- January 30
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, entitled The Peter Tchaikovsky Story. The show is the first stereophonic broadcast of a television program. In some cities, one channel is transmitted on an AM radio station, the other channel on an FM station. [83.697] [228.385] [370.395]
- (month unknown)
- Construction work begins on the Matterhorn Bobsleds attraction at Disneyland. The mountain is 1/100th of the size of the Swiss mountain it is patterned on. [4]
- February 6
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, featuring the fifth "Elfego Baca" episode, Attorney at Law. [228.159] [370.395]
- February 13
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, entitled Duck Flies Coop, with Donald Duck. [228.152] [370.395]
- February 17
- Final filming of the second season of the Zorro TV show is completed. [384.139]
- February 20
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, featuring the sixth "Elfego Baca" episode, The Griswold Murder. [228.159] [370.395]
- February 23
- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the film White Wilderness for an Oscar Award in the category Documentary, Features. [39.494]
- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the film White Wilderness for an Oscar Award in the category Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture. [39.494]
- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the film Paul Bunyan for an Oscar Award in the category Short Subjects, Cartoons. [39.494]
- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the film Grand Canyon for an Oscar Award in the category Short Subjects, Live-Action Subjects. [39.494]
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- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the film Ama Girls for an Oscar Award in the category Documentary, Short Subjects. [39.494]
- February 27
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, entitled The Adventures of Chip 'n' Dale. [370.395] [1378.9]
- March 6
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, featuring the fifth "Tales of Texas John Slaughter" episode, The Man from Bitter Creek. [370.395] [501.547]
- March 13
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, entitled Highway to Trouble, with Donald Duck and his nephews. [228.234] [370.395]
- March 19
- Buena Vista releases Disney's live-action feature film The Shaggy Dog to theaters. It cost US$1 million to make. This is Disney's first live-action comedy film. The film is based on the novel The Hound of Florence by Felix Salten. (The film earns US$8-12 million at theaters.) [13] [17] [22] [23] [15] [49.268] [232.84] [370.157] [479.50] [501.494] (April [77.37] [111.392])
- Disney releases the fifteenth People and Places film, Cruise of the Eagle, to theaters. [23] [85.349] [1378.163]
- Disney releases the live-action short film Nature's Strangest Creatures to theaters. [23] [85.349] [228.352]
- March 20
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, featuring the sixth "Tales of Texas John Slaughter" episode, The Slaughter Trial. [370.395] [501.547]
- March 27
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, featuring an expanded version of the film Toot, Whistle, Plunk, and Boom. [370.395] [501.564]
- April 6
- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards an Oscar (Short Subjects, Live-Action Subjects) for the film Grand Canyon. [13] [23] [38.299] [39.494]
- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards an Oscar (Short Subjects, Documentary) for the film Ama Girls. [23] [38.299] [39.494]
- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards an Oscar (Documentary, Features) for the film White Wilderness. [13] [23] [38.299] [39.494]
- April 24
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, featuring an expanded version of the film The Wetback Hound. [370.395] [501.603]
- (month unknown)
- ABC TV network executives and Walt Disney cannot agree on money issues for the Zorro TV series, so Walt discontinues production of the show. [384.139]
- May 29
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, entitled I Captured the King of the Leprechauns, including portions of the film Darby O'Gill and the Little People. [228.249] [370.395]
- June 6
