Disney cans Bob Chapek; Bob Iger to return as CEO

Bob Iger returning is surprising, but Chapek being ousted is not. Besides being the man who lost Reedy Creek, Chapek was fundamentally changing the company from one that was driven to preserve and protect its long-term brand value and corporate legacy to being only focused on maximizing the profit of the next quarter though maximum consumer gouging.

Did Chapek even last a year? This is wild but he fully deserved to be ousted. Fuck-up after fuck-up.

Chapek became CEO in 2020.

Fuck these old white men. We need some young POC running that shit.

CNBC reports that Iger has agreed to stay on for two years.

Here's the full Disney release:

The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) announced today that Robert A. Iger is returning to lead Disney as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Iger, who spent more than four decades at the Company, including 15 years as its CEO, has agreed to serve as Disney’s CEO for two years, with a mandate from the Board to set the strategic direction for renewed growth and to work closely with the Board in developing a successor to lead the Company at the completion of his term. Mr. Iger succeeds Bob Chapek, who has stepped down from his position.

“We thank Bob Chapek for his service to Disney over his long career, including navigating the company through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic,” said Susan Arnold, Chairman of the Board. “The Board has concluded that as Disney embarks on an increasingly complex period of industry transformation, Bob Iger is uniquely situated to lead the Company through this pivotal period.”

“Mr. Iger has the deep respect of Disney’s senior leadership team, most of whom he worked closely with until his departure as executive chairman 11 months ago, and he is greatly admired by Disney employees worldwide--all of which will allow for a seamless transition of leadership,” she said.

The position of Chairman of the Board remains unchanged, with Ms. Arnold serving in that capacity.

“I am extremely optimistic for the future of this great company and thrilled to be asked by the Board to return as its CEO,” Mr. Iger said. “Disney and its incomparable brands and franchises hold a special place in the hearts of so many people around the globe—most especially in the hearts of our employees, whose dedication to this company and its mission is an inspiration. I am deeply honored to be asked to again lead this remarkable team, with a clear mission focused on creative excellence to inspire generations through unrivaled, bold storytelling.

“During his 15 years as CEO, from 2005 to 2020, Mr. Iger helped build Disney into one of the world’s most successful and admired media and entertainment companies with a strategic vision focused on creative excellence, technological innovation and international growth. He expanded on Disney’s legacy of unparalleled storytelling with the acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and 21st Century Fox and increased the Company’s market capitalization fivefold during his time as CEO. Mr. Iger continued to direct Disney’s creative endeavors until his departure as Executive Chairman last December, and the Company’s robust pipeline of content is a testament to his leadership and vision.

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[quote]In February 2020, Chapek was named chief executive officer of the Walt Disney Company replacing Bob Iger, who would remain as executive chairman until the end of 2021. This was considered a surprise to many Disney employees, who had seen Tom Staggs as the heir apparent to Bob Iger. In April 2020, Chapek was elected to the Walt Disney Company's board of directors. It was later revealed, the same month, that while Chapek remained CEO, Iger had resumed control of the company's operational duties for the time being, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It would be proper to have Chapek dragged in chains down Main Street.

Bob Iger bailed on Disney during the pandemic probably because he was uncertain of what was going to happen. Suddenly he is back now that things are under control? He definitely played his hand well.

After Jim Cramer demanded that Chapek be fired, it was only a matter of time.

The Hindenburg had a less spectacular fall.

Disney put the guy who wanted to defame the family who little son was killed by the alligators at disney world in charge. He was fired too.

Wow what a colossal failure on Iger’s part in choosing a successor. I wonder if he will bring Peter Rice back.

How could he not have foreseen what a volatile corporate shit stirrer Chapek would be?

He wanted to do a remake of "Song Of The South" with Kenan Thompson.

Does this mean we’ll finally get That Darn Cat! on Blu-ray?

Chapek has been on borrowed time since he took the top job.

Get rid of the crazy as fuck chick as well.

Disney is having a hard time finding a CEO who is well respected and trustworthy. They pay extremely well. Mutant Capitalism does not produce quality people at the top, Democracy does.

R12 it was intentional. Iger was simply biding his time during the pandemic. He knew he wanted to return when things calmed down.

I’ve got a soft spot in my heart and a hard dick in my pants for Iger.

