Walt Disney Home Entertainment

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (also known as Buena Vista Home Entertainment) is the home video distribution division of The Walt Disney Company. Disney began distributing videos under its own label in 1978 under the name Walt Disney Home Video.
==Company structure==
The company distributes DVDs under the labels Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Touchstone Home Entertainment, Hollywood Pictures Home Entertainment, and formerly Miramax Home Entertainment before it moved with Lionsgate & Echo Bridge and Dimension Home Video, before it moved with The Weinstein Company, which acquired 25% of Starz Media on January 4, 2011, in which Anchor Bay Entertainment became the DVD and Blu-ray distributor for their films. Ironically Starz, which is owned by Starz Media (Liberty Media - 75%; The Weinstein Company - 25%) airs Disney movies. With the advent of DVD and eventually Blu-ray, "Home Entertainment" replaced "Home Video" in label names. In South America, also distributes the titles from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (with exception of Lionsgate Home Entertainment) and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The creation of the DVDs and BDs for South America and Jamaica is outsourced to AVH San Luis in Argentina.
==MCA DiscoVision releases==
Before Disney began releasing home video titles itself, it licensed some titles to MCA Discovision for their newly-developed disc format, later called Laserdisc. According to the Blam Entertainment Group website,
 which has extensive details of DiscoVision releases, only seven Disney titles were actually released on DiscoVision. One of these was the feature film Kidnapped. The others were compilations of Disney shorts. The first titles released in 1978 included: On Vacation with Mickey Mouse and Friends (#D61-503), Kids is Kids (#D61-504), At Home with Donald Duck (#D61-505), Adventures of Chip 'n' Dale (#D61-506), and finally The Coyote's Lament (#D61-507) which was released in May 1979. Disney's agreement with MCA ended in December 1981.
==Walt Disney Home Video releases==
In 1980, Disney established its own video distribution operation as part of Walt Disney Telecommunications and Non-Theatrical Company (WDTNT) with Jim Jimirro as its first president.
 
 Home video was not considered to be a major market by Disney at the time. WDTNT also handled the marketing of other miscellaneous ancillary items such as short 8 mm films for home use.
===First releases on Beta and VHS===
Disney's first releases on tape were 13 titles that were licensed for rental to Fotomat on March 4, 1980,
 initially in a four-city test (Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, and San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose), to be expanded nationwide by the end of 1980. The agreement specified rental fees ranging from $7.95 to $13.95. This first batch of titles on VHS and Beta included 10 live action movies: Pete's Dragon (#10), The Black Hole (#11), The Love Bug (#12), Escape to Witch Mountain (#13), Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier (#14), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (#15), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (#16), The North Avenue Irregulars (#17), The Apple Dumpling Gang (#18), and Hot Lead and Cold Feet (#19); and three of the compilations of short cartoons previously released by DiscoVision: On Vacation with Mickey Mouse and Friends (#20), Kids is Kids starring Donald Duck (#21), and Adventures of Chip 'n' Dale (#22). Later, on December 30, 1980, Mary Poppins (#23) was added to make 14 titles in all.
===Authorized Rental Dealers===
No new titles were released for half a year after Mary Poppins, but Walt Disney Home Video announced an expanded program for "Authorized Rental Dealers" in December 1980, and began to expand its dealer network during the first part of 1981.
 From January 1 to March 31, 1981, Disney had a "License One — Get One Free" promotion to encourage dealers to sign up. They also offered free rental use of a 7-minute Mickey Mouse Disco videocassette for customers who rented any title from an Authorized Rental Dealer from February through May 1981.
Disney was unusual among the major studios in offering a program for authorized rentals. Most of the other studios involved in the videocassette market at the time were trying to find ways to stop dealers from renting out their movie tapes. Magnetic Video (with titles from 20th Century Fox and others) ceased doing business with Fotomat after Fotomat began renting Magnetic Video cassettes without authorization.
 Disney's rental cassettes in blue cases looked completely different from sale cassettes, which were in white cases. That was designed to make it easy for Disney representatives to tell if dealers were violating their dealer agreements by renting out cassettes intended for sale, and it continued until 1983 or 1984, when they stopped doing so.
