1998

Events

 * January - Production begins on Recess: School's Out
 * January 26 - Ranch and Grove Holding Corporation is merged into the Walt Disney World Company.

Feature films

 * January 23 - Phantoms (Dimension Films)
 * January 30 - Deep Rising (Hollywood Pictures)
 * February 20 - An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (Hollywood Pictures) and Senseless (Dimension Films)
 * February 27 - Krippendorf's Tribe (Touchstone Pictures)
 * March 20 - Wide Awake (Miramax Films)
 * March 27 - Meet the Deedles is released to negative reviews and becomes a box office bomb.
 * April 10 - The Big One (Miramax Films)
 * April 17 - Nightwatch (Dimension Films)
 * May 1 - He Got Game (Touchstone Pictures)
 * May 15 - The Horse Whisperer (Touchstone Pictures)
 * May 23 - Kiki's Delivery Service
 * May 27 - I Got the Hook Up (Dimension Films)
 * June 12 - Six Days Seven Nights (Touchstone Pictures)
 * June 19 - Mulan is released to mostly positive reviews and commercial success.
 * June 26 - Smoke Signals (Miramax Films)
 * July 1 - Armageddon (Touchstone Pictures)
 * July 24 - Jane Austen's Mafia! (Touchstone Pictures)
 * July 29 - The Parent Trap remake is released to positive reception.
 * August 5 - Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (Dimension Films)
 * August 14 - Air Bud: Golden Receiver
 * August 21 - Next Stop Wonderland (Miramax Films)
 * August 28 - 54 (Miramax Films)
 * September 4 - The Hairy Bird (Miramax Films)
 * September 11 - Simon Birch (Hollywood Pictures)
 * October 9 - Holy Man and Rushmore (Touchstone Pictures)
 * October 16 - Beloved (Touchstone Pictures)
 * November 6 - The Waterboy (Touchstone Pictures)
 * November 13 - I'll Be Home For Christmas is released to extremely negative reviews and becomes a box office failure.
 * November 20 - Enemy of the State (Touchstone Pictures)
 * November 25 - A Bug's Life is released to very positive reviews and becomes a box office success.
 * December 11 - Shakespeare in Love(Miramax Films)
 * December 25 - Mighty Joe Young becomes a box office bomb and gains mixed reviews from critics.

Shorts

 * November 25 - Geri's Game

Television

 * January 1 - Movie Surfers begins airing on the Disney Channel.
 * March 1 - Bug Juice premieres on the Disney Channel.
 * March 4 - 101 Dalmatians: The Series ends with "Dalmatian Vacation, Part 3: Dearly Beloved". Reruns continue on ABC until 1999.
 * March 15 - PB&J Otter premieres on Playhouse Disney.
 * April 18 - Toon Disney begins broadcasting.
 * August 31 - Hercules: The Series premieres on ABC and in syndication.
 * November 6 - Rolie Polie Olie premieres on Playhouse Disney.
 * December 20 - The Wiggles Live at Disneyland Park premieres on Disney Channel Australia to welcomes children's performers from ABC, The Wiggles.