Chapek was a disaster from the outset. Iger isn’t an innovator but he knows how to run the shop. (And he’s hot, was, is and will be)

Chapek looked like a thumb.

What's so odd was that even though things have been rough for a while, they'd extended Bob Cheapskate's a few months ago.

I have no idea how Iger picks up the pieces, but he was a much better steward for the company than Bob Paycheck ever was.

When the kid was killed by the alligator, Iger was emotionally crushed and tried to help the family. Chapek would have been 100% focused on keeping the resort running and making sure that the family paid its bill before they left. Chapek is a modern day robber baron.

They paid more money for Iger to come back. He will pick senior management. He’ll have his own management team to do and oversea all the work.

The fans are talking up Josh D'Amaro, who replaced Cheapskate as the head of the Parks, to be groomed for the CEO job.

How about no.

Also, he is married to a woman, but pings to high heaven.

Can someone remind him that Meghan does voice-overs please.

I've been reading article after article about how distressing and expensive it has become to go to the theme parks, especially taking away fast passes and other stuff that makes it much more difficult and unfair to folks without mucho denaro to go on rides and attractions without huge lines.

Iger creeps me out. Reminds me of a rich guy I knew what I was a teenager. Trust me.

R27 Iger might be genetically lucky to have a kind, handsome face, but they are all kunty and crafty to rise to that level. What can he do to win back the common frau? Lower park ticket prices a few dollars?

Disney was screwing over their loyal customer base and the community that supported them for decades. People are devastated and pissed.

They are going to have to fix their rewards credit cards and passes.

Rot in hell, Chapek.

Brayden is happy.

Daddy

Chapek's true colors of leadership came out with the whole "Don't Say Gay" thing. He was willing to throw gay people under the bus until he realized it made him look bad. And he only apologized because it made him look bad, not because he was genuinely sorry or gay-friendly. He seems like a dick. Good riddance!

FYI, if you would like to save money on Hulu + Disney+. You can get Hulu for $1.99 a month for 12 months, and get Disney+ as an add-on for $2.99 = $4.99 a month for both.

Would love to see Disney collapse.

R36 I tried.

[quote]Ms. Arnold called Mr. Iger on Thursday and asked him to consider returning to the company, according to three people with knowledge of the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. In recent months, Mr. Iger has made no secret of his extreme disappointment with Mr. Chapek, telling people close to him that he was “devastated” by the downward direction that Disney had taken and that it felt that Disney was losing its soul.

Wow--this all happened in three days. They really didn't want to waste another moment with Chapek.

Is that about the failure of the Star Wars themed resort?

R4 What would be really cool is for young POC to build a new Disney-like company (with their own ideas, creativity, ingenuity and business sense) to rival Disney.

[quote]oversea all the work.

Oh, dear.

[quote]The fans are talking up Josh D'Amaro, who replaced Cheapskate as the head of the Parks, to be groomed for the CEO job.

I worked with Josh in Anaheim in 2000-2002 when he was in Business Planning. I was in a different group and didn't have a lot of interaction with him but definitely remember him. This was the time when the new CA Adventure park was opening. I don't have any gossip....

Winning.

If he gets rid of the reservation system, great. Otherwise, I don’t see much difference at this point.

One of the first things he needs to do is make peace with the state of Florida.

Disney has gone to hell in a handbasket , walt must be spinning in his grave, dont ya hear the bones arattlin .

[quote] What would be really cool is for young POC to build a new Disney-like company (with their own ideas, creativity, ingenuity and business sense) to rival Disney

[R40] Given that 61% of the U.S. population (and 86% of the wealth) is white, that seems like a suspect business strategy.

R47. I doubt people would look at a new Disney and think "those people aren't white... not watching!" I would hope people are a little more sophisticated than that.

The real issue is that Disney would just buy such a company. And Disney corners the market on this sort of stuff. It would be nearly impossible to replicate in a saturated market like this.

[quote] What would be really cool is for young POC to build a new Disney-like company (with their own ideas, creativity, ingenuity and business sense) to rival Disney

That the sort of thing we do at the new network, The Great American Family. But we are being called bigots and homophobes for announcing that we won't show any gay shit that Hallmark is doing now! Presenting ourselves as nice, traditional alternative to Hallmark.

R4, I think they actually want the business to be functional and make a profit.

Also, their newest “Fuck whitey!” movie came in way under expectations so there isn’t much appetite left for brown and black trauma narratives.