- The Submarine Voyage attraction opens in Tomorrowland at Disneyland, with eight gray submarines. It cost about US$2.5 million to create. This is the first 'E' ticket attraction. [4] [9] [22] [26] [48.291] [193.32] [501.529] [757.37]
- June 14
- The Disneyland monorail trains are first hoisted by crane onto their track. [328.298]
- The Disneyland-Alweg Monorail System begins operation in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. It represents the first urban monorail system in the USA. US Vice President Richard Nixon helps with the dedication. [4] [9] [22] [26] [29] [48.291] [109.84] [228.338,360] [246.91] [267.254] [665.72] [757.37] [914.66] [1300.290]
- The Matterhorn Mountain with its Matterhorn Bobsleds ride opens in Fantasyland at Disneyland. It is the first thrill ride at Disneyland, and the first ride to use cylindrical rails and urethane wheels. The mountain is 147 feet high, 1/100th the height of the real Matterhorn mountain, and uses 2175 steel girders. Final cost of the attraction is US$1.5 million. First riders are Walt Disney, his family, and US Vice President Richard Nixon. [9] [22] [26] [48.291] [228.315] [757.37] [914.62] [939.111] [1300.271]
- The Submarine Voyage attraction at Disneyland is officially dedicated. [4] [9] [22] [26] [48.291] [501.529] [914.66] [1300.402]
- June
- The Fantasyland Autopia opens in Fantasyland at Disneyland. It is the second Autopia in Disneyland, created due to the immense popularity of the attraction. [9] [26] [48.291] [257.17] [228.33] [1300.164] (January 1 [228.175])
- The enlarged Motor Boat Cruise begins operation in Fantasyland at Disneyland. [9] [26] [48.291]
- June 15
- The live 90-minute TV special Disneyland '59 airs, introducing new attractions at Disneyland: Submarine Voyage, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Monorail, Motor Boat Cruise, and an enlarged Autopia. [228.135] [913.14] [1300.137]
- June
- Disneyland begins using "E" tickets for certain attractions. [26] [193.16] [501.557] [328.235] [939.34]
- June 18
- Disney releases the animated and live-action short film Eyes in Outer Space to theaters. [23] [85.349] [228.171]
- June 24
- Disney premieres the live-action feature film Darby O'Gill and the Little People to theaters in Dublin, Ireland. [1378.171]
- June 26
- Disney releases the Donald Duck film Donald in Mathmagic Land to theaters. [16] [13] [23] [15] [85.349] [228.146] [1248.43]
- Buena Vista releases Disney's live-action feature film Darby O'Gill and the Little People to theaters in the United States. The film is based on the Darby O'Gill stories by H.T. Kavanagh. [7] [17] [23] [15] [50.300] [77.52] [370.159] [1378.171] (November [111.343])
- June 30
- Walt and Roy Disney meet with ABC TV head Leonard Goldenson, to try to gain the right to take their TV programming to other networks, or to force ABC out of their contract. No deal can be made. Roy files an antitrust lawsuit. [267.205] (1960 [48])
- (month unknown)
- The Disney company buys the 708-acre Golden Oak Ranch, for use as a film location. [228.208]
- Disney releases the animated film compilation Goofy Success Story to theaters. [23]
- The American Humane Association awards a PATSY award (Second Place (Motion Picture)) to Tonka, the horse from the film Tonka. [45.612]
- Disney releases the live-action feature film The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca to theaters in Europe. [23]
- Dell Publishing Company produces Dell Color Comics comic book #995, Donald Duck Album. [113.333]
- Disneyland welcomes its 15-millionth guest. [26]
- Disney releases the live-action feature film The Peter Tchaikovsky Story to theaters. [23]
- Dell Publishing Company produces Dell Color Comics comic book #1047, Gyro Gearloose. [113.333]
- Disney re-releases the film Dumbo to theaters. [25] [228.154]
- The Nintendo Karuta company of Japan makes its first licensing agreement, with Walt Disney Productions, to produce playing cards backed with pictures of Disney characters. [391.19]
- Irving Ludwig becomes president of the Buena Vista Distribution Company. [228.298]
- Disney releases the 16-mm film Willie the Operatic Whale for educational use. [501.614]
- July
- Buena Vista releases the Centurion Films Production live-action feature film The Big Fisherman. The film was financed by Disney, and directed by Frank Borzage. [23] [77.71] [267.241] (August [111.334])
- July 25
