1996

Events

 * Disney buys New York-based animation studio Jumbo Pictures. The company would produce three shows for Disney.
 * Paul Germain and Joe Ansolabehere leave Nickelodeon to pitch Recess to Walt Disney Television. The show would premiere a year later.
 * February 2 - Gerry Laybourne, former president of Nickelodeon, is hired as the new president of the newly founded Disney/ABC Television Networks.
 * March 21 - Disneyland unveils its plans to renovate Tomorrowland. The project would be completed in 1998.
 * March 23 - Disney and McDonald's sign a 10-year national promotion alliance, which begin in January 1997.
 * October - Production begins on Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

Feature films

 * February 2 - White Squall (Hollywood Pictures)
 * February 16 - Muppet Treasure Island is released to positive reviews.
 * February 23 - Before and After (Hollywood Pictures with Caravan Pictures)
 * March 1 - Up Close & Personal (Touchstone Pictures)
 * March 8 - Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco
 * March 29 - Oliver & Company (re-released)
 * April 12 - James and the Giant Peach is released to positive reviews.
 * April 19 - Celtic Pride (Hollywood Pictures with Caravan Pictures)
 * May 3 - Last Dance (Touchstone Pictures)
 * May 24 - Spy Hard (Hollywood Pictures)
 * May 31 - Eddie (Hollywood Pictures)
 * June 7 - The Rock (Hollywood Pictures)
 * June 21 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame is released to positive reviews.
 * August 2 - Emma (Miramax Films)
 * August 9 - Jack (Hollywood Pictures)
 * September 13 - The Rich Man's Wife (Hollywood Pictures with Caravan Pictures)
 * October 4 - D3: The Mighty Ducks is released to negative reviews.
 * October 25 - The Associate (Hollywood Pictures)
 * November 8 - Ransom (Touchstone Pictures)
 * November 20 - The War at Home (Touchstone Pictures)
 * November 27 - The live-action of 101 Dalmatians is released to mixed reviews and becomes a box office hit. (with Great Oaks Entertainment)
 * December 20 - First Kid (with Caravan Pictures)
 * December 25 - Evita (Hollywood Pictures)

Theme parks

 * January 2 - World of Motion closes at Epcot.
 * January 21 - Universe of Energy closes at Epcot.
 * January 27 - Toy Story Funhouse opens in Disneyland.
 * April 15 - Toontown opens at Tokyo Disneyland.
 * September - The Remember the Magic Parade premiered at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom to prepare for its 25th anniversary.
 * September 1 - Captain EO at Tokyo Disneyland closes.
 * September 6 - Night of Joy 1996 begins at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.
 * September 15 - Ellen's Energy Adventure opens at Epcot.
 * September 21 - IllumiNations 25 opens at Epcot.
 * September 28 - Walt Disney World's Grand Prix Speedway is renamed Tomorrowland Speedway.
 * October 1 - Walt Disney World celebrates its 25th anniversary. Also, Mickey's Starland is renamed Mickey's Toontown Fair.
 * November 25 - Main Street Electrical Parade closes at Disneyland.

Television

 * The Disney Channel premiere film, Susie Q, premieres on the Disney Channel. The Bug Hunt is released on the Disney Channel for the "Create a Great Story" Contest.
 * March 8 - Muppets Tonight premieres on ABC.
 * June 6 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Festival of Fun Musical Spectacular premieres.
 * September 3 - Quack Pack premieres in syndication.
 * September 5 - Brand Spanking New Doug (formerly on Nickelodeon), Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series, and Jungle Cubs premiere on ABC.
 * September 7 - Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles premieres on ABC.
 * October 25 - Boo to You Too! Winnie the Pooh premieres on CBS.

Comics

 * December - Marvel Comics files for bankruptcy, and as a result, Disney Comic Hits! is cancelled.

Video games

 * April 11 - Maui Mallard in Cold Shadow for Super NES
 * April 24 - Animated StoryBook: Toy Story
 * August 24 - Toy Story: Activity Center
 * September - Maui Mallard in Cold Shadow for PC
 * November - Pinocchio for Super NES
 * November 11 - Animated StoryBook: The Hunchback of Notre Dame

