Disney Dollars first came to be in 1987 and began at the US parks on May 5. The currency which could only be used at Disney owned properties in the US were equal to the value of the US dollar. Originally Mickey Mouse appeared on the $1 bill, and Goofy on the $5. Minnie was first on the $10, which came out on November 20, 1989. (This information came from the book Disney A to Z The Official Encyclopedia by Dave Smith)
The initial image on the front remained the same from 1987 to 1989. The backs had different images in those years. Sleeping Beauty Castle, Mark Twain Riverboat, Walt Disney World backdrop, and Horseless Carriage were all back images in this time.
After 1989, it went as follows:
| Year | Currency Value | Front | Back |
| 1990 | $1 | Mickey | Cinderella Castle |
| $5 | Goofy | Disney World Backdrop | |
| $10 | Minnie Mouse | Disneyland Backdrop | |
| 1993 | $1 | Bowtie Mickey Mouse (special 65th birthday version) | Mickey Mouse in Toontown |
| $5 | Goofy | Disney World Backdrop | |
| $10 | Minnie Mouse | Disneyland Backdrop | |
| 1994 | Back to originals | ||
| 1997 | $1 | Sorcerer Mickey | Walt Disney World 25th Anniversary Cinderella’s Coach |
| $5 | Goofy in Tuxedo | 25th Anniversary Fireworks | |
| $10 | Young Simba | 25th Anniversary Sorcerer Mickey logo | |
| 1998 | Back to originals | ||
| 2000 | $1 | Mickey in suit | 2000 Spaceship Earth |
| $5 | Goofy in celebration | Parade of Dreams from Disneyland | |
| $10 | Donald celebrating | Disneyland Paris 2000 celebration | |
| 2001 | $1 | Sorcerer Mickey (different from 1997 version) | Disneyland Park “Open 1955” |
| $5 | Mickey backpacking | Disney’s California Adventure logo | |
| $10 | Mickey and Minnie on vacation | Disneyland Resort old logo | |
| 2002 | $1 | Steamboat Willie | 100 Years of Magic characters |
| $5 | Snow White | 100 Years of Magic characters | |
| $10 | Tinkerbell at Disneyland | 100 Years of Magic characters | |
| 2003 | $1 | Mickey in suit | New design Sleeping Beauty Castle |
| $5 | Goofy celebrating (without confetti) | Disney World – Cinderella Castle | |
| $10 | Donald Duck | Disneyland Paris – Sleeping Beauty Castle | |
| 2005 | $1 | Dumbo (the overall look was different as well for these) | Sleeping Beauty Castle with 1955 to 2005 |
| $5 | Donald portrait | Sleeping Beauty Castle with 1955 to 2005 | |
| $10 | Stitch | Sleeping Beauty Castle with 1955 to 2005 | |
| $50 | Mickey portrait in tuxedo | Sleeping Beauty Castle with 1955 to 2005 | |
| $50 | Mickey in tuxedo by mirror | Sleeping Beauty Castle, Charles Boyer design | |
| $1 | Chicken Little | “Movie coming in 2005” | |
| 2006 | $1 | Cinderella | Sleeping Beauty Castle with 1955 to 2005 |
| $5 | Goofy portrait | Sleeping Beauty Castle with 1955 to 2005 | |
| $10 | Minnie portrait | Sleeping Beauty Castle with 1955 to 2005 | |
| 2007 | $1 | Ariel | Disneyland “Where Dreams Come True” logo |
| $5 | Sleeping Beauty | Disneyland “Where Dreams Come True” logo | |
| $10 | Cinderella | Disneyland “Where Dreams Come True” logo | |
| $1 | Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (the overall look was different for these) | The Black Pearl | |
| $1 | Pirates: Dead Man’s Chest | Flying Dutchman | |
| $1 | Pirates: At World’s End | Empress | |
| 2008 | $1 | 1930 Mickey Mouse (the overall look was different for these) | Mickey’s 80th timeline |
| $5 | 1955 Mickey (band leader Mickey) | Mickey’s 80th timeline | |
| $10 | Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Mickey | Mickey’s 80th timeline | |
| 2009 | $1 | Mickey and Pluto with cake (all have Charles Boyer overall design now) | Cinderella Castle Celebrate You logo |
| $5 | Minnie and Daisy | Cinderella Castle Celebrate You logo | |
| $10 | Mickey, Donald, and Goofy blowing out cake | Cinderella Castle Celebrate You logo | |
| 2011 | $1 | Pirates: On Stranger Tides | Queen Anne’s Revenge |
| 2013 | $1 | Dragon Maleficent | Aurora and Philip |
| $1 | Ursula | Ariel and Eric | |
| $1 | Captain Hook | Peter Pan and Wendy | |
| $1 | Cruella Deville (error bill) | Pongo, Perdita, and Pepper | |
| 2014 | $1 | Splash Mountain | Mickey on Splash Mountain |
| $5 | Big Thunder Mountain Railroad | Mickey in Big Thunder car | |
| $10 | Space Mountain | Mickey on Space Mountain |
If a bill had an A on it, it was created for release at Disneyland. If it had a D it was released at Walt Disney World. New bills were printed several years, but only the different designs were done as noted above. The bills were able to be purchased in the parks at ticket booths, Guest Relations of each park, in the Downtown Disney Marketplace of Walt Disney World, at hotel concierges, World of Disney stores. Besides going to the resorts and purchasing, one could order by phone or mail.
The last Disney Dollars were given out on May 14, 2016, about one year short of being in circulation for 30 years. The bills will continue to be legal tender at parks.
