In Defense of Bob Chapek

[ChipnDale79]

Not at all my point. THEY mentioned the "magic" other CEOs had brought and I just wanted a couple of examples.

so what exactly are you looking for?

 

[BrianL]

Not including the Disney brothers, here's my list

1. Eisner - No question he reinvigorated the company when it needed it in the mid 80s. Then he succumbed to hubris, and almost wrecked the company he had rebuilt.
2. Iger - The Pixar deal was of incalculable value.
3. Miller - Started Disney Channel on cable and reinvigorated movie studio.
4. Tatum - Kept the team functioning during WDW construction.
5. Walker - Store window dummy. Had he done his job, the Eisner earthquake would never have happened and Miller would have been able to hang on.

Too soon to rank Chapek fairly.

Eisner wasn't so great without Frank Wells at his side. After the loss of Frank, it wasn't the same. Together though they did great things!

 

[wabbott]

Eisner wasn't so great without Frank Wells at his side. After the loss of Frank, it wasn't the same. Together though they did great things!

Yup. And there was a very significant item that allowed that partnership to work - Wells DID NOT report to Eisner, he was hired by and reported to the Board of Directors. On the board at that time were Roy Edward Disney and Stanley Gold, and DIS veterans Dick Nunis and Ray Watson - folks who had connections with Walt's vision.

 

[wabbott]

https://d23.com/walt-disney-legend/ray-watson/

 

[wabbott]

Wish we could find some board members that have read a history book and understood the roots of the company. Sigh...

 

[Jonfw2]

This whole thing reminds me the Simpsons episode where Itchy and Scratchy introduced Poochie.

 

[bakenatj]

If you want an interesting perspective of what is going on inside the Disney company, go watch Valiant Renegade's show today on YouTube. He has WDW Pro and Kamran Pasha on. What you see isn't all Chapek.

 

[wabbott]

If you want an interesting perspective of what is going on inside the Disney company, go watch Valiant Renegade's show today on YouTube. He has WDW Pro and Kamran Pasha on. What you see isn't all Chapek.

Thor Love And Thunder | Lightyear Flop | Disney Damage & Bob Chapek Future

 

[wabbott]

If you want an interesting perspective of what is going on inside the Disney company, go watch Valiant Renegade's show today on YouTube. He has WDW Pro and Kamran Pasha on. What you see isn't all Chapek.

I'm going to have to watch this through and through, but so far these guys are claiming that Chapek insisted on Lightyear being released in theaters to EXPOSE what is going on at Pixar. If he's that smart, he's damn good.

 

[bakenatj]

I'm going to have to watch this through and through, but so far these guys are claiming that Chapek insisted on Lightyear being released in theaters to EXPOSE what is going on at Pixar. If he's that smart, he's damn good.

That is why I am trying to tell everyone just to hold their horses. I think he may be that good. We just haven't been able to see it because he inherited a dumpster fire from Iger, who in my opinion was possibly the worst...

 

[Liquidice]

Overlord DVD had a similar YouTube video last week claiming insiders are saying what you have seen has all been part of Chapek's master plan and has been this way since 2020 (maybe earlier). The Overlord DVD video claims Chapek is allowing certain things to fail to get rid of people who have a "woke" agenda.

I don't really know if it is true or not, but if it is - it gives Pete's nickname for Chapek (Lex Luthor) a whole new meaning. This plan would be diabolical and almost super villain like if he really orchestrated a 2+ year plan to green light and allow failures so he could solidify his agenda and power. If it is all really true though, where the heck has he been for Star Wars then!

 

[wfjny]

A few years ago, President Obama announced that he would give fifth graders and their families “free passes” to America’s national parks.

I thought this was a great idea! I even looked around at possible vacation destinations for the summer that would incorporate that new perk. Then, it was announced that it would be for “Rising Fifth Graders”. My youngest just completed fifth grade would be a rising sixth grader. This great idea now became foolish to me the biggest waste of tax payer money, and a complete waste of time…

As American’s, we all seem to want something for nothing, and we always want someone to blame.

As a AP/DVC person, some of the changes at WDW have changed how my family and I “Do Disney”. From reservations (and limited reservations) to lower amounts of banking/borrowing of DVC points, we want to blame someone, so Chapek is an easy target. And we will blame him for the eventual next set of price increases that will happen soon.

We will forget that the cost of chicken breasts have increased 50% in the past few months, or that the price of gas has tripled since the lows in 2020. Even just pricing out an off-site hotel in Orlando has tripled from what I paid in July of 2020. Thank goodness I do not need a new car right now.

Staffing levels, yeah, who is not having an issue there. By me, stores are still closing early. Fast food places are still only offering drive thru service. Public and private pools are open less hours, and in some places, closed entire days. No place I am aware of has returned to “pre-covid” levels.

As an investor, I am obviously unhappy with the performance of Disney stock. But again, which other stocks should I have gone with? Walt Disney, Nike, and Home Depot are down about about a third this year. Lots of others are not doing much better. Netflix and bitcoin have lost close to 75% of their value. Facebook, Tesla, Amazon, all down about as much as Disney if not more.

So, while I understand desire to look at a very narrow focus, it is probably unfair to look at Chapek in a bubble without looking at what is happening everywhere else. I do not think he is doing any worse than any other big company CEO.

 

[bakenatj]

Overlord DVD had a similar YouTube video last week claiming insiders are saying what you have seen has all been part of Chapek's master plan and has been this way since 2020 (maybe earlier). The Overlord DVD video claims Chapek is allowing certain things to fail to get rid of people who have a "woke" agenda.

