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.


1977

January 1
  • Bob Allen is promoted to vice president of Walt Disney World. [1378.24]
January 2
  • The Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland attraction in Disneyland closes. [228.332] [1235.30] [1300.298]
  • The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled The Golden Dog. [228.207]
January 9
  • The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, featuring Kit Carson and the Mountain Men, part one. [228.277]
January
  • The two-acre area of Nature's Wonderland in Disneyland begins its transformation into Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. [4]
January 16
  • The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, featuring Kit Carson and the Mountain Men, part two. [228.277]
January 19
  • The Disney studio launches a new series of The All New Mickey Mouse Club on TV. (The show runs for 130 30-minute episodes.) [37.118] [83.426] [96.83] [122.34] [1336.211] (January 1 [228.322]) (January 17 [389.175] [1390.68])
January 21
  • Buena Vista Distribution generally releases the live-action feature film Freaky Friday to theaters in the US. [23] [49.276] [228.195] [230.30] [370.314] (January 28 [379.104]) (February [101.14])
January 29
  • The NBC TV network airs NBC All-Disney Saturday Night at the Movies featuring A Horse Named Comanche and Wonders of the Water World. [389.170]
January 30
  • The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, featuring Barry of the Great St. Bernard, part one. [190.49] [1378.60]
February 6
  • The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, featuring Barry of the Great St. Bernard, part two. [190.49] [1378.60]
February 20
  • The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled Go West, Young Dog. [228.207]
March 4
  • Roy E. Disney quits as vice-president of Walt Disney Productions, but keeps his stock, and remains on the board of directors. [14] [34.271] [56.98] [108.15] [745.44] [1074.140] (March 11 [121.30])
March 11
  • In the case of the Sierra Club against the U.S. Forest Service over Disney's proposed Mineral King ski resort, Judge Sweinert dismisses the suit for "lack of prosecution", as his last involvement in it had been in 1972. After twelve years in the courts and with much negative public opinion, the project is essentially abandoned. [482.72]
  • Buena Vista releases the animated feature film The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. This is a compilation of three previously released short films, with new animation linking them together. [11] [23] [25] [97.125] [228.310] [232.84] [370.314] (March 3 [15])
  • Buena Vista releases the live-action feature film The Littlest Horse Thieves to theaters in the US. The film was previously released in Great Britain as Escape From the Dark. [23] [101.159] [228.293] [370.314]

