The Hollywood Reporter Speculates Bob Chapek Might Be Removed as CEO of Walt Disney Company in 11 Months

Tom Corless

The Hollywood Reporter Speculates Bob Chapek Might Be Removed as CEO of Walt Disney Company in 11 Months

Disney CEO Bob Chapek has not been doing well at his job. Since being put in charge of the parks and resorts division in 2015, he managed to anger and distance long-time fans of the product, but since becoming CEO of the entire company in 2020, his inability to lead effectively has been apparent. From wars with talent, to the absolute destruction of Walt Disney Imagineering, to the latest debacle over Florida legislature, it is no secret that Chapek has done little but bungle the opportunity he was given. If you’ve been following this website since 2015, as you would guess, we aren’t surprised.

The latest hit-piece on “Bob C.” is from The Hollywood Reporter. If you want to understand how Chapek is perceived within his own organization these days, here’s an idea:

A cartoon hanging in the production offices of The Simpsons seems to suggest an opinion: It has Chapek in the “In Memoriam” section of the Oscars show.

Kim Masters, The Hollywood Reporter

With just 11 months left on his contract, the article speculates Chapek may not survive within the company beyond that point. Entertainment chief Peter Rice and ex-CFO Tom Staggs (a man who inarguably saved and strengthened the Parks and Resorts division a decade ago) would seem to be favorites to replace the disliked current CEO.

You can read the remainder of the article here.

What do you think? Should Chapek lose his job as CEO?

28 thoughts on “The Hollywood Reporter Speculates Bob Chapek Might Be Removed as CEO of Walt Disney Company in 11 Months”

  1. I very rarely like to say that somebody should go, but top-line numbers are only one piece of the puzzle. As CEO, especially of this company, management of the brand may trump all else.

  2. Chapek has done nothing less than gut Disney for what they built over the years. His removing classic entertainment, sterilization of themed resorts and alienated long time vacationing families like my own. It must change!!!

  3. Chapek needs to go for sure but he’s not the only problem within the higher ups in thr company. And even if Chapek gets relieved of his duties I wouldn’t expect many things to change for the better. Disney like any company is out to make $ and right now they are doing just that. The parks are packed, resort rooms are filled, merchandise is being gobbled up, and restaurants filling their tables with no issues. Also they have managed to take away perks and benefits of staying on property like the Magical Express and also shortening the extra magic hour to 30 minutes before opening and people are still filling the resort rooms and paying high premiums. While a lot of this high demand is coming from canceled vacations of the past 2 years you have to assume at least for now that people are willing to pay more to get less than what they got before. I really wish if Chapek was to be relieved of his duties that the next person would shake things up for the better but at this very moment my hopes are very low. I hope for all my fellow Disney park lovers that I’m wrong.

  4. As a Disney parks lover I think he needs to go.
    As a shareholder I think he should be gone already.

    The guy wants a modern Victorian hotel for crying out loud. Please stop Destruco, the destroyer of all that is good and benevolent, before it is too late.

    You should love your product. Does anyone think this guy is actually a Disney fan?

  5. Lets us hope that happens & also get rid of the people he has put in high positions because there is a good chance that they would do as he instructs. There is also another big problem to take care of also and you know what I am talking about!

  6. I understand being a CEO of a business isn’t easy especially Disney. However, I think Chapek has taken the CEO job from hard to impossible. He doesn’t seen like a people person, doesn’t care about WDI, and only wants to boost stock. I get boosting stock is important, but keeping Cast Members happy, keeping guest satisfaction high, and just making sure the company is ran with magic is truly important. Now with Reedy Creek now in question in Florida, it could cause huge problems for WDW, because RCID has been the most important factor as to why WDW is what it is. I surely hope Chapek doesn’t make it to the end of his contract and that someone more accomplished, respected, and inspired can take the company to where Iger had it and higher.