===Animated features===
The first of the Disney animated features canon to be released on videocassette was Dumbo on June 28, 1981,
 for rental only. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh was released for rental and sale at the same time. Alice in Wonderland was released on October 15, 1981, for rental only.
 Disney films were so appealing to audiences and Walt claimed that he wanted the magic to be experienced at home on their TV and locally. Reissues were now and then every few years -about four times in a decade for classic confirmation and anniversary.
===First Walt Disney Home Video laser videodiscs and animated features for sale===
Their agreement with DiscoVision having ended in 1981, Disney began releasing Laserdiscs under the Walt Disney Home Video label to their own network of distributors and dealers. The first five titles were shipped in June 1982: The Black Hole, The Love Bug, Escape to Witch Mountain, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck Cartoons, Collection One. Five more titles shipped in July: Pete's Dragon, Dumbo, Davy Crockett and the River Pirates, On Vacation With Mickey Mouse and Friends, The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band, and Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck Cartoons, Collection Two.
Disney released more cartoon compilations (pre-Walt Disney Cartoon Classics in 1983) in late 1981, including Goofy Over Sports and A Tale of Two Critters.
Dumbo was released for sale on tape in summer 1982, while Alice in Wonderland was released for sale in November 1982.
 The next major animated feature to be released (excluding the "package" anthology features) was Robin Hood on December 6, 1984, starting the Walt Disney Classics collection. By 1982, all the video releases were for sale and rental, along with newer releases, but at high prices.
To market these new video releases, the company produced an exclusive promo seen after various Disney video films. The promo was nicknamed "Walt Disney and You" by fans on account of the customized tune in the promo. The promo also featured clips from the various releases and ended with a video-freeze of the then-current Walt Disney Home Video opening sequence (known as the "Neon Mickey"; a screenshot from this can be seen above).
July 16, 1985 saw the home video premiere of Pinocchio which became the bestselling video of that year.
Disney later produced the Disney Sing-Along Songs collection of videos for young children in association with Harry Arends and Phil Savenick. The series first hit stores on December 23, 1986.
== Disney DVD ==
Disney DVD is the brand name under which Buena Vista Home Entertainment releases its Disney-branded motion pictures. In 1997, Disney began releasing titles on DVD although they were not released in the UK until 2000, with VHS releases well stop at Bambi II was released in 2006. The brand launched a loyalty program called Disney Movie Rewards in October 2006. Participants can collect points by submitting ticket stubs from Disney feature films, "magic codes" from Disney home video purchases and Disney CDs. The points can be redeemed for prizes like games, DVDs, books, posters, and collectibles.
=== Platinum Editions ===
The Platinum Editions are a line of special edition DVDs released by Disney. Originally, the line comprised the company's ten best-selling VHS titles and was released in October of each year. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first film to receive this honor in 2001. The two following titles, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King were released in IMAX and other giant screen theaters during the holiday season before its October DVD release. Due to underperforming box office results, this tradition was terminated after Aladdin. In May 2003, Disney announced that they would be adding the next four best-selling titles to the collection. Starting in 2005, a Platinum Editions was released in October and February/March. Another tradition practiced for these released are gift sets. These gift sets contain supplements such as original animation sketches, a film frame, and a companion's book.
The current list of Platinum Editions includes: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, Bambi, Cinderella, Lady and the Tramp, The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, The Jungle Book, 101 Dalmatians, Sleeping Beauty, and Pinocchio.
The original plan for the Platinum Editions was that they would be released ten years after they are put in the Disney Vault. Since then, this time has been shortened to seven years.
===Diamond Editions===
Beginning with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in October 2009, Disney began re-issuing Platinum Editions titles under a new Diamond Editions classification on Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack seven years later.http://www.ultimatedisney.com/diamondcollection-pressrelease-0910.html Disney plans to release all the Platinum Edition titles once again.
==Disney Blu-ray==
Disney Blu-ray is the brand name under which Buena Vista Home Entertainment releases its Disney-branded motion pictures in High-Definition. In late 2006, Disney began releasing titles, like the Pirates of the Caribbean films, the National Treasure films and the first two Narnia films, on Blu-ray Disc.
