2002

Events

 * Disney acquires Saban Entertainment during production of Saban's Power Rangers: Wild Force.
 * Lasse Åberg inaugurated the Åbergs Museum.

Theatrical releases

 * January 1 - Beauty and the Beast (IMAX Special Edition)
 * January 18 - Snow Dogs (Miramax Films)
 * January 25 - The Count of Monte Cristo (Touchstone Pictures)
 * February 15 - Return to Never Land
 * March 29 - The Rookie
 * April 5 - Big Trouble (Touchstone Pictures)
 * April 26 - Frank McKlusky, C.I. (Touchstone Pictures)
 * June 21 - Lilo & Stitch is released to positive reviews and commercial success.
 * July 12 - Reign of Fire (Touchstone Pictures)
 * July 26 - The Country Bears
 * August 2 - Signs (Touchstone Pictures)
 * August 22 - Sleeping Beauty (re-issue)
 * September 20 - Spirited Away
 * September 27 - Sweet Home Alabama (Touchstone Pictures)
 * October 4 - Moonlight Mile (Touchstone Pictures)
 * October 11 - Tuck Everlasting
 * November 1 - The Santa Clause 2
 * November 27 - Treasure Planet is released to positive reviews but commercial failure.
 * December 13 - The Hot Chick (Touchstone Pictures)
 * December 19 - 25th Hour (Touchstone Pictures)
 * December 25 - The Lion King (IMAX Special Edition)
 * December 27 - Chicago (Miramax Films)

Shorts

 * February 12 - John Henry
 * February 15 - Pluto's Fledgling (re-release)

Television

 * January 12 - Teamo Supremo premieres on ABC.
 * January 30 - The Book of Pooh Season 2 premieres on Playhouse Disney.
 * June 7 - Kim Possible premieres on the Disney Channel.
 * September 2 (Labor Day) - House of Mouse Season 3 premeires on Toon Disney with 18 new episodes in a 9-hour all night marathon known as "Night of 1000 Toons".
 * September 3 - Jim Henson's Bear in the Big Blue House Live! Surprise Party (Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment and Jim Henson Home Entertainment) premieres on Playhouse Disney.
 * September 9 - Bear in the Big Blue House Season 4 premieres on Playhouse Disney.
 * September 14 - Fillmore! premieres on ABC Kids.
 * Fall - The Disney Channel, Playhouse Disney and Toon Disney receive a new on-air look simultaneously.

Theme parks

 * March 16 - Walt Disney Studios Park, the second theme park at Disneyland Paris, opens.
 * June 2 - Journey into Imagination with Figment opens
 * October 7 - A Bug's Land opens at Disney's California Adventure

VHS & DVD releases

 * January 8
 * The Book of Pooh: A Valentine for Eeyore
 * The Color of Friendship
 * Miracle in Lane 2
 * Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century
 * Zenon: The Zequel
 * Motocrossed
 * January 15
 * Bubble Boy (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * The Adventures of Huck Finn
 * January 29 - Atlantis: The Lost Empire
 * February 12 - Peter Pan: Special Edition
 * February 19 - Rolie Polie Olie: Tooth on the Loose and Growing Upsie Daisy
 * February 26 - Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (Dimension Home Entertainment)
 * March 5
 * Double Teamed
 * Jett Jackson: The Movie
 * Jumping Ship
 * March 11 - We Are Family A Musical Message For All (Premeire) and Rolie Polie Olie: An Easter Egg-Stravaganza
 * March 12
 * Nixon: Collector's Edition (Hollywood Pictures Home Entertainment)
 * New Port South (DVD only; Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * March 19 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame
 * April 2
 * Three Men and a Little Lady
 * Three Men and a Baby
 * Ruthless People
 * April 9 - High Heels and Low Lifes (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * April 16
 * The Man Who Wasn't There (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * Texas Rangers (Dimension Home Entertainment)
 * April 23
 * Angels in the Outfield
 * Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco
 * May 7 - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: 25th Anniversary Edition
 * May 14
 * Snow Dogs
 * Oliver & Company: Special Edition
 * Corky Romano (DVD only; Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * May 28
 * The Book of Pooh: Fun with Make Believe
 * Fun with Manners
 * Rascal
 * The Journey of Natty Gann
 * Cheetah
 * June 4
 * Hocus Pocus
 * Muppet Treasure Island
 * V.I. Warshawski
 * June 18
 * Max Keeble's Big Move
 * The Shipping News (Miramax Home Entertainment)
 * July 9
 * The Royal Tenenbaums (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * Amélie (Miramax Home Entertainment)
 * July 23 - The Great Mouse Detective
 * August 13
 * Beaches
 * Cocktail
 * Another Stakeout
 * Birthday Girl (Miramax Home Entertainment)
 * August 20 - Return to Never Land
 * August 27
 * The Rookie
 * The Book of Pooh: Just Say BOO!
 * September 3
 * Aspen Extreme
 * Captain Ron
 * Indian Summer
 * Ernest Goes to Camp
 * Ernest Goes to Jail
 * Ernest Scared Stupid
 * New Port South (VHS only; Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * September 10 - The Count of Monte Cristo (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * September 17
 * Monsters, Inc.
 * 40 Days and 40 Nights (Miramax Home Entertainment)
 * Stolen Summer (Miramax Home Entertainment)
 * October 8
 * Beauty and the Beast: Platinum Edition
 * The Muppet Christmas Carol
 * Houseguest
 * Jungle 2 Jungle
 * Out Cold (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * Big Trouble (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
 * October 15 - Sorority Boys (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * October 29 - The Santa Clause: Special Edition
 * November 12
 * Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas: Special Edition
 * Bad Company (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * The Importance of Being Earnest (Miramax Home Entertainment)
 * November 19
 * Frank McKlusky, C.I. (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * Reign of Fire (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * November 26 - Undisputed (Miramax Home Entertainment)
 * December 3
 * Lilo & Stitch
 * Walt Disney Treasures
 * December 17 - The Country Bears

