1998

Events

 * Production begins on Recess: School's Out (though it wouldn't receive its final name until later)
 * January 26 - Ranch and Grove Holding Corporation is merged into the Walt Disney World Company

Theatrical releases

 * March 27 - Meet the Deedles is released to negative reviews and becomes a box office bomb.
 * June 19 - Mulan is released to positive reception.
 * July 29 - The Parent Trap is released to positive reception.
 * November 13 - I'll Be Home For Christmas is released to extremely negative reviews and failure at the box office.
 * November 20 - A Bug's Life is released to very positive reviews and becomes a box office success.
 * December 25 - Mighty Joe Young becomes a box office bomb, and gains mixed reviews from critics.

Television

 * January 1 - Movie Surfers begins airing on the Disney Channel
 * March 1 - Bug Juice premieres on Disney Channel.
 * March 4 - 101 Dalmatians: The Series ends with "Dalmatian Vacation, Part 3: Dearly Beloved". Reruns continue on ABC until 1999.
 * April 18 - Toon Disney begins broadcasting
 * September - Hercules: The Series premieres on ABC and in syndication

Theme park happenings

 * January 21 - Disneyland's original parking lot closes permanently, due to them building a new, larger one.
 * January 31 - The Magic Kingdom's Cinderella Castle, which was decorated to look like a cake for the 25th aniversary 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 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 begins its run at Disneyland's Fantasyland Theatre.
 * July 3 - Innoventions opens at Disneyland.
 * September 8 - Disneyland's 38-year-old Submarine Voyage closes. Will reopen nearly nine years later as Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
 * August 17 - Captain EO closes at Disneyland Paris
 * 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 its 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.)

VHS releases

 * February 3 - Hercules
 * 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), and Robin Hood (re-issue) and Dumbo (re-issue)
 * March 31 - The Little Mermaid
 * April 21 - Flubber
 * May 19 - The Apple Dumpling Gang
 * June 2 - Melody Time
 * July 14 - The Spirit of Mickey
 * August 4 - The Black Cauldron and Mr. Magoo
 * August 25 - The Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon
 * September 15 - Lady and the Tramp
 * October - 101 Dalmatians Christmas
 * December 8 - The Parent Trap and Mr. Magoo (Re-issue)
 * December 18 - Air Bud: Golden Reciever

Direct-to-video releases

 * January 23 - The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit (Touchstone Pictures)
 * February 17 - Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Magical World
 * August 5 - Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World
 * August 31 - Hercules: Zero to Hero
 * September 29 - The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story
 * October 30 - The Lion King II: Simba's Pride

Video games

 * The D Show
 * A Bug's Life for PC
 * May - Mickey Mouse: Magic Wands! for Game Boy
 * October 31 - A Bug's Life for PlayStation
 * December - 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 28 - Ariel Winter (voice actor)
 * February 15 - Zachary Gordon (actor)
 * April 9 - Elle Fanning (actress)
 * June 19 - Atticus Shaffer (actor)
 * July 10 - Robert Capron (actor)
 * July 22 - Madison Pettis (voice actor)
 * July 31 - Rico Rodriguez (actor)
 * August 25 - China Anne McClain (actress and singer)
 * November 23 - Bradley Steven Perry (actor)

Deaths

 * February 28 - James Algar (director, screenwriter and producer)
 * March 8 - Marvin Davis (art director)
 * May 14 - Frank Sinatra (singer and film actor)
 * May 28 - Phil Hartman (American comedian)
 * June 5 - Jeanette Nolan (American actress)
 * June 18 - Charles Korvin (actor)
 * July 6 - Roy Rogers (American cowboy actor)
 * November 30 - Ruth Clifford (American actress)