Media industries: Disney timeline

Disney Timeline of key events

1923: Walt Disney signed a contract with M.J. Winkler to create a series of Alice Comedies. Walt and Roy Disney, as equal partners began the Disney company under 'Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio'. 1926: The company name changed to 'The Walt Disney Studio' after moving into a new studio.

1927: Oswald the Lucky Rabbit debuts.

1928: Walt loses the contract to the Oswald series. Walt and Roy create Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Mickey Mouse debuts and Steamboat Willie created (first sound synchronised cartoon).

1929: 'The Walt Disney Studio' replaced by 'Walt Disney Productions Ltd'. 3 more companies were also established. The Skeleton Dance cartoon created.

1930: Distribution moved to Columbia Pictures.

1932: Distribution moved from CP to United Artists. Flowers and Trees (first technicolour cartoon and animated short to win and award for Best Animated Short Film). Mickey's Revue, premiering Goofy ('Dippy Dawg').

1934: The Wise Little Hen - premiere of Donald Duck.

1936: Distribution moved from United Artists to RKO Radio Pictures.

1937: First feature film released: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

1938: All Disney companies  now merged to create 'Walt Disney Productions'.

1940: Studio moves to California. Company goes public. Pinocchio and Fantasia movies created.

1941: Animators' strike. Studio creates morale boosting propaganda for the US during WWII.  Dumbo created. 

1942: Bambi created.

1943: Saludos Amigos created.

1944: Company short on money- theatrical release of Snow White generates revenue.

1945: The Three Caballeros created.

1946: Make Mine Music and Song of the South created.

1947: Fun and Fancy free created.

1948: True Life Adventures nature film (until 1960) begins. Melody Time and Seal Island created.

1949: Studio begins production on first all live movie: Treasure Island. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr.Toad created. 

1950: Cinderella and Treasure Island produced. 

1951: Alice in Wonderland produced.

1953: WED Enterprises later own and operate several attractions inside Disneyland including the monorail and railroad. Programming deal with Paramount Theatres to fund itself. Peter Pan produced.

1954: Ends distribution with RKO Radio Pictures and founds Buena Vista Film Distribution Company Inc to distribute its feature films. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea produced.

1955: Lady and the Tramp produced. Disneyland opens in California.

1957: Old Yeller produced.

1959: Sleeping Beauty, The Shaggy Dog produced.

1960: Pollyanna and Swiss Family Robinson produced.

1961: Purchases the film and merchandise rights to A.A Milne's Winnie the Pooh books which creates a huge source of revenue to this day.  101 Dalmatians and The Parent Trap produced.

1963: The Sword in the Stone produced. Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room opens at Disneyland (first attraction to feature audio animatronics).

1964: Mary Poppins produced.

1965: Disney News begins publication.

1966: Walt diagnosed with lung cancer and died December 15th. Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree produced.

1967: Construction begins on Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. The Jungle Book produced. Pirates of the Caribbean opens at Disneyland.

1969: Haunted Mansion opens at Disneyland.

1970: The Aristocats produced. 

1971: Roy Oliver dies and Donn Tatum becomes chairman and Card Walker president. Eastern Airlines branded as 'Offical Airline of Walt Disney World'. Bedknobs and Broomsticks produced. Walt Disney World Resort opens.

1973: Robin Hood produced.

1974: Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too produced.

1976: Freaky Friday and The Muppet Show produced.

1977: Walt's nephew Roy E. Disney resigns as a decline in overall product quality and manager issues. The Rescuers, Pete's Dragon and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh produced.

1979: 13 animators leave Disney to found their own studio. The Back Hole (first PG rated Disney film) produced.

1981: Walt Disney's World on Ice produced by Feld Entertainment. The Fox and the Hound produced. First home video release of Dumbo.

1982: Coca Cola unsuccessfully tries to buyout Disney. Walt's son in law Ron.W.Miller succeeds Card Walker as CEO. Tron produced. Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow center opens (EPCOT).

1983: Disney Channel begins. Live action studio renamed 'Walt Disney Pictures'. Mickey's Christmas Carol produced. Tokyo Disneyland opens in Japan.

