2006

An overview of Disney-related events that occurred in 2006.

*Gargoyles* returns as a comic book published by Slave Labor Graphics.

*Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest*

Tower of Terror opens at Tokyo DisneySea.

Theatrical releases

Feature films

January 13 - Glory Road
January 27 - Roving Mars
February 17 - Eight Below
March 10 - The Shaggy Dog
April 14 - The Wild was released to mixed-to-negative reviews and becomes a box office failure.
April 28 - Stick It (Touchstone Pictures)
June 9 - Cars is released to generally positive reviews and becomes a commercial success.
July 7 - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
August 25 - Invincible
October 20
- The Prestige (Touchstone Pictures)
- The Nightmare Before Christmas (3-D reissue)
November 3 - The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause

Shorts

June 9 - One Man Band
September 7 - The Little Matchgirl

Theme parks

January 23 - Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! opens at Disney California Adventure, replacing Superstar Limo.
April 5 - Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour closes at Tokyo Disneyland.
April 7 - Expedition Everest opens at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
April 8 - Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast opens at Disneyland Paris.
July 13 - Autopia, UFO Zone, and Stitch Encounter open at Hong Kong Disneyland.
July 25 - Matt Ouimet steps down as president of the Disneyland Resort to become president of the Hotel Group of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. Ed Grier, former executive managing director of Walt Disney Attractions Japan, takes over as president of the Disneyland Resort.
July 31 - Disney announces the demise of the "Sword in the Stone" show at the Magic Kingdom as part of the "Year of a Million Dreams" promotion (it would be replaced by another show called the Royal Court Academy).
August 19 - Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Play It! closes at Disney-MGM Studios, almost two years to the day that its Disney's California Adventure counterpart closed.
September 4 - Tokyo DisneySea celebrates its 5th anniversary.
September 16 - Cinderellabration has its final performances at the Magic Kingdom.
September 22 - Tower of Terror opens at Tokyo DisneySea.
September 30
- The Happiest Homecoming on Earth ends; Club Buzz reopens as Tomorrowland Terrace at Disneyland.
- Dream Along with Mickey premieres at the Magic Kingdom.
October 2 - The Year of a Million Dreams promotion begins.

Television

January 20 - High School Musical premieres on Disney Channel and draws an astonishing 7.8 million viewers.
January 27 - The Emperor's New School premieres on Disney Channel.
March 24 - Cow Belles and Hannah Montana both premiered on Disney Channel.
April 28 - Bear in the Big Blue House airs its final episode.
May 5 - Mickey Mouse Clubhouse premieres on Playhouse Disney (United States).
May 27 - The Buzz on Maggie airs its final episode on Disney Channel.
June 23 - Leroy & Stitch premieres on Disney Channel as the conclusion of Lilo & Stitch: The Series.
July 21 - Read It and Weep premieres on Disney Channel.
July 28 - The Replacements premieres on Disney Channel.
July 29 - Lilo & Stitch: The Series airs its final episode on Disney Channel, over a month after the finale film Leroy & Stitch had already aired.
August 25
- The Cheetah Girls 2 premieres on Disney Channel.
- Brandy & Mr. Whiskers airs its final episode on Disney Channel.
September 4 - Yin Yang Yo! premieres on Jetix.
September 15 - Breakfast with Bear is taken off the air.
September 16 - Handy Manny premieres on Playhouse Disney.
October 20
- The Little Einsteins episode "The Birthday Machine" premieres on Playhouse Disney.
- Return to Halloweentown premieres on Disney Channel.

Albums

Comics

June 21 - The first issue of the new Gargoyles comic book by Slave Labor Graphics is published.
November - Gemstone stops publishing Mickey Mouse and Friends and Donald Duck and Friends.

Books

Video games

February 9 - Finding Nemo: Escape to the Big Blue for Nintendo DS
March 28 - Kingdom Hearts II for PlayStation 2
June 5 - Cars
September 1 - Roblox
September 12 - Little Einsteins for Game Boy Advance
October 19 - Kim Possible: What's the Switch? for PlayStation 2