R50. Which movie was that?

So where does that leave Hillary Duff & Lizzie McGuire? What is she going to do to make money now?

Her shut still fallen apart it seems!

R45, considering Iger denounced the Don't Say Gay bill long before Chapek (who had to be forced to by Disney employees), what peace is there to be made? He shouldn't bow to DeSantis now.

Has anyone actually read the Parental Rights in Education Act? I’m a gay parent of a ~3 year old boy. If anyone talks to him about his penis without informing me, I’m coming for you.

There is [italic]nothing[/italic] in that law that upsets me. Full stop.

R54. Yes, people have read it. The thing is; you're a gay parent. The law isn't written to offend you. It's written to give straight, homophobic parents a weapon to browbeat schools with.

I for one don't like that teachers are forced to inform parents if kids confide in them anything about their sexual or gender identities. I don't like that it gives them the power to sue schools, at the school's cost, if they feel anything about the law's prohibition on "sex education" is breached - without defining what constitutes a breach. So a picture of a gay teacher at their wedding might be considered a breach. And then the state sends an investigator to sort out the allegations.

It's ridiculous.

R55 I respect your point and understand the potential, if unlikely, complaints which could be made. The law is clearly confined to a classroom setting, when the school and teacher have ‘custody’ of the children. And even then, it only requires that the parent be informed. A FB or Insta photo of your gay wedding is strictly outside of scope. Doesn’t mean a homophobic/small-minded parent can’t/won’t try. But it’s unenforceable and parents already complained about such things before it was passed.

The law only extends to the 3rd grade, and presumably young kids aren’t on social media, otherwise there are superseding issues with the ‘parenting’.

Most importantly, you and I completely disagree about a teacher being a confidante. My husband and I alone are his parents. We are the only appropriate confidantes, of a personal sexual/biological nature. If we take him to a qualified early childhood mental health professional, that person may act as a confidante. Doesn’t mean he [italic]can’t[/italic] talk to his teachers. It simply means they must notify the parent.

I don’t believe a teacher, with any assorted b.a. is qualified or capable of providing counsel on deep personal matters. Some may be capable, most aren’t and it’s not appropriate.

Disney has always been expensive but in the last 2 years the pricing has far outpaced inflation which is high in Florida.

There have been so many missteps since Chapek took over but what stands out to me is his monetizing every aspect of the park experience by raising admission prices, merchandise and dining inside the parks and the genie system which is a total rip off. It’s ridiculous that on top of paying a mint to get into the park you have to pay to ride so you are not stuck in line. But it doesn’t cover the most sought after attractions so that’s another fee.

He pissed off the loyal pass holder’s and tussled with Desantis and only came out against the don’t say gay bill after being called out on it. Disney suspended the sale of annual passes because he can make more charging single day admission purchases.

The train has been shut down for about 5 years now and Tron the ride is about 2 years overdue.

Many park and resort perks were eliminated like transportation from the airport to and from the resort as well as the early entry times for resort guests.

Shows and other park entertainment was slow to come back, it literally just made a full comeback in the last few months.

Epcots refurbishment is still unfinished and the park looks like shit at the entry, if you are paying for a premium experience you do not deserve to see large parts of the park all boarded up as soon as you enter the park.

The reservation system is probably the most hated though because they artificially control attendance while reducing the number of employees on site but the customers pay the price in the end because the wait times for rides and shows are still long and now you have to pay extra for genie to save some wait times.

The star wars hotel is a fiasco because it’s so overpriced that even people with money avoid it, $5k for 2 people for 2 nights is absurd. No pool or windows either. They recently had to cut staff because of high vacancies.

I agree with you r56. It would be one thing if it was a school counselor or someone trained, but giving teachers this kind of power (especially if we acknowledge the type of people likely to become teachers) puts kids at risk.

[quote] What would be really cool is for young POC to build a new Disney-like company (with their own ideas, creativity, ingenuity and business sense) to rival Disney

I'd say Tyler Perry is doing that in Georgia for years to very respectable success. Not necessarily on a Disney scale, but certainly as a force to be reckoned with. Disney needed a life-time and a half to get this big. So - give it some time.

