Bubba the Cave Duck is introduced in the DuckTales serial "Time is Money".
Theatrical releases
Feature films
- January 15
- Good Morning, Vietnam (Touchstone Pictures; wide release)
- The Brave Little Toaster (re-release in Sundance Film Festival)
- February 12 - Shoot to Kill (Touchstone)
- March 18 - D.O.A. (Touchstone)
- March 25 - The Fox and the Hound (re-release)
- April 15 - Return to Snowy River
- June 21 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit (Touchstone; premiered in New York City, New York)
- June 22 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit (Touchstone)
- July 15 - Bambi (re-release)
- July 29 - Cocktail (Touchstone)
- August 5 - The Rescue (Touchstone)
- September 30 - Heartbreak Hotel (Touchstone)
- November 11 - Ernest Saves Christmas (Touchstone)
- November 13 - Oliver & Company (premiered in New York City, New York)
- November 18 - Oliver & Company
- December 21 - Beaches (Touchstone)
Shorts
- April 2 - Somewhere in the Arctic (International Tournee of Animation)
- June 19 - Winter
- June 22 - The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (re-release)
- August - Disney's Animated Alphabet
- August 2 - Tin Toy (premiered in Siggraph Conference)
- September
- November - Disney's Countdown
- December 30 - Tin Toy
Events
- Walt Disney Computer Software is founded as a video game division of The Walt Disney Company.
- Cinderella is the first release to use the Sorcerer Mickey Walt Disney Classics logo.
Theme parks
- January 30 - IllumiNations debuts at Epcot.
- April 10 - America Sings closes at Disneyland.
- April 15 - Tokyo Disneyland celebrates its 5th anniversary.
- June 3 - The Norway pavilion opens at Epcot.
- June 18 - Mickey's Birthdayland opens at Magic Kingdom.
- June 28 - Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa opens at Walt Disney World.
Television
- January 17 - The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh premieres on the Disney Channel
- February 25 - Totally Minnie airs on NBC
- March 6 - 14 Going on 30 (Buena Vista Television)
- July 4 - Walt Disney World 4th of July Spectacular, an Independence Day special, is broadcast on television.
- August 27 - Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers airs its first episode as a preview on the Disney Channel
- November 13 - Mickey's 60th Birthday airs on NBC
- November 24 - DuckTales begins its second season with the 2-hour special episode "Time is Money" on NBC
Books
Video games
- Mickey Mouse: The Computer Game (Commodore 64, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Sinclair ZX81/Spectrum)
- Mickey & Minnie's Fun Time Print Kit (DOS)
- Donald's Alphabet Chase (DOS, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum)
- Donald the Hero (Commodore 64)
- June - Who Framed Roger Rabbit (DOS, Commodore 64, Amiga)
- September 22 - Donald Duck (Famicom) (Released in the US as Snoopy's Silly Sports Spectacular)
- October - Mickey Mousecapade (NES)
- Matterhorn Screamer (DOS, Apple II, Commodore 64)
- The Jungle Book (Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC)
- The Chase on Tom Sawyer's Island (Apple II, Commodore 64, DOS)
Home Video releases
VHS & Laserdisc releases
- February 2
- Benji the Hunted
- Miracle Down Under
- Disney's Sing-Along Songs: You Can Fly!
