This is a timeline of the Walt Disney Company, listing notable milestones for the Walt Disney Company.
1923–1925
Year EventsNotable film releases1923 In Los Angeles, Walt Disney sells his short live-action cartoon reel titled "Alice's Wonderland", produced by Laugh-O-Gram. Soon after, Walt and his brother Roy sign a contract to make 6 more such films, called Alice Comedies, which New York-based Margaret J. Winkler would distribute at $1,500 per reel. The brothers would thereby join Winkler as a production partner. In order to produce the series, the two brothers officially establish Disney on October 16, 1923, originally as Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, with both Walt and Roy as equal partners. This studio is based in the back half of a real estate office on Kingswell Avenue in Hollywood. The brothers then persuade both Virginia Davis (who played Alice) and their collaborator Ub Iwerks to join them in Hollywood.1924 The first Alice Comedies cartoon titled Alice's Day at Sea is released on March 1. 1925The Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio produces 15 more Alice Comedies cartoons including: Alice the Toreador, Alice Gets Stung and Alice Solves the Puzzle.
1926–1975
Year EventsNotable film releases 1926 Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio move into the new studio at 2719 Hyperion Avenue in the Silver Lake district of Los Angeles. Shortly after, the studio changes its name to The Walt Disney Studio.1927 After four years of working on his Alice Comedies series, Walt Disney decided to move on to an all-cartoon series. To star in this series, Walt Disney creates the character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Charles Mintz, who had taken over M. J. Winkler's film company (Winkler Pictures), signs a contract with Universal Pictures for Winkler Pictures to produce 27 Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoons. Disney is brought on to do Oswald's design and animation for the cartoons. The first Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon titled Trolley Troubles is released on September 5. Walt Disney soon realizes that Universal retains the copyrights to all of his Oswald cartoons.1928 The studio loses the contract of the Oswald series. Several animators leave for Winkler Pictures where the series continues production. Walt Disney comes up with an idea for a new character to replace Oswald: Mickey Mouse, who became Disney's first cartoon star. Walt wanted to call him Mortimer Mouse, but his wife Lillian suggested Mickey instead. Steamboat Willie is released at New York's Colony Theater on November 18, marking the first public appearance of Mickey Mouse, as well as being the first cartoon released with synchronized sound.1929 The first Silly Symphony cartoon titled The Skeleton Dance is released on August 22. On December 16, The Walt Disney Studio is renamed to Walt Disney Productions, Ltd. Three other companies are also renamed to Walt Disney Enterprises, Disney Film Recording Company, and Liled Realty and Investment Company. Mickey speaks for the first time in The Karnival Kid; his words were "Hot dog, hot dog." Unhappy with how Mickey sounded, Walt Disney himself would provide the voice of Mickey until 1947.1930 The first Mickey Mouse comic strips begin on January 13. Film distribution is moved to Columbia Pictures. Mickey Mouse shorts released this year include: The Barnyard Concert, Just Mickey, and The Cactus Kid. Pluto (unnamed at the time) makes his first appearance with the premiere of The Chain Gang on September 5. The first Disney book (Mickey Mouse Book) is published in November.1931 Mickey's dog receives the name Pluto in The Moose Hunt.1932 Distribution moved from Columbia Pictures to United Artists. Goofy, under the name "Dippy Dawg", makes his first appearance with the premiere of "Mickey's Revue" on May 27. Flowers and Trees becomes the first full-color cartoon. It wins the 1932 Academy Award for Short Subjects, Cartoons, the first year that such a category was offered by the academy. (Disney would win in this category every year for the rest of the decade.) Walt Disney wins an Academy Honorary Award at the 5th Academy Awards for his creation of Mickey Mouse.1933 Three Little Pigs premieres on May 25.1934 Following the success of the Mickey Mouse shorts, Walt begins producing a feature-length film. Some would dub this project as “Disney’s Folly,” as it went 400% over budget and required more than 300 animators, artists, and assistants. (The resulting 1937 film would later be heralded as groundbreaking.) Donald Duck makes his first appearance with the premiere of "The Wise Little Hen" on June 9.1935 "The Band Concert" premieres on February 23, becoming the first Mickey Mouse cartoon in color.1936 Distribution moved from United Artists to RKO Radio Pictures.1937 Disney releases its first feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, on December 21 at Carthay Circle Theatre, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time up to that point. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs1938 On September 29, Walt Disney Productions, Ltd., along with Walt Disney Enterprises, Disney Film Recording Company, and Liled Realty and Investment Company, are merged to form Walt Disney Productions.1939 For Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Walt wins another Honorary Academy Award. (The award consisted of a regular-size Oscar statuette along with seven miniature versions, in reference to the dwarfs.)1940 Studio moves to Burbank, California Walt Disney Productions goes public and issues its first stock.Pinocchio Fantasia1941 A bitter animators' strike occurs. The studio begins producing propaganda films for the US during World War II.Durso, Chris. 