Just wondering, what if Disney pulled out of FL? Would it be too expensive to start again somewhere else? Who needs the hurricanes and chaos there. And it could all be blamed on DeSATAN for coming against them. Money is the only thing the right seems to care about, and it would hurt him politically. Or would it be seen as the strong man making the big corporation run away with it's tail between it's legs? I think it would be more like them calling his bluff and he would look bad because of what he did to the economy with them leaving. BTW Bob Iger is hot.

R56. Firstly, I don't think teachers SHOULD be a confidante, but they shouldn't be barred from being one either if that's what the student wants. That's not the state's call to make. This strips any potential for a teacher to help a student struggling with their sexual identity, particularly if the kid's parents wouldn't react well to whatever the kid's going through.

Secondly, again, there's nothing in the law that actually specifies what a breach is. A picture may be outside the scope but who's going to determine that? Doesn't a state investigator have to be dispatched to make that call? The whole third-party restriction is very dubious as well. I remember that being poorly defined.

Which depletes the school's time, money, and morale. Probably why a number of teachers have already left the industry. Hence Florida's crippling teacher shortage.

But please, why do you think it's unenforcable? It seems plenty enforcable to me. I'll admit I haven't read the law in a while but I recall it having pretty strict language about investigating a breach, including time frames, but little about a.) what constitutes a breach, and b.) what the school is supposed to do to resolve a perceived breach (I guess just whatever the complaining parent wants?)

[quote]Just wondering, what if Disney pulled out of FL? Would it be too expensive to start again somewhere else?

Why are retarded people allowed to post here?

R57 makes excellent points but these things were also years in the making with Chapek running Parks under Iger. Anyone could have seen the direction the company would go with Chapek at the helm. Horrible decisions like the Star Wars hotel for millionaires, the unloved Galaxy's Edge, all predate Chapek's CEO tenureship.

I'll add that Chapek's strategy for running the parks basically comes down to "bilking the cult." Decisions which make no sense like renaming Splash Mountain "Tiana's Bayou Adventure" or retheming $1000 hotel rooms to The Incredibles.

From what I read on CNBC, the main factor may have been an internal one. Chapek took away subdivision's authority to set their own budget. He set up a department that reported to him that did the budgeting for everybody. As a result nobody was master of their manor anymore. And business partners (esp. Hollywood) need to talk to those who hold the budget. If the head of a sub-division cannot tell if he can commit to a project, nobody wants to talk to him. So those who had the ideas, didn't have the money. The ones with the money, didn't have the ideas.

[quote] why do you think it's unenforcable? It seems plenty enforcable to me. I'll admit I haven't read the law in a while but I recall it having pretty strict language about investigating a breach, including time frames, but little about a.) what constitutes a breach, and b.) what the school is supposed to do to resolve a perceived breach (I guess just whatever the complaining parent wants?)

Not sure specifically what you’re asking about enforceability. The law is completely enforceable for the specific and limited scope of what it covers, which is, essentially, material in the library (print/mixed media) or information shared by or exchanged with a teacher (verbally), of an age inappropriate nature.

If a parent feels something has violated the areas covered, they must first make a complaint to the principal, then the school district, and if still unsatisfied, a FLDOE magistrate. Each party in the complaint process has/is receiving specific training and written articulation of what is/isn’t allowed and what their findings dictate; no action or violation, which can result in removal of the material or a reprimand of the teacher.

Regardless of the administrative finding, the teacher still has legal recourse and access to union and state funded legal representation to appeal, if the extraordinarily unlikely constitutional nuance arises.

The other flow to the law’s coverage is if the information shared comes [italic]from[/italic] the child. In that case the teacher’s only duty is to notify the principal, who notifies the parent about the exchange. End of story.

[quote] Chapek became CEO in 2020.

Yes but he shadowed Iger for a while, who remained engaged as the public face through the pandemic. When Iger actually stepped back all hell broke loose.

[quote] CNBC reports that Iger has agreed to stay on for two years.

During that two years he will likely be the most highly compensated CEO in this Universe.

Disney is doing well thanks to its aggressive nickel and dime policies at the parks but it’s streaming service is a mess that is eating up revenues, this area needs to be brought under control quickly so that it can begin turning a profit by the original date projected. What that will entail I don’t know but Iger will be in a better position to tackle this that Chapek.