Theme park happenings

 * January 21 - The original Disneyland Parking Lot closes permanently to make way for the Disneyland Resort expansion, including Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney and Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.
 * January 31 - The Magic Kingdom's Cinderella Castle, which was decorated to look like a cake for the 25th anniversary celebration, is returned to its normal look.
 * February 1 - ILLUMinations 98 opens in Epcot. The "25" is also dropped from the name.
 * February 14 - The Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop opens at Downtown Disney in Florida.
 * February 17 - Construction begins on the Rock `n Rollercoaster at the Disney-MGM Studios.
 * April 22 - Disney's Animal Kingdom opens at the Walt Disney World Resort.
 * May 1 - The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management) opens at the Magic Kingdom.
 * May 22 - The "New" Tomorrowland opens at Disneyland with the following new attractions: American Space Experience, Astro Orbitor, Cosmic Waves, Honey, I Shrunk the Audience, and Rocket Rods. Older attractions remaining open after refurbishment: Autopia, Disneyland Monorail System, Space Mountain, Starcade, Star Tours and Submarine Voyage.
 * June 19 - Animazement: The Musical begins its run at Disneyland's Fantasyland Theatre.
 * July 3 - Innoventions opens at Disneyland.
 * September 8 - Disneyland's 38-year-old Submarine Voyage closes. It would reopen nearly nine years later as Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.
 * August 17 - Captain EO closes at Disneyland Paris.
 * September 7 - Mr. Toad's Wild Ride closes at the Magic Kingdom.
 * October 10 - Journey Into Imagination closes at Epcot to be replaced by the Journey Into Your Imagination version feeaturing Eric Idle without Figment or Dreamfinder.
 * December 8 - Epcot's attraction that replaced World of Motion, Test Track begins soft openings.
 * December 24 - On Sailing Ship Columbia at Disneyland, a cleat used to secure the ship to the dock tore loose, striking 33 year old Luan Phi Dawson and his wife in the head, as their two children and other horrified park visitors looked on. Dawson was declared brain dead two days later and died when his life support system was disconnected. A park employee was also injured. (See Incidents at Disney parks.)

Comics

 * December - Gladstone Publishing loses the rights to the Disney comic license.

VHS & DVD releases

 * February 3 - Hercules
 * February 14 - Winnie the Pooh: Un-Valentine's Day (Re-issue)
 * February 17 - The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The Strongest Man in the World, The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit and The Barefoot Executive
 * March 3 - Peter Pan and The Moon-Spinners
 * March 24 - Mary Poppins (re-issue), The Sword in the Stone (re-issue), Alice in Wonderland (re-issue), Pete's Dragon (re-issue), Robin Hood (re-issue) and Dumbo (re-issue)
 * March 31 - The Little Mermaid and Mary Poppins
 * April 21 - Flubber
 * May 19 - The Apple Dumpling Gang and The Brave Little Toaster (re-issues)
 * June 2 - Melody Time
 * August 4 - The Black Cauldron and Mr. Magoo
 * August 11 - Deep Rising
 * August 25 - The Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon
 * September 15 - Lady and the Tramp
 * October 6 - 101 Dalmatians Christmas
 * November 10 - Dead Poets Society and The Horse Whisperer
 * December 8 - The Parent Trap and Mr. Magoo (re-issue)
 * December 18 - Air Bud: Golden Receiver

Direct-to-video releases

 * February 17 - Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Magical World
 * May 19 - The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars
 * July 14 - The Spirit of Mickey
 * July 28 - Disney Sing Along Songs: Honor to Us All
 * August 4 - Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World
 * August 25 - Disney Sing Along Songs: Happy Haunting: Party at Disneyland
 * September 15 - Kiki's Delivery Service
 * September 29 - The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story
 * October 27 - The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
 * December 22 - Summer of the Monkeys

Video games

 * The D Show
 * A Bug's Life for PC
 * May - Mickey Mouse: Magic Wands! for Game Boy
 * October 27 - A Bug's Life for PlayStation
 * December 8 - A Bug's Life for Game Boy Color

Music

 * January 27 - Winnie the Pooh: Friends Forever and Ariel's Favorites.
 * February 3 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Peter Pan
 * February 10 - Archive Collection Vol.1: Burl Ives: Chim Chim Cherie, Archive Collection Vol. 2: Hayley Mills: Let's Get Together, Archive Collection Vol. 3: Louis Prima with Gia Maione: Let's Fly With Mary Poppins, Archive Collection Vol. 4: Rex Allen: 16 Golden Hits, and Archive Collection Vol. 5: Cliff Edwards: Ukulele Ike Sings Again

Magazines

 * June - Disney Adventures publishes its 100th issue.

