News Bob Iger is back! Chapek is out!!

[donaldtoo]

Thank you. I love how people are acting like Iger was always a perfect saint and that he never did anything wrong, and I’m lmao about it. Chapek learned how to up-charge and shoehorn IP into the parks from the person who groomed him to do so, and it wasn’t Michael Eisner. Iger isn’t some great hero sent from the ghost of Walt to save the company.

Yep, like I posted earlier in this thread…
Iger is a crafty little devil, and planned his moves to his advantage ahead of time, for sure.
Take a step back, set that clown Chapek up for certain failure, and now Iger is perceived (by himself, and many others) as the savior.
It’s real life, and better than any movie…!!!!!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

This the traditional game after a personnel change - everything bad is shoveled up.and placed at the feet of the predecessor.

Chapek was only following through on the business transformation started under Iger. While Iger was still.behind the curtain as playing Snoke.

What still gets me, Why is the CEO of DIS serving as the face and champion of WDW & DL other than an ego stroke.by being able to play "Walt".

Is there not a President of P&R?? This is the person who should be the face of P&R.

It’s possible there no longer is a head of P&R…just saying

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Looking at just the parks, I understand your perspective.

For me, I've kind of written off the parks unless something changes.

I'm a fan of how they were which is why I'm still here right now - not holding my breath anything will improve but will be happy if something does.

It seems Iger's biggest mistake with the parks was putting Chapek in charge of them. I just don't think they held much attention in Iger's mind one way or another for most of his tenure except when he could use them for strategy like the move in China where the theme park was mostly a chess piece.

But stepping back from just the parks, to me, the work that Chapek was doing, was hollowing out the company and I expect that to stop with Iger back.

The reality is, this is chance for Iger to get a do-over on selecting his replacement.

Whoever it is, I expect it will be someone better than Chapek... and god help us, can you imagine if Chapek were to have been around long enough to help select his own replacement?

Which is a fair assessment. Things may have gone exactly as they did. I'm just pointing out why I imagine some people are perhaps more optimistic than the average poster here. Also, it's just generally more pleasant working for someone who has a modicum of emotional intelligence.

I feel very much this way.

On here, understandably, people seem to think of Disney just in terms of the parks and evaluate the CEO on their perception of how the parks are being managed. The company is far more than that, though, and I find it hard to argue that Iger wasn't overall a positive in setting up Disney for the future in a way where it was to be one of if not the major player in the entertainment industry rather than a target for being swallowed up by another company that wanted to strip-mine its IP for their own ventures. Even this notion that he just acquired other IPs seems off to me, as if it were that simple every CEO of a major company would be doing that. The things Iger acquired (Pixar, Marvel, & Star Wars) with the possible exception of Fox were good fits for Disney that ultimately strengthened the company. I kind of scratch my head when people dismiss all of that and focus on the death of Touchstone Pictures.

I also feel very strongly that Iger's possession of at least some EQ, empathy, or whatever you want to call it counts for something. Iger seemed to at least realise he was dealing with human beings, both in terms of talent and customers. In that respect, the extreme turbocharging of nickle-and-diming with no regard for how it looks or feels for the customer under Chapek is probably at least less likely to happen under Iger. One thing Iger was good at unlike Chapek was attracting and keeping talent, which is overall a bonus for the company.

In sum, I find all this reflexive negativity suggesting Iger is just as bad as Chapek and things will be no better under him a little too gloomy. He's certainly not the saviour of the parks and doesn't seem to really care that much about them, but Chapek was objectively terrible in a way at least I don't think Iger was when you look at the company as a whole.

 

[Tha Realest]

It’s possible there no longer is a head of P&R…just saying

…?

He hasn’t posted on Instagram since Nov 11, no sappy “I’m thankful for all the Parks CMs working today around the world,” nothing about Shanghai reopening…

 

[John]

He may be the next domino to fall...........not that he deserves it. You need as many 'scape goats as possible.

…?

He hasn’t posted on Instagram since Nov 11, no sappy “I’m thankful for all the Parks CMs working today around the world,” nothing about Shanghai reopening…

 

[fgmnt]

Yikes... This is cringe people!!
View attachment 680618

I get it; this is how I would feel if I came on here to see a new thread from WDW1974/spirit.

It’s possible there no longer is a head of P&R…just saying

That would be pretty shocking.

 

[Captain Barbossa]

So what’s the chance of D’Amaro getting promoted instead of Disney going outside of the company?

 

[Sir_Cliff]

The reason I give Eisner the benefit of the doubt is that he was starting to make those changes in some areas, changes people now misattribute to Iger. You don’t get that at all with Iger. It’s always someone else’s fault (Chapek now) or he wasn’t involved (being COO). We don’t even get third party books about his tenure and leadership like we did with Eisner lest someone say something undesired.

Eisner successfully fended off Comcast’s hostile takeover attempt, and again, Iger want to sell off the parks as a near first order of business. He was absolutely fine with selling off visible, profitable parts of the company.

I really didn't get the impression Eisner was at all agile in adjusting to the challenges Disney was facing toward the end. He seemed to struggle even with simple things like realising that DVDs were replacing VHS. I appreciate your perspective, but comparing Iger's term to Eisner's last 5-10 years, I find it hard to reach the same conclusion that Iger was on some kind of autopilot building on the positive changes instituted by Eisner... except for all the bad stuff, which was mostly Iger's doing.

The fact that Disney was a target for a takeover by Comcast tells you where Disney was at toward the end of Eisner's tenure. I'm sure Iger did consider selling off the parks, but he didn't do it. So, I find it hard to blame Iger for selling off the parks when it never happened.