Parks fans are going to be sorely disappointed. There's no way much is going to change. I'm sure they'll get rid of the reservation system and probably start offering annual passes again. But the paid skip-the-line is not going away. Maybe they'll tweak it so as to allow people to reserve in advance, but since they've determined people will pay, they're going to continue charing.

Ka-CHING!

So if there's a resurgence of Covid will he resign again?

Chapek made too many mistakes, but Iger made a few as well, like buying Fox film studios for $71 Billion.

I think he will keep the hated genie service and eliminate the reservation system but in order to keep crowds under control they will not offer annual passes at least not like before, maybe something with lots of blackout days and hours to avoid crowds on the weekends when they are busier.

They just raised the park prices so they can’t touch that again without backlash.

Oh, the theme parks will bleed the customers dry, claiming to make up for the huge losses during the pandemic. Poor Disney. Chapek must've done something quite damaging for Iger to get his job back. Was it his decision to release Disenchanted only on Disney+ and not in movie theaters? The first one, in 2007, was a huge success and started Amy Adams' career (she got a producer credit for Disenchanted, don't know if she gets any extra money out of the deal when the movie is only available through Disney+).

What R66 describes is actually very similar to how the company was operating in the Eisner years, and it was among the very first things Iger changed when he became CEO.

Disney Cuts Strategic-Planning Unit By Merissa Marr Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL March 28, 2005 12:01 am ET

Less than two weeks after naming Robert Iger as its new chief executive, Walt Disney Co. dismantled the company's strategic-planning unit, the centralized corporate decision-making operation favored by departing chief Michael Eisner but unpopular among the entertainment giant's executives.

Long the target of criticism within the Disney empire, the strategic-planning unit's powers largely will be handed back to Disney business divisions that have chafed under the strategic-planning operation, which analyzed -- and often shot down -- business strategies and deals that company managers proposed.

Peter E. Murphy, who steered the unit for the past seven years and was a close aide to Mr. Eisner, will step down as chief strategic officer and senior executive vice president and will take on a scaled-back role as an adviser to Mr. Iger, who takes over as Disney's chief executive at the end of September. Mr. Murphy's advisory role is expected to be a temporary stop before a job outside the company.

The overhaul is a first step in Mr. Iger's efforts to make his mark at Disney and likely will win him points with the company's executives and investors. Since being named Mr. Eisner's successor, Mr. Iger has set a priority of decentralizing Disney and making its division heads more accountable. Now Mr. Iger is betting that company unit heads can devise better growth strategies than did the centralized group.

You can read the whole article at the link.

The Florida parks have been hit hard post-pandemic. Attendance is down. Chapek completely mishandled the situation with Ronda.

Are they going to stop the ghastly live-action remakes of their classic animated features?

I know WICKED-wannabe MALIFICENT did spectacular business for the first and good business on the sequel.

[quote]The Florida parks have been hit hard post-pandemic. Attendance is down.

Attendance is down, but spending is up. That's what happens when you raise prices and start charging for things that used to be free.

Where they're really getting hurt is Shanghai Disneyland. They're currently on their third COVID-related shutdown, and there's no indication of when they're going to be able to reopen.

R67.

[quote]Each party in the complaint process has/is receiving specific training and written articulation of what is/isn’t allowed and what their findings dictate; no action or violation, which can result in removal of the material or a reprimand of the teacher.

Sorry, who is providing this training and where is this being reported? And what does it involve? I clearly haven't been paying attention. And who is receiving this training? Presumably teachers and the school, not complainants.

Plainly, I don't think this law is as limited in scope as you are making it out to be. The law is very broadly written and gives a lot of power to parents at the detriment to the school. And it doesn't seem to take away the main point that if parents are unhappy they can keep pushing the problem up the ladder. And of course teachers will have school and state resources to draw upon but isn't that just a further tax on the legal and school system? How many complaints will they have to deal with, drawing down how many state resources, until they just give up and move to a state less hostile to teachers? Because that's already happening.

You're also missing a third stream of information flow: doesn't the law also talk about third-parties? Again, I haven't read the law in a while, but the definition of third-parties was extremely vague from memory. It talks about third-parties to the classroom so there was room there to rule that other students at the same school are third-parties as well.

So, he is restructuring again, putting "more decision-making back in the hands of our creative teams". Iger is going back to the structure he had during his tenure.

