2002

Events

 * Disney acquires Saban Entertainment during production of Saban's Power Rangers: Wild Force.
 * Lasse Åberg inaugurated the Åbergs Museum.

Theatrical releases

 * January 1 - Beauty and the Beast (IMAX Special Edition)
 * January 18 - Snow Dogs (Miramax Films)
 * January 25 - The Count of Monte Cristo (Touchstone Pictures)
 * February 15 - Return to Never Land
 * March 29 - The Rookie
 * April 5 - Big Trouble (Touchstone Pictures)
 * April 26 - Frank McKlusky, C.I. (Touchstone Pictures)
 * June 21 - Lilo & Stitch is released to positive reviews and commercial success.
 * July 12 - Reign of Fire (Touchstone Pictures)
 * July 26 - The Country Bears
 * August 2 - Signs (Touchstone Pictures)
 * August 22 - Sleeping Beauty (re-issue)
 * September 20 - Spirited Away
 * September 27 - Sweet Home Alabama (Touchstone Pictures)
 * October 4 - Moonlight Mile (Touchstone Pictures)
 * October 11 - Tuck Everlasting
 * November 1 - The Santa Clause 2
 * November 27 - Treasure Planet is released to positive reviews but commercial failure.
 * December 13 - The Hot Chick (Touchstone Pictures)
 * December 19 - 25th Hour (Touchstone Pictures)
 * December 25 - The Lion King (IMAX Special Edition)
 * December 27 - Chicago (Miramax Films)

Shorts

 * February 12 - John Henry
 * February 15 - Pluto's Fledgling (re-release)

Television

 * January 12 - Teamo Supremo premieres on ABC.
 * June 7 - Kim Possible premieres on the Disney Channel.
 * September 2 (Labor Day) - House of Mouse Season 3 premeires on Toon Disney with 18 new episodes in a 9-hour all night marathon known as "Night of 1000 Toons".
 * September 3 - Jim Henson's Bear in the Big Blue House Live! (Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment and Jim Henson Home Entertainment) premieres on Playhouse Disney.
 * September 9 - Bear in the Big Blue House Season 4 premieres on Playhouse Disney.
 * September 14 - Fillmore! premieres on ABC Kids.
 * Fall - The Disney Channel, Playhouse Disney and Toon Disney receive a new on-air look simultaneously.
 * November 25 The Little Mermaid TV Series Is Cancelled Again

Theme parks

 * March 16 - Walt Disney Studios Park, the second theme park at Disneyland Paris, opens.
 * June 2 - Journey into Imagination with Figment opens
 * October 7 - A Bug's Land opens at Disney's California Adventure

VHS & DVD releases

 * January 8 - The Book of Pooh: A Valentine for Eeyore
 * January 8 - The Color of Friendship, Miracle in Lane 2, Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century, Zenon: The Zequel and Motocrossed
 * January 15 - Bubble Boy (Touchstone Home Entertainment) and The Adventures of Huck Finn
 * January 29 - Atlantis: The Lost Empire
 * February 12 - Peter Pan: Special Edition
 * February 26 - Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (Dimension Home Entertainment)
 * March 5 - Double Teamed, Jett Jackson: The Movie and Jumping Ship
 * March 11 - We Are Family A Musical Message For All (Premeire)
 * March 12 - Nixon: Collector's Edition (Hollywood Pictures Home Entertainment) and New Port South (DVD only; Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * March 19 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame
 * April 2 - Three Men and a Little Lady, Three Men and a Baby and Ruthless People
 * April 9 - High Heels and Low Lifes (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * April 16 - The Man Who Wasn't There (Touchstone Home Entertainment) and Texas Rangers (Dimension Home Entertainment)
 * April 23 - Angels in the Outfield
 * April 23 - Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco
 * May 7 - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: 25th Anniversary Edition
 * May 14 - Snow Dogs, Oliver & Company: Special Edition, and Corky Romano (DVD only; Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * May 28 - The Book of Pooh: Fun with Make Believe, Fun with Manners, Rascal, The Journey of Natty Gann and Cheetah
 * June 4 - Hocus Pocus, Muppet Treasure Island and V.I. Warshawski
 * June 18 - Max Keeble's Big Move and The Shipping News (Miramax Home Entertainment)
 * July 9 - The Royal Tenenbaums (Touchstone Home Entertainment) and Amélie (Miramax Home Entertainment)
 * July 23 - The Great Mouse Detective
 * August 13 - Beaches, Cocktail, Another Stakeout and Birthday Girl (Miramax Home Entertainment)
 * August 20 - Return to Never Land
 * August 27 - The Rookie and The Book of Pooh: Just Say BOO!
 * September 3 - Aspen Extreme, Captain Ron, Indian Summer, Ernest Goes to Camp, Ernest Goes to Jail, Ernest Scared Stupid, and New Port South (VHS only; Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * September 10 - The Count of Monte Cristo (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * September 17 - Monsters, Inc., 40 Days and 40 Nights (Miramax Home Entertainment) and Stolen Summer (Miramax Home Entertainment)
 * October 8 - Beauty and the Beast: Platinum Edition
 * October 8 - The Muppet Christmas Carol, Houseguest, Jungle 2 Jungle, Out Cold (Touchstone Home Entertainment), and Big Trouble (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * October 8 - Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
 * October 15 - Sorority Boys (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * October 29 - The Santa Clause: Special Edition
 * November 5 - Very Merry Christmas Sing Along Songs
 * November 12 - Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas: Special Edition, Bad Company (Touchstone Home Entertainment) and The Importance of Being Earnest (Miramax Home Entertainment)
 * November 19 - Frank McKlusky, C.I. (Touchstone Home Entertainment) and Reign of Fire (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
 * November 26 - Undisputed (Miramax Home Entertainment)
 * December 3 - Lilo & Stitch and Walt Disney Treasures Wave 2
 * December 17 - The Country Bears

