Chapek's Project Legacy

[Gusey]

Thinking about previous Disney CEO's, they've all seemed to have a major project that could be left as their legacy. Eisner had Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, DCA, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disney (Some good and some bad). Iger had Shanghai Disney, DCA 2.0, and Hollywood Studios 2.0 (Toy Storyland, Galaxy's Edge & Runaway Railway).

So, what do you think of the current Disney projects will be Chapek's Legacy?? Epcot 3.0 (Ratatouille, Guardians, Journey of Water, Epcot's Spine)? Walt Disney Studios 2.0 (Avengers Campus, Frozen Land + Lake)? or something else they haven't announced yet. I understand Chapek is not everyone's cup of tea, so please keep it friendly. What Disney park project since 2020 will Chapek be remembered for?

 

[jade1]

 

[artoftheglitch]

I think we've yet to see what Chapek's legacy is going to be. Everything you mentioned was started or shepherded mostly under Iger's tenure, so we're still feeling the impact of that. The "Blue Sky" discussions at D23 were a pretty good representation of how...squishy and ill-defined the future growth of the parks is at this point.

 

[k5xs]

I don't know what projects he'll be known for, but to me he will be remembered as the man who through projects accomplished on his watch IP'd EPCOT to its severe detriment.

There was before Chapek a "purity" to EPCOT that has been cheapened by Disney IP being overlayed on Harmonius, GotG, and the water thingie (Moana). That's what I'll remember him for. (I think Ratatouille turned out fine...)

 

[Jwaire]

Thinking about previous Disney CEO's, they've all seemed to have a major project that could be left as their legacy. Eisner had Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, DCA, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disney (Some good and some bad).

I know your list was not trying to be all inclusive. However, Eisner had way more of a park legacy than just the highlights you listed.

That man oversaw the building out of Walt Disney World as we know it today. Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, Downtown Disney, The Grand Floridian, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Boardwalk, the Swan & Dolphin, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Port Orleans—Riverside & French Quarter, Coronado Springs, Pop Century and Caribbean Beach Resort were all built under him and many with his direct input. The list just goes on and on. At Disneyland, he bought back the Disneyland Hotel and built the Grand Californian along with finally building a second park.

He even started the streaming division before being forced out.

Outside of Roy, he was the most powerful CEO Disney has ever had. Disney will never have another CEO like Michael Eisner.

So I'm not sure it's fair to even compare his and Iger's legacy to Chapek. He will never live up to either CEO. He's not going to be around long enough for one thing (he just doesn't have the staying power), but his focus is on the streaming services and new revenue streams (like gambling), not the parks.

Even the current projects, Frozen, as you mentioned, were announced under Bob Iger.

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

Disney+

 

[RAD]

How about flipping it and what cuts he’ll be remembered for?

 

[CalOilerGurl]

His legacy will be the growth in market share of Universal.

 

[MommyMouse143]

View attachment 713690

This. Is hilarious. Thanks for the am laugh. We are pin collectors/lovers- but this just makes NO SENSE.

 

[Obi-J Kenobi]

Digging out from a pile of debt that Big Papa Iger incurred.

Surviving the COVID-19 entertainment (parks and Hollywood movies) shutdown.

Spurring Florida's elected officials to threaten the complete destruction of RCID are some pretty big (good or bad) legacy feats . . .

But, I'm a Bob Chapek apologist so take it for what it's worth.

 

[wkrainey]

My take on it is Chapek will be remembered as a bridge CEO. The position he's in is one of transition, and he'll take a lot of heat for it, but given the situation he walked into I can't fault him for what he's been doing. Everything that has come with Chapek, park closures, increased prices, attempting to reduce capacity at parks. All of those were never going to be a positive for regular guests.

 

[Dis Dragon]

View attachment 713690

I actually thought this could be cool, then I found out you just get to look at them under glass, no trading or buying... how cool to see these pins that we can never get... the worst...