I don't really know if it is true or not, but if it is - it gives Pete's nickname for Chapek (Lex Luthor) a whole new meaning. This plan would be diabolical and almost super villain like if he really orchestrated a 2+ year plan to green light and allow failures so he could solidify his agenda and power. If it is all really true though, where the heck has he been for Star Wars then!

That is one of the brands that has been protected and I hope he is able to gut the people who have destroyed that brand. I loved the Star Wars brand prior to Disney buying it. They have done nothing but ruin it. If Chapek's plan works maybe he can save that too.

 

[Sweettears]

That's a pretty low bar, especially considering they have to bring back the previous CEO to get it done and still had numerous unforced errors totally unrelated to covid.

And this comes from experience since you’ve managed similar projects?

 

[midwestdee]

A few years ago, President Obama announced that he would give fifth graders and their families “free passes” to America’s national parks.

I thought this was a great idea! I even looked around at possible vacation destinations for the summer that would incorporate that new perk. Then, it was announced that it would be for “Rising Fifth Graders”. My youngest just completed fifth grade would be a rising sixth grader. This great idea now became foolish to me the biggest waste of tax payer money, and a complete waste of time…

As American’s, we all seem to want something for nothing, and we always want someone to blame.

As a AP/DVC person, some of the changes at WDW have changed how my family and I “Do Disney”. From reservations (and limited reservations) to lower amounts of banking/borrowing of DVC points, we want to blame someone, so Chapek is an easy target. And we will blame him for the eventual next set of price increases that will happen soon.

We will forget that the cost of chicken breasts have increased 50% in the past few months, or that the price of gas has tripled since the lows in 2020. Even just pricing out an off-site hotel in Orlando has tripled from what I paid in July of 2020. Thank goodness I do not need a new car right now.

Staffing levels, yeah, who is not having an issue there. By me, stores are still closing early. Fast food places are still only offering drive thru service. Public and private pools are open less hours, and in some places, closed entire days. No place I am aware of has returned to “pre-covid” levels.

As an investor, I am obviously unhappy with the performance of Disney stock. But again, which other stocks should I have gone with? Walt Disney, Nike, and Home Depot are down about about a third this year. Lots of others are not doing much better. Netflix and bitcoin have lost close to 75% of their value. Facebook, Tesla, Amazon, all down about as much as Disney if not more.

So, while I understand desire to look at a very narrow focus, it is probably unfair to look at Chapek in a bubble without looking at what is happening everywhere else. I do not think he is doing any worse than any other big company CEO.

Trump did the same thing October 2020 in case you’re interested.

https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/t...students-free-entrance-national-parks-refuges

 

[Jrb1979]

And this comes from experience since you’ve managed similar projects?

I haven't but when compared to every other park they are behind in terms of operations. For one they have made it much more complex to visit then it needs to be where just about every other park in the country has made much simpler. Disney is the only park left in the US with the ridiculous reservation system. Add in Genie+ which takes a PHD for your average guest to figure out how to use. For the parks he's been a disaster. I could careless how they managed coming out of Covid. Don't buy it as every other park has had to deal with it too. They have become way too focused on guest control.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Get back to me after you try using Genie+. It's expensive, and it just doesn't work. To me, it's a good example of a lot of recent Disney choices.

Not to mention the multiple trips to the blue umbrella to find a remedy. Although there was often no solution offered or consistent response.

 

[TsWade2]

I'm going to be honest, I'm glad the board extends Bob Chapek's contract for three years after what Bob did to Peter Rice. I was upset at first until I've found out why he fired Peter Rice for being one of the bad influence to the company, and I'm so glad Bob Chapek did the right thing. I hope he cleans up the mess that Peter Rice and other terrible executives that might be fired soon did to Disney. And I hope Disney will one day will be back to their formal glory for kids, fans, and families alike.

 

[bsmcneil]

I am pretty sure that part of the job description isn't a Likeable person. He was hired to run a company, and he got handed a company in the worst possible circumstances. If I was head of the board, a bubbly personality would not be a characteristic I would look for. I want a person who can make tough decisions and live with them and own them. I think the board understands this and wants to give him more time in a "normal market" if you can call our economy normal right now.

Technically, it sounds like what you'd want is the better fit for COO (Chief Operating Officer). CEOs definitely need to be personable/likable as they need to do a ton of media, etc to sell their vision (and for me, that's the problem - Chapek doesn't seem visionary to me). Obviously people tend to equate CEO = boss but the operations person is going to be the primary tough decisions, etc (and at a place as big as Disney, you have the CFO to aid in that and likely CTO, finances and tech respectively).

 

[bsmcneil]

Like it or not, Disney is selling a product just like Exxon or Target is. Their goal is to maximize the profit on that product while simultaneously acquiring brand loyalty from customers. And it's a very fine line- short term bigger profits can lead to long term dissatisfaction. Too much reward or too low prices for customers and you might end up with short term financial issues.

But make no mistake- companies do not "like" you. They want to maximize the dollars they bring in. That's it.

Except that Disney Parks' product is, for the most part, an intangible experience. It's a service in the economy of goods vs. services (obviously they sell a lot of goods) - which is why so many people are frustrated: it feels like the services part is lacking and the goods that are received don't seem to make up for it. It's great that some people (like you) are delighted with the services - but plenty of folks aren't. Steve Jobs and Apple sold goods; Target, Exxon, etc - goods. It's phenomenally hard to keep a services company profitable and well-regarded.