===Disney Blu-ray 3D===
In late 2010, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment began releasing their first Blu-ray 3D, starting with A Christmas Carol.
===Disney Second Screen===
A new feature that was included in the Diamond Edition of Bambi on March 1, 2011, "Disney Second Screen" is a feature accessible via a computer or iPad app download that provides additional content as the user views the film. Disney Second Screen syncs along with the movie, and as the film plays, interactive elements such as trivia, photo galleries, and animated flipbooks appear on the iPad or computer screen. As of December 10, 2010, it is scheduled to be available in the United States and English-speaking Canada.
==Notable releases==
The brand name first used by Walt Disney Home Video on their American home video releases of Disney animated features was Walt Disney Classics. The last title in the Classics line from 1984-1994 was The Fox and the Hound. With the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, all the existing titles in the Classics line were replaced with the Masterpiece Collection line and the Classics line was unofficially cancelled. The Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection line was released by Walt Disney Home Video from 1994-1999. Starting in October 2001, the Platinum Editions and Diamond Editions line are released by Walt Disney Home Entertainment. The series features restored digital versions of several of the most popular Disney animated features.http://www.ultimatedisney.com/releasetypes.htm
Following are the movies that have been released in the various collections, with the original release date in each category:
Movie Title 	Home Entertainment	The Classics 	Masterpiece Collection	Gold Collection 	Collector's Edition	Platinum Editions	Diamond Editions	Non-Diamond Editions	Signature Collection	Disney Movie Club	Sing Along Edition release	Home Video 	Masterpiece Edition	Super Stars Edition	90 Collection Edition
One Hundred and One Dalmatians 	October 2002 	April 1992 	March 1999 	December 2000 	March 2008 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure	January 2003 	 	 	 	April 2006 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
A Bug's Life 	April 1999 	 	 	August 2000 	May 2003 	 	September 2014 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
A Goofy Movie 	September 1995 	 	 	June 2000 	August 2008 	 	March 2011 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Aladdin 	August 2008 	October 1993 	 	March 2001 	October 2004 	Spring 2013 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Alice in Wonderland 	October 1981 	May 1986 	October 1994 	July 2000 	September 2006 	 	February 6, 2011	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Atlantis: The Lost Empire 	January 2002 	 	 	 	October 2008 	 	Fall 2013 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Bambi 	August 2002 	September 1989 	February 1997 	July 2000 	March 2005 	March 2011 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Beauty and the Beast 	May 2003 	October 1992 	April 1997 	September 2000 	October 2002 	October 2010 	August 2012 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Bedknobs and Broomsticks 	October 1980 	 	October 1994 	March 2001 	June 2007 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Brother Bear 	March 2004 	 	 	 	 	 	March 2013 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Cinderella 	September 2001 	October 1988 	October 1995 	February 2001 	October 2005 	October 2012 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Dinosaur 	January 2001 	 	 	 	March 2005 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Dumbo 	June 1981 	November 1985 	October 1994 	December 2000 	July 2004 	 	September 2011 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 	September 2004 	November 1991 	March 1995 	November 2000 	May 2007 	 	November 2010 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Fun and Fancy Free 	November 1982 	September 1993 	July 1997 	June 2000 	May 2005 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Hercules 	December 2006 	 	February 1998 	August 2000 	April 2002 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Home on the Range 	September 2004 	 	 	 	August 2008 	 	July 2012 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Lady and the Tramp 	August 2004 	October 1987 	September 1998 	April 2000 	February 2006 	February 2012 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Lilo & Stitch 	December 2002 	 	 	 	March 2009 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Make Mine Music 	 	October 1991 	April 1999 	June 2000 	January 2005 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Mary Poppins 	December 1980 	October 1991 	October 1994 	July 2000 	March 2008 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Melody Time 	 	November 1992 	June 1998 	June 2000 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas 	November 1999 	 	 	November 2000 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Mulan 	September 2008 	 	February 1999 	February 2000 	October 2004 	 	Fall 2013 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Oliver & Company 	December 2008 	August 1991 	September 1996 	October 2000 	April 2001 	 	 	 	 	 	 	October 2000	 	 	
