Walt Disney World Resort opens in Florida.
An overview of all Disney-related events that occurred in the year 1971.
Theatrical releases[]
Feature films[]
- January 20 - The Wild Country
- March 17 - The Barefoot Executive
- May 26 - 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (re-issue)
- June 22 - Scandalous John
- June 30 - The Million Dollar Duck
- July 7 - Pinocchio (re-issue)
- September 1 - The Million Dollar Duck (New York City, New York)
- October 6
- The Living Desert (re-issue)
- The Vanishing Prairie (re-issue)
- November 11 - Bedknobs and Broomsticks (New York City, New York)
- December 13 - Bedknobs and Broomsticks
- December 17 - Lady and the Tramp (re-issue)
Shorts[]
- January 15 - Bongo (re-issue)
- July 31 - Get the Message
- August 28 - Project Florida
Business[]
- December 10 - Lucasfilm is found by George Lucas.
- Walt Disney Productions purchases the animation rights to Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain book series, which would be adapted into the film The Black Cauldron.
Character debuts[]
- October 1 - Henry, Wendell, Liver Lips McGrowl, Gomer, Ernest, Shaker, Trixie St. Claire, Teddi Barra, Sun Bonnets, Five Bear Rugs, Big Al, Melvin, Buff, and Max, Ursus H. Bear, One-Eyed Black Cat, Eurydelma, Giant Frogs, Macaques, Clyde & Claude, Citrikua
- November 11 - Miss Eglantine Price, Professor Emelius Browne, Charlie Rawlins, Carrie Rawlins, Paul Rawlins, Mrs. Hobday, General Teagler, Bookman, Swinburne, Mr. Jelk, Cosmic Creepers, Colonel Heller, Nazis, King Leonidas, Secretary Bird, Fisherman Bear, Mr. Codfish, Rocky the Rhino, Knights
Events[]
- The second Mickey Mouse balloon was removed from his 1971 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade debut due to bad weather.
- The second Donald Duck balloon was removed from his 10th appearance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Theme parks and resorts[]
- October 1 - The Walt Disney World Resort opens in Florida with the Magic Kingdom, Disney's Contemporary Resort, and Disney's Polynesian Resort.
- October 2 - The Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat opens in Liberty Square at Magic Kingdom.
- October 3 - Peter Pan's Flight opens in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom.
- October 14 - 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage opens in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom.
- November 19 - Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground opens at the Walt Disney World Resort.
- November 25 - America the Beautiful opens in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom.
- December 24 - Flight to the Moon opens in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom.
Books[]
- Surprise for Mickey Mouse
- Big Albert Moves In
People[]
Births[]
- January 2 - Renée Elise Goldsberry (actress, singer, and songwriter)
- January 7 - Jeremy Renner (actor, singer-songwriter, film producer, musician, and former makeup artist)
- January 8 - Zac Moncrief (producer, director, and screenwriter)
- January 12 - Craig Gerber (producer, screenwriter, director, and storyboard artist)
- January 15
- Regina King (actress)
- Eric Jacobson (puppeteer)
- January 20 - Questlove (musician, songwriter, disc jockey, actor, author, music journalist, producer, and film director)
- January 25 - Ana Ortiz (actress and singer)
- February 1 - Hynden Walch (voice actress, actress, and singer)
- February 6 - Brian Stepanek (actor and voice actor)
- February 12 - Scott Menville (actor, voice actor, and musician)
- February 22 - Lea Salonga (singer and actress)
- February 25 - Sean Astin (actor, voice actor, director, and producer)
- March 5 - Yuri Lowenthal (voice actor, producer, and screenwriter)
- March 7 - Kali Troy (voice actress)
- March 10 - Jon Hamm (actor, comedian, director, producer, and screenwriter)
- March 13 - Annabeth Gish (actress)
- March 16 - Alan Tudyk (actor and voice actor)
- March 22
- Keegan-Michael Key (actor, comedian, and writer)
- Iben Hjejle (actress)
- March 27 - Nathan Fillion (actor and voice actor)
- March 29
- Michael-Leon Wooley (actor, voice actor, singer, and activist)
- Monica Richardson (actress and producer)
- March 31
- Ewan McGregor (actor, singer, and director)
- Craig McCracken (animator, director, and producer)
- April 15 - Andy Daly (actor, voice actor, comedian, and writer)
- April 18 - David Tennant (actor and voice actor)
