An overview of all Disney-related events that occurred in the year 1987.
Theatrical releases
Feature films
- January 30 - Outrageous Fortune (Touchstone Pictures)
- March 6 - Tin Men (Touchstone Pictures)
- April 10 - The Aristocats (re-issue)
- May 8 - The Brave Little Toaster (Hyperion Pictures) premiered in Baltimore, Maryland.
- May 22 - Ernest Goes to Camp (Touchstone Pictures)
- June 4 - Benji the Hunted (Dallas, Texas)
- June 5 - Benji the Hunted (limited)
- June 19
- Benji the Hunted
- The Brave Little Toaster (Hyperion Pictures) premiered in Orlando, Florida.
- July 3 - Adventures in Babysitting (Touchstone Pictures)
- July 10 - The Brave Little Toaster (Hyperion Pictures)
- July 15 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (New York City, New York; 50th anniversary re-issue)
- July 17 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (general; 50th anniversary re-issue)
- August 5 - Stakeout (Touchstone Pictures)
- August 14 - Can't Buy Me Love (Touchstone Pictures)
- November 6 - Hello Again (Touchstone Pictures)
- November 20 - Cinderella (re-issue)
- November 25 - Three Men and a Baby (Touchstone Pictures)
- December 23 - Good Morning, Vietnam (Touchstone Pictures; limited)
Shorts
- May 1 - A Story
- May 27 - Sport Goofy in Soccermania
- June 23 - Courtesy is Caring
- July 6 - Red's Dream
- July 10 - Luxo, Jr.
- July 28 - Oilspot and Lipstick
- August 2 - Goofy's Hygiene Game
- September 9 - Mickey's Field Trips: The Police Station
- September 10 - Mickey's Field Trips: The Fire Station
- September 11 - Mickey's Field Trips: The Hospital
- October 19 - Time for Table Manners
- December 15 - Working for Peanuts (Walt Disney World)
Theme parks
- January 9 - Star Tours opens in Tomorrowland at Disneyland.
- March 20 - Captain EO opens in Tomorrowland at Tokyo Disneyland.
- May 5 - Disney Dollars made its debut at Disneyland. Two denominations were issued for 1 and 5 Disney Dollars, both featuring Mickey and Goofy on one side and images of Sleeping Beauty Castle and the Mark Twain Riverboat on the other.
- July 4 - Big Thunder Mountain opens in Westernland at Tokyo Disneyland.
- October 1 - EPCOT Center celebrates its 5th anniversary.
- October 2 - Disney Dollars made its debut at Walt Disney World, with the currency being issued at EPCOT Center.
- December 15 - Magic Journeys opens in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom.
Television
- March 22 - Down and Out with Donald Duck
- September 12 - Adventures of the Gummi Bears begins airing its third season.
- September 18 - DuckTales premieres in syndication. Based largely on the comic books written by Carl Barks, the show tells of the adventures of Uncle Scrooge and his grand-nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie. The animation is leaps and bounds ahead of similar animated programs of the time and becomes an instant success, paving the way for many future Disney animated TV programs.
- December 25 - The fifth annual Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade premieres on CBS.
Books
Home video releases
VHS & Laserdisc releases
- January 27
- Flight of the Navigator
- Child of Glass
- Five Mile Creek: Volume 15
- Johnny Shiloh
- Babes in Toyland (re-issue)
- February 24
- Ruthless People (Touchstone Home Video)
- Monkeys, Go Home!
- My Dog, the Thief
- Born to Run
- The Shaggy Dog (re-issue)
- March 24
- Ride a Wild Pony
- The Littlest Outlaw
- Miracle of the White Stallions
- Smith!
- Tough Guys (Touchstone Home Video)
- April 28
- Five Mile Creek (Volumes 16-17)
- The Undergrads
- May 19
- Walt Disney Cartoon Classics (5 tapes: Here's Mickey!, Here's Donald!, Here's Goofy!, Silly Symphonies!, and Here's Pluto!)