“Our goal is to have the new structure in place in the coming months. Without question, elements of DMED will remain, but I fundamentally believe that storytelling is what fuels this company, and it belongs at the center of how we organize our businesses,”

I wonder if David Zaslav of Warner Bros. Discovery is taking notes.

David Zaslav is doing exactly what he intended to do when he bought the company, which is to emaciate it so it can be sold to Comcast

Rumour is that Iger might sell Disney to Apple!

All of it? Or a part/significant part?

R14 I loved Hayley Mills. Thanks for bringing her up. Yes, release ‘That darned cat’! And I wish they’d stop pushing the other Parent Trap, because Hayley was the best, times two.

Put it in me, Bob Iger.

[quote]Rumour is that Iger might sell Disney to Apple!

Disney is only worth $175 billion? I'm surprised it's market cap is that low.

I'm actually surprised by that. That's only 7.3% of Apple's. For some reason, I've always thought it was a lot higher. It's less than 3/4 of what Coke or Pepsi are worth.

[quote]Parks fans are going to be sorely disappointed.

Even if nothing changes, Chapek being severely punished is a cause for celebration.

ROFL Apple would dismantle the company since they only need some assets. Of course TheCrap wrote this.

Yeah, they'd strip mine the studios for intellectual property and offload the theme parks.

Apple wouldn't want the theme parks or the cruise line.

[quote]ROFL Apple would dismantle the company since they only need some assets. Of course TheCrap wrote this.

[quote]Apple wouldn't want the theme parks or the cruise line.

And, without the other properties, the theme parks decline in value significantly. You need Mickey, Donald, and the various animated princesses to drive the Disney Magic.

They could still have those things, but they'd have to pay to license them.

Could they spin off DPEP? I am not so sure about that.

The AT&T disaster reiterated the long held conventional wisdom that outsiders buying into Hollywood almost never works.

R84

Is that even legal? Wtf

Why wouldn't it be legal? Amazon already owns MGM. Next stop is Google buying Comcast or Warner Discovery.

[quote]Why wouldn't it be legal? Amazon already owns MGM. Next stop is Google buying Comcast or Warner Discovery.

Google is more interested in 5G than it would be in obtaining cable legacy lines. Warner Discovery might be interesting.

MGM barely exists as a theatrical distributor which is why Amazon bought it. They just want the library for streaming.

Warner Discovery is widely expected to be sold to Comcast in 2024.

[quote]Warner Discovery is widely expected to be sold to Comcast in 2024.

Putting more content in fewer hands.

Yay, capitalism.

Im curious, how would Bob I. have handled the Florida crap and the harassment by DeSantis?

He wouldn't have let it happen. They'd have put pressure on enough of the politicians that they own that it would have died.

He did something similar when he threatened to pull productions from Georgia if they advanced a transgender bathroom bill.

My uncle worked for Walt, and my ex was a VP at the studios, so I grew up at Disneyland. I won't be going back any time soon, and I can get free tickets.

The Disneyland Hotel never reopened their steakhouse after COVID, there is no room service- and this is a $400 per night hotel at a minimum. If you want food delivered to your room, it's Door Dash.

All food ordering though apps, as well as rides? No thanks. I don't want to spend my day looking at a phone.

Downtown Disney torn up- the whole place is a joke. And they are making more money than ever with less staff and higher prices.

They can take their Blue Bayou $29 Monte Cristo sandwich, yes $29 and shove it up their asses.

I don't claim to be an expert, but I think the cruise line loses massive amounts of money. They cost one billion per ship, meanwhile there are no new attractions planned at the parks through 2030, excluding retheming the Splash Mountain attractions.

Universal Orlando is about to eat WDW's lunch, and they no longer have time or money to respond to it.

Disney will always be the gold standard. Hopefully Bob Iger can right the ship. 2 years isn't very long

Iger’ll bring back Peter Rice, give him a crash-course in the aspects of the business that he’s unfamiliar with, and anoint him as CEO.

Or sell to Apple.

I agree.

They’ll have a “Disney For The Poors” the last Thursday of every month and accept EBT cards at concessions.

For all his success, Iger banished all potential successors, which is how they ended up with Chapek.

r111 We'll have a coupon day

[quote]For all his success, Iger banished all potential successors, which is how they ended up with Chapek.

That is the weird corporate irony at most big companies.

