Guests Show Distaste For Bob Chapek at Magic Kingdom With Giant Signage - Inside the Magic

While Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and the international Disney Parks are enjoyable and immersive places to spend a vacation, this doesn’t mean that “the Most Magical Place on Earth” is free from controversy.

As has been covered by us at Inside the Magic and many others, Disney Guests are passionate and will make sure their voices are heard regarding attractions, products, and restaurants they may disapprove of. This is most noticeable with Disney’s new Genie, Genie+, and Lightning Lane services, as many Guests either do not want to pay what they cost to use or think the old systems were better.

Related: Disney Fans Slam Starcruiser Imagineers Amid Call For Haunted Mansion Resort

One of the most controversial things happening within the Disney community is the overall reception to Walt Disney Company’s newest CEO Bob Chapek. Chapek took on the role of Chief Executive Officer in February 2020, right before the world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many Guests disapprove of Chapek, seeing him as a profit-driven, penny-pinching corporate guy rather than an imaginative and exciting visionary. While many blame Chapek for the problems Disney World and Disneyland are both facing, like the Galactic Starcruiser and the closure of the NBA Experience at Disney Springs, it is essential to remember that a lot of these issues were already taking place or were developing while former Disney CEO Bob Iger was in charge.

Chapek has even said he does not like being called a “cost-cutter” and does not see himself as one. Regardless, many Disney Guests disapprove of Bob Chapek’s approach to the Disney Parks, with a petition to remove him gaining much traction recently. Now, Guests have noticed a public display of disapproval at the runDisney marathon event at the Magic Kingdom.

Related: Guests End Up TRAPPED on Disney Ride After Cutting Line

In a tweet by @Imagine_Ears, a sign saying “You Run Disney Better Than Chapek could be seen as runners passed down Main Street U.S.A. See the full tweet below:

Friend of mine is running the Disney Marathon this morning. He ran by this in Magic Kingdom. 

Friend of mine is running the Disney Marathon this morning. He ran by this in Magic Kingdom. 😬 pic.twitter.com/chiuLDb6NL

— ImagineEars Podcast 🔜✨Potatoland✨ (@Imagine_Ears) January 9, 2022

It is important to note that signage like this is prohibited at the Walt Disney World Resort and that this sign was most likely removed from the Guests very quickly. See more on Disney World’s official theme Park rules and regulations here.

Another controversial event in the “Disney sphere” right now is the upcoming Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, an immersive and expensive new hotel experience, keyword expensive. The over $5,000 price tag will undoubtedly leave many Guests stunned, and the new hotel has already received many cancellations.

What do you think of Bob Chapek? How does he compare to previous Disney CEOs to you? Let us know in the comments below!

Let the expert team at Academy Travel help you plan your next magical vacation to Disney World’s water parks, four theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios — and the Disney Springs shopping and dining district!