- The Reluctant Dragon
- Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Heigh-Ho
- Walt Disney Video-A-Longs (re-issue)
- Mickey Knows Best (re-issue)
- The Importance of Being Donald (re-issue)
- Disney's Greatest Lullabies (re-issue)
- The Apple Dumpling Gang (re-issue)
- July 7
- October 6
- Lady and the Tramp
- Dumbo (re-issue)
- The Sword in the Stone (re-issue)
- Alice in Wonderland (re-issue)
- Sleeping Beauty (re-issue)
- A Dream Called Walt Disney World (re-issue)
- Flight of the Navigator (re-issue)
- Darby O'Gill and the Little People (re-issue)
- Mary Poppins (re-issue)
- Old Yeller (re-issue)
- Pete's Dragon (re-issue)
- Walt Disney Cartoon Classics (5 tapes: Starring Mickey & Minnie, Starring Donald & Daisy, Starring Silly Symphonies: Animals Two by Two, Starring Chip `n Dale, and Starring Pluto & Fifi)
- Disney's Sing-Along Songs: The Bare Necessities
Character debuts
- January 9 - RX-24, G2-9T
- March 8 - Masked Tophat
- June 19 - Toaster, Radio, Lampy, Kirby, Blanky, Air Conditioner, Elmo St. Peters, Hanging Lamp, T.V., Cutting-Edge Appliances, Plugsy, Rob McGroarty, Chris McGroarty, Junkshop Appliances, Blender, Giant Magnet, Crusher, Junkyard Cars, Evil Clown, Zeke, Quadruped
- July 3 - Chris Parker, Brad Anderson, Sara Anderson, Daryl Coopersmith, Mike Todwell
- July 10 - Red, Lumpy the Clown
- September 12 - Tadpole
- September 18 - Duckworth, Admiral Grimmitz, Big Time Beagle, Burger Beagle, Bouncer Beagle, Bentina Beakley, Webby Vanderquack, Launchpad McQuack, El Capitan, Joaquin Slowly, Skittles
- September 19 - Marzipan, Malsinger
- September 21 - Poe De Spell, Babyface Beagle
- September 22 - Sarkus, The Garbled One, Ka-Hoo-Fu
- September 23 - Doofus Drake, Major Courage, Overlord Bulovan
- September 24 - Armstrong
- September 25 - Ma Beagle, Bankjob Beagle
- September 28 - Magica's Shadow
- September 29 - Djinni, Shawebizad
- October 2 - Mad Dog McGurk
- October 3 - Beevilweevils, Tree Folk
- October 5 - Baggy Beagle
- October 8 - Bugle Beagle
- October 10 - Aquarianne, Finwithit
- October 13 - Fritter O'Way, Seafoam McDuck, Diddle O'Way
- October 14 - Bomber Beagle, Ripcord McQuack, Birdie McQuack, Loopey McQuack
- October 22 - Terra-Firmie King
- October 23 - King Blowhard, Circe, The Sirens, Yuckalinda, Queen Ariel, King Homer
- October 31 - Chillbeard, Chillbeard Jr., Boggles
- November 20 - Harp of Troy
- November 23 - Emperor Ping the Pitiless
- November 25 - Dr. NoGood, Feathers Galore
- December 23 - Shedlock Jones
- December 25 - Cinnamon Teal
Events
- February 22 - Blue Sky Studios is founded by Chris Wedge, Carl Ludwig, Eugene Troubetzkoy, Alison Brown, David Brown and Michael Ferr.
- The Neon Mickey logo is surprisingly seen on the October 6, 1987 re-release of Pete's Dragon during the Absolutely Irresistible promotion, and on the February 24, 1987 re-release of The Shaggy Dog.
- After 1 year, The Littlest Outlaw, Feelin Goofy, Memorable Mickey, Delightfully Donald, Five Mile Creek Volume 15, and Miracle of the White Stallions are the last tapes to use the Walt Disney World: The Magic That Moves The World promo at the end.
