You might want to investigate the history of the contrivance originally known as Walt Disney Inc. The proof you're looking for is in the undisputed recorded history of TWDC. Both Roy O. Disney and his son Roy E. Disney were disgusted with Walt's unsavory and unethical business practices. And in reality, Walt never got his comeuppance because he was crafty enough to settle the lawsuit before it went to court. And as for your assertion that time has sufficiently healed the wounds of Walt's dishonest behavior, I think the company would like to distance itself from as much of the "bad Walt" as they can. Did you know that between 1955 and 1981 TWDC (current name) paid RETLAW (current name in 1981) $75 million that came directly out of the shareholders pockets?
With the death of Dianne Disney Miller in 2013, the Walt Disney Family Foundation is beginning to fade. Since there was no love lost between TWDC and the foundation, TWDC is now in a better position to get rid of old attractions such as the Enchanted Tiki Room which hold such bad memories for TWDC.
You might want to check on the Disney family feud between the "Roy Boys" and the "Walt Boys" which might help you to better understand the massive dis-function in the Disney family. Did you know that Roy O. Disney and Walt Disney stopped talking to each other for over a year because of Roy's revulsion with Walt's unethical business practices?
I know a lot of Disney fans that just prefer not to know about the "bad Walt". And those are the same people that are often surprised and distressed to learn of changes in the parks.
FYI the current Disney family (as of 2014) is no better off:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/walt-disney-family-feud-inside-706029
Your pervasive negativity has never followed. There are issues with Walt Disney, he was not perfect, but he was a great man. His personality, thinking, and leadership prompted the most extreme levels of loyalty in friends and associates.
People loved him, and he created things that no one else could. He was a perfectionist and that created friction while interfacing with some others. On a whole, he created tremendous value both financially and artistically.
Like others, I would say the reason he was "genius" was because of an impeccable taste and ability to judge talent. The best geniuses know how to make others create incredible things.
Now on the issues you pointed out in particular, historical background is appropriate and fair. The issues boiled down to two major things:
1) The "Walt Disney" name. Walt Disney believed that his name should belong to him, and that it created tremendous value. If the name was being used to promote movies, theme parks, comics, books, etc. he should get an automatic cut of the profits. Walt Disney also believed that because his name belonged to him, he could take his name wherever he wanted. That created a major problem for Walt Disney Productions, much of their value was locked up in a contract and there was inherent instability with that relationship.
What's clear is Walt Disney Productions was in a tough spot. Roy, who's wealth was primarily tied up in WDP, believed that a lasting solution should be crafted. Walt however viewed his name as perhaps his most valuable possession. It was something that he'd cared deeply about since the beginning. He had built a brand that could out live him and could be used to do incredible things. He wanted the name to belong to his children and beyond.
Walt and Roy both had compelling reasons for their opinions on the name rights. Roy viewed "Walt Disney" as the work of decades of collaboration and partnership; it was their (and WDP's) creation. Walt viewed it as his own.
2) Relationship with WED and Disneyland. The second reason for friction goes to certain attractions and WED. Disneyland Railroad, Monorail, and Mark Twain were at one time operated by Walt Disney's personal company. In addition, WED (WDI today) had exclusive right to building Disneyland attractions. This once again put WDP in an uncomfortable position.
Of course it's worth pointing out how this arrangement began in the first place. When Disneyland was being built, money was in extremely short supply. Disneyland was originally financed by WDP, Bank of America, and ABC. Even that was not enough. In order to have the opening day roster Walt Disney wanted, he poured all his money into a new company that could operate some of his more ambitious attractions. Railroad and Mark Twain were far from safe bets, but he poured his money into them. These practices actually insulated WDP and its partners and allowed Disneyland to open more robustly. Walt Disney himself was taking on a considerable risk, and would suffer the worst of anyone if it blew up.
Same for WED, which also was an extremely risky bet. Disneyland probably was going to close a couple months after it opened, and yet Walt Disney poured his capital into a new research and artistic company. This also gave him far more artistic control over the projects, which honestly is a good thing.
Somehow Disneyland didn't bomb, and it only grew from there. People loved it. Walt's insane (I'll say it again, insane) investments paid of handsomely all while WDP worked to consolidate control over Disneyland.
After several years WDP began to be concerned over this, a company with a monopolistic control over creativity could present huge problems. Those fears weren't unfounded either, as WED grew it became hungrier for funds and ensured it exploited revenue sources like the Monorail, licensing fees, RR, etc. WDP didn't like where this was going and proposed a longterm solution. Once again Roy and the company felt like they had risked everything alongside Walt, and deserved to own the company.
From Roy's view he looked at it like a partnership being exploited to one sides gain. From Walt's view he looked at the potential for his creations and autonomy to be ripped from him after he had risked everything.
They both had logic and a whole lot of emotion behind their view points, and that's why it become so toxic. While resentment continued to loom between the two families, Walt and Roy were able to move mostly beyond that. Roy was clearly moved by a profound sense of love for his brother towards the end of Walt's life. The two were both perfectionists with perhaps a touch of sibling rivalry thrown into the mix; but their Company still lives onto to this day. They were a great partnership.
The fictional anger that exists towards Walt that you suggest still simmers within the Company is total crap. While I myself am frustrated with many of their choices, many employees remain avid followers of his philosophies and try to live up to his high standard. Those who don't, probably just too disinterested or are too focused on models and projections to think about this supposed vendetta against Walt. While Roy E. had hard feelings towards the Walt side of the family, especially Ron Miller, it's clear Roy E. always sought to live up to his Uncle's high standard. Fantasia 2000 was a personnel pet project that fulfilled a promise Walt had made. He cared that much.
It's hopeless to even try to converse with you because you're so unwilling to look towards the complexity of a business and family relationship that fell on hard times. The people who worked with him (and many are sadly slipping away) loved him. His work is landmark. He contributed to one of the greatest business partnerships of all time.
He wasn't perfect, but he wasn't evil either.
Can I also point out something ironic? Exclusive creative control, revenue based off of licensing, exclusive operations of park attractions- does that sound familiar to anyone?
Didn't your beloved Bob just open a park with those exact same perimeters? Maybe you should also take swipes at the "unethical" and "unsavory" business practices employeed by the Walt Disney Company today in parks all over the world. Hong Kong would love some help.
You've gone so far to paint this negatively that you lost connection with the complexities of time, history, and context.
Whatever!