VHS releases

 * January 9 -
 * Sweetheart Stories
 * Mickey Loves Minnie
 * Favorite Stories: The Wind in the Willows
 * Aladdin & Jasmine's Moonlight Magic
 * January 30 - Timon and Pumbaa's Wild Adventures (1-3)
 * February 13 -
 * A Kid in King Arthur's Court
 * The Big Green
 * February 20 -
 * Jasmine's Enchanted Tales: Magic and Mystery
 * Heavyweights
 * February 28 - Pocahontas
 * March 5 -
 * Houseguest (Hollywood Pictures Home Video)
 * Roommates (Hollywood Pictures Home Video)
 * March 19 - The Tie That Binds (Hollywood Pictures Home Video)
 * March 27 - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
 * April 9 -
 * Aladdin's Arabian Adventures: Fearless Friends
 * Team Genie
 * Jasmine's Enchanted Tales: True Hearts
 * Splash (re-issue; Touchstone Home Video)
 * The Rescue (re-issue; Touchstone Home Video)
 * April 16 -
 * Unstrung Heroes (Hollywood Pictures Home Video)
 * The Scarlet Letter (Hollywood Pictures Home Video)
 * April 24 -
 * Sword in the Stone (re-issue)
 * Dumbo (re-issue)
 * Alice in Wonderland (re-issue)
 * So Dear to My Heart
 * Bedknobs and Broomsticks (re-issue)
 * Mary Poppins (re-issue)
 * The Aristocats
 * April 30 - Tom and Huck
 * May 7 - Dead Presidents (Hollywood Pictures Home Video)
 * May 14 -
 * Feast of July (Touchstone Home Video)
 * Powder (Hollywood Pictures Home Video)
 * June 11 - Father of the Bride Part II (Touchstone Home Video)
 * July 2 - Mr. Holland's Opus (Hollywood Pictures Home Video)
 * July 9 - Nixon (Hollywood Pictures Home Video)
 * July 30 - Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco
 * August 13 - White Squall (Hollywood Pictures Home Video)
 * August 20 - Mr. Wrong (Touchstone Home Video)
 * September 10 -
 * Muppet Treasure Island
 * Favorite Stories: Three Little Pigs
 * Up Close & Personal (Touchstone Home Video)
 * September 24 -
 * Oliver & Company
 * Before and After (Hollywood Pictures Home Video)
 * Two Much (Touchstone Home Video)
 * October 15 -
 * James and the Giant Peach
 * Celtic Pride (Hollywood Pictures Home Video)
 * October 29 -
 * Toy Story
 * Tiny Toy Stories
 * Heaven's Prisoners (Hollywood Pictures Home Video)
 * November 5 -
 * Spy Hard (Hollywood Pictures Home Video)
 * Last Dance (Touchstone Home Video)
 * December 17 - Life with Mikey
 * December 24 - Mickey's Christmas Carol

Direct-to-video releases

 * February 14 -
 * Muppet Sing Alongs: Muppet Treasure Island
 * Muppet Sing Alongs: Things That Fly
 * June 25 -
 * Disney Sing Along Songs: Topsy Turvy
 * Let's Go to the Circus!
 * Campout at Walt Disney World
 * Beach Party at Walt Disney World
 * August 13 - Aladdin and the King of Thieves
 * September 17 - Hidden Assassin (Miramax Home Entertainment)
 * November 26 - Disney Sing Along Songs: Pongo and Perdita

Albums

 * March 5 - Oliver & Company (re-release; some songs rearranged)
 * March 26 - Songs from the AristoCats and Bibbidi Bobbidi Bach

Births

 * January 6 - Oana Gregory (Romanian actress)
 * January 15 - Dove Cameron (actress and singer)
 * January 18 - Sarah Gilman (actress)
 * February 9 - Jimmy Bennett (voice actor); Kelli Berglund (actress and dancer)
 * February 17 - Sasha Pieterse (actress)
 * February 28 - Bobb'e J. Thompson (actor, rapper and comedian)
 * March 18 - Madeline Carroll (actress)
 * April 3 - Sarah Jeffery (actress, singer, and dancer)
 * April 6 - Miranda May (actress)
 * April 10 - Audrey Whitby (actress and comedienne)
 * April 14 - Abigail Breslin (actress)
 * April 25 - Allisyn Ashley Arm (actress and comedienne)
 * May 9 - Noah Centineo (actor); Mary Mouser (actress)
 * May 15 - Birdy (singer)
 * May 17 - Ryan Ochoa (actor)
 * June 2 - Morissette Amon (singer)
 * June 12 - Anna Margaret (actress and singer)
 * July 20 - Joey Bragg (actor)
 * July 23 - Rachel G. Fox (actress, singer, musician)
 * July 30 - Austin North (actor)
 * July 31 - Blake Michael (actor and director)
 * August 1 - Cymphonique Miller (actress and singer)
 * September 1 - Zendaya (actress and singer)
 * September 6 - Alex Christian Jones (actor)
 * September 12 - Colin Ford (actor, voice actor and model)
 * September 15 - Jake Cherry (actor)
 * October 5 - Mary Gibbs (voice actress)
 * November 19 - Gabrielle Elyse (actress)
 * December 6 - Stefanie Scott (actress and singer)
 * December 8 - Teala Dunn (actress and singer)
 * December 11 - Hailee Steinfeld (actress, singer, and model)
 * December 21 - (actress)
 * December 29 - Dylan Minnette (actor)

Deaths

 * February 2 - Shamus Culhane (animator, director and producer); Gene Kelly (dancer, actor, singer, director, producer and choreographer)
 * March 9 - George Burns (comedian, actor and writer)
 * April 6 - Greer Garson (actress)
 * April 8 - Ben Johnson (stuntman, rodeo cowboy and actor)
 * April 23 - P.L. Travers (author)
 * May 1 - Luana Patten (actress)
 * May 6 - Ed Love (animator)
 * May 10 - Ethel Smith (organist)
 * May 24 - John Abbott (character actor)
 * June 5 - Vito Scotti (veteran character actor)
 * June 12 - Mary Field (actress)
 * July 15 - Dana Hill (actress and voice actor)
 * August 18 - Al Bertino (animator)
 * September 14 - Juliet Prowse (dancer)

Character Debuts

 * February 16 - Polly Lobster, Clueless Morgan, Mad Monty, Angel Marie, Old Tom, Calico, Black Dog, Blind Pew
 * June 21 - Quasimodo, Esmeralda, Judge Claude Frollo, Phoebus, Clopin, Archdeacon, Victor, Hugo, and Laverne, Djali, Frollo's soldiers, Quasimodo's father, Snowball, Quasimodo's mother, Achilles
 * August 13 - Sa'Luk, Cassim