I must be coming off as a huge Iger defender here when I really don't have particularly warm and fuzzy feelings about him. I just feel like a lot of the interpretations being offered of certain things don't match up with what I have seen following Disney over the years.

 

[Dan Deesnee]

What's with the massive amount of "news" articles I'm seeing about Iger selling Disney to Apple?

Talk about killing the soul of Disney...

 

[Lilofan]

What's with the massive amount of "news" articles I'm seeing about Iger selling Disney to Apple?

Talk about killing the soul of Disney...

11/28 Company town hall with Iger to discuss the future of TWDC.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

What's with the massive amount of "news" articles I'm seeing about Iger selling Disney to Apple?

Talk about killing the soul of Disney...

I wouldn't worry. It doesn't make much sense for Apple to purchase Disney.

Reporters have to write stories on which people are going to click.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I wouldn't worry. It doesn't make much sense for Apple to purchase Disney.

Reporters have to write stories on which people are going to click.

And "Disney" is the highest click-through brand on the planet.

 

[Lilofan]

I wouldn't worry. It doesn't make much sense for Apple to purchase Disney.

Reporters have to write stories on which people are going to click.

Whatever happens I would think house cleaning would happen. Chapek, Daniel already have been fired , restructuring in a number of ways when the new boss comes in usually happens.

 

[SilentWindODoom]

since the news broke the other day, it reminds me of this..
View attachment 680440
now let’s hope for the love of god chapek doesn’t come back as a clone in a few years

Somehow, Chapek has returned.

I agree with both of you. I haven't gone to the movies in about 3 years. There really hasn't been anything that I'm willing to pay $15 to see. I love being able to watch movies from my own home without other people ruining my experience (talking, using their phone, etc.)

I went once. Years ago I didn't get a chance to see The Simpsons on the big screen, and I didn't want to miss my chance with Bob's Burgers. Fortunately, it was empty except for me and my friend. The only thing in the future I feel the same about is Mario. Besides that, while I'd love to know what's going on currently, nothing else seems like a once-in-a-lifetime theatrical experience.

Hello all.......Happy Thanksgiving. Most of you don't know me but I have walked the halls here at da' Magic for a long time......1974 (if you know.....you know) was king.

I always describe my tenure as stretching back to when we got our new from Lee and watching Grizz be the second coming of Thrawn. At least I think so. It's been a while, so I forget which came after the other, and I'm not 100% sure a member hanging around isn't just Thrawn under another name.

 

[Disstevefan1]

11/28 Company town hall with Iger to discuss the future of TWDC.

I’d listen if I thought there was anything worth listening to.

 

[Dan Deesnee]

I’d listen if I thought there was anything worth listening to.

What makes you think there won't be? Probably will give us our best indication of upcoming changes, good or bad.

 

[Lilofan]

What makes you think there won't be? Probably will give us our best indication of upcoming changes, good or bad.

At least Iger calls a cast member town hall in the near future to address direction of company moving forward one would hope.

 

[Tha Realest]

At least Iger calls a cast member town hall in the near future to address direction of company moving forward one would hope.

Will this be streamed anywhere?

 

[Tom P.]

Iger is going to announce that, effective immediately, the parks will only be serving New Coke.

 

[Nubs70]

Hello all.......Happy Thanksgiving. Most of you don't know me but I have walked the halls here at da' Magic for a long time......1974 (if you know.....you know) was king.

I find it hilarious that Iger comes in on his white horse trying to play the Disney savior when it was under his watch we got to this place in time. You have had to watch this unfold from years ago. Chapek was Iger's guy. Chapek was the ultimate hatchet man. He rose through the ranks of the Disney corporation by cuts and raising prices. Almost all of the changes we have sen for over a decade were the brain child of Chapek. For those who may not know, CHapek was head of Parks & Resorts........I could go in to the "it all started with napkins" but I don't want to bore you.

Chapek spent years cutting and nibbling at the edges of the "Disney difference". Making the board and as importantly Bob Iger buckets and buckets of money. The stock prices rose accordingly. The board was thrilled. Iger seeing the writing on the wall when Covid hit knew it was time to make his great escape.

No time like the present to reward Chapek for all those years of service.....and basically destroying the guest experience, the job of CEO.
Once in the job Chapek immediately had challenges. Covid and the Governments effort to combat it had a negative impact on the economy thus on the Disney company. With out causing a major fuss here there were other policies Disney had that finally had a negative effect on those guest surveys Disney loves so much.

Stock prices began to fall, guest satisfaction at an all time low, In order to keep revenue positive Chapek had to continue to do what he knew best......cut and raise prices. The snow ball going down hill just got away from him. The board had to act.....and act fast. They make a phone call to Iger.

Iger comes in on his white horse to save the day and squarely throws his old pal Chapek under the bus.......then he backed up to see what he ran over. Iger is just as responsible for the current state of the company as Chapek......maybe even more so. The real damage was done while Iger was at the helm. I zero respect for Iger or the board.

Iger will stop the bleeding........but it was him who made the deepest cuts in the first place.

Chapel simply practiced Business Process Optimization, an industrial engineering oncept where inefficiencies are found and eliminated resulting in higher margins.

Once all meaningful inefficiencies are eliminated, cuts to quality (costs) and price increases are used as margin drivers.

The one thing isee that amazed me is the interaction between Genie+, LL and reduced equipment uptime and throughput (as pointed out by drzgirl). Chapek has turned BPO on its head by monetizing reduced equipment uptime and throughput.

WDW produces a higher return as rides shutdown and ridership is curtailed. Genie+ and LL increase margin by exploiting FOMO.