Major Disney anniversaries to commemorate in 2023
The Walt Disney Company‘s 100th-anniversary celebration may be getting all the attention, but there are a lot of other Disney milestones to commemorate in 2023.
As Disney World finally winds down its 50th-anniversary celebration on March 31, Animal Kingdom will be gearing up for its 25th anniversary and Tokyo Disneyland will be getting ready to mark its 40th.
There are many more attractions, movies and events reaching round-number milestone anniversaries this year, including “Peter Pan” turning 70, Huey, Dewey and Louie celebrating the 85th anniversary of their first appearance on the big screen, Tom Sawyer Island reaching its 50th anniversary at the Magic Kingdom, and Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room celebrating its 60th anniversary at Disneyland.
Plus, we’ve included some big Disney birthdays. Here are Disney anniversaries in 2023 to watch for:
January
Jan. 1, 1888: Elias Disney and Flora Call are married in Acron, Fla., a town in eastern Lake County, about 60 miles from what is today Walt Disney World. They are the parents of Walt and Roy Disney. (135th anniversary)
Jan. 6, 2008: Stitch’s Great Escape! closes at Magic Kingdom. (20th anniversary)
Jan. 7, 2008: Disney-MGM Studios changes its name to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (15th anniversary)
Jan. 18, 1882: A.A. Milne, the creator of Winnie-the-Pooh, is born. (151st anniversary)
Jan. 22, 2018: Minnie Mouse receives her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. (5th anniversary)
February
Feb. 5, 1953: “Peter Pan” is released. (70th anniversary)
Feb. 6, 1986: Walt Disney Productions officially changes its name to The Walt Disney Company. (37th anniversary)
Feb. 16, 2018: “Black Panther” is released. (5th anniversary)
Feb. 18, 1953: Disney’s first People and Places film, “The Alaskan Eskimo,” is released. (70th anniversary)
March
March 10, 1978: “Return of Witch Mountain” is released. (45th anniversary)
March 15, 2020: Walt Disney World closes at the end of business due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the seventh time in history Disney World has closed its doors. (3rd anniversary)
March 16, 1992: Walt Disney Studios in Paris, opens. (31st anniversary)
March 19, 2008: “A Wrinkle in Time” is released (15th anniversary)
April
April 15, 1983: Tokyo Disneyland opens. (40th anniversary)
April 15, 1938: Huey, Dewey and Louie debut in the short “Donald’s Nephews.” (85th anniversary)
April 11, 2003: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is released. (20th anniversary)
April 12, 2018: ESPN+ launches. (5th anniversary)
April 12, 1992: EuroDisney opens. In 1994 it is renamed Disneyland Paris. (31st anniversary)
April 22, 1998: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park opens on Earth Day. At 500 acres, it is Disney’s largest park and home to approximately 1,800 animals representing 200 species. The park’s icon, the Tree of Life, is a tribute to nature, featuring more than 300 intricately carved animal images. (25th anniversary)
April 23, 1993: The Walt Disney Company dedicates 8,500 acres of land purchased at the Osceola-Polk County line to The Nature Conservancy to preserve for future generations as the Disney Wilderness Preserve. (30th anniversary)
April 27, 2018: “Avengers Infinity War” is released. (5th anniversary)
May
May 2, 2008: “Iron Man” is released (15th anniversary)
May 3, 2013: “Iron Man 3″ is released.(10th anniversary)
May 9, 1955: Kermit the Frog first appears in the premiere of Sam and Friends on local Washington, D.C., television station WRC-TV. (68th anniversary)
May 22, 2003: Reflections of China debuts at EPCOT. (10th anniversary)
May 24, 1998: Astro Orbitor opens at Disneyland. (25th anniversary)
May 24, 1998: Discovery Island Trails open at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. (25th anniversary)
May 25, 1983: Pinocchio’s Daring Journey opens at Disneyland. (40th anniversary)
May 25, 2018: “Solo: A Star Wars Story” premieres. (5th anniversary)
May 27, 1933: “Three Little Pigs,” Academy Award winner, is released. (90th anniversary)
May 27, 2002: Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind opens to guests. (1st anniversary)
May 29, 1973: Tom Sawyer island opens at Magic Kingdom (50th anniversary)
May 30, 2003: “Finding Nemo” is released. (20th anniversary)
May 31, 2008: Toy Story Midway Mania! opens at Walt Disney World. (15th anniversary)
June
June 1, 2013: Wilderness Explorers open at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. (10th anniversary)
June 3, 1988: Norway Pavillion opens at EPCOT. (35th anniversary)
June 7, 1940: Daisy Duck makes her first appearance in “Mr. Duck Steps Out.” (83rd anniversary)
June 9, 1934: Donald Duck makes his first appearance in “The Wise Little Hen.” (89th anniversary)
June 14, 1958: Alice in Wonderland and Sailing Ship Columbia open at Disneyland. (65th anniversary)
June 15, 2018: “Incredibles 2” premieres. (5th anniversary)
June 17, 2008: Toy Story Midway Mania! opens at Disney California Adventure. (15th anniversary)
June 18, 1988: Walt Disney World Railroad Fantasyland station opens (35th anniversary)
June 19, 1998: “Mulan” is released. (35th anniversary)
June 21, 2013: “Monsters University,” the prequel to “Monsters, Inc.”, premieres. (10th anniversary)