  7. Between constantly raising prices, removing all the free perks that families appreciated and counted on and rides constantly breaking down, families can no longer afford, or want to go to, what was once the most magical place in earth. Now no longer. We no longer have any desire to go and we loved going! Been there many times. No more. It’s now all about the money and no longer about family. Yes, he must go.

  8. It makes no difference if they replace him with someone who hasn’t the strength to stop the woke rubbish from ruining Walt’s company. I have never seen a company pick up a big cannon, aim it at their foot, and pull the trigger like Disney is doing now. Families will stop going. They have already begun questioning content. If all you want is a big rainbow flag instead of the big D, then get ready to celebrate no revenue as the profit making families give up altogether.

  9. I absolutely believe that Chapek should go. It’s been a disaster ever since Bob Iger left. Iger was beloved as CEO. There is a reason that over 80,000 people signed a petition to fire Bob Chapek and get the nickname Bob “paycheck”. The board of directors needs to make the decision to look for another option as CEO. Maybe Tom Staggs.

  10. I should bring up for Magical Experess that it was losing popularity anyway since the last few times I rode it, thr busses were barely empty.

  11. They all look for ways to get bigger bonuses, buyouts and retirements at the cost of the consumers. I have been going to WDW since 1971 and finally decided that Disney will not get anymore of my dollars. He will eventually be replaced with a big severance pay but the next one will be looking for a bigger payout than the previous CEOs.

  12. Disney has transformed itself from a Premier vacation venue to an OVER PRICED – PAY EXTRA JUST TO GET IN TO LINES – RIDE BREAKDOWNS – OVER PRICED FOOD – AND NOW A POLITICAL VOICE – NOW “WOKE TO BROKE”
    The new president who has a trans kid is now dictating a major change in inclusivity to the disney brand. THIS COMBINATION OF NEGATIVE ISSUES WILL IN TIME PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE DEMISE OF THIS ONCE FINE INSTITUTION. WE CANT AFFORD YOU, WE WONT PAY 5 TIMES HIGHER FOR A HOT DOG, WE WONT PUT UP WITH POOR RIDE MAINTENANCE, WE WONT PUT UP WITH THE NEW CULTURE!

  13. He needs to go. It seems to me he has used the pandemic as an excuse to cut service and hike prices. We’ve gone to WDW many times over many decades, always staying at a top tier resort and always feeling that every penny was well spent. Expensive, yes, but unbelievable service. I currently have reservations in the fall. For the first time I’m questioning the price tag. It’s the first time I’ve gulped when making my plans. It’s not just A LOT more $$ than our trip right before the pandemic, it’s that SO MUCH that was included in the total before is non-existent this time around. And the amount of advance reservation needed – every park chosen months out – frankly removes the spontaneity of choosing what’s best for our family group day by day. And from feedback from friends, all this “crowd management” doesn’t seem to be managing the the crowds very well. The Genie pass system sounds like a nightmare – 70 minute waits in the Lightning lane?! Meanwhile – their profits are way up.

  14. What do the “suits” know about creativity and the soul of Disney? Chapek has no concept of what this particular market is about. He needs to go.

  15. It does not seem that Chapek understands that the fans having a great time and making dreams come true for children and adults alike is best path to revenue?

  16. Tom Staggs? Um, yes, please! Doubt the Board would consider bringing him back and if they did, would Staggs want to come back after being screwed over?

  17. If they wait 11 months it may be too far gone for anyone to bring it back. Universal is gaining ground quickly. An intelligent board would move now and then begin the search for his replacement; someone with values closer to Walt’s.

  18. He has virtually destroyed the Disney brand in record time. I’m glad my son was able to experience the magic of Disney parks of old. I wouldn’t take a child there today. This is ignoring Disney supporting radical leftist indoctrination. I couldn’t be more disappointed.

  19. What comes first?

    Hire, hire, hire. Plan, plan, plan. Question, question, question. Profit, profit, profit.

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