Direct-to-video releases

 * February 12 - American Legends
 * February 26 - Cinderella II: Dreams Come True
 * March 19 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame II
 * June 18 - Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch
 * July 23 - Tarzan & Jane
 * August 13 - Rolie Polie Olie: The Great Defender Of Fun
 * September 3 - Mickey's House of Villains
 * November 5 - Very Merry Christmas Songs
 * November 12 - Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year

Video games

 * March 29 - Disney's Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge for Windows (Europe only).
 * August 10 - The Book of Pooh: A Story Without a Tail for PC.
 * August 13 - Disney's Magical Mirror Starring Mickey Mouse for GameCube; Disney's Magical Quest Starring Mickey &amp; Minnie for Game Boy Advance.
 * September 17 - Kingdom Hearts for PlayStation 2.
 * October 9 - Disney Golf for PlayStation 2.
 * November 5 - PK: Out of the Shadows for PlayStation 2 and GameCube; Disney Sports Football for Game Boy Advance.
 * November 11 - Disney Sports Soccer for Game Boy Advance.
 * November 15 - Kim Possible: Revenge of Monkey Fist for Game Boy Advance.
 * November 17 - Disney Sports Skateboarding for GameCube and Game Boy Advance; Disney Sports Soccer for GameCube.
 * November 23 - Disney Sports Basketball for Game Boy Advance.
 * December 8 - Disney Sports Football for GameCube.

Music

 * January 29 - More Songs from Jim Henson's Bear in the Big Blue House
 * June 11 - Lilo & Stitch: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack
 * August 27 - Monsters, Inc. Scream Factory Favorites
 * September 10 - Bear's Holiday Celebration

Births

 * February 5 - Davis Cleveland (actor)
 * April 8 - Skai Jackson (actress)
 * April 29 - Grace Kaufman (actress)
 * May 6 - Emily Alyn Lind (actress)
 * June 2 - Madison Hu (actress and singer)
 * June 17 - Merit Leighton (actress)
 * August 30 - Raffey Cassidy (actress)
 * September 27 - Jenna Ortega (actress)
 * September 30 - Levi Miller (actor)
 * October 16 - Madeleine Curry (actress)

Deaths

 * January 7 - Avery Schreiber (comedian and actor)
 * January 17 - Queenie Leonard (actress and singer)
 * January 21 - Peggy Lee (actress and singer)
 * February 9 - Judson Pratt (actor)
 * February 22 - Chuck Jones (animator)
 * February 27 - Spike Milligan (actor and comedian)
 * March 14 - Gordon Gordon (author)
 * March 27 - Milton Berle (comedian and actor)
 * March 27 - Dudley Moore (actor, comedian, composer and musician)
 * May 6 - Bill Days (actor)
 * May 11 - Bill Peet (writer)
 * July 8 - Ward Kimball (animator)
 * July 23 - Leo McKern (actor)
 * July 26 - Buddy Baker (composer)
 * October 3 - Bruce Paltrow (director and producer)
 * October 29 - Glenn McQueen (digital animation supervisor and Pixar supervising character animator)
 * November 3 - Jonathan Harris (actor)
 * November 18 - James Coburn (actor)
 * November 22 - Parley Baer (American radio, television and film actor)

Character debuts

 * January 12 - Captain Crandall, Rope Girl, Skate Lad, Governor Kevin, The Chief, Jean, Mrs. Woolingantz, Baron Blitz, Technor
 * January 19 - The Birthday Bandit
 * January 26 - Le Poodle, Madame Snake
 * February 15 - Jane, Danny, Edward, Nana II, Octopus
 * February 16 - Helius Inflato
 * February 22 - Laser Pirate
 * March 28 - Sora, Riku and Kairi
 * June 7 - Kim Possible, Ron Stoppable, Rufus, Wade, Bonnie Rockwaller, Middleton High School Cheerleaders, Josh Mankey, Dr. Drakken, Shego, Gil Moss, Steve Barkin, Señor Senior, Senior, Señor Senior, Junior
 * June 21 - Stitch, Lilo Pelekai, Nani Pelekai, Dr. Jumba, Pleakley, Gantu, David Kawena, Cobra Bubbles, Grand Councilwoman, Mertle Edmonds, Elena, Teresa, Yuki, DNAmy
 * July 12 - Duff Killigan
 * July 28 - Beary Barrington, Ted Bedderhead, Fred Bedderhead
 * September 6 - Monique
 * September 9 - Annette, Miss Maxwell, Moss, Luke, Rita, Keisha, Rocko, Ferret Jeeter
 * September 13 - Monkey Fist
 * September 14 - Cornelius Fillmore, Ingrid Third
 * November 27 - Jim Hawkins, John Silver, Dr. Delbert Doppler, Sarah Hawkins, B.E.N., Captain Amelia, Mr. Arrow, Captain Nathaniel Flint, Billy Bones, Scroop