1997

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Events

 * Buena Vista loses the rights to Jim Henson Video, and the video distribution rights are given to Columbia-Tristar Home Video, with the exceptions of The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island, which were produced by Disney.
 * January - The Walt Disney Company and McDonald's Corporation begins a multi-national promotional alliance.
 * January 15 - Production begins on The Emperor's New Groove.
 * February 21 - Club Disney, an interactive children's play center opens it's first unit in Thousand Oaks, California.
 * February 24 - Michael Eisner and Steve Jobs announces that Walt Disney Studios and Pixar have agreed to joint produce five films over the next ten years.
 * April 2 - Disney's restored New Amsterdan Theater is unveiled in New York City.
 * April 17 - Gibson Guitars holds a demonstration of their new products at Walt Disney World's Pleasure Island.
 * December 8 - Walt Disney Television announces their plan to launch Toon Disney.

Theatrical releases

 * February 14 - That Darn Cat is released to generally negative reviews.
 * March 7 - Jungle 2 Jungle is released to very poor reviews.
 * April 11 - Grosse Pointe Blank (Hollywood Pictures)
 * June 6 - Con Air (Touchstone Pictures) is released to mixed reviews.
 * June 27 - Hercules is released to positive reviews.
 * July 16 - George of the Jungle and Nothing to Lose (Touchstone Pictures)
 * August 1 - Air Bud
 * August 22 - G.I. Jane (Hollywood Pictures)
 * October 10 - RocketMan
 * October 31 - The Wind in the Willows
 * November 14 - The Little Mermaid (reissue)
 * November 26 - Flubber (remake of The Absent-Minded Professor)
 * December 25 - Mr. Magoo

Television

 * January 17 - Mighty Ducks airs its final episode.
 * February 15 - Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles airs its final episode.
 * February 28 - ABC airs the special, Walt Disney World's 25th Anniversary Party in prime-time. It is hosted by Melissa Joan Hart and Will Friedle.
 * March 31 - Teletubbies premieres in the United Kingdom.
 * April 7 - The Disney Channel becomes a basic cable channel as opposed to a premium service. They also get a new logo as well, which had a TV with Mickey Mouse ears on it with Mickey Mouse inside the TV (which will be changed again in 2002). They also drop the "the" in the name, becoming simply "Disney Channel".
 * April 19 - Nightmare Ned premieres on ABC with the episode, "Ned's Life as a Dog/A Doll's House".
 * August 23 - The first Disney Channel Original Movie, Northern Lights, debuts on the Disney Channel.
 * August 29 - The Disney Afternoon name is used for the last time. From September 1 to the end of 1998, syndicated Disney programs would not carry a block name.
 * August 31 - ABC airs the first episode of Recess, "The Break In/The New Kid", in primetime as a preview (depending on the channel affiliate, as some stations were airing news coverage on Princess Diana's death).
 * September 1 - 101 Dalmatians: The Series premieres in syndication with "You Slipped a Disk/Chow About That?"; it would also begin airing on ABC on September 13.
 * September 13 - Recess and Pepper Ann premiere on ABC as part of the new One Saturday Morning programming block.
 * October 5 - Toothless premieres on The Wonderful World of Disney on ABC.
 * November 2 - Rodger and Hammerstein's Cinderella premieres on The Wonderful World of Disney on ABC.
 * November 9 - Angels in the Endzone premieres on The Wonderful World of Disney on ABC.
 * November 16 - Oliver Twist premieres on The Wonderful World of Disney on ABC.
 * November 21 - Absent-Minded Inventors and the Search for Flubber premieres on ABC.
 * November 30 - The Love Bug remake premieres on The Wonderful World of Disney on ABC.
 * December 25 - A Magical Walt Disney World Christmas airs on ABC, hosted by Melissa Joan Hart and Jerry Van Dyke.