1979

Theme parks

 * August 14 - Sherrill Anne Hoffman slips into a coma after riding Space Mountain.
 * September 2 - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opens at Disneyland.
 * October 1 - Groundbreaking begins on EPCOT Center.

Laserdisc releases

 * Kidnapped
 * Kids Is Kids
 * At Home with Donald Duck
 * The Adventures of Chip 'n' Dale
 * May: The Coyote's Lament

Albums

 * Mickey Mouse Disco

Births

 * Julie Fowlis (singer)
 * January 6 - Cristela Alonzo (comedian and actress)
 * January 11 - Louis Cheung (singer, songwriter, actor)
 * January 25 - Christine Lakin (actress)
 * January 26 - Sara Rue (actress)
 * February 8 - Josh Keaton (actor, voice actor, singer, music producer)
 * February 11 - Brandy Norwood (actress and singer)
 * February 21 - Jennifer Love Hewitt (actress and singer)
 * March 10  - Danny Pudi (actor, voice actor and comedian)
 * March 24 - Lake Bell (actress, writer and director)
 * April 2 - Lindy Booth (actress)
 * April 4 - Heath Ledger (actor)
 * April 12 - Jennifer Morrison (actress, model, and film producer)
 * April 13 - Baron Davis (NBA basketball player and voice actor)
 * April 15 - Luke Evans (actor and singer)
 * April 20 - Ruth Connell (actress and producer)
 * April 21 - James McAvoy (actor)
 * April 23 - Jaime King (actress and model)
 * May 26 - Elisabeth Harnois (actress)
 * June 5 - Pete Wentz (bassist)
 * June 24 - Mindy Kaling (actress, comedian, writer and producer)
 * July 9 - Ella Koon (Hong Kong voice actress)
 * July 15 - Laura Benanti (actress)
 * July 18 - Jason Weaver (voice actor and singer)
 * July 21 - Jaime Murray (actress)
 * July 31 - B. J. Novak (actor, stand-up comedian, screenwriter and director)
 * August 3 - Evangeline Lilly (actress and spokesperson)
 * August 10 - Joanna Garcia (actress)
 * August 23 - Clare Grant (actress)
 * September 11- Ariana Richards (actress)
 * September 23 - Laura Dickinson (actress and singer)
 * September 28 - Anndi McAfee (actress and singer)
 * October 7 - Shawn Ashmore (actor)
 * October 10 - Mýa (singer and actress)
 * October 20 - John Krasinski (actor, director,writer)
 * November 5 - Romi Dames (actress and voice actress)
 * December 28 - André Holland (actor)
 * December 30 - Catherine Taber (actress and voice actress)

Deaths

 * January 5 - Billy Bletcher (voice actor)
 * January 26 - Nelson Rockefeller (businessman and politician)
 * January 27 - Dick Wesson (announcer)
 * February 3 - Mildred Gordon (author)
 * March 13 - Tudor Owen (voice actor)
 * April 1 - Barbara Luddy (voice actress)
 * April 6 - Norman Tokar (prolific director)
 * May 29 - Mary Pickford (Canadian-American motion picture actress, co-founder of the film studio United Artists and one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)
 * July 2 - Anthony Eustrel  (actor)
 * July 25 - Alexander Key (science fiction writer)
 * September 12 - Les Clark (animator)
 * November 21 - Paul Wexler (actor)
 * November 30 - Dick Huemer (animator)
 * December 30 - Richard Rodgers (Composer, songwriter and playwright)

Artists Joined

 * Tim Burton - Director for The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach and Alice in Wonderland.
 * John Lasseter - Current CEO for Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios and DisneyToon Studios. Has directed films such as Toy Story, A Bug's Life and Cars.
 * Mike Gabriel - Director/Animator on Pocahontas, The Rescuers Down Under and Oliver & Company.
 * Doug Krohn - Animator on The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and Tarzan.
 * Jay Jackson - Animator for Tarzan, The Little Mermaid, Hercules and Treasure Planet.
 * Shawn Keller - Animator on The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Little Mermaid, Mulan and Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
 * Michael Cedeno - Animator on The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.
 * Hendel Butoy - Animator on The Fox and the Hound, The Great Mouse Detective, Oliver & Company and Director on The Rescuers Down Under.
 * Cyndee Whitney - Animator on The Little Mermaid, The Great Mouse Detective and Oliver & Company.
 * Patricia Peraza - Effects Animator on The Fox and the Hound, Mickey's Christmas Carol, The Black Cauldron and The Great Mouse Detective.
 * Don Paul - Effects Animator on The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Pocahontas
 * Guy Vasilovich - Art Director/Layout Artist on The Fox and the Hound, The Great Mouse Detective and The Black Cauldron.
 * Kathleen Swain - Background Designer on The Fox and the Hound, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and The Black Cauldron.
 * Gilda Palinginis - Animator on The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Little Mermaid.
 * Joe Lanzisero - Animator on The Fox and the Hound, The Great Mouse Detective and The Black Cauldron.
 * Fujiko Miller - Assistant Animator on The Fox and the Hound, Mickey's Christmas Carol, The Great Mouse Detective and The Black Cauldron.
 * Bill Berg - Lead Key Assistant on The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Little Mermaid.
 * Jane Baer - Assistant Animator on The Black Cauldron, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Mickey's Christmas Carol. Co-founder of Baer Animation Studios and spouse of animator Dale Baer.
 * Rusty Stoll - Assistant Animator on Mulan, Lilo & Stitch and The Fox and the Hound.
 * Reed Cardwell - Assistant Animator on The Black Cauldron and The Great Mouse Detective.