Direct-to-video releases

 * February 12 - American Legends
 * February 26 - Cinderella II: Dreams Come True
 * March 19 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame II
 * June 18 - Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch
 * July 23 - Tarzan & Jane
 * August 13 - Rolie Polie Olie: The Great Defender Of Fun
 * September 3 - Mickey's House of Villains
 * November 12 - Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year

Video games

 * March 29 - Disney's Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge for Windows (Europe only).
 * August 13 - Disney's Magical Mirror Starring Mickey Mouse for GameCube; Disney's Magical Quest Starring Mickey &amp; Minnie for Game Boy Advance.
 * September 17 - Kingdom Hearts for PlayStation 2.
 * October 9 - Disney Golf for PlayStation 2.
 * November 5 - PK: Out of the Shadows for PlayStation 2 and GameCube; Disney Sports Football for Game Boy Advance.
 * November 11 - Disney Sports Soccer for Game Boy Advance.
 * November 15 - Kim Possible: Revenge of Monkey Fist for Game Boy Advance.
 * November 17 - Disney Sports Skateboarding for GameCube and Game Boy Advance; Disney Sports Soccer for GameCube.
 * November 23 - Disney Sports Basketball for Game Boy Advance.
 * December 8 - Disney Sports Football for GameCube.

Music

 * January 29 - More Songs from Jim Henson's Bear in the Big Blue House
 * June 11 - Lilo & Stitch: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack
 * August 27 - Monsters, Inc. Scream Factory Favorites
 * September 10 - Bear's Holiday Celebration

Births

 * February 5 - Davis Cleveland (actor)
 * April 8 - Skai Jackson (actress)
 * April 29 - Grace Kaufman (actress and voice actress)
 * May 6 - Emily Alyn Lind (actress)
 * June 2 - Madison Hu (actress and singer)
 * June 17 - Merit Leighton (actress and voice actress)
 * August 30 - Raffey Cassidy (actress)
 * September 27 - Jenna Ortega (actress)
 * September 30 - Levi Miller (actor)
 * October 16 - Madeleine Curry (actress)

Deaths

 * January 7 - Avery Schreiber (comedian and actor)
 * January 17 - Queenie Leonard (actress and singer)
 * January 21 - Peggy Lee (actress and singer)
 * February 9 - Judson Pratt (actor)
 * February 22 - Chuck Jones (animator)
 * February 27 - Spike Milligan (actor and comedian)
 * March 14 - Gordon Gordon (author)
 * March 27 - Milton Berle (comedian and actor)
 * March 27 - Dudley Moore (actor, comedian, composer and musician)
 * May 6 - Bill Days (actor)
 * May 11 - Bill Peet (writer)
 * July 8 - Ward Kimball (animator)
 * July 23 - Leo McKern (actor)
 * July 26 - Buddy Baker (composer)
 * October 3 - Bruce Paltrow (director and producer)
 * October 29 - Glenn McQueen (digital animation supervisor and Pixar supervising character animator)
 * November 3 - Jonathan Harris (actor)
 * November 18 - James Coburn (actor)
 * November 22 - Parley Baer (American radio, television and film actor)

Character debuts

 * January 12 - Captain Crandall, Rope Girl, Skate Lad, Governor Kevin, The Chief, Jean, Mrs. Woolingantz, Baron Blitz, Technor
 * January 19 - The Birthday Bandit
 * January 26 - Le Poodle, Madame Snake
 * February 15 - Jane, Danny, Edward, Nana II and Octopus
 * February 16 - Helius Inflato
 * February 22 - Laser Pirate
 * June 7 - Kim Possible, Ron Stoppable, Rufus, Wade, Bonnie Rockwaller, Middleton High School Cheerleaders, Josh Mankey, Dr. Drakken, Shego, Gil Moss, Steve Barkin, Señor Senior, Senior, Señor Senior, Junior
 * June 21 - Stitch, Lilo Pelekai, Nani Pelekai, Dr. Jumba, Pleakley, Gantu, David Kawena, Cobra Bubbles, Grand Councilwoman, Mertle Edmonds, Elena, Teresa, and Yuki, DNAmy
 * July 12 - Duff Killigan
 * September 6 - Monique
 * September 9 - Annette, Miss Maxwell, Moss, Luke, Rita, Keisha, Rocko, Ferret Jeeter
 * September 13 - Monkey Fist
 * September 14 - Cornelius Fillmore, Ingrid Third
 * November 27 - Jim Hawkins, John Silver, Dr. Delbert Doppler, Sarah Hawkins, B.E.N. Captain Amelia, Mr. Arrow, Captain Nathaniel Flint, Billy Bones, Scroop