1984: Michael Eisner (new CEO) and Frank Wells (president). Touchstone Films label created to produce films for more mature audiences. Splash, Tiger Town and Country produced.

1985: Touchstone Television is founded. Return to Oz produced. Home release of Pinocchio becomes best seller. Animation studio renamed 'Walt Disney Feature Animation'.

1986: Company name now 'The Walt Disney Company'. Teamed up with Studio Ghibli to distribute anime films internationally.

1987: First Disney store opens in California. Euro Disney project starts.

1988: Walt Disney Computer Software founded as a video game division. Who framed Roger Rabbit and Oliver & Company produced.

1989: The Little Mermaid, Turner & Hooch produced. Disney MGM Studios opens.

1991: First Disney Vacation Club Resorts opened in Walt Disney World. Beauty and the Beast produced.

1992: Aladdin produced. Euro Disney Resort opens (Paris).

1993: Winnie the Pooh merch outsells Mickey Mouse. The Nightmare before Christmas produced.

1994: Beauty and the Beast Broadway. Euro Disneyland now called Disneyland Paris. The Lion King, The Jungle Book produced.

1995: Michael Ovitz president. Disney Channel in UK and Ireland. DiC Entertainment part of Disney. Toy Story, Pocahontas produced.

1996: Parent company 'The Walt Disney Company'. Acquires Jumbo Pictures. The Hunchback of Notre Dame produced.

1997: Releases first DVDs. The Lion King Broadway. Hercules and George of the Jungle produced as well as multiple TV shows.

1998: Disney Cruise Line first ship. Toon Disney begins. Mulan and A Bug's Life produced. Animal Kingdom opens.

1999: Toy Story 2, Tarzan produced.

2000: Robert Iger becomes president. Disney shuts down Jumbo Pictures. The Tigger Movie, 102 Dalmatians produced. Disney sold DiC Entertainment.

2001: Disney buys Fox Family Network including Saban Entertainment which was changed to ABC Family. Monsters, Inc produced.  Disney California Adventure Park open.
2002: Walt Disney Studios Park opens. Lilo and Stitch produced. Disney releases Spirited Away in the US.
2003: Finding Nemo published. Pixar plans to seek a new distribution partner.
2004: Comcast makes an unsuccessful 66 billion bid for the company. The Incredibles produced. Disney buys The Muppets for 75m.
2005: CEO, Robert Iger. Disney purchased Pixar for 7 billion. Hong Kong Disneyland opens. Chicken Little produced.
2006: Disney acquired Pixar Animation Studios. Disney Cinemagic launched in the UK. Introduced its logo in Pirates of the Caribbean.
2007: Acquires Club Penguin. Drops Buena Vista brand from its division.

2008: Disney Store chain created. WALL-E and Bolt produced.
2009: Mickey Mouse's Voice Actor dies. Disney XD replaces Toon Disney. Distribution deal with DreamWorks. Acquires Marvel Entertainment.
2010: Sells Power Rangers for 100m. Lost rights to Digimon. Disney ends Hannah Montana.
2011: Licenses theme park rights to Avatar. Playhouse Disney rebrands to Disney Junior.
2012: Wreck it Ralph, Brave produced. Rich Ross resigns as chairman, replaced by Alan F.Horn.
2013: Frozen produced. Disney Cinemagic replaced with Sky Movies Disney. Frozen became the highest grossing animated feature.
2014: Frozen wins Best Animated Feature. Acquired Maker Studios for 500m. Big Hero 6 produced.
2015: Big Hero 6 wins Best Animated Feature. Marvel studios reorganised under Walt Disney Studios. Cinderella produced.
2016: ABC family changed to Freeform. Construction of Star Wars Land begins in Hollywood Studios. DreamWorks ends its film distribution deal with Disney.
2017: Zootopia wins Best Animated Feature. Beauty and the Beast produced.
2018: Shuts down DisneyToon Studios. Comcast 65b cash counter to acquire the 21 Century Fox assets that Disney was set to purchase which then was counterbid and won by Disney with 71.3b.