Home video releases

VHS, DVD, & Blu-ray releases

January 3
- Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up
- Disney's Sing-Along Songs (4 DVDs)
January 16 - Jumping Ship
January 17 - The Devil and Max Devlin
February 7 - Bambi II (VHS and DVD; this was the last Disney film released on VHS for the public, later VHS releases were Disney Movie Club Exclusives only)
February 14 - Disney Princess Sing Along Songs Vol. 3 - Perfectly Princess
February 28 - Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition (DVD)
March 7
- Whisper of the Heart
- My Neighbor Totoro
March 14 - Remember the Titans - Director's Cut
March 21
- Howl's Moving Castle
- Chicken Little
April 4 - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
April 11
- The Greatest Game Ever Played
- Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin: Special Edition
April 12 - Valiant (Disney Movie Club Exclusive VHS)
April 25
- Brother Bear 2 (Demo VHS)
- Little Einsteins: Team Up for Adventure
May 16
- Con Air: Unrated Extended Edition
May 19 - Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition (Disney Movie Club Exclusive VHS)
May 23 - High School Musical: Encore Edition
June 6
- Glory Road
- Dumbo: Big Top Edition
- Home Improvement: The Complete Fourth Season (Touchstone Television)
June 20
- Eight Below (DVD)
- Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (DVD)
June 22 - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Disney Movie Club Exclusive VHS)
June 27
- Cow Belles: More Moo-vie
- Leroy & Stitch
July 18 - The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: Taking Over the Tipton and That's So Raven: Raven's Makeover Madness
August 1 - The Shaggy Dog
August 15 - The Fox and the Hound 2 (Demo VHS)
August 22 - Little Einsteins: Mission Celebration!
August 29
- Darkwing Duck: Volume 1
- TaleSpin: Volume 1
- Brother Bear 2 (DVD)
- Eight Below (Disney Movie Club Exclusive VHS)
August 31 - Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (Disney Movie Club Exclusive VHS)
September 5
- Twitches
- Disney Sing Along Songs: Happy Haunting: Party at Disneyland
September 12 - The Wild
September 19 - Stick It (Touchstone Home Entertainment)
October 3 - The Little Mermaid: Platinum Edition (DVD)
October 10
- The Fox and the Hound: 25th Anniversary Edition
October 18 - Brother Bear 2 (Disney Movie Club Exclusive VHS)
October 19 - Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (Disney Movie Club Exclusive VHS)
October 24
- Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior: Kickin' Edition
- Hannah Montana: Livin' The Rock Star Life
November 1 - The Wild (Disney Movie Club Exclusive VHS)
November 7
- Cars (DVD)
- Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (Demo VHS)
November 14
- Adventures of the Gummi Bears: Volume 1
- DuckTales: Volume 2
- Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers: Volume 2
- Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey Saves Santa and Other Mouseketales
- Home Improvement: The Complete Fifth Season (Touchstone Television)
November 28
- Robin Hood: Most Wanted Edition
- The Cheetah Girls 2: Cheetah-Licious Edition
December 5
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
- High School Musical: 2-Disc Remix Edition
- Disney DVD Game World: Disney Princess Edition
- Disney DVD Game World: Disney Dogs Edition
December 12
- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: Extended Edition
- The Fox and the Hound 2
- Air Buddies
December 19
- Invincible
- Walt Disney Treasures: Your Host Walt Disney
- Walt Disney Treasures: The Complete Pluto, Volume 2
- Walt Disney Treasures: More Silly Symphonies
- Walt Disney Treasures: The Hardy Boys - The Mickey Mouse Club

Events

April 21 - EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival is held runs until June 11.
May 10 - The Broadway production of Tarzan officially opens.
July 7 - Walt Disney Pictures introduces its current logo in front of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.
September 19 - Disney officially enters the Blu-ray market.
September 29 - EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival is held runs until November 16.
October 6 - The Disney Movie Rewards program begins.
November 16 - Following the success of the West End production, a Broadway production of Mary Poppins officially opens.
November 23 - The JoJo's Circus balloon makes her 2nd appearence at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
November 24 - EPCOT Holidays Around the World is held runs until December 30.
December 12 - After 21 years, the last Disney movie to use the original Walt Disney Pictures logo is The Fox and the Hound 2.

Business

January 24 - The Walt Disney Company announces that it would acquire Pixar Animation Studios. As part of the merger, Steve Jobs (the owner of Pixar) becomes the chief shareholder in the company. Shortly thereafter, the Feature Animation department reopens (having been shut down two years earlier), and John Lasseter is put in charge of Imagineering in the theme parks.
February 9 - The Walt Disney Company acquires the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (namely the character and the 26 Disney-animated cartoons he stars in) from NBCUniversal, as part of a deal which sends sportscaster Al Michaels from Disney's ABC and ESPN to NBC Sports.