Walt Disney Home Video is a discontinued video line launched to release Disney animated features on home video. This was done by a division of the same name under the parent Walt Disney Telecommunications and Non-Theatrical Company (WDTNT). As an entity, the name Walt Disney Home Video is now known as Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. The scope of this list is mostly limited to Disney's North American live action movie releases. Cartoon collections were concurrently released as Walt Disney Cartoon Classics which include the "Limited Gold Editions". The initial price for early Disney cassettes at the time was "prohibitory expensive" for many, this changed in the mid-1980s when VCRs became affordable.
History Disney started out by establishing its own video distribution operation in 1980 as part of Walt Disney Telecommunications and Non-Theatrical Company (WDTNT) with Jim Jimirro as its first president. WDTNT Co. also handled marketing of other miscellaneous ancillary items such as short 8 mm films for home movies. When Disney started with video cassettes, "Home video" was not considered to be a major market by them at the time. Their first releases on videotape were 13 titles that were licensed for rental to Fotomat on March 4, 1980. Disney was unusual among the major studios in offering a program for authorized rentals. Most of the other studios involved in the videocassette market at the time were trying to find ways to stop dealers from renting out their movie tapes. Magnetic Video (with titles from 20th Century Fox and others) ceased doing business with Fotomat after Fotomat began renting Magnetic Video cassettes without authorization.
The switchover from rental to sales was a "thorny" issue that was solved by giving dealers an option on the type of outlet they desired. For those who just wanted to rent video cassettes, a title was given (for US$52) on a 13-week cycle. The dealer could then set the price as many times as they wanted in those 13 weeks before purchasing a new title from Disney. Video cassette rentals were more "functionally" packaged with a heavier box and less elaborately detailed illustrations. For those who wanted to sell video cassettes, a "fairly straightforward" program involved 4 color packaging and a suggested retail price. In order to separate the two mediums, the cassette either featured "FOR RENTAL ONLY/Not intended for Sale" or "FOR SALE ONLY/Not intended for Rental". The 13 titles that had been licensed for rental to Fotomat subsequently became available for purchase.
Throughout their release history, "Walt Disney Home Video" cassettes were promoted by Disney. An early example is the 1981 release of "A Walt Disney Christmas" where a "Free Mickey Mouse Plush Toy" was offered as an incentive. Disney later offered a promotion for Summer 1982 called "Disney's American Summer", where they sold some of their live action movies for the first time. At the time this promotion was done in an effort to make video cassettes more affordable, and boosted the video software involved. Marketing included a 7 foot tall gazebo which was set up in stores and a free mug as an incentive. Towards the end of 1984, Disney did a “Wrapped And Ready to Give” Christmas promotion which included seven newly released titles on video cassette. Later promotions include Disney's 1986 "Wonderland Campaign" as a further attempt to bring prices down.
When The Disney Channel was launched on April 18, 1983, it gave the company an opportunity to air made for TV films such as Tiger Town and Gone Are the Dayes, both of which were released to home video in 1984. During that same year Disney also started releasing their animated feature films under the Walt Disney Classics line starting with Robin Hood. On March 8, 1985, Disney released "Love Leads the Way" which became their first title that went straight to Home Video. The Walt Disney Home Video division was legally incorporated as Buena Vista Home Video on February 13, 1987. The Walt Disney Home Video brand continued to be used for all Disney branded releases afterwards.
North American releases
First VHS sales (1980) Release date Title Initial cost(USD) Copies sold(Domestic) Short summary 1. October 1, 1980 The Black Hole Re-released in December 1983. 2. October 1, 1980 Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier 2nd release in March 19833rd release on May 28, 1986. 3. October 1, 1980 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 2nd release in March 19833rd release in September 19854th release on May 28, 1986. 4. October 1, 1980 The Apple Dumpling Gang Re-released in June 1985 5. October 1, 1980 The Love Bug Re-released on November 6, 1985 6. October 1, 1980 Pete's Dragon Re-released on October 14, 1986 7. October 1, 1980 Escape to Witch Mountain Re-released on September 21, 1985. 8. October 1, 1980 The North Avenue Irregulars Re-released August 1985 9. October 1, 1980 Bedknobs and Broomsticks 2nd release on September 21, 19853rd release on May 28, 1986. 10. October 1, 1980 Hot Lead and Cold Feet Re-released in March 1983 11. October 1, 1980 On Vacation with Mickey Mouse and Friends Re-released in December 1983 12. October 1, 1980 Kids is Kids starring Donald Duck Re-released in December 1983 13. October 1, 1980 The Adventures of Chip 'n' Dale. Re-released in December 1983