- April 26 - Jay DeMarcus (singer-songwriter and musician)
- April 28 - Chris Young (actor, voice actor, producer, and director)
- May 2 - Jonas Rivera (film producer)
- May 9 - Dave Boat (actor and voice actor)
- May 27 - Paul Bettany (actor, voice actor, screenwriter, film producer, and film director)
- May 30
- Idina Menzel (actress, voice actress, singer, and songwriter)
- John Ross Bowie (actor, voice actor, and comedian)
- June 2 - Espen Sandberg (film director and advertising producer)
- June 3 - John Hodgman (actor, voice actor, author, and humorist)
- June 5 - Mark Wahlberg (actor, comedian, producer, businessman, and former model and rapper)
- June 20 - Josh Lucas (actor)
- June 24 - Christopher Showerman (actor, screenwriter, and producer)
- July 1 - Melissa Peterman (actress, comedian, and television host)
- July 3 - Benedict Wong (actor and voice actor)
- July 4 - Al Madrigal (actor and comedian)
- July 15 - Jim Rash (actor, voice actor, comedian, director, producer, and screenwriter)
- July 16 - Corey Feldman (actor, voice actor, and singer)
- July 18 - Joe Russo (director, producer, and actor)
- July 20 - Sandra Oh (actress and voice actress)
- August 4 - Jeff Gordon (racing driver and philanthropist)
- August 10 - Justin Theroux (actor, comedian, film director, film producer, and screenwriter)
- August 12 - Yvette Nicole Brown (actress, voice actress, singer, and comedian)
- August 15 - Roy Conli (producer and voice actor)
- August 29 - Carla Gugino (actress)
- September 1 - Dave Wittenberg (voice actor)
- September 8
- David Arquette (actor, voice actor, comedian, film director, producer, screenwriter, and fashion designer)
- Martin Freeman (actor)
- September 9 - Eric Stonestreet (actor, voice actor, and comedian)
- September 14 - Kimberly Williams-Paisley (actress and voice actress)
- September 15 - Colleen Villard (voice actress)
- September 16 - Amy Poehler (actress, voice actress, comedian, director, producer, and writer)
- September 21 - Luke Wilson (actor and comedian)
- September 29 - Mackenzie Crook (actor and comedian)
- September 30 - Jenna Elfman (actress)
- October 2 - Chris Savino (storyboard artist, writer, producer, and director)
- October 5 - Sam Vincent (voice actor)
- October 6 - Emily Mortimer (actress and voice actress)
- October 13 - Sacha Baron Cohen (actor, voice actor, comedian, screenwriter, director, and film producer)
- October 15 - Gavin Lee (actor, singer, dancer, and choreographer)
- October 20 - Rachel House (actress, voice actress, and director)
- October 22 - Jennifer Lee (director, screenwriter, and producer)
- October 25 - Craig Robinson (actor, voice actor, comedian, singer, and musician)
- October 26 - Phil Johnston (animator, producer, director, storyboard artist, and voice actor)
- October 29 - Winona Ryder (actress)
- November 10 - Walton Goggins (actor)
- November 11
- David DeLuise (actor, voice actor, comedian, and television director)
- Greg Chun (voice actor)
- November 20
- Joel McHale (stand-up comedian, actor, writer, television producer, television personality, and voice artist)
- Enrico Casarosa (director, screenwriter, and storyboard artist)
- November 25 - Christina Applegate (actress and dancer)
- December 1 - Emily Mortimer (actress and voice actress)
- December 3 - Keegan Connor Tracy (actress and author)
- December 7
- Stephanie D'Abruzzo (actress, voice actress, singer, and puppeteer)
- DeObia Oparei (actor)
- December 18 - Lucy Deakins (actress)
- December 24 - Ricky Martin (singer, songwriter, actor, and author)
- December 26 - Jared Leto (actor and musician)
- December 27 - Christopher Swindle (voice actor)
Deaths[]
- February 1
- Bob Hilliard (lyricist)
- Harry Reeves (animator and screenwriter)
- February 20 - William Lava (composer and arranger)
- May 8 - Larry Morey (composer, lyricist, and screenwriter)
- July 6 - Louis Armstrong (jazz musician, trumpeter, and vocalist)
- July 7 - Ub Iwerks (animator, cartoonist, director, producer, and special effects technician)
- July 15 - Bill Thompson (radio comedian, actor, and voice actor)
- July 17 - Cliff Edwards (singer, actor, and voice actor)
- August 26 - Julius Svendsen (animator, writer, and story artist)
- September 23 - Billy Gilbert (voice actor)
- December 20 - Roy Oliver Disney (co-founder of The Walt Disney Company)
- December 28 - Burt Gillett (director, writer, and animator)
1971