All of the talented people in the running end up in a death match with folks leaving along the way or immediately after the succession is made clear, leaving gaping holes in the lineup. Now, you could argue that this opens spots for the "next generation" of talent to take over, but often there is a void where there is no one for key positions.

It's the Trump method. Don't be a fool and mentor your successor. That way, you stay in power until you die, and then it doesn't matter what happens afterwards, you're dead. Fuck 'em.

R114 agreed. Tale as old as time, in corporate succession. It happens in full view at many/most companies the msm covers, and many/most companies not followed closely. Race horses are only willing to circle the paddock for so long before breaking out. Always seemed better to identify them before they strike out on their own, even if only privately to the chosen one to keep them around. While always leaving open for the possibility others have a shot, to keep your divisions full of talent.

It costs a fucking fortune in the first place just to go to WDW. Twice as much if you want to eat or drink. One day at the Florida park can easily set you back $500 for a ticket, food and drinks for ONE PERSON for ONE DAY. It’s ridiculous.

If WDW is supposed to be a family theme park, I have to wonder what sort of “family” they’re catering to. People who can afford the place for a family are the same who vacation in Europe instead.

The people who can afford to go there won’t and the parks have priced everyone else out or gutted the passholders access.

I used to go at least once a year. Not anymore. I’ll go somewhere else instead. Somewhere NOT Florida.

I will never forget how he had Tom Holland nearly in tears begging him to make another Spider Man movie, as if Disney wasn't going to continue making those movies. I bet Bob could have had Tom stop by to give a sloppy blowjob if asked.

r117 Plus now you have to plan everything in advance. As in logging online at 6am 180 days before arrival in the hopes of booking a slot on a ride you want to go on, and similar ridiculousness.

But I disagree with you about there not being the people who can afford it. There seem to be plenty of tasteless morons with money to spare. Many of them can be seen queuing for hours to buy a popcorn bucket

The parks are making more money than ever, at least in the US.

Well, Disney is a commercial cult. People are conditioned to believe that spending money on anything Disney related results in gratifying entertainment, no matter how much it costs. And If you can't afford it, you're a fucking loser, denying yourself the greatest "gift" the world has to offer.

My family couldn’t afford it, and we were absolutely LAMBASTED by other children that did.

A few Christmases ago, we drove from Tampa where we live, deciding at the last moment to go Christmas Day and checked in to an $800 hotel only for my husband to decide we need to see his mom instead in Hernando Beach.

We were lucky because they shut down at noon, hitting capacity.

[quote]It's the Trump method. Don't be a fool and mentor your successor.

Is there any subject on this earth that doesn't trigger your obsession with Trump? No normal person would have had any thought about Trump when thinking about Disney.

It is cheaper if you buy a tour package, I think.

Just forget it. It sounds like hell on earth. There are other theme parks that are just as fun.

The other night I was thinking about how much I used to love Disneyland when I was younger. The last time I went, it felt like a nightmare it was so horridly crowded and expensive.

When you really give it some thought, it's just a damn carnival with better facades. Now that I have a VR headset, I would much rather ride a virtual roller coaster than a real one. The virtual ones even have dinosaurs chasing you. Hell, you can even go on the You Tube app in VR and ride all the rides at Disney in high definition 360 VR and there are no lines to wait in.

Fascinating bit of contrarianism: Bob Iger was actually not a good CEO

There are a lot better things you can do with $500 a day per person. That is outrageous.

[quote] It's the Trump method. Don't be a fool and mentor your successor.

[quote] Is there any subject on this earth that doesn't trigger your obsession with Trump? No normal person would have had any thought about Trump when thinking about Disney.

You make it about Trump, all I pointed out, related to this thread (r144), is the method of making yourself too important to get rid of without anyone competent, ambitious, or potential promising to replace you. Trump is a good example of that. If you had a better one, you could have mentioned it in your comment, but you didn't. So yeah, great input *two thumbs up*

R128, it isn't $500 a day. Maybe $300 with a nice meal and snacks, which is still too much- especially under the current conditions.

r129 Not who you were replying to, but no Trump is not a good example of that, because any talented or competent people wouldn't want to work with him in the first place, and the fact he owns the company, so succession is always going to be his choice anyway.

r131, and you don't offer a better alternative either. How unfortunate.

The point remains that without mentoring a proper successor, companies are stuck with egomaniacs who want to remain in power for as long as possible and don't care what's happening when they are gone.

