The Walt Disney Company has seen several different leaders over the course of its long history. Most recently, we saw a shift in leadership from former CEO Bob Iger to now CEO Bob Chapek.
©Disney || Bob Chapek
Bob Iger officially left Disney on December 31st, 2021, having stepped down from the position of CEO back in February 2020. Bob Chapek has been in the position ever since. But, before the two Bobs, there was CEO Michael Eisner, who was head of The Walt Disney Company for 21 years, from 1984 to 2005. And, Eisner was recently interviewed on CNBC, where he spoke about current CEO Bob Chapek, as well as Bob Iger.
In the interview, Eisner commented on the two CEOs that have succeeded him at the Walt Disney Company, according to Deadline. He talked about Bob Chapek to CNBC, saying, “I am a big fan of Disney. I am a fan of both Bobs. Yes I hired him [Chapek]. Is he the same executive as I am, or Bob [Iger] is, or anybody is? He is his own guy. He was very good at Disney when I was there. He took our home video business from a rental to a sell-through business. That was very risky. He did a very good job in the parks. I am a shareholder. I think he’s going to do very well.”
Bob Chapek
Michael Eisner also commented on former CEO Bob Iger and how he surprisingly stepped down from the position of CEO one year before his contract was over. Eisner said, “We’ve talked about it. Having 50 unanswered emails, and seven scripts you haven’t read and 30 phone calls you haven’t returned…Getting off that treadmill is not a horrible thing.”
©Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images
He went on to say, “I think he is interested in writing another book, looking at his opportunities. He is not 25 years old, as I’m not. Between ABC and Disney, he spent many years at one institution. I think he is coming up for air and you will hear about him and things he will be doing and his wife Willow [Bay] will be doing in the future.”
©Disney
Eisner made a comment comparing both CEOs, saying, “There is no loser here. I don’t think the shareholders are losers here, or the consumers are losers here, or certainly either of them,” referring to Iger and Chapek.
Michael Eisner (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Nickelodeon)
He also mentioned the pandemic in his interview with CNBC, talking about how Disney has historically done pretty well. Eisner said, “Bob [Iger] did extremely well. We did OK. I wouldn’t discount Disney. Disney went through…this pandemic. That does change a lot of things. I wouldn’t throw away your Disney tickets to the theme parks quite so early.”
Bob Chapek in Disney World on its 50th Anniversary
Want to see more on leaders at The Walt Disney Company? Check out these stories below:
- CEO Bob Chapek Outlines Goals for the Walt Disney Company
- Disney CEO Bob Chapek Talks Star Wars Hotel, the COVID-19 Closures, and More
- Former Disney CEO Bob Iger Just Sent a Big Thank You to Cast Members
- Former Disney CEO Bob Iger Shares Why It Was Time for Him to Step Down
- Disney+ Needs More Content for More People, According to Former CEO Bob Iger
- Why One Media Executive Thinks Bob Iger Could Return as Disney’s CEO
Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney news and updates.
Click here to see CEO Bob Chapek talk about the current goals for the Walt Disney Company
Check out our video on the mistakes to avoid during your 2022 Disney World trip:
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
Who has been your favorite Disney CEO? Let us know in the comments!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
They’re all in it together. Good old boys. Did you really think he’d have anything negative today? He’s not stupid enough to bite the hand that feeds you. He makes a lot of passive income these guys as a major stockholder. Wake up and smell the coffee.
Cut me a break… NO LOSERS HERE! The guest/ fan is the loser. I guess we are all just consumers now. That’s what happens when the bottom line is all that matters and the magic disappears!
Maybe Micheal Eisner needs to don regular clothes, stay at regular Disney hotels (ala undercover boss) and see what long time park fans are talking about. His experiences will always be the same if not better than pre-Covid. Stay at a moderate hotel, use transportation under disguise, see what ‘normal’ people’s experiences on a budget is.
Sounds like PR bs to me! Pay-check isn’t doing Disney favors!
