Toon Disney begins broadcasting.
Disney's Animal Kingdom opens.
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Theatrical releases
Feature films
- February 20 - An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (Hollywood Pictures) was released to a universally negative reaction and was a box office bomb.
- February 27 - Krippendorf's Tribe (Touchstone Pictures)
- March 27 - Meet the Deedles (with DiC Entertainment) was released to negative reviews and became a box office bomb.
- May 23 - Kiki's Delivery Service premiered in Seattle International Film Festival
- June 5 - Mulan (premiere)
- 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 29 - The Parent Trap remake was released to positive reception.
- August 14 - Air Bud: Golden Receiver
- September 11 - Simon Birch (Hollywood Pictures)
- October 9 - Rushmore (Touchstone Pictures)
- 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)
- The Little Mermaid (re-issue)
- 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
Events
- January - Production begins on Recess: School's Out.
- January 26 - Ranch and Grove Holding Corporation is merged into the Walt Disney World Company.
Character debuts
- January 13 - Ursa
- February 9 - Jacques the Beaver, Lois, Big Old Bullfrog, Doc Hogg
- February 17 - Webster, Crane, Le Plume, Witherspoon, Chandeleria
- 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, Flick Duck
- April 8 - Otto and Etta Otter
- March 21 - Ootsie Snootie, Bootsie Snootie
- March 28 - Anna Otter
- May 19 - Robbie McGroarty, Fanny, Ratso, Hearing Aid, Supreme Commander, Tinselina, Microwave, Squirt, Faucet, Calculator, Viking 1, Wittgenstein
- 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 the Falcon, General Li, The Emperor of China, Fa Family Ancestors, The Matchmaker, Fa Li, Khan, Shang's Horse, Elite Hun Soldiers, Hun Army
- July 29 - Annie James, Hallie Parker, Nick Parker, Elizabeth James, Charles James, Martin, Chessy, Sammy, Meredith Blake, Marva Kulp Sr, Marva Kulp Jr
- August 4 - John Rolfe, King James, Queen Anne, Mrs. Jenkins, Uttamatomakkin, Jesters
- October 27 - Kiara, Kovu, Zira, Vitani, Nuka, Outsiders, Crocodiles
- November 13 - Jake Wilkinson, Allie Henderson, Eddie Taffet
- November 25 - Flik, Princess Atta, Dot, Hopper, Molt, Thumper, P.T. Flea, Heimlich, Gypsy, Manny, Slim, Rosie, Dim, Francis, Tuck and Roll, The Queen, The Fly Brothers, Bird, Grasshoppers, The Blueberries, The Fly Brothers
- December 2 - Doc Owl
- December 3 - Jeremiah Tortoise
Theme parks
- January 21 - The original Disneyland Parking Lot closes 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 at Epcot. The "25" is also dropped from the name.
- February 14 - The Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop opens at Downtown Disney in Walt Disney World.
- February 17 - Construction begins on the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
- April 22 - Disney's Animal Kingdom opens at 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 - Submarine Voyage closes at Disneyland. 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 Journey Into Your Imagination version featuring Eric Idle without Figment or Dreamfinder.
- December 8 - Test Track begins soft openings at Epcot.
- December 24 - On Sailing Ship Columbia at Disneyland, a cleat used to secure the ship to the dock tears loose, striking 33-year-old Luan Phi Dawson and his wife in the head, as their two children and other horrified park guests look on. Dawson is declared brain dead two days later and died when his life support system is disconnected. A cast member is also injured. (See Incidents at Disney parks.)
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 - Bill Nye the Science Guy airs its last episode.
- 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 The Wiggles.
Albums
- 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
Comics
- December - Gladstone Publishing loses the rights to the Disney comic license.
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
Home video releases
VHS, Laserdisc, & DVD releases
- February 3
- February 10 - Rodgers & 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)
- The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars
- Pretty Woman
- June 2 - Melody Time
- July 14 - The Spirit of Mickey
- July 28 - Disney Sing Along Songs: Honor to Us All
- August 4
- August 25
- September 15
- September 29 - The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story
- October 6 - 101 Dalmatians: Christmas
- October 13 - The Santa Clause
- October 27 - The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
- November 10 - Dead Poets Society
- December 8
- The Parent Trap
- Mr. Magoo (re-issue)
- Six Days Seven Nights (Touchstone Home Video)
- December 18
Magazines
- June - Disney Adventures publishes its 100th issue.
People
Births
- January 4 - Coco Jones (actress, pop singer, rapper, and dancer)
- January 9 - Kerris Dorsey (actress and singer)
- January 28 - Ariel Winter (actress, voice actress, and singer)
- February 15 - Zachary Gordon (actor and voice actor)
- March 13 - Anthony DeMarco (actor and voice actor)
- April 6
- Peyton List (actress and model)
- Spencer List (actor)
- April 9 - Elle Fanning (actress)
- April 24 - Ryan Newman (actress and singer)
- May 4 - Taylar Hender (actress and voice actress)
- June 11 - Charlie Tahan (actor)
- June 15 - Rachel Covey (actress)
- June 19 - Atticus Shaffer (actor and voice 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 (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, voice actress, and singer)
- December 22 - G. Hannelius (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 (actress)
- April 21 - Peter Lind Hayes (vaudeville entertainer, songwriter, and film and television actor)
- May 14 - Frank Sinatra (singer, actor, and producer)
- 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)
- July 22 - Marjorie Ralston (voice actress)
- October 3 - Roddy McDowall (actor)
- November 30 - Ruth Clifford (actress and voice actress)
1998