Iger is a hot granddaddy.

r132 Dumb fuck, we don't need to offer an alternative, given we were already talking about an example of it - Bob Iger. But just to shut you the fuck up - Jack Welch at GE.

[quote] [R132] Dumb fuck,

Gurl, bye.

I’ve always thought Iger’s wife, Willow Bay, has the most charmed life of anyone alive. Beautiful, smart, successful in her own right, and married to the most powerful man in Hollywood.

By the way, since you claim it's the "Trump method" - name some of the talented executives who Trump fired because he didn't want them to succeed him. At the company he owns and will always decide who runs it.

OP- In your photo he looks like a better looking Frank Sinatra

Bob is a smart cookie. He ducked out just long enough to make his would be successor eat the Covid years and take the fall just in time for him to come back and retake the helm when it was over.

R139 = idiot

r117

I agree Igor is one hot granddaddy, he could get some!

Bob Iger is HOT! I would gladly be his down lo play thing.

Damn he aged better than any man I've seen. And he's handsome. Could pass for 50s.

He's 71 years old in this video. He looks and sounds damn good for someone who's 71 years old.

R122 see, that would really fucking annoy me. It’s like, bitch we drove all the way down here. WE’RE GOING TO DISNEY

R136- Not so charmed. I think it's highly unlikely that someone like him wouldn't have a mistress on the side or several mistresses on the side. One for LA and one at least for his forays to NYC.

For somebody who is quite introvert, the discussion about Disneyland or World is quite fascinating. Even in good times you wouldn't get me there. Based on the posts here, it sounds even more horrifying to me now. Sounds like an introvert's nightmare. I was at Universal Studios a couple years ago. It was off-season and a Tuesday. Number of visitors must have been in the two-digits. That was heaven.

Inside the Disney coup.

So is he saying Bob Iger is… Helen Lawson?

Iger is respected and trusted by everyone that works with Disney, and no one likes chapek.

It is pretty straightforward.

[quote]Iger is respected and trusted by everyone that works with Disney, and no one likes chapek.

Yet, Iger is the one who picked Chapek. Also, he's been hanging around since Chapek took over acting as a shadow CEO.

If nothing else, Iger's judgment in handpicking Chapek, given the flaws, should call into question Iger's decision making. I mean, he blew the single most important decision he made at Disney during his entire tenure as CEO. Additionally, identifying and developing successors for all positions, including his own, is arguably the primary responsibility for corporate CEOs in order to ensure the corporation remains a going concern.

It's amazing that Iger's failure not only to pick and develop a successor, but also leaving that successor with HUGE executive gaps, is not being called out much more vocally by everyone. Iger's management is what left Chapek with a very shallow bench across major positions at Disney when he took over. It's like blaming a new football coach after the old one drove away top talent, failed to recruit and develop new players, and then stuck around to badmouth and undermine him.

[quote] identifying and developing successors for all positions, including his own, is arguably the primary responsibility for corporate CEOs

I think you're a bit harsh on this. I'd say it's the board's primary task, not the CEO's. Granted Iger had a lot of authority, so they listened to his recommendation. But ultimately, it's the board's decision. If they let Iger select his own successor and merely rubber-stamped the selection, then the board acted negligent, not the CEO. In reality you are probably right. Iger groomed the wrong man, and wouldn't let release full control. Chapek was definitely working with one arm tied to his back thanks to Iger never fully relinquishing control.

[quote]I'd say it's the board's primary task

Actually, it's usually NOT the task of Boards. While it is their role to select a new CEO and vote on a chairman, it's not their task to identify and develop talent within their organizations.

While the Board should not rubber stamp a successor CEO, Iger should have identified and developed candidates as possible successors with a recommendation. But, where he failed was in driving away a lot of people who would have been Chapek's competitors for the role who were in major leadership positions - roles that would have been seen as vital steps in the succession, like the old GE model from yesteryear.

In the GE-style model, high performing executives were rotated through several positions in key business units as part of their development with a final small group of candidates holding one of a handful of key roles.

Iger failed to develop and failed even more to retain top talent, so that all he had left was Chapek in the end for good, bad, or indifferent.

^^^Don't get me wrong, I think that Chapek was a mistake.

Based on "leaks" and rumors, he's also responsible for some of the bad direction several of the key franchises, like Star Wars and Marvel, have taken.