Peter Pan 	October 2005 	September 1990 	March 1998 	February 12, 2002	May 2009 	February 2013 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Return to Never Land 	August 2002 	 	 	 	September 2007 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Pete's Dragon 	October 1980 	August 1991 	October 1994 	January 2001 	March 2004 	 	October 2012 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Pinocchio 	September 2005 	July 1985 	September 1996 	March 2000 	March 2009 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Pocahontas 	 	 	February 1996 	June 2000 	January 2005 	 	 	August 2012 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World 	August 1998 	 	 	September 2000 	January 6, 2009 	 	August 2012 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Robin Hood 	 	December 1984 	October 1994 	July 2000 	April 2002 	 	Fall 2013 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Saludos Amigos 	 	March 1991 	August 1998 	May 2000 	September 2007 	 	2014 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Sleeping Beauty 	 	October 1986 	September 1997 	November 2000 	October 2008 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 	May 2003 	October 1991 	October 1994 	May 2000 	October 2001 	October 2009 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
So Dear to My Heart 	June 1986 	September 1992 	October 1994 	February 2001 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Tarzan 	February 2000 	 	 	 	March 2009 	 	2014 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad 	 	April 1992 	May 25, 1999 	October 2000 	September 2007 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Aristocats 	 	November 20, 1992	April 1996 	April 2000 	March 2006 	 	August 2012 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Black Cauldron 	 	September 1993 	August 1998 	October 2000 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Emperor's New Groove 	May 2001 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Fox and the Hound 	 	March 1994 	September 1996 	May 2000 	May 2002 	 	 	August 2011 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Great Mouse Detective 	 	July 1992 	August 1999 	July 2002 	September 2003 	 	 	September 2012 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Hunchback of Notre Dame 	March 2002 	 	March 1997 	January 2000 	January 2005 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Jungle Book 	 	May 1991 	October 1997 	June 2000 	October 2007 	February 2014 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Jungle Book 2 	June 2003 	 	 	 	June 2008 	 	March 2014 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Lion King 	 	 	March 1995 	September 2000 	October 2003 	October 2011 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Little Mermaid 	September 2010 	May 1990 	November 1998 	February 2001 	October 2006 	Fall 2013 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh 	June 1981 	October 1990 	March 1996 	May 2002 	 	 	Spring 2013 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Nightmare Before Christmas 	1994 	 	 	 	September 2005 	 	September 2013 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Princess and the Frog 	March 2010 	 	 	 	September 2013 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Rescuers 	 	September 1992 	January 1999 	May 2003 	July 2007 	 	 	August 2012 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Rescuers Down Under 	 	September 1991 	March 1997 	August 2000 	May 2003 	 	 	August 2012 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Sword in the Stone 	September 2007 	March 1986 	October 1994 	March 2001 	Apirl 2005 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Three Caballeros 	November 1982 	October 1987 	October 1994 	May 2000 	August 2005 	 	 	October 2013 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Treasure Planet 	April 2003 	 	 	 	September 2007 	 	 	July 2012 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Toy Story 	October 1996 	 	 	January 2000 	September 2005 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Tigger Movie 	August 2000 	 	 	 	September 2003 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==See also==
* List of Disney theatrical animated features
* List of Disney direct-to-video films
* Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection
* Walt Disney Platinum Editions
* Walt Disney Diamond Editions
* Walt Disney 2-Movie Collection
* Walt Disney 2-Disc Collector's Edition
* Disney Movie Club Exclusive DVDS
* Home Video releases
==Notes and references==
==External links==
* Disney DVD
* The Ultimate Guide to Disney DVD
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Category:Companies based in Los Angeles County, California
Category:Companies established in 1980
Category:Home video companies of the United States
Category:Walt Disney Company subsidiaries
Category:Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group
Category:Home video
Category:Walt Disney Studios
Category:Subsidiaries of The Walt Disney Company