January 4

Shorts

 * 1936 - Mickey's Polo Team
 * 1952 - Father's Lion

Television

 * 2002 - The Even Stevens episode "Ren-Gate" premieres on Disney Channel.

Theme Parks

 * 1989 - If You Could Fly closes at the Magic Kingdom to be transformed into Delta Dreamflight.
 * 2005 - The Wonders of Life pavilion at Epcot becomes a seasonal attraction.
 * 2010 - Honey, I Shrunk the Audience closes at Disneyland to prepare for the return of Captain EO.

Events

 * 2011 - The Disney Dream cruise ship arrives at Port Canaveral for its maiden voyage.

Births

 * 1785 - Jacob Grimm (author)
 * 1905 - Sterling Holloway (actor and voice artist); Arthur Gould-Porter (English actor)
 * 1918 - Buddy Baker (composer and orchestrator)
 * 1920 - Rosalie Crutchley (English actress)
 * 1961 - Graham McTavish (Scottish television and film actor and voice actor)
 * 1962 - April Winchell (actress, voice actress)
 * 1963 - Dave Foley (actor)
 * 1976 - Seth Grahame-Smith (best-selling author, screenwriter, director and producer of film and television)
 * 1998 - Coco Jones (actress and singer)

Deaths

 * 1940 - Charles Mintz (film producer and distributor)