An overview of all Disney-related events that occurred in the year 1981.
Theatrical releases[]
Feature films[]
- March 6 - The Devil and Max Devlin
- March 20 - Amy
- April 3 - Alice in Wonderland (re-issue)
- June 12
- Freaky Friday (re-issue)
- Herbie Goes Bananas (re-issue)
- Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (re-issue)
- June 19
- Herbie Rides Again (re-issue)
- Swiss Family Robinson (re-issue)
- June 26 - Dragonslayer (co-production with Paramount)
- July 10 - The Fox and the Hound
- August 7 - Condorman
- October 9 - The Watcher in the Woods
- November 20 - The Watcher in the Woods (Los Angeles, California)
- December 18 - Cinderella (re-issue)
Shorts[]
- June 1
- June 21 - Smoking: The Choice is Yours
- July 10 - Once Upon a Mouse
- September - Comets: Time Capsules of the Solar System
- September 6 - Winnie the Pooh Discovers the Seasons
- September 23 - Dumbo: A Lesson in Being Prepared
- September 24 - 101 Dalmatians: A Lesson in Self-Assertion
- September 25 - Cinderella: A Lesson in Compromise
- September 27 - The Jungle Book: A Lesson in Accepting Change
Theme Parks and resorts[]
- June 20 - Disney's River Country celebrates its 5th anniversary at Walt Disney World Resort.
- October 1 - Walt Disney World Resort and the Magic Kingdom celebrates its 10th anniversary.
Events[]
- July 29 - Disney on Ice is founded under the name of Walt Disney's World on Ice.
- After 26 years, the last Disney animated feature to use the Buena Vista logo was The Fox and the Hound.
- Walt Disney Productions purchases the rights to Gary K. Wolf's novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit?, the basis for the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).
- Halyx, a sci-fi themed rock band created by Disneyland Records, performs at Disneyland's Tomorrowland during the summer as an experiment to try and generate interest in a full album that ultimately never materializes.
- November 26 - The Mickey Mouse balloon makes its 11th appearance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Character debuts[]
- May - Della Duck, Daphne Duck, Matilda McDuck, Luke the Goose, Fanny the Goose
- June 26 - Tyrian, Vermithrax Pejorative
- July 10 - Tod, Copper, Big Mama, Dinky and Boomer, Squeaks, Widow Tweed, Amos Slade, Chief, Abigail, Mr. Digger, Porcupine, Vixey, The Bear
- August 7 - Woodrow Wilkins, Natalia Rambova, Morovich
Books[]
Home video releases[]
VHS releases[]
- June 1
- The Absent-Minded Professor
- The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again
- Davy Crockett and the River Pirates
- A Dream Called Walt Disney World
- Dumbo (rental only)
- Escape to Witch Mountain (reissue)
- Gus
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (rental only)
- Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck Cartoon Collections Vols. 1, 2, and 3
- The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band
- Pete's Dragon (reissue)
- Snow White Live at Radio City Music Hall
- October 15
- Alice in Wonderland (rental only)
- Amy
- Darby O'Gill and the Little People
- Dumbo (sale) (limited release)
- Kids is Kids (reissue)
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (Reissue)
- Old Yeller
- On Vacation with Mickey Mouse and Friends (reissue)
- A Walt Disney Christmas
Laserdisc releases[]
Video games[]
- Mickey Mouse (Nintendo Game & Watch) (Widescreen variety)
People[]
Births[]
- January 1 - Eden Riegel (actress and voice actress)
- January 4 - Aaron Schwartz (actor)
- January 13
- Shad Gaspard † (professional wrestler and actor)
- Ginger Zee (actress, television personality, and meteorologist)
- January 22 - Beverley Mitchell (actress and singer)
- January 23 - Julia Jones (actress)
- January 28 - Elijah Wood (actor, voice actor, producer, and DJ)
- January 31 - Justin Timberlake (actor, singer-songwriter, dancer, and record producer)
- February 1 - John Gemberling (actor and comedian)
- February 2 - Nathan Barnatt (actor, comedian, and dancer)
- February 3 - Alisa Reyes (actress and voice actress)
- February 8 - Dawn Olivieri (actress)
- February 9 - Tom Hiddleston (actor)
- February 10 - Stephanie Beatriz (actress and voice actress)
- February 14 - Erin Torpey (actress and singer)
- February 17 - Joseph Gordon-Levitt (actor, filmmaker, singer, and entrepreneur)
- February 23 - Josh Gad (actor, voice actor, comedian, and singer)
- February 27 - Josh Groban (singer-songwriter and actor)
- March 2 - Bryce Dallas Howard (actress, writer, and director)
- March 29
- Megan Hilty (actress)
- PJ Morton (musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer)
- March 30 - Katy Mixon (actress and voice actress)
- April 10 - Laura Bell Bundy (actress and singer)
- April 19 - Hayden Christensen (actor and producer)
- April 27 - Bonnie Morgan (actress and contortionist)
- May 5 - Danielle Fishel (actress, voice actress, screenwriter, director, and television personality)
- May 11 - J.P. Karliak (actor, voice actor, and comedian)
- May 18 - Daniel "Desus Nice" Baker (actor, voice actor, comedian, writer, and internet personality)
- May 23 - Tim Robinson (comedian, actor, writer, producer, and voice actor)
- May 26 - Eric "Ty" Hodges (actor, director, and screenwriter)
- May 28 - Laura Bailey (actress, voice actress, and voice director)
- June 1
- Johnny Pemberton (actor, voice actor, and comedian)
- Brandi Carlile (musician, songwriter, and producer)
- June 4 - T.J. Miller (actor, voice actor, stand-up comedian, producer, and writer)
- June 9 - Natalie Portman (actress, producer, writer, director, and model)
- June 13 - Chris Evans (actor, voice actor, director, and producer)
- June 28 - Jon Watts (director, producer, and screenwriter)
- August 3 - Travis Willingham (voice actor)
- August 4
- Meghan Markle (actress and model)
- Abigail Spencer (actress)
- August 20 - Ben Barnes (actor and singer)
- August 22 - Ross Marquand (actor and voice actor)
- August 24 - Chad Michael Murray (actor, writer, and former fashion model)
- September 4 - Beyoncé (singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, and actress)
- September 8 - Jonathan Taylor Thomas (actor and voice actor)
- September 9 - Julie Gonzalo (actress and producer)
- September 12 - Jennifer Hudson (recording artist, actress, and spokesperson)
- September 15 - Ben Schwartz (actor, voice actor, comedian, writer, director, and producer)
- September 16 - Alexis Bledel (actress, model, and producer)
- September 22
- Ashley Eckstein (actress, voice actress, and fashion designer)
- Katie Lowes (actress, voice actress, and theater director)
- September 25 - Lee Norris (actor)
- September 26 - Christina Milian (singer-songwriter, actress, dancer, and model)
- November 1 - Matt Jones (actor and voice actor)
- November 18
- Nasim Pedrad (actress, writer, and comedian)
- Christina Vidal (actress and singer)
- November 23 - John Lavelle (actor and voice actor)
- December 2 - Britney Spears (singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress)
- December 11 - Hamish Blake (actor, comedian, writer and author)
- December 15 - Brendan Fletcher (actor)
- December 16 - Krysten Ritter (actress, musician, writer, director, and model)
Deaths[]
- November 25 - Jack Albertson (actor, voice actor, comedian, dancer, and singer)
1981