 

[Dis Dragon]

Eisner is kind of remembered as a villain because of his later years, but he really set the company up for Iger to skate through his tenure. That juice is running thin, it could use an injection of creativity and a CEO that isn't scared of reinvesting into the parks (and WDI) and not just a bunch of IP properties.

Chapek seems gun shy to go after anything that could affect his bonus, I think he's not going to be remembered for creating anything. The only project I know him explicitly tied to is Harmonious and they're already scrapping it.

 

[Jwaire]

Chapek seems gun shy to go after anything that could affect his bonus, I think he's not going to be remembered for creating anything. The only project I know him explicitly tied to is Harmonious and they're already scrapping it.

Incredicoaster rebrand of California Screamin' was his idea.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

But, I'm a Bob Chapek apologist so take it for what it's worth.

Admitting you have a problem is the first step.

 

[tgropp]

I know your list was not trying to be all inclusive. However, Eisner had way more of a park legacy than just the highlights you listed.

That man oversaw the building out of Walt Disney World as we know it today. Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, Downtown Disney, The Grand Floridian, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Boardwalk, the Swan & Dolphin, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Port Orleans—Riverside & French Quarter, Coronado Springs, Pop Century and Caribbean Beach Resort were all built under him and many with his direct input. The list just goes on and on. At Disneyland, he bought back the Disneyland Hotel and built the Grand Californian along with finally building a second park.

He even started the streaming division before being forced out.

Outside of Roy, he was the most powerful CEO Disney has ever had. Disney will never have another CEO like Michael Eisner.

So I'm not sure it's fair to even compare his and Iger's legacy to Chapek. He will never live up to either CEO. He's not going to be around long enough for one thing (he just doesn't have the staying power), but his focus is on the streaming services and new revenue streams (like gambling), not the parks.

Even the current projects, Frozen, as you mentioned, were announced under Bob Iger.

This. The Disney Decade will never be duplicated.

Chapek, when his tenure is over will be remembered as the man that will have set Disney back ten years

 

[AurumPunzel]

This. The Disney Decade will never be duplicated.

Chapek, when his tenure is over will be remembered as the man that will have set Disney back ten years

Not to mention being the most controversial CEO Disney has ever had. The Disney Decade was the epocha miraculorum that heralded the return of Disney as the hitmakers they once were, and catapulted Disney from a studio struggling to bounce back following the deaths of their founding fathers - and very nearly faced a hostile takeover that would have left Disney as purely a theme park operator - to a proponent of the Big 5 (formerly 6) Hollywood studio. When the Second Renaissance came, Disney bounced back again after the 2000s slump that left them at the mercy of competitors, but once Chapek took over, it ended, and now he's created a new malaise era that is going to be looked back as the worst since Eisner's nadir and the loss of Walt. Unless Chapek changes tack and finally does something good, I doubt his tenure will be remembered fondly.

 

[Jwaire]

Speaking of legacies and Iger and Eisner,

I'm listening to Bob Iger's book at the moment, and while I do think he was a good CEO you can tell he didn't have the interest in the parks as Eisner did. One of funniest stories in the book is Iger taking Apple's Steve Jobs to see Art of Animation before it opened and expecting him to be impressed. Jobs was quick to tell him how cheap it looked and that he wasn't fooling anyone.

But intrestingly, Chapek barely shows up in the book. Iger gives him credit for keeping the costs in line on Shanghai Disneyland (which Iger calls his greatest achievement, gag) and for handling the guest safety response to the alligator incident at the Grand Floridian, but other than that he's not really mentioned.

Iger also recently showed up at the Code Conference (worthy interview) and happen to mention he has been spending time with Michael Eisner during his retirement.

Wouldn't you love to be a fly on the wall hanging out with them two? Wow.

 

[tgropp]

Wouldn’t it be nice if Michael and Bob would join forces for three years and right the ship

 

[Dis Dragon]

Eisner doesn't play well with others, part of the reason he was forced out. Not sure Eisner's condition anymore but hey, anything is better than what's been happening.