People
Births
- January 8 - Cynthia Erivo (actress, singer, and songwriter)
- January 12 - Naya Rivera (actress, singer, and model)
- January 20 - Evan Peters (actor)
- February 1 - Heather Morris (actress, singer, dancer, and model)
- February 7 - Kirby Howell-Baptiste (actress and voice actress)
- February 9 - Michael B. Jordan (actor, producer, and director)
- March 3 - Aaron Moorhead (film and television director, actor, producer, cinematographer, and editor)
- March 7 - Erika Ishii (voice actor)
- March 19 - Josie Loren (actress)
- April 3 - Rachel Bloom (stand-up comedian, actress, voice actress, writer, and singer-songwriter)
- April 9 - Jesse McCartney (actor, singer-songwriter, and voice actor)
- April 10 - Hayley Westenra (singer, songwriter, classical crossover artist, and UNICEF Ambassador)
- April 18 - Jessica McKenna (actress, voice actress, and comedian)
- April 19 - Courtland Mead (actor and voice actor)
- April 23 - Michael Waldron (screenwriter and producer)
- May 21 - Ashlie Brillault (actress and lawyer)
- May 29 - Joseph Haro (actor and voice actor)
- May 31 - Shaun Fleming (actor, voice actor, and musician)
- June 3 - Lalaine (actress, singer-songwriter, and spokesperson)
- June 11 - Jimmy O. Yang (actor and comedian)
- June 16
- Abby Elliott (actress, voice actress, and comedian)
- Ali Stroker (actress, voice actress, and singer)
- July 1 - Elizabeth Grullón (actress and voice actress)
- July 10 - Germaine Franco (composer, songwriter, and orchestrator)
- July 11
- Cristina Vee (voice actress, singer, voice director, and television host)
- A.J. LoCascio (actor, voice actor, film, director, and film producer)
- July 24 - Mara Wilson (actress and writer)
- July 29 - Génesis Rodríguez (actress, voice actress, and model)
- August 18 - Mika Boorem (actress)
- August 19 - Manny Jacinto (actor)
- August 25 - Liu Yifei (actress, singer, and model)
- August 27 - Tiffany Boone (actress and voice actress)
- September 7 - Evan Rachel Wood (actress, voice actress, fashion model, and singer)
- September 11 - Elizabeth Henstridge (actress, voice actress, and director)
- September 19 - Danielle Panabaker (actress)
- September 22 - Teyonah Parris (actress)
- September 23 - Skylar Astin (actor, voice actor, singer, and model)
- September 26 - Zach Reino (actor, voice actor, and comedian)
- September 28 - Hilary Duff (actress, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, author, and humanitarian)
- October 1 - Matthew Daddario (actor)
- October 9 - Melissa Villaseñor (actress, comedian, and voice actress)
- October 15 - Chantal Strand (actress, voice actress, singer, and writer)
- October 18 - Zac Efron (actor, voice actor, and singer)
- November 1 - Jamie Demetriou (actor, voice actor, comedian, and screenwriter)
- November 5 - Kevin Jonas (singer-songwriter, musician, and actor)
- November 21 - Aimee-Ffion Edwards (actress and voice actress)
- November 27 - Lashana Lynch (actress)
- November 28 - Karen Gillan (actress, voice actress, and former model)
- December 3 - Michael Angarano (actor)
- December 4 - Orlando Brown (actor, voice actor, rapper, singer, and radio personality)
- December 8 - Aria Curzon (actress and voice actress)
- December 13 - Michael Socha (actor)
- December 28 - Thomas Dekker (actor, director, producer, singer, and musician)
Deaths
- January 15 - Ray Bolger (actor, singer, and dancer)
- January 26 - Charles Wolcott (composer and songwriter)
- February 9 - Don Griffith (art director and layout artist)
- April 19 - Milt Kahl (animator)
- June 13 - Geraldine Page (actress)
- July 1 - Jerry Livingston (composer and songwriter)
- July 26 - Kenneth Muse (animator)
- December 22 - José Oliveira (voice actor)
- December 23 - Chuck Couch (writer and animator)
Artists joined
- Nik Ranieri - Supervising animator on The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Hercules.
- Russ Edmonds - Supervising animator on The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Tarzan.
- Tony Fucile - Animator on The Lion King, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Incredibles, and The Little Mermaid.
1987