In Defense of Bob Chapek

[clarker99]

The Park Pass system forces you to be stuck at one park until 2pm. You could say FP+ did the same, but as an example, in January 2020 when Rise of the Resistance first came out and the rule was you had to scan into the park to get a Boarding Group, I went to Hollywood Studios first each morning to get a boarding group and then went to the park where my FP+ reservation was. I can't do that anymore. Maybe that isn't the best example since Disney probably doesn't want this to happen and "eat up" all of the virtual queues.

Here's another example - my son bought a toy and of course lost it during our trip, it was the day before I was going to go home and at night. I couldn't go back to Animal Kingdom the next day before our flight because of the Park Pass to get it. CMs did a wonderful job helping me find a location that did have it, but it made it so much more complicated.

Disney themselves don't like it in all cases as it causes people to not book parks like Epcot (maybe less so now that Guardians and Remy are there) leaving them mostly empty in the morning - where normally people would go to Epcot in the morning maybe for breakfast and then walk to the other end of the park to go to MK or HS. You can't do that anymore with Park Pass and park hopping restricted to 2pm.

I really hope Park Pass is temporary and they eventually get rid of it.

I totally get all that. I am not defending the park pass system.

 

[clarker99]

I love Disney parks and always will, but I will criticize Disney when they do something wrong or obviously greedy. The US parks have a lot of issues right now that need to be addressed (the big ones being staffing and ride maintenance). I go to Universal and regional parks near me but none of them are as good as Disney IMO though I have to say Universal is catching up big time.

For me Universal is pretty meh for the money other than Harry Potter (esp love Daigon Alley) and the Spider-man ride (I still can't believe you are not going up!!). I would much rather spend my time and money at WDW. To each their own, right? Now if I were local and needed an AP that may be a different story.

Will I go to Epic universe? Yup. I will def be checking out Nintendo and the new Harry Potter land.

 

[Smugpugmug]

For me Universal is pretty meh for the money other than Harry Potter (esp love Daigon Alley) and the Spider-man ride (I still can't believe you are not going up!!). I would much rather spend my time and money at WDW. To each their own, right? Now if I were local and needed an AP that may be a different story.

Will I go to Epic universe? Yup. I will def be checking out Nintendo and the new Harry Potter land.

That's fair IMO. I like Universal since it has more thrilling rides. I think Wizarding World is one of the best themed lands I've ever been to in an amusement park and is better themed than Galaxy's Edge. Express Pass is also great compared to Genie+. However I don't think Universal is perfect - their quick service food honestly sucks and I don't love a lot of their screen rides such as Simpsons, Fast and Furious and Jimmy Fallon. On the flip side I have a friend that only has a Universal AP and not WDW because she doesn't find WDW's rides to be thrilling enough and thinks the dark rides are boring (she has zero nostalgia to Disney parks).

I am 100% going to Epic Universe. The Nintendo land in Universal Japan looks spectacular and I'm very excited for that to come to Orlando.

 

[Jonfw2]

That's fair IMO. I like Universal since it has more thrilling rides. I think Wizarding World is one of the best themed lands I've ever been to in an amusement park and is better themed than Galaxy's Edge. Express Pass is also great compared to Genie+. However I don't think Universal is perfect - their quick service food honestly sucks and I don't love a lot of their screen rides such as Simpsons, Fast and Furious and Jimmy Fallon. On the flip side I have a friend that only has a Universal AP and not WDW because she doesn't find WDW's rides to be thrilling enough and thinks the dark rides are boring (she has zero nostalgia to Disney parks).

I am 100% going to Epic Universe. The Nintendo land in Universal Japan looks spectacular and I'm very excited for that to come to Orlando.

I agree with just about everything you said. You nailed Universal. Awesome thrill rides, but way too many screen-based rides.

 

[Liquidice]

I agree with just about everything you said. You nailed Universal. Awesome thrill rides, but way too many screen-based rides.

I definitely agree, I hope Epic Universe has less screen based rides. One of their newest rides, Secret Life of Pets shows they can do physical set pieces if they want to.

Disney has started using screens more than I would like too, RoTR, MMRR, Cosmic Rewind all make use of screens a little too much for me but they still do so less than Universal.

 

[Jonfw2]

I definitely agree, I hope Epic Universe has less screen based rides. One of their newest rides, Secret Life of Pets shows they can do physical set pieces if they want to.