June 21, 1988: “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” is released. (35th anniversary)
June 23, 1963: Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room opens at Disneyland, with the first use of all-new “Audio-Animatronics” technology. (60th anniversary)
June 23, 2018: Incredicoaster at Disney California Adventure opens. (5th anniversary)
June 23, 2018: Pixar Pier opens at Disney California Adventure Park. (5th anniversary)
June 24, 1893: Roy O. Disney is born in Chicago, Illinois (130th anniversary)
June 27, 2008: “WALL•E” is released. (15th anniversary)
June 28, 1988: Grand Floridian Resort & Spa opens. (35th anniversary)
June 30, 2018: Play Disney Parks app launches. (5th anniversary)
June 30, 2008: Toy Story Land opens, including Alien Swirling Saucers and Slinky Dog Dash. (5th anniversary)
July
July 3, 2008: Disney’s Celebrate America! — A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky debuts. (15th anniversary)
July 06, 2018: “Ant-Man and The Wasp” premieres. (5th anniversary)
July 30, 1998: Disney Magic cruise ship departs on its inaugural cruise and the maiden voyage of the Disney Cruise Line. (25th anniversary)
August
August 15, 2003: Mission: Space opens at EPCOT. (20th anniversary)
September
Sept. 5, 1927: Oswald the Lucky Rabbit makes his debut in “Trolley Troubles.” (96th anniversary)
Sept. 5, 1930: Pluto makes his first appearance in “The Chain Gang.” (93rd anniversary)
Sept. 7, 1988: Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride closes at Magic Kingdom. (40th anniversary)
October
Oct. 1, 1971: Walt Disney World opens. (52nd anniversary)
Oct. 1, 1982: EPCOT opens at Walt Disney World. (41st anniversary)
Oct. 1, 1988: Caribbean Beach Resort at Disney World opens. (35th anniversary)
Oct. 1, 2003: Mission Space Green and Orange debuts, giving guests prone to motion sickness an alternative to using air-sick bags. (20th anniversary)
Oct. 4, 1993: Mission to Mars closes at Magic Kingdom. (30th anniversary)
Oct. 7, 1998: Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin opens at Magic Kingdom. (25h anniversary)
Oct. 8, 2003: Mickey’s PhilharMagic opens. (20th anniversary)
Oct. 12, 2003: ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter closes at Magic Kingdom. (20th anniversary)
Oct. 15, 1998: “Fantasmic!” premieres at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the newly-constructed Hollywood Hills Amphitheater. The larger-than-life show features more than 50 live performers, massive sets, a brilliant display of lights, lasers, fireworks and water animation, all set to rousing music. (25th anniversary)
Oct. 16, 1923: Walt Disney’s Laugh-O-Gram business goes bankrupt and Walt decides to move to California with his brother Roy. Walt signs a contract with M.J. Winkler to produce a series of Alice Comedies — this date is used as the start of the Disney company, first known as “The Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio.” The studio was located at 4647 Kingswell Ave. in Los Angeles. (100th anniversary)
Oct. 29, 1993: “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” is released. (30th anniversary)
November
Nov. 8, 2013: “Thor: The Dark World,” from Marvel Studios, is released. (10th anniversary)
Nov. 8, 1973 : “Robin Hood” premieres. (50th anniversary)
Nov. 10, 1953: Disney’s new Buena Vista Distribution Company releases its first film, “The Living Desert.” (70th anniversary)
Nov. 18, 1928: Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse make their debut in “Steamboat Willie.” (95th anniversary)
Nov. 18, 1988: “Oliver & Company” premieres. (25th anniversary)
Nov. 21, 2018: “Ralph Breaks the Internet” premieres. (5th anniversary)
Nov. 27, 2013: “Frozen” is released. (10th anniversary)
Nov. 29, 2013: Debut of the Canadian Holiday Voyageurs, a seasonal band at EPCOT. (10th anniversary)
December
Dec. 5, 1901: Walt Disney is born. (122nd anniversary)
Dec. 14, 2003: Pop Century Resort at Walt Disney World opens. (20th anniversary)
Dec. 15, 1973: The Golf Resort opens with 151 hotel rooms located in the middle of the Palm and Magnolia golf courses. The location eventually becomes Shades of Green Resort for the military. (50th anniversary)
Dec. 15, 1973: Pirates of the Caribbean opens at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. (50th anniversary)
Dec. 16, 1983: The first Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is held at Magic Kingdom, starting a tradition of popular Disney After Hours events, combining special entertainment and offerings with extra time in the park. (40th anniversary)
Dec. 19, 2018: “Mary Poppins Returns” premieres. (5th anniversary)
Dec. 20, 1971: Roy O. Disney passes away, less than three months after the opening of the Walt Disney World Resort. (52nd anniversary)
Dec. 21, 2018: The Tropical Hideaway opens at Disneyland Park. (5th anniversary)
Dec. 21, 1948: Release of “Seal Island,” the first True-Life Adventure. (75th anniversary)
Dec. 22, 2018: Disney Junior Dance Party! debuts. (5th anniversary)
Dec. 25, 1963: “The Sword in the Stone” is released. (60th anniversary)
Dec. 25, 1983: The Walt Disney World Christmas Parade is broadcast live from Magic Kingdom on ABC, going on to become a holiday tradition and growing to include parades and performances from both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. (40th anniversary)
