Toon Disney begins broadcasting.
Disney's Animal Kingdom opens.
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Events
- January - Production begins on Recess: School's Out.
- January 26 - Ranch and Grove Holding Corporation is merged into the Walt Disney World Company.
Theatrical releases
Feature films
- February 20 - An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (Hollywood Pictures)
- February 27 - Krippendorf's Tribe (Touchstone Pictures)
- March 27 - Meet the Deedles (with DiC Entertainment) was released to negative reviews and becomes a box office bomb
- May 23 - Kiki's Delivery Service
- June 12 - Six Days Seven Nights (Touchstone Pictures)
- June 19 - Mulan was released to mostly positive reviews and commercial success.
- July 1 - Armageddon (Touchstone Pictures)
- July 24 - Mafia! (Touchstone Pictures)
- July 29 - The Parent Trap remake was released to positive reception.
- August 14 - Air Bud: Golden Receiver
- September 4 - Firelight (Hollywood Pictures with Miramax Films)
- September 11
- Simon Birch (Hollywood Pictures)
- Rounders (Miramax Films)
- October 9 -
- October 23 - Life Is Beautiful (Miramax Films)
- November 13 - I'll Be Home For Christmas was released to extremely negative reviews and becomes a box office failure.
- November 20
- Enemy of the State (Touchstone Pictures)
- Celebrity (Miramax Films)
- The Little Mermaid (re-release)
- November 25 - A Bug's Life was 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.
Shorts
Television
- January 1 - Movie Surfers begins airing on the Disney Channel.
- January 6 - Bear in the Big Blue House Season 2 premieres on Playhouse Disney.
- March 1 - Bug Juice premieres on the Disney Channel.
- March 4 - 101 Dalmatians: The Series ends with "Dalmatian Vacation, Part 3: Dearly Beloved". Reruns continue on ABC until 1999.
- March 15 - PB&J Otter premieres on Playhouse Disney.
- April 18 - Toon Disney begins broadcasting.
- June 20 - The last episode of Bill Nye the Science Guy airs.
- August 31 - Hercules: The Series premieres on ABC and in syndication.
- October 10 - Out of the Box premieres on Playhouse Disney.
- November 6 - Rolie Polie Olie premieres on Playhouse Disney.
- December 20 - The Wiggles Live at Disneyland Park premieres on Disney Channel Australia to welcome children's performers The Wiggles.
Theme park happenings
- January 21 - The original Disneyland Parking Lot closes permanently to make way for the Disneyland Resort expansion, including Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney, and Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.
- January 31 - The Magic Kingdom's Cinderella Castle, which was decorated to look like a cake for the 25th anniversary 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' Roller Coaster at the Disney-MGM Studios.
- April 22 - Disney's Animal Kingdom opens at the Walt Disney World.
- 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: The Musical begins its run at Disneyland's Fantasyland Theatre.
- July 3 - Innoventions opens at Disneyland.
- September 8 - Disneyland's 38-year-old Submarine Voyage closes. It would reopen nearly nine years later as Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.
- August 17 - Captain EO closes at Disneyland Paris.
- September 7 - Mr. Toad's Wild Ride closes at the Magic Kingdom.
- October 10 - Journey Into Imagination closes at Epcot to be replaced by the Journey Into Your Imagination version featuring Eric Idle without Figment or Dreamfinder.
- December 8 - Epcot's attraction that replaced World of Motion, Test Track begins 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.)
Comics
- December - Gladstone Publishing loses the rights to the Disney comic license.
Home video releases
VHS & DVD releases
- February 3
- February 10
- Rodger and Hammerstein's Cinderella
- February 14 - Winnie the Pooh: Un-Valentine's Day (re-issue)
- February 17
- March 3
- March 24
- Mary Poppins (re-issue)
- The Sword in the Stone (re-issue)
- Alice in Wonderland (re-issue)
- Pete's Dragon (re-issue)
- Robin Hood (re-issue)
- Dumbo (re-issue)
- March 31
- April 21 - Flubber
- May 19
- The Apple Dumpling Gang (re-issue)
- The Brave Little Toaster (re-issue)
- Pretty Woman
- June 2 - Melody Time
- August 4
- August 25 - The Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon
- September 15 - Lady and the Tramp
- October 6 - 101 Dalmatians: Christmas
- October 13 - The Santa Clause
- November 10 - Dead Poets Society
- December 8
- The Parent Trap
- Mr. Magoo (re-issue)
- Six Days Seven Nights (Touchstone Home Video)
- December 18 - Air Bud: Golden Receiver
Direct-to-video releases
- February 17 - Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Magical World
- May 19 - The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars
- July 14 - The Spirit of Mickey
- July 28 - Disney Sing Along Songs: Honor to Us All
- August 4 - Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World
- August 25 - Disney Sing Along Songs: Happy Haunting: Party at Disneyland
- September 15 - Kiki's Delivery Service
- September 29 - The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story
- October 27 - The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
- December 18 - Summer of the Monkeys
Video games
- A Bug's Life for PC
- May - Mickey Mouse: Magic Wands! for Game Boy
- September 14 - Animated StoryBook: Mulan
- October 27 - A Bug's Life for PlayStation
- November 2 - The D Show
- December 8 - A Bug's Life for Game Boy Color
Music
- January 27
- Winnie the Pooh: Friends Forever
- Ariel's Favorites
- February 3
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- 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
- Archive Collection Vol. 5: Cliff Edwards: Ukulele Ike Sings Again
Magazines
- June - Disney Adventures publishes its 100th issue.