Disney has started using screens more than I would like too, RoTR, MMRR, Cosmic Rewind all make use of screens a little too much for me but they still do so less than Universal.

I’m fine with screens as a component of rides just not as the WHOLE ride.

Also you left out Remy. Haha.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

I just recently got back from an amazing trip to Disney World and I have left a few reviews and messages saying how I truly believe the magic is still there. We had an amazing time for the most part. Some things bordered on the perfect...some things...not so much. But I didn't dote on the negatives. The trip was so wonderful and I would go back in a heartbeat if finances allowed. I love Disney. I love being in Disney.

But to the point that many are making...if I love it that much I can see the current flaws in their system and am more than allowed to criticize it because if many of those policies were either reversed back to the way they used to be or at least revised to be less egregious then the park experience would be better for the majority of Disney guests/lovers. And why wouldn't anyone want that? I mean if you could say yes let's make things better/the way they used to be...wouldn't you? Perhaps there are some financial constraints currently...that can be excused and dealt with, but only if we see that the corporation is willing to act in good faith and bring back better experiences for better value. And I also agree that that doesn't mean lowering prices...I mean it is what it is...look around! But again...good faith...will they up the value quotient even if they want to keep/raise prices even further. That would be the mark of great leadership. Otherwise you just have a bunch of money people in suits that are totally disconnected from how this company has been run and become much beloved the last almost 100 years.

 

[Disney Bobby]

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

I don't have to be an experience pandemic park reopener to recognize poor performance, especially when it comes to unforced errors that have nothing to do with covid. And nobody has ever had to bring back the previous project manager on any of my projects.

So, if you are happy with the low bar of just getting the parks back open, that's fine. But don't be surprised if others expect more for the tens of MILLIONS of dollars these guys are paid.

 

[Sweettears]

I don't have to be an experience pandemic park reopener to recognize poor performance, especially when it comes to unforced errors that have nothing to do with covid. And nobody has ever had to bring back the previous project manager on any of my projects.

So, if you are happy with the low bar of just getting the parks back open, that's fine. But don't be surprised if others expect more for the tens of MILLIONS of dollars these guys are paid.

All CEOs of public corporations are grossly overpaid. My point was geared more towards the fact that any such CEO cannot possibly control every aspect of the organization’s business. Its not like it’s a mom and pop grocery store

 

[michelleiada]

Covid isnt the only reason people hate Chapek. A big part of it is his personality. He’s not personable, likable, and he’s not polished like CEOs generally are. If DAmaro had become CEO instead, he would be well more liked than Chapek is now

Agree with this 100%. I don’t like the nickel and diming from Disney these days…but I’m not certain Chapek is all to blame. But his personality definitely leaves something to be desired. He lacks charisma and I think that is important as head of the largest entertainment company in the world. Josh has it. Chapek doesn’t. He is a terrible public speaker. I watched the christening of the Disney Wish last night on YouTube. I cringe when I watched Cheapek. Bob Iger had that stage presence that Chapek terribly lacks.

 

[JeanfromBNA]

But again...good faith...will they up the value quotient even if they want to keep/raise prices even further. That would be the mark of great leadership. Otherwise you just have a bunch of money people in suits that are totally disconnected from how this company has been run and become much beloved the last almost 100 years.

That's where I think they're at right now. Leadership don't care about the legacy of the past or the future. They're much too focused in the present, and limited vision wasn't what made Disney Parks so beloved.

We're DVC owners, and will be renting our points to others for cash, and staying on DVC property while we enjoy other Orlando area attractions, which may include a Disney Park for an evening. We won't be planning our vacations around WDW anymore because the extraordinary experience just isn't there now. WDW is indistinguishable from any other theme park interested in maximizing profits. Disney's unique in that they're focusing on getting as much as they can from the highest spending customers.

 

[Jonfw2]

Disney's unique in that they're focusing on getting as much as they can from the highest spending customers.

You find this unique?

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

I do find it interesting that so many DVC owners are this upset. To me at least, it comes off as jealousy that Disney isn’t prioritizing them as much as they used to. They don’t seem to understand that they were the Upper Class of Disney guests, a bar a lot of others couldn’t attain, and now that they are having to spend even more, and are being replaced with a higher spending group, they seem to be outraged Disney would even consider doing this to them.

