Gargoyles returns as a comic book published by Slave Labor Graphics.
Yin Yang Yo!
Tower of Terror opens at Tokyo DisneySea.
Autopia opens at Hong Kong Disneyland.
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
- December 8 - Apocalypto (Touchstone Pictures).
Shorts
Events
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Character debuts
- January 27 - Malina, Guaca
- February 7 - Porcupine, Mena
- March 10 - Dave Douglas, Dr. Kozak, Rebecca Douglas, Carly Douglas
- April 14 - Samson, Benny, Kazar
- June 9 - Lightning McQueen, Sally Carrera, Mater, Chick Hicks, Doc Hudson, Luigi, Guido, Mack, The King, Mia and Tia, Harv, Flo, Ramone, Sheriff, Luigi, Guido, Sarge, Fillmore, Red, Lizzie, Stanley, Bessie, Tex Dinoco, Lynda Weathers, Jay Limo, Frank, Tractors
- July 28 - Todd Daring, Riley Daring, Dick Daring, Agent K
- October 2 - Yin, Yang, Master Yo
- November 3 - Bud and Sylvia Newman
- December 12
Theme parks
- January 23 - Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! opens at Disney's 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 16 - Cinderellabration has its final performances at the Magic Kingdom
- September 22 - Tower of Terror opens at Tokyo DisneySea.
- September 30
- Disneyland's 50th anniversary celebration 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 the Disney Channel and draws an astonishing 7.8 million viewers.
- January 27 - The Emperor's New School premieres on the Disney Channel.
- February 24 - Feeling Good with JoJo premieres on the Disney Channel.
- March 24 - Cow Belles premiered on the Disney Channel, and Hannah Montana premieres afterwards.
- April 28 - Bear in the Big Blue House airs its final episode.
- May 5 - Mickey Mouse Clubhouse premieres on Playhouse Disney.
- May 22 - Alias ends its run on ABC.
- June 16 - Commander in Chief ends its run on ABC.
- July 28 - The Replacements premieres on the Disney Channel.
- September 2 - ABC Sports becomes ESPN on ABC, utilizing ESPN graphics.
- September 15 - Breakfast with Bear is taken off the air.
- September 18 - Handy Manny premieres on Playhouse Disney.
- October 2 - Yin Yang Yo! premieres on Jetix.
- December 26 - Rolie Polie Olie is taken off the air.
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
- March 21 - Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters
- October 3 - Disney Dossiers: Files of Characters From the Walt Disney Studios
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 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 - Disney 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
- Grey's Anatomy: The Complete First Season (Touchstone Television)
- Disney Princess Sing Along Songs Vol. 3 - Perfectly Princess
- February 28 - Lady and the Tramp: 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition (DVD)
- March 7
- March 14 - Remember the Titans - Director's Cut
- March 21
- April 4 - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
- April 11
- 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
- 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)
- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Disney Movie Club Exclusive VHS)
- Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (DVD)
- 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
- Eight Below (Disney Movie Club Exclusive VHS)
- Disney Learning Adventures: Winnie the Pooh: Shapes & Sizes
- Winnie the Pooh: Wonderful Word Adventure
- August 22 - Little Einsteins: Mission Celebration!
- August 29
- Darkwing Duck: Volume 1
- TaleSpin: Volume 1
- Brother Bear 2 (DVD)
- August 31 - Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (Disney Movie Club Exclusive VHS)
- September 5
- 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
- Scrubs: The Complete Fourth Season (Touchstone Television)
- 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
- Brother Bear 2 (Disney Movie Club Exclusive VHS)
- October 31 - The Wild (DVD and 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 21 - Alias: The Complete Fifth and Final 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
- December 12 - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: Extended Edition
- 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
People
Births
- June 25 - McKenna Grace (child actress)
- June 29 - Sam Lavagnino (child actor)
- September 7 - Rose McLelland (actress and singer)
Deaths
- January 6 - Lou Rawls (soul, jazz, and blues singer)
- January 14 - Shelley Winters (actress)
- February 24
- Don Knotts (actor, voice actor, and comedian)
- Dennis Weaver (actor and voice actor)
- February 25 - Darren McGavin (actor)
- July 19 - Jack Warden (actor)
- July 21 - Mako Iwamatsu (actor)
- August 13 - Tony Jay (actor, voice actor, and singer)
- August 28 - Ed Benedict (animator and layout artist)
- September 7 - Bernard Wolf (animator and television producer)
- October 20 - Jane Wyatt (actress)
- October 22 - Arthur Hill (actor)
- December 8 - Martha Tilton (singer and actress)
- December 12 - Peter Boyle (actor)
2006