People
Births
- January 4 - Coco Jones (actress, teen pop singer, rapper, and dancer)
- January 9 - Kerris Dorsey (actress and singer)
- January 28 - Ariel Winter (actress and singer)
- February 15 - Zachary Gordon (actor)
- March 13 - Anthony DeMarco (actor)
- April 6
- Peyton List (actress)
- Spencer List (actor)
- April 9 - Elle Fanning (actress)
- April 24 - Ryan Newman (teen actress and singer)
- May 4 - Taylar Hender (actress)
- June 11 - Charlie Tahan (actor)
- June 15 - Rachel Covey (actress)
- June 19 - Atticus Shaffer (actor)
- July 3 - Isabella Murad (actress)
- July 10 - Robert Capron (actor)
- July 22 - Madison Pettis (actress)
- July 31 - Rico Rodriguez (actor)
- August 3 - Cozi Zuehlsdorff (teen actress)
- August 12 - Fiona Bishop (actress)
- August 13 - Devan Leos (actor)
- August 25 - China Anne McClain (actress and singer)
- September 15 - Seth Dusky (actor)
- October 28 - Nolan Gould (child actor)
- October 29 - Jenna Lea Rosen (actress and singer)
- November 4 - Darcy Rose Byrnes (actress and singer/songwriter)
- November 23 - Bradley Steven Perry (actor)
- December 16 - Kiara Muhammad (actress and singer)
- December 22 - G. Hannelius (actress and singer)
- December 28 - Paris Berelc (actress)
Deaths
- January 4 - Mae Questel (actress and vocal artist)
- February 14 - Thomas McKimson (animator)
- February 28 - James Algar (director, screenwriter, and producer)
- March 8 - Marvin Davis (art director)
- March 31 - Eda Reiss Merin
- April 21 - Peter Lind Hayes (vaudeville entertainer, songwriter, and film and television actor)
- May 14 - Frank Sinatra (singer and film actor)
- May 27 - Ken O'Connor (layout artist and art director)
- May 28 - Phil Hartman (comedian and actor)
- June 5 - Jeanette Nolan (actress)
- June 12 - Retta Davidson (animator)
- June 18 - Charles Korvin (actor)
- July 6 - Roy Rogers (cowboy actor)
- August 2 - Shari Lewis (ventriloquist, puppeteer, and children's television show host)
- October 3 - Roddy McDowall (actor)
- November 30 - Ruth Clifford (actress and voice actress)
- December 12 - Don Patterson (producer, animator, and director)
- Carmen Molina (Spanish actress and dancer)
Character debuts
- February 9 - Jacques the Beaver, Lois, Doc Hogg
- March 15 - Peanut Otter, Baby Butter Otter, Jelly Otter, Opal Otter, Ernest Otter, Mayor Jeff, Pinch Raccoon, Scootch Raccoon, Walter Raccoon, Wanda Raccoon, Munchy Beaver, Betty Lou Beaver, Flick Duck, Shirley Duck, Cap'n Crane, Connie Crane
- April 8 - Otto and Etta Otter
- March 21 - Ootsie Snootie, Bootsie Snootie
- March 28 - Anna "Aunt Nanner" Otter
- May 19 - Robbie McGroarty, Fanny, Ratso, Hearing Aid, Supreme Commander, Tinselina, Microwave, Squirt, Faucet, Calculator
- June 1 - Baby Blotter
- June 19 - Fa Mulan, Li Shang, Mushu, Shan Yu, Cri-Kee, Little Brother, Yao, Ling, and Chien Po, Fa Zhou, Fa Li, Grandmother Fa, Chi-Fu, Hayabusa, General Li, The Emperor of China, Fa Family Ancestors, The Matchmaker
- November 25 - Flik, Princess Atta, Dot, Hopper, Molt, Thumper, P.T. Flea, Heimlich, Gypsy, Manny, Slim, Rosie, Dim, Francis, Tuck and Roll, Dim, The Queen, Mr. Soil, Thorny, Dr. Flora, Cornelius, Aphie, The Fly Brothers, Bird
- December 2 - Big Old Bullfrog, Doc Owl, and Ursa
- December 3 - Jeremiah Tortoise
1998