Now I’m not talking about each and every one of them, it’s just a theme that seems to be prevalent lately

 

[Jonfw2]

I do find it interesting that so many DVC owners are this upset. To me at least, it comes off as jealousy that Disney isn’t prioritizing them as much as they used to. They don’t seem to understand that they were the Upper Class of Disney guests, a bar a lot of others couldn’t attain, and now that they are having to spend even more, and are being replaced with a higher spending group, they seem to be outraged Disney would even consider doing this to them.

Now I’m not talking about each and every one of them, it’s just a theme that seems to be prevalent lately

Unfortunately for them, they allowed Disney to convince them that DVC was more than just another time share scheme.

 

[goofy4prez]

I'm not a Chapek fan at all and I won't stand in defense of him either. But with that said, I don't blame him for Disney today, whether its a good thing for many, or not so good for some (like me). I get that things change with time and you can either hop on or hop off the train. The Disney park train is one that I have decided to hop off. Maybe I've finally gotten to the place where I feel old (58), but I don't like the new way of doing and planning for the parks. There are other things in the parks I don't care for either, but I won't get into them.

Over the last couple of years as I've gotten older I find that cruising has become a more enjoyable experience. I won't be exclusively Disney anymore like I have been over the last 15 or so years, but I'll still do the DCL. I also sold my DVC points that I had as well. There is a saying that I have heard, "You do you and I'll do me." With that said, WDW is no longer me. I won't blame Chapek, but it's just not me anymore. Kind of sad, but all things must change.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

It's definitely easy to think of Bob Chapek as Nero fiddling while Disney burns and one could probably find some similarities with Disney and the Roman Empire towards its' downfall and ruination...but hyperbole is the easy way out these days. It is so much more nuanced than that however one could see that if all Disney becomes is just a typical for profit corporation that has zero desire to keep any of its' legacy customers happy or to create new ones with the same emotional attachments to the brand as before that could definitely spell ruin in the future. I'm not sure Disney would keep going down this path to ruin before changing course. And it certainly isn't to the point where any collapse is imminent...yet. But when you hear as many grumblings as you do these days that were never this loud or large in magnitude...a pause must be given and things reassessed before anything spirals out of control. And these days everything is prone to spiraling out of control very quickly. I feel like the unhappy voices of these times must be heeded by the Disney brass and certainly not go into the "let them eat cake" mentality. Again I don't think we're even close yet but warning signs are warning signs for a reason.

 

[tzvdmd]

The cuts that continue to happen in the area of maintenance are paying huge dividends. Disney is kicking the can down the road in the name of profits all while turning the place into a 6 flags. So yes I have complaints and the buck stops with someone.

 

[TsWade2]

Sometimes as a Disney fan, I feel so embarrassed for other fans keep criticizing Disney for things like Bob Chapek and other things, even though what Disney is doing right now is true, but after what I heard about Bob Chapek firing Peter Rice, I think it’s a good start. I mean, Peter Rice is one of the evil executives that made Disney a Political agenda. And Disney needs to be political neutral and just let Disney be more of entertainment than just being political. I’m not saying Bob Chapek is a perfect CEO, no CEO is perfect, but I he‘s making a step the right direction to clean the mess that Peter Rice and (believe it or not) Bob Iger made at Disney, even if it’s going to take time. Let’s give it like three years and who knows? He might be a good CEO. Maybe not perfect, but good. We’ll see where we go from here.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Sometimes as a Disney fan, I feel so embarrassed for other fans keep criticizing Disney for things like Bob Chapek and other things, even though what Disney is doing right now is true, but after what I heard about Bob Chapek firing Peter Rice, I think it’s a good start. I mean, Peter Rice is one of the evil executives that made Disney a Political agenda. And Disney needs to be political neutral and just let Disney be more of entertainment than just being political. I’m not saying Bob Chapek is a perfect CEO, no CEO is perfect, but I he‘s making a step the right direction to clean the mess that Peter Rice and (believe it or not) Bob Iger made at Disney, even if it’s going to take time. Let’s give it like three years and who knows? He might be a good CEO. Maybe not perfect, but good. We’ll see where we go from here.

Disney has been political since it's inception as a company. It didn't "just" become political.

 

[k5xs]

Let’s give it like three years and who knows? He might be a good CEO. Maybe not perfect, but good. We’ll see where we go from here.

He's already had 2 and a half years, so sure. Give him a total of three.