- The #4 train of the Disneyland railroad begins regular service. It is named the Ernest S. Marsh. Cost of renovation of the locomotive was US$57,070. [26] [328.255,391]
- September 2
- Disney releases the Donald Duck film How to Have an Accident at Work to theaters. [16] [23] [85.349] [228.245]
- September 10
- Disney releases the live-action feature film Zorro the Avenger to theaters in Japan. The film is a compilation of several Zorro television episodes. [23] [384.140] [501.630]
- September 13
- The Rainbow Mountain Stage Coaches attraction at Disneyland closes. [228.408] [1235.27]
- The Conestoga Wagons attraction in Frontierland at Disneyland closes. [1235.27] [1300.113] [1378.151]
- September
- The ABC TV network moves the Walt Disney Presents TV show from 8:00-9:00 to 7:30-8:30. [381.524]
- September 20
- Jimmy Starr's Show Business Souvenirs shop in Disneyland closes. [1300.225]
- September 24
- The ABC TV network airs the last episode of the Disney-produced TV show, Zorro. ABC cancelled the show because it was cheaper to finance its own shows. 78 episodes were produced. [83.736] [84.947] [267.204] [381.133] (September 28 [501.629])
- September 25
- The ABC TV network airs the last episode of the Mickey Mouse Club TV show. [24] [83.425] [113.289] [267.204] [911.98]
- October 2
- The Rainbow Ridge Pack Mules attraction at Disneyland closes for re-modelling. [228.408] [1235.20] [1300.297]
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, featuring Moochie of the Little League, part one. [228.339] (A Diamond Is a Boy's Best Friend [370.395])
- October 9
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, featuring Moochie of the Little League, part two. [228.339] (Wrong Way Moochie [370.395])
- October 11
- The Rainbow Caverns Mine Train attraction at Disneyland closes for remodelling. [228.408] [1300.349]
- October 16
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, entitled Killers of the High Country. [228.275] [370.395]
- October 23
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, featuring the first "The Swamp Fox" episode, Birth of the Swamp Fox. [83.697] [370.395] [501.532]
- October 30
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, featuring the second "The Swamp Fox" episode, Brother Against Brother. [370.395] [501.532]
- November 6
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, entitled Perilous Assignment, including portions of the film Third Man on the Mountain. [228.383] [370.395]
- November 10
- Disney releases the stop-motion animated short film Noah's Ark to theaters. [16] [23] [85.349] [228.360] (1958 [13])
- Buena Vista releases Disney's live-action feature film Third Man on the Mountain in theaters in the US. The film is based on the book Banner in the Sky by James Ramsey Ullman. [13] [23] [77.106] [111.401] [370.162] [501.550]
- November 13
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, featuring the seventh "Elfego Baca" episode, Move Along, Mustangers. [228.159] [370.395]
- November 20
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, featuring the eighth "Elfego Baca" episode, Mustang Man, Mustang Maid. [228.159] [370.395]
- November 27
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, entitled A Storm Called Maria. it is based on the book Storm by George Stewart. [370.395] [501.524]
- December 4
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, featuring the seventh "Tales of Texas John Slaughter" episode, The Robber Stallion. [370.395] [501.547]
- December 11
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, featuring the eighth "Tales of Texas John Slaughter" episode, Wild Horse Revenge. [370.395] [501.548]
- December
- The World Beneath Us exhibit at Disneyland closes. [1300.444]
- Annette Funicello files a suit with Disney to break her 7-year contract (1955-62) to gain higher pay. [1336.170]
- December 16
- Disney initially releases the True-Life Adventure film Jungle Cat to theaters. [228.269]
- Disney releases the live-action featurette documentary film Mysteries of the Deep to theaters. [13] [23] [85.349] [228.349]
- December 18
- The ABC TV network airs the Walt Disney Presents TV show, featuring the ninth "Tales of Texas John Slaughter" episode, Range War at Tombstone. [370.395] [501.548]
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