Sorry, neither Bob Iger or Bob Cepek are a Michael Eisner whom many regard as the second coming of Walt Disney. Almost everything Disney fans enjoy today was at the hand of Michael Eisner and the late Frank wells. ( Frank was the Roy Disney of his day). All the expansion world wide, all of the growth of the Florida project were at the hand of Michael. He had a heart of gold and the prominence of a child much like Walt. There will not be another like home. Iger brought technology (Magic Bands) and price increases to Disney and Cepek had continued down that road. Neither has done anything to fix the biggest problem that has plagued Disney for years, the food. Definitely the weakest link in the Disney chain, grossly overpriced and poor quality. Oh well, I loved Michael, not so much for Iger and Cepek. The latter is more in tune with making money, where as Eisner was all in for guest service and value.
Mr. Eisner, your perspective is very different from that of the once-upon-a-time GUESTS. You proved that by referring to the” consumers”, a term that so many of us found offensive in Mr. Chapek’s recent memo. Even the kudos you rendered to him, “He took our home video business from a rental to a sell-through business”, reek of the profit driven goals that have hurt us all in so many ways. Read the blogs. We ALL went through this pandemic and have had to forge our path back to some sense of normalcy. The current park climate and programs are NOT our Disney normal. Before you break out in a round of applause perhaps it would be prudent to reevaluate. No one says the company shouldn’t make a profit but strategy to do so could use another look.
The current course of Disney management as it relates to the amusement parks, especially Walt Disney World has decided that get less and pay more for the guest visitor is the way to dig them self out of the profit loss they incurred during covid.
The loss of resort benefits, the increase stress to guest by way of increased prices for tickets, food, and additional cost to pay to avert long wait times for park rides has turned me away from one of my favorite places on earth.
This is just the current conditions. What “land mines” will Disney management have in the future planning stage for guests that will cause even more unwanted stress.
I have placed a hold on our family going to Walt Disney World until I see The Disney Disadvantage train stopped and start going in reverse to eliminate cost and stress.
Chapek is a disaster!!!Super rude man ! He was very rude to people at the park on Oct 1. We were there. This man will be the ruination of Walt Disney World. He’s there
For no one but himself. Just saying !
“There is no loser here”
Really Mr. Eisner? I guess you have no clue as to what the average working class guest has had to put up with Chapek and his new Minions since he took over. What world do you live in? All Chapek has done is take away so much and given nothing back (unless you are willing to pay extra for it). But as a major stakeholder/shareholder it seems you couldn’t care less about the guest as long as your Disney shares/stocks makes money for you. Besides as the former CEO and make share holder, I am sure you and your family and friends get free life time luxury hotel suites, VIP passes, ect any time you want. So again, you couldn’t care let about the average guest’s.
No one really expects one CEO to bad moth another, do they? Obviously, they are all out of touch with the average Disney visitor these days. Sounds like the students at Wharton who, when asked, said the average family income was in 6 figures (one even said the average family income was $800K). At this rate, Disney will eventually become just another money-making operation for its management & shareholders; not for the benefit of the employees or visitors.
I’m a Disney stockholder and I want the company to be successful, BUT not completely on the backs of all of us who love The Magic. Instead of charging outrageous prices and cutting drastically back on everything else, how about a little salary cut for Mr. Chapek? I doubt he has any concept of how long people save to visit Disney. Even years ago, we saved for months to take our kids and grandboys. Now we couldn’t begin to afford it. Additionally, anything people want to do has to be on a strict schedule. We made reservations in advance, but now it’s extremely regimented. What used to be wonderful currently continues to outprice so many who really need The Magic now. Shame on those who think it’s all about the money.
Chapel has to go
No Magical Express no free Magic Bands no airline resort check in no baggage handling. All things important to any family to be able to relax and have these perks. What happened t early entry at very park for i hour for Resort Guests? Little things to a lot of people add up to big things for families with limited time and money for park visits that the average family saves for a long time. I am not happy with any of these changes and feel my family who usually camps or stays at Pop Century are the average guest who wants to come and enjoy our favorite place is getting harder and more expensive to do. Also annual passes have reduced perks with no photo pass included . Very sad.
We shall see. We are only one family but we have gone to Disney World almost every year since it opened. Our last trip was Feb of this year. We have no plans to return soon except a one day Epcot visit with friends in Sept. After that we are going to try other places. Our Feb. trip was so disappointing on so many levels. We are Disney troopers. We know about long lines and waits and weather etc. What we never expect is rudeness, overly complicated systems and hoarding is dining reservations.