big Blue House Show begins performances in Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World. [1378.63]
July 7
  • The settlement of Jeffrey Katzenberg's lawsuit is announced. The settlement amount is not made public. [745.328] [1074.436]
July 9
  • The one hundredth sailing of the Disney Magic cruise ship is celebrated. [1232]
July 13
  • Touchstone Home Video releases the film A Civil Action on videocassette in the US. [578.97]
July 14
  • The Disney Wonder cruise ship, second of the Disney Cruise line, departs from Venice, Italy. [1232]
July 18
  • Disney premieres the live-action feature film Inspector Gadget. [249.28]
July 23
  • Buena Vista Pictures generally releases the film Inspector Gadget to theaters in the USA. [488.78] [576.61] [578.23]
July 28
  • Comedy Central airs the South Park TV show in the USA. The Master Control Program from the film Tron is used to represent a fantasy character. [1201]
July 29
  • The Rock 'N' Roller Coaster attraction opens in the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park at Walt Disney World. [249.28]
July 30
  • Disney releases the Paramount Pictures / Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film Runaway Bride to theaters in the USA. [488.81] [578.13]
(month unknown)
  • DisneyQuest opens in Chicago. [250.24]
  • Touchstone Home Video releases the film Rushmore on videocassette in the US. [578.95]
  • ABC and Toushstone Television merge companies. [745.307]
  • Disney producer Jerry Bruckheimer presents an idea to ABC drama executives from screenwriter Anthony Zuiker for a television show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Jamie Tarses is not interested in ABC airing the show. CBS agrees to air the show, but then Michael Eisner refuses to let Disney produce the shows for the benefit of CBS. CBS then finds its own financing to produce the shows itself. [745.309]