VHS releases (1980–1984)
Release Date Title Initial cost (USD) Copies sold(Domestic) Short summary 1 December 30, 1980 Mary Poppins 2nd release in November 1982.3rd release on November 6, 1985.4th release on October 14, 1986 2 June 1, 1981 A Dream Called Walt Disney World This was offered as a souvenir to those who visited Walt Disney World in the early 1980s. A Dream Called Walt Disney World was re-released in October 1981. 3 August 15, 1981 The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again Re-released in August 1985. 4 August 15, 1981 The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh 5 August 15, 1981 The Absent-Minded Professor Re-released on May 28, 1986, as part of Disney's "Wonderland Campaign". 6 August 15, 1981 Davy Crockett and the River Pirates 2nd release in March 19833rd release in August 19854th release on May 28, 1986, as part of Disney's "Wonderland Campaign". 7 August 15, 1981 Gus 2nd release in March 19833rd release in June 1985 8 August 15, 1981 The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band 2nd release in August 1985 9 August 15, 1981 Snow White Live at Radio City Music Hall 10 October 1981 A Walt Disney Christmas 2nd release in November 1982.3rd release in December 1983.4th release in October 1984 5th release on October 14, 1986 11 October 1981 Amy Re-released in August 1985. 12 October 1981 Darby O'Gill and the Little People 13 October 1981 Old Yeller 2nd release on November 6, 1985.3rd release on October 14, 1986 14 January 1982 Treasure Island Re-released on October 14, 1986. 15 January 1982 Condorman 16 January 1982 Goofy Over Sports Re-released on May 21, 1983 17 January 1982 The Shaggy Dog 18 January 1982 The Devil and Max Devlin 19 March 27, 1982 Herbie Rides Again 20 March 27, 1982 Pollyanna Re-released on October 14, 1986 21 March 27, 1982 The Sign of Zorro 22 April 1982 A Tale of Two Critters 23 June 12, 1982 Swiss Family Robinson Re-released November 6, 1985 24 June 12, 1982 Freaky Friday 25 June 12, 1982 A Day at Disneyland This was offered as a souvenir to those who visited Walt Disney World in the early 1980s. 26 June 12, 1982 Justin Morgan Had a Horse 27 September 4, 1982 Blackbeard's Ghost 28 September 4, 1982 Night Crossing 29 September 4, 1982 The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Sleepy Hollow later aired on October 30, 1982, as part of Disney's Halloween Treat. 30 September 4, 1982 The Three Caballeros 31 September 11, 1982 The Watcher in the Woods The Watcher in the Woods was originally a "Rental only" title starting in April 1982. 32 October 16, 1982 Babes in Toyland Re-released November 6, 1985 33 October 16, 1982 Disney's Storybook Classics Includes: "Little Toot", "Chicken Little", "Peter and The Wolf", and "The Grasshopper and the Ant" 34 October 16, 1982 Fun and Fancy Free 35 October 16, 1982 Snowball Express 36 October 1982 Dumbo 2nd release in December 1983. Dumbo was also re-released on November 5, 1985, as part of Walt Disney Classics. 37 November 1982 Alice in Wonderland Re-released on May 28, 1986, as part of Walt Disney Classics (Wonderland Campaign). 38 December 1, 1982 Tron Re-released November 6, 1985 39 March 1983 American Heros Featuring Paul Bunyan and Pecos Bill This features Paul Bunyan (the movie) and Pecos Bill from Melody Time. 40 March 1983 The Island at the Top of the World 41 March 1983 The Last Flight of Noah's Ark 42 March 1983 The Shaggy D.A. Re-released on September 21, 1985 43 March 1983 The Wind in the Willows 44 April 18, 1983 Tex 45 May 21, 1983 Johnny Tremain Re-released in December 1984 46 May 21, 1983 The Great Locomotive Chase 47 May 21, 1983 Trenchcoat Re-released in December 1984 48 August 27, 1983 Something Wicked This Way Comes 49 November 14, 1983 The Cat from Outer Space 50 January 14, 1984 The Parent Trap Re-released on May 28, 1986, as part of Disney's "Wonderland Campaign". 51 January 14, 1984 In Search of the Castaways Re-released in Late 1985 52 April 7, 1984 Big Red Re-released on April 4, 1985. 53 April 7, 1984 Follow Me, Boys! 54 April 7, 1984 The Boatniks 55 April 7, 1984 The Happiest Millionaire Re-released on May 28, 1986, as part of Disney's "Wonderland Campaign". 56 April 7, 1984 Tiger Town This movie premiered on The Disney Channel, and was re-released on September 26, 1985 57 July 14, 1984 Son of Flubber 58 July 14, 1984 The Castaway Cowboy 59 September 15, 1984 The Incredible Journey 60 November 1984 Herbie Goes Bananas Re-released on November 6, 1985 61 November 1984 Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo Re-released on November 6, 1985 62 November 1984 Where the Toys Come From 63 December 1984 Gone Are the Dayes This movie premiered on The Disney Channel.
VHS releases (1985–1987)
Release Date Title Initial cost (USD)