Births

 * January 4 - Coco Jones (actress, teen pop singer, rapper, and dancer)
 * January 9 - Kerris Dorsey (actress and singer)
 * January 28 - Ariel Winter (voice actor)
 * February 15 - Zachary Gordon (actor)
 * March 13 - Anthony DeMarco (actor and voice actor)
 * April 6 - Peyton List (actress) and Spencer List (actor)
 * April 9 - Elle Fanning (actress)
 * May 4 - Taylar Hender (actress)
 * June 15 - Rachel Covey (actress)
 * June 27 - Atticus Shaffer (actor)
 * July 3 - Isabella Murad (actress)
 * July 10 - Robert Capron (actor)
 * July 22 - Madison Pettis (voice actor)
 * July 31 - Rico Rodriguez (actor)
 * August 12 - Fiona Bishop (actress)
 * August 13 - Devan Leos (actor)
 * August 25 - China Anne McClain (actress and singer)
 * September 11 - Makenna Cowgill (actress)
 * September 15 - Seth Dusky (actor and voice actor)
 * October 28 - Nolan Gould (child actor)
 * October 29 - Jenna Lea Rosen (actress and singer)
 * November 4 - Darcy Rose Byrnes (actress and singer/songwriter)
 * November 23 - Bradley Steven Perry (actor)
 * December 16 - Kiara Muhammad (actress and singer)
 * December 22 - G. Hannelius (actress and singer)
 * December 28 - Paris Berelc (actress)

Deaths

 * January 4 - Mae Questel (actress and vocal artist)
 * February 14 - Thomas McKimson (animator)
 * February 28 - James Algar (director, screenwriter and producer)
 * February 28 - Jordi Doncos (singer)
 * March 8 - Marvin Davis (art director)
 * March 31 - Eda Reiss Merin
 * April 21 - Peter Lind Hayes (vaudeville entertainer, songwriter, and film and television actor)
 * May 14 - Frank Sinatra (singer and film actor)
 * May 27 - Ken O'Connor (layout artist and art director)
 * May 28 - Phil Hartman (comedian and actor)
 * June 5 - Jeanette Nolan (actress)
 * June 12 - Retta Davidson (animator)
 * June 18 - Charles Korvin (actor)
 * July 6 - Roy Rogers (cowboy actor)
 * August 2 - Shari Lewis (ventriloquist, puppeteer and children's television show host)
 * October 3 - Roddy McDowall (actor)
 * November 30 - Ruth Clifford (actress and voice actress)
 * December 12 - Don Patterson (producer, animator and director)
 * Carmen Molina (Spanish actress and dancer)

Character debuts

 * March 15 - Peanut Otter, Baby Butter Otter, Jelly Otter, Opal Otter, Ernest Otter, Mayor Jeff, Pinch Raccoon, Scootch Raccoon, Walter Raccoon, Wanda Raccoon, Munchy Beaver, Betty Lou Beaver, Flick Duck, Shirley Duck, Cap'n Crane, Connie Crane
 * March 21 - Ootsie Snootie, Bootsie Snootie
 * March 28 - Anna "Aunt Nanner" Otter
 * May 19 - Robbie McGroarty, Fanny, Ratso, Hearing Aid, Supreme Commander, Tinselina, Microwave, Squirt, Faucet, Calculator
 * June 19 - Fa Mulan, Li Shang, Mushu, Shan Yu, Cri-Kee, Little Brother, Yao, Ling and Chien Po, Fa Zhou, Fa Li, Grandmother Fa, Chi-Fu, Hayabusa, General Li, The Emperor of China, Fa Family Ancestors, The Matchmaker
 * November 25 - Flik, Princess Atta, Dot, Hopper, Molt, Thumper, P.T. Flea, Heimlich, Gypsy, Manny, Slim, Rosie, Dim, Francis, Tuck and Roll, Dim, The Queen, Mr. Soil, Thorny, Dr. Flora, Cornelius, Aphie, The Fly Brothers, Bird