An overview of all Disney-related events that occurred in the year 1978.
Theatrical releases
Feature films
- February 10 - Candleshoe
- March 10 - Return from Witch Mountain
- June - In Search of the Castaways (re-issue)
- June 9
- The Cat from Outer Space
- The Jungle Book (re-issue)
- July 5 - Hot Lead and Cold Feet
- December 16 - Pinocchio (re-issue)
Shorts
- March - The Eyes Have It (re-issue)
- July 5 - The Madcap Adventures of Mr. Toad
- September 1 - Alice in Wonderland: A Lesson in Appreciating Differences
- September 3 - Lady and the Tramp: A Lesson in Sharing Attention
- September 4 - Pinocchio: A Lesson in Honesty
- September 5 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: A Lesson in Cooperation
- December 16 - The Small One
Events
- November 23 - The Mickey Mouse balloon makes its eighth appearance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Character debuts
- March 10 - Dr. Victor Gannon
- June 9 - Zunar-J-5/9 Doric-4-7, Frank Wilson, Liz Bartlett, General Stilton, Mr. Stallwood, Norman Link, Doctor Heffel, Charlie Olympus, Omar and Mr. Smith
- December 16 - Small One, The Boy, The Father, The Three Merchants, The Potter, The Baker, Auctioneer, The Tanner, The Three Donkeys, Joseph, Virgin Mary
Theme parks
- June - Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland reopens after improvements have been made to the interior, adding the Yeti (three of them), an ice cavern with glowing crystals and snow storms.
- July 14 - The American Egg House restaurant opens on Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland.
- September 1 - The Stage Door Café restaurant opens in Frontierland at Disneyland.
Television
- November 19 - Mickey's 50 airs on NBC.
Books
Home video releases
LaserDisc releases
- December - On Vacation with Mickey Mouse and Friends
- MCA released several Disney laserdiscs
People
Births
- January 24 - Kristen Schaal (actress, voice actress-comedian, and writer)
- January 26 - Kelly Stables (actress and voice actress)
- February 2 - Eden Espinosa (actress and singer)
- February 7 - Ashton Kutcher (actor, producer, entrepreneur, and former model)
- February 14 - Danai Gurira (actress and playwright)
- February 20 - Jay Hernandez (actor and fashion model)
- February 21 - Kumail Nanjiani (comedian, actor, screenwriter, and podcaster)
- March 4 - Geno Segers (actor)
- March 17 - Patrick Seitz (voice actor, ADR director, and script writer)
- April 15 - Chris Stapleton (singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer)
- April 19 - James Franco (actor, director, producer, and writer)
- April 28 - Robert Oliveri (actor)
- April 29 - Tyler Labine (actor and voice actor)
- May 10 - Kenan Thompson (actor, voice actor, and comedian)
- May 12 - Jason Biggs (actor and comedian)
- May 15 - David Krumholtz (actor, voice actor, comedian, and producer)
- May 22 - Ginnifer Goodwin (actress and voice actress)
- June 2
- Justin Long (actor, comedian, and humorist)
- Nikki Cox (actress and voice actress)
- Dominic Cooper (actor)
- June 7 - Bill Hader (actor, voice actor, comedian, writer, producer, and director)
- June 11 - Joshua Jackson (actor)
- June 12
- Shiloh Strong (actor, screenwriter, photographer, and film director)
- Timothy Simons (actor, voice actor, and comedian)
- June 16 - Daniel Brühl (actor and filmmaker)
- June 19 - Zoë Saldaña (actress and dancer)
- June 29 - Nicole Scherzinger (singer and actress)
- July 1 - Hillary Tuck (actress)
- July 6 - Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry (twin actresses)
- July 12 - Topher Grace (actor)
- July 19
- R.J. Williams (actor, voice actor, television host, television producer, and entrepreneur)
- Chiara Zanni (comedian, actress, voice actress, and singer)
- July 23 - Travis Oates (actor, voice actor, director, and writer)
- August 7 - Alex Timbers (writer and director)
- August 18 - Andy Samberg (actor, voice actor, comedian, writer, rapper, and producer)
- August 21 - Christopher Willis (composer)
- August 22 - James Corden (actor, comedian, writer, producer, and presenter)
- August 23 - Andrew Rannells (actor, voice actor, comedian, and singer)
- August 25 - Kel Mitchell (actor, voice actor, stand-up comedian, rapper, and singer)
- September 4 - Wes Bentley (actor)
- September 18 - Billy Eichner (comedian, actor, voice actor, writer, and television personality)
- September 23 - Anthony Mackie (actor)
- October 4 - Dana Davis (actress and voice actress)
- October 7 - Omar Benson Miller (actor)
- October 14 - Usher (singer, songwriter, dancer, businessman, philanthropist, and actor)
- October 26 - Jac Schaeffer (screenwriter, producer, and director)
- November 12 - Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (filmmaker, director, journalist, and activist)
- November 17
- Rachel McAdams (actress)
- Nonso Anozie (actor)
- November 18 - Daniel Chong (animator, storyboard artist, writer, director, producer, and filmmaker)
- November 23
- Destin Daniel Cretton (film director and screenwriter)
- Kayvan Novak (actor and comedian)
- November 24 - Katherine Heigl (actress and producer)
- November 28 - Aimee Garcia (actress and voice actress)
- November 29 - Ace Gibson (actor and voice actor)
- November 30
- Gael García Bernal (actor, voice actor, director, and producer)
- Timm Sharp (actor)
- December 1
- Camille Cottin (actress and comedian)
- Stefan Kapičić (actor and voice actor)
- December 7 - Kristofer Hivju (actor)
- December 18 - Josh Dallas (actor)
- December 29 - Ali Hillis (actress and voice actress)
Deaths
- January 18 - Junius Matthews (actor and voice actor)
- April 21 - Thelma Boardman (voice actress and writer)
- May 28 - Basil Davidovich (animator and layout artist)
- July 26 - Mary Blair (visual development artist)
- August 24 - Louis Prima (singer, actor, songwriter, bandleader, and trumpeter)
- September 30 - Edgar Bergen (actor, comedian, radio performer, and ventriloquist)
- October 8 - Karl Swenson (actor and voice actor)
- November 5 - Denis O'Dea (actor)
Artists joined
- Chris Buck - Director/Animator who worked on The Little Mermaid, Tarzan, and Frozen.
- Phil Nibbelink - Animator on The Fox and the Hound, The Black Cauldron, The Great Mouse Detective, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
- Darrell Van Citters - Animator who worked on The Fox and the Hound and directed the shorts Fun with Mr. Future and Sport Goofy in Soccermania.
- Michael Peraza Jr. - Art Director/Layout Artist on The Fox and the Hound, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin.
- Glenn Vilppu - Layout Artist on The Fox and the Hound and The Black Cauldron.
- Ben Burgess - Assistant Animator who worked on The Fox and the Hound, Mickey's Christmas Carol, and The Black Cauldron.
- Ray Harris - Assistant Animator on Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King.
1978