- March 15 - Stakeout (Touchstone Home Video)
- April 13 - Adventures in Babysitting
- May 31
- DuckTales: Daredevil Ducks, High Flying Hero and Fearless Fortune Hunter
- Mickey and the Beanstalk
- Mickey's Magical World
- The Reluctant Dragon
- Donald in Mathmagic Land
- August 2 - Good Morning Vietnam (Touchstone Home Video)
- October 4
- Cinderella
- Alice in Wonderland (re-issue)
- Dumbo (re-issue)
- The Sword in the Stone (re-issue)
- Lady and the Tramp (re-issue)
- DuckTales: Masked Marauders
- The Three Caballeros
- Mary Poppins
- Walt Disney Mini Classics: The Wind in the Willows
- Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Very Merry Christmas Songs
- November 1 - Return to Snowy River
- November 15
- Walt Disney Cartoon Classics: Special Edition
- Three Men and a Baby
- December 20 - The Rescue
Character debuts
- January 1 - Millionara Vanderbucks
- January 17 - Christopher Robin's Mother
- January 31 - Mama Heffalump, Papa Heffalump, Junior Heffalump
- February 7 - Kessie
- February 14 - Pygmy Piglets
- February 21 - Crud
- February 25 - Maxwell Dweeb
- February 28 - Stan Woozle and Heff Heffalump, Wooster
- March 20 - The Toy Villains
- April 3 - Nasty Jack, Nasty Jack's Gang
- April 15 - Jim Craig, Alistair Patton, Harrison
- June 22 - Roger Rabbit, Baby Herman, Jessica Rabbit, Benny the Cab, Toon Patrol, Judge Doom, Eddie Valiant, Dolores, Marvin Acme, R.K. Maroon, Lt. Santino, Baby Herman's Mother, Bongo the Gorilla, Toon Bullets, Lena Hyena, Angelo
- August 27 - Monterey Jack, Zipper, Gadget Hackwrench, Professor Norton Nimnul, Officer Kirby and Officer Muldoon, Sergeant Spinelli, Spunky
- September 10 - Prince Yen Moon
- September 24 - Sir Gallent
- November 13 - The Sorcerer
- November 18 - Oliver, Dodger, Tito, Francis, Einstein, Rita, Fagin, Jenny Foxworth, Georgette, Bill Sykes, Roscoe and DeSoto, Winston, Louie the Hot Dog Man, Alley Dogs
- November 24 - Bubba the Cave Duck, Tootsie the Triceratops
- December 30 - Tinny, Billy, Billy's Toys
- Injun Joe
People
Births
- January 8 - Lily Nicksay (actress)
- January 12 - Andrew Lawrence (actor and singer)
- January 15 - Skrillex (DJ, musician, record producer, singer, and songwriter)
- February 18
- Erica Mendez (voice actress)
- Maiara Walsh (actress and singer)
- February 19 - Miyu Irino (actor and voice actor)
- February 20 - Rihanna (singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman)
- February 22 - Marieve Herington (actress, voice actress, and singer)
- March 2 - Myrna Velasco (actress and voice actress)
- March 24 - Finn Jones (actor)
- March 27
- Holliday Grainger (actress)
- Brenda Song (actress, voice actress, singer, film producer, and model)
- April 7 - Ed Speleers (actor and producer)
- April 10 - Haley Joel Osment (actor and voice actor)
- April 25 - Sara Paxton (actress, model, and singer)
- May 1 - Nicholas Braun (actor)
- June 2 - Awkwafina (actress and rapper)
- June 9 - Mae Whitman (actress, voice actress, and singer)
- June 30 - Sean Marquette (actor and voice actor)
- July 12 - Christine Marie Cabanos (voice actress and production assistant)
- July 15 - Aimee Carrero (actress and voice actress)
- July 19 - Cherami Leigh (actress and voice actress)
- August 27 - Alexa Vega (actress and singer)
- September 12 - Carlos López Estrada (music video, commercial, and film director)
- September 15 - Chelsea Kane (actress, voice actress, and singer)
- October 3
- Alicia Vikander (actress and dancer)
- Lauren McKnight (actress)
- October 10 - Rose McIver (actress)
- October 14 - Max Thieriot (actor)
- October 23 - Ritesh Rajan (actor and voice actor)
- October 30 - Janel Parrish (actress, dancer, and singer-songwriter)
- November 6 - Emma Stone (actress)
- November 8 - Matt Braly (writer, animator, storyboard artist, director, and voice actor)
- November 9 - Nikki Blonsky (actress, singer, and dancer)
- November 15 - Zena Grey (actress)
- November 24 - Elena Satine (actress)
- December 14 - Vanessa Hudgens (actress and singer)
- December 11 - Ashley Hinshaw (actress and model)
- December 16 - Anna Popplewell (actress)
Deaths
- April 29 - Andrew Cruickshank (Scottish supporting actor)
- May 18
- Daws Butler (voice actor)
- Anthony Forwood (actor)
- June 22 - Dennis Day (singer and actor)
- July 22 - Larry Clemmons (animator, screenwriter, and voice actor)
- August 7 - Wilfred Jackson (animator, arranger, composer, and director)
- August 17 - Jack Cutting (animator and director)
- September 20 - Roy Kinnear (actor)
- October 25 - Eric Larson (animator)
- October 30 - T. Hee (animator, director, and teacher)
- December 8 - Anne Seymour (film and television character actress)
1988