19 December 2011. "Food Will Win The War, Disney's World War II Propaganda Film." Foodiggity. Such shorts produced this year include The Thrifty Pig and 7 Wise Dwarfs. The U.S. army move into the Disney studio lot on December 8. Dumbo The Reluctant Dragon1942 Walt receives his third Honorary Academy Award, this time for Fantasia (1940) and its contribution to sound design. The Disney propaganda films released this year, starring Donald Duck, include: The New Spirit, which would be nominated for an Academy Award. Der Fuehrer's Face, which pokes fun of the Nazis and would win an Academy Award. Bambi1943 As another Disney propaganda film, Walt adapted Alexander de Seversky's book Victory Through Air Power (1942) as a live action-animated feature of the same name. Saludos Amigos1944 Short on money, the company re-releases Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, generating much-needed revenue and beginning a reissue pattern for their animated films.1945 The Three Caballeros1946 Make Mine Music Song of the South1947Walt Disney lends his voice to Mickey Mouse for the last time in the "Mickey and the Beanstalk" segment of Fun and Fancy Free. Disney claims he has become too busy to continue voicing Mickey. Fun and Fancy Free1948 The True-Life Adventures nature film series begins with the premiere of Seal Island on December 21, continuing until 1960. Melody Time Seal Island1949 The studio begins production on its first all-live action feature, Treasure Island. Disney licenses characters for use in Ice Capades. The Walt Disney Music Company is formed in October. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad1950Treasure Island becomes the studio's first completely live-action feature. Premiering on Christmas Day, One Hour in Wonderland becomes the first-ever Disney television production.Cinderella Treasure Island1951 Alice in Wonderland1952 Disney forms a second company, Walt Disney Inc., to build his new theme park. The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men is the studio's second full live-action film. The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men1953 Walt hires a research firm to find the ideal location in southern California for a large-scale theme park. The studio ends its distribution deal with RKO Radio Pictures and founds Buena Vista Film Distribution Company, Inc. to distribute its feature films. Walt Disney Inc. is renamed WED Enterprises, controlling the rights to Disney and holding the Disneyland design team (the "Imagineers"). Disney's idea to make moving figures of people that could also talk, would be used by WED to create Audio-Animatronics. WED would later own and operate several attractions inside Disneyland, including the Disneyland Monorail System and the Disneyland Railroad. Disney makes the Disneyland programming deal with American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres to fund Disneyland. The first People & Places short film, The Alaskan Eskimo, premieres on February 18. The Living Desert premieres on November 10 as the first film distributed by the new Buena Vista Distribution Company. Peter Pan The Living Desert1954 Construction for Disneyland begins in July. Disney debuts its anthology TV series, initially named Disneyland (before 6 title changes), on October 27. The show would run for 29 years, making it the longest-running primetime television series ever. The story of Davy Crockett is told on the show on December 15. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea1955 Disneyland opens in Anaheim, California, on July 17, 1955. It would be regarded as the first modern theme park of the US. The park's debut is showcased via a live TV broadcast co-hosted by then-actor Ronald Reagan. The Mickey Mouse Club debuts. Lady and the Tramp 1956 The Great Locomotive Chase1957 Zorro debuts on October 10. Old Yeller1958White Wilderness Tonka1959 Then-Vice-president Richard Nixon dedicates Monorail. On June 14, the Matterhorn and Submarine Voyage rides open at Disneyland.Sleeping Beauty The Shaggy Dog Darby O'Gill and the Little People1960Pollyanna Swiss Family Robinson1961 Disney purchases the film and merchandise rights to A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh books.One Hundred and One Dalmatians The Absent-Minded Professor The Parent Trap1962The Legend of Lobo In Search of the Castaways1963 The Enchanted Tiki Room, the first attraction to feature Audio-Animatronics, opens at Disneyland on June 23. The Sword in the Stone1964 Mary Poppins became Disney's top-grossing film up to this point, as well as one of the top-grossing films of all-time. It wins in five categories at the Academy Awards, though losing the Best Picture award. Four Disney exhibits open at the New York World's Fair. Mary Poppins1965 Walt Disney is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Lyndon B. Johnson.1966 In an October 1966 interview, Walt Disney described his vision of creating a planned community called the "City of Tomorrow;" "a showcase for American industry and research, schools, cultural and educational opportunities." Disney called this idea the "Environmental Prototype Community of Tomorrow" (EPCOT). Disney World's EPCOT would pay tribute to this idea. Walt Disney dies on December 15. His comments on EPCOT would be among the last public statements he ever made. Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree1967 Construction begins on Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida; the underlying governmental structure, called the Reedy Creek Improvement District, is signed into law. The release of The Jungle Book marks the last full-length animated film made with Walt Disney's direct involvement. Pirates of the Caribbean opens at Disneyland. The Jungle Book1968 The Love Bug1969 The Haunted Mansion opens at Disneyland. “Disney on Parade” debuts in Chicago. Released on December 24, 1968, The Love Bug becomes 1969's biggest box office hit and the second-highest-grossing film in Disney history after Mary Poppins.1970 The Walt Disney Archives are established. The Aristocats1971 Walt Disney World opens in the eponymous filmmaker's honor on October 1. Company co-founder Roy O. Disney dies. In Roy's place, Donn Tatum becomes chairman and CEO, and Card Walker becomes president. Bedknobs and Broomsticks1972Now You See Him, Now You Don't Snowball Express1973 The company's semicentennial year. Robin Hood1974 Herbie Rides Again1975 Escape to Witch Mountain
1976–2025