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August 2
  • The Disney Wonder cruise ship arrives at Port Canaveral, Florida, from Italy, where it was built. [249.28] [1232]
August 6
  • Disney releases the Hollywood Pictures live-action feature film The Sixth Sense to theaters in the USA. (North American theater receipts: US$293.5 million.) [488.84] [610.53] [745.333]
August 15
  • The maiden voyage of the Disney Wonder cruise ship takes place. [1232]
August 17
  • The video title Belle's Takes of Friendship is released on video in the USA. [1378.70]
August 24
  • Disney makes a controlling investment of US$40-50 million in Toysmart.com. [686]
August 27
  • Disney releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film The 13th Warrior to theaters in the USA. [488.96] [578.23]
September 7
  • At Disney's Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World, the 1999 Official Disneyana Convention is held, over five days. [413.1]
  • Buena Vista Home Video releases the film The Other Sister on videocassette. [413.7]
  • Buena Vista Home Video releases the film Revenge of the Musketeers on videocassette. [413.7]
  • Buena Vista Home Video releases the film Twin Dragons on videocassette. [413.7]
September 10
  • The Tatooine Traders merchandise shop opens at the Disney-MGM Studios. The location was previously the Endor Vendors shop. [412.5]
September 14
  • Buena Vista Home Video releases the film God Said Ha! on videocassette. [413.7]
  • Buena Vista Home Video releases the film Children of Heaven on videocassette. [413.7]
  • At 2:00 PM in Walt Disney World, the Magic Kingdom Park and Epcot close early, due to Hurricane Floyd approaching the Central Florida coastline. Other areas close at 3:00 PM. [412.1]
September 15
  • For the first time in its 28-year history, most of Walt Disney World is closed for the day, due to the threat of Hurricane Floyd. Disney's Animal Kingdom re-opens at 12:00 PM for resort guests. [412.1]
September
  • The MouseGear store opens in Innoventions East in Epcot at Walt Disney World. [1378.127]
September 17
  • Disney makes a limited release of the Hollywood Pictures live-action feature film Breakfast of Champions to theaters in New York City and Los Angeles in the USA, and Toronto, Ontario, Canada. [488.102] [1378.97]
September
  • The Autopia ride at Disneyland closes for remodelling. [1378.49]
  • Advertising Age newspaper presents a series of professionally produced print ads for 20+ years in the future. A "Got Milk?" ad by McCann-Erickson Worldwide ad agency for the year 2035 shows Walt Disney after being thawed from cryogenic freezing. [758.S2.50]
September 24
  • Disney releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film Mumford to theaters in the USA. [488.107]
September 26
  • The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US.
    • At a movie theater special screening, an audience member asks: "Will there be any Flubber in this movie?", a reference to Disney's 1997 film Flubber.
    • Herbie the Love Bug appears in an automobile museum.
    [949]
October 1
  • The Walt Disney World Millenium Celebration begins, which will run for fifteen months. [412.5]
  • Disney Pin Trading is launched. [1230.32]
  • The Tapestry of Nations parade premieres in Epcot. [395.43]
  • The IMAGINATION! pavilion opens in Epcot at Walt Disney World, presented by Kodak. Formerly at this location was Journey into Imagination. [413.1]
  • The Journey Into Your Imagination attraction opens in the IMAGINATION! pavilion in Epcot at Walt Disney World. [413.1]
  • Disney releases the Hollywood Pictures live-action feature film Mystery, Alaska to theaters in the USA. [488.113] [580.19]
October 3
  • The Fox Broadcasting Company airs the Futurama TV show in the US. A photograph of two characters on a log flume ride is similar to the photo taken on the drop on Disney's Splash Mountain ride. [901]
October 8
  • Disney releases the Walt Disney Pictures live-action feature film The Hand Behind the Mouse to theaters in the USA. [488.212]
October 15
  • Disney releases the Walt Disney Pictures live-action feature film The Straight Story to theaters in the USA. [488.122] [580.24]
October
  • Sandy Litvack announces he will leave Disney at the end of the year. [745.344]
  • The November issue of Computer Gaming World uses a picture of Herbie the white Volkswagen car from Disney's film The Love Bug, representing a game score of "abysmal". [1049.129]
October 19
  • The Lyceum Theatre in London, England, hosts the premiere of The Lion King stage show. [326.31]
October 22
  • Disney releases the Paramount Pictures / Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film Bringing out the Dead to theaters in the USA. [488.127] [1378.99]
October 24
  • The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US.
    • Herbie the Love Bug appears, suspended from the ceiling of a restaurant.
    • Posters for the film It's Pat and Ernest Goes Straight to Video also appear.
    [950]
October 26
  • Walt Disney Home Video releases the film Pinocchio on DVD. [413.6] [581.40]
(month unknown)
  • Touchstone Home Video releases the film 10 Things I Hate About You on videocassette. [581.133]
November 1
  • Disney closes all five of its Club Disney sites in the USA. [1378.144]
November 2
  • Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa of the Hong Kong International Theme Parks company formally announces that an agreement has been reached with the Walt Disney Company on building a Disneyland park in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Disneyland will be 126 hectares (299 acres) in size, built on Lantau Island. Building costs are estimated at US$3.6 billion. The Walt Disney Company will invest US$316 million for a 43% share in ownership of the Hong Kong International Theme Parks company, and will receive royalties and management fees. The Hong Kong government will pay US$1.7 billion for land, road, and infrastructure development, and will lend US$718 million to the park. The park is scheduled to open in 2005. [254.52] [701.77] [1074.445] (November 1 [914.69])
November 4
  • Disney Interactive, ESPN, and Konami announce a deal for production of a line of ESPN sports games for video game systems and personal computers. Ten games are planned for 2000. [597]
November 5
  • Buena Vista Pictures releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film The Insider to theaters in the USA. [488.136] [579.64] [581.32]
November 7
  • The TV show The Wonderful World of Disney airs the two-hour movie Annie/ [1378.36]
  • The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. The credits for a movie include "Mule Beating Man" played by "Gus", a reference to the 1976 Disney film Gus, about a football-kicking mule. [951]
November 11
  • Walt Disney Home Video releases the film 101 Dalmatians on DVD. [413.6]
  • Disney releases the film Hercules on DVD. [413.6]
  • Disney releases the film Mulan on DVD. [413.6]
November 12
  • The Aida musical show opens at the Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. Previously ran as Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida [249.26] [413.6] [1378.13]
November 13
  • The El Capitan Theater in Hollywood, California, hosts the premiere of the film Toy Story 2. [326.31]
November 17
  • Infoseek shareholders vote in favor of merging the company with Disney. Disney then spins off its Internet division as a separate company, Go.com. [686] [759.62]
November 18
  • Activision releases the Toy Story 2 video game for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 in the US. [803.32] [1083.61]
November 19
  • Disneyland begins offering Fastpass service for It's A Small World, (then later Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin). Guests receive a special ticket for an attraction with a specific hour to return, bypassing the normal lineup. [326.24] [1300.142,165]
  • Disney releases the Walt Disney Pictures animated feature film Toy Story 2 to theaters in the USA. (North American theater gross receipts: US$245.9 million, worldwide $483 million.) [488.146] [579.68] [610.53] [814.40] [922.72] [2605.224] (November 26 [446.13])
November 23
  • Disney releases the film Lady and the Tramp on DVD. [413.6]
  • Disney releases the film Peter Pan on DVD. [413.6]
  • Disney releases the film Simba's Pride on DVD. [413.6]
November 24
  • Comedy Central airs the South Park TV show in the USA. A theme park ride like Disney's Splash Mountain appears, in Florida. [1202]
November 26
  • McDonald's restaurants begin a promotion campaign for the Toy Story 2 film, running until December 23. [759.74]
December 7
  • Disney releases the film Inspector Gadget on videocassette. [249.26]
  • Disney releases the animated film Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas on videocassette. [249.67]
  • Disney releases the film The Jungle Book on DVD. [413.6]
  • Disney releases the film The Little Mermaid on DVD. [413.6]
December 8
  • Buena Vista Pictures releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film Cradle Will Rock to theaters in the USA. [488.152] [579.63] [1378.160]
December 9
  • The Go.com company, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company, reports a loss of US$1.06 billion for fiscal 1999, on revenues of US$200 million. [686]
December 10
  • An official agreement is signed between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and the Walt Disney Company regarding the building and operating of Hong Kong Disneyland. [914.69]
  • Disney releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo to theaters in the USA. [488.156] [1378.183]
December 17
  • Disney releases the Touchstone Pictures / Columbia Pictures live-action feature film Bicentennial Man to theaters in the USA. [488.161] [579.68] [582.17] [1378.75]
  • The animated feature film Fantasia/2000 debuts at Carnegie Hall in New York city. [249.26] [257.29] [413.1] [1248.43]
December 21
  • The film Fantasia/2000 is shown at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England. [249.63]
December 22
  • The film Fantasia/2000 is shown at the Theatre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, France. [249.63]
December 25
  • Disney releases the Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film Play it to the Bone to theaters in the USA. [488.175] [583.25]
  • Buena Vista generally releases the Touchstone Pictures film Cradle Will Rock to theaters in the USA. [1378.160]
December 27
  • The film Fantasia/2000 is shown at Orchard Hall, in Tokyo, Japan. [249.63]
December 31
  • The film Fantasia/2000 is shown at a special screening and gala party at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in California. Tickets cost US$2000. [249.26] [413.1]
  • Illuminations 2000 debuts in Epcot at Walt Disney World. [249.26]
  • The Imaginations Parade debuts in Disneyland Paris. [249.26]

End of 1999. Next: 2000.

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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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