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March 13
  • The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled The Ghost of Cypress Swamp. This is the Disney studio's first made-for-television feature film. [228.205] [389.269]
March
  • The official name of the Disney theme park in Japan is selected: "Tokyo Disneyland". [55.37]
April 3
  • The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled The Track of the African Bongo. [501.567]
(month unknown)
  • Production begins on the animated film The Fox and the Hound. [228.193]
May 1
  • The Empress Lilly riverboat, a 19th century Mississippi sternwheeler, is christened, by Lillian Disney. The river boat sits in Lake Buena Vista, in the Walt Disney World Village. [5] [228.164] [1342.38]
May 4
  • The Space Mountain attraction opens in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. Estimated cost to build: $20 million. [209.31] [501.515] [939.106] [1300.386]
  • The Starcade games arcade opens in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. [9] [26.27] [501.521] (May 27 [1300.394])
May 15
  • The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled Disney's Greatest Villains. [228.140]
May
  • The PeopleMover Superspeed Tunnel opens at Disneyland. [9]
May 22
  • The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled The Bluegrass Special. [1378.86]
May 27
  • The Space Mountain ride is dedicated in Tomorrowland, at Disneyland. Total cost was US$20 million. [4] [9] [26.27]
June 11
  • The Main Street Electrical Parade premieres in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [5] [228.306]
June
  • Buena Vista releases the live-action feature film Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo to theaters. The film is the second sequel to the 1969 film The Love Bug. [17] [23] [49.276] [85.314] [101.60] [370.268]
June 22
  • Disney releases the live-action short film A Tale of Two Critters to theaters. [85.325] [501.538]
  • Buena Vista releases the animated feature film The Rescuers to theaters. This is the last animated film made by the original generation of Disney lead animators. It cost US$7 million to make. [8] [11] [15] [16] [23] [25] [37.143] [97.276] [191] [228.413] [229.111] [245.34] [370.314] [394.32] (July [101.74])
(month unknown)
  • Tinker Bell's show is cancelled at Disneyland. [20]
  • The Golden Bear Lodge restaurant in Disneyland is renamed Hungry Bear Restaurant. [1300.189]
  • Hallmark releases its first Disney-themed Hallmark Keepsake Ornament, featuring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy. [1257.46]
  • Disney releases the 16-mm film EPCOT '77. [23]
  • Disney releases the animated film compilation Donald Duck's Summer Magic. [23]
  • Disney releases the live-action feature film Born to Run to theaters outside the USA. [23] [1378.91]
  • Disney renames Treasure Island at Walt Disney World to Discovery Island. [228.126] (1978 [5])
  • The Main Street Electrical Parade re-opens at Disneyland after being updated. [26.27] [228.306]
  • James Jimirro proposes Disney create a cable television channel exclusively for Disney content. [178.D2]
  • Disney re-releases the film Fantasia to theaters. [25] [228.173]
  • Disney re-releases the film Bambi to theaters. [25] [228.40] (1982 [1378.58])
  • Disney re-releases the film The Three Caballeros to theaters, edited down to featurette length. [25] [501.552] (1976 [370.67])
  • Wayne Allwine replaces Jim Macdonald as the voice of Mickey Mouse. [209.64]
  • Disney re-releases the film Darby O'Gill and the Little People to theaters. [1378.172]
  • The Walt Disney World park management decides to dismantle the Fort Wilderness Railroad, due to numerous problems in its operation. [228.191] [328.343]
  • Walt Disney Productions adopts a bylaw requiring 80 percent of shareholders to approve any takeovers. [473.44]
  • Dell publishes the book Walt, Mickey and Me, written by Paul Petersen, about The Mickey Mouse Club television show. [228.386]
September
  • Disney releases the 16-mm educational film Fergi Diversifies. [23] [228.182]
  • Disney releases the 16-mm educational film Fergi Goes Inc. [23] [228.183]
  • Disney releases the 16-mm film Cost for educational use. The film is part of the "People on Market Street" series, made in cooperation with the University of California. [23] [1378.155]
  • Disney releases the 16-mm film Demand for educational use. The film is part of the "People on Market Street" series, made in cooperation with the University of California. [23] [1378.180]
  • Disney releases the 16-mm film Market Clearing Price for educational use. The film is part of the "People on Market Street" series, made in cooperation with the University of California. [23] [228.311]
  • Disney releases the 16-mm film Property Rights and Pollution for educational use. The film is part of the "People on Market Street" series, made in cooperation with the University of California. [23] [228.402]
  • Disney releases the 16-mm film Scarcity and Planning for educational use. The film is part of the "People on Market Street" series, made in cooperation with the University of California. [23] [501.486]
  • Disney releases the 16-mm film Supply for educational use. The film is part of the "People on Market Street" series, made in cooperation with the University of California. [23] [501.531]
  • Disney releases the 16-mm film Wages and Production for educational use. The film is part of the "People on Market Street" series, made in cooperation with the University of California. [23] [501.590]
October 5
  • Kikkoman begins sponsering the Adventureland Veranda restaurant in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. [1378.8]
October 30
  • The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled Halloween Hall of Fame. [228.225]
November 3
  • Buena Vista premieres the animated and live-action feature film Pete's Dragon in selected theaters. [7] [8] [11] [14] [15] [23] [25] [85.314] [97.283] [101.102] [191] [225.42] [228.386] [235.93]
November
  • The Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-Through attraction is redesigned. [501.505]
November 20
  • The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled The Mouseketeers at Walt Disney World. [228.344]
November 25
  • The NBC TV network airs Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree. [390.253]
(month unknown)
  • The Very Merry Christmas Parade debuts at Disneyland. [26.27]
December 16
  • Buena Vista generally releases the film Pete's Dragon to theaters. [7] [8] [11] [14] [15] [23] [25] [228.386] [250.96] [370.314]
  • Buena Vista premieres the live-action feature film Candleshoe in Los Angeles, California. The film is based on the book Christmas at Candleshoe by Michael Innes. [15] [23] [370.315] [1378.114]

End of 1977. Next: 1978.

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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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