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During Disney’s most recent earnings call, Chief Executive Officer Christine M. McCarthy said The Walt Disney Company wants to put “enduring focus” on Guests.
Disney’s Refocus on Guest Experiences
A ton of new information was released following this week’s earnings call from the Walt Disney Company. CEO Bob Iger and CFO Christine M. McCarthy gave the public a clear indication of where Disney is headed over the next few years.
But one thing stuck out to me about the many things said. What stuck out to me was a quote by Disney CFO Christine M. McCarthy about Guests.
McCarthy says Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products "will continue to be a growth business for our company and we will manage all of these factors in line with enduring focus on our guests."
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) May 10, 2023
With so much controversy surrounding Disney and its war against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, it was nice to see something geared toward the people that made Disney what it is today: its fanbase.
In the quote above, taken from the earnings call with Disney, CFO McCarthy told reporters and everyone else that they will continue to focus on Disney Parks, experiences, and products, with Guests being their top priority.
Disney’s Reign Under Bob Chapek
It’s almost biblical that so many of us know the ongoing turmoil from higher prices to Disney making a public political stance was all done under the reign of Bob Chapek, the former Disney CEO, before being fired not too long ago.
It’s also no surprise that Disney suffered under the leadership of Chapek, leading many to wonder when WDW would do something about all the chaos and turmoil surrounding its Parks before and after the global COVID pandemic.
Many began to call Chapek “Paycheck,” as his only desire was greed by allowing Disney Guests to suffer through increased prices.
Cast Members were also forced to try and survive on low wages during the reign of “Paycheck.”
Regardless of how you feel about Bob Iger, one thing is clear – he’s not Bob Chapek, which is very good.
There Is Hope for Disney Guests After All
With the above quote taken into immediate context, Disney is releasing the mistakes it made when it allowed someone like Chapek to turn Disney and its Parks into a cash-grab company that cares very little for its employees and Guests, who have been loyal for generations.
Many of you might not believe this, but I do – despite the political crapstorm and the admission prices, there is hope for Disney World and other national parks.
Hope for lower prices, better employee wages, new Parks and experiences, and more. It’s already showing via the increased pay for Cast Members, and Disney is announcing new lands and parks soon.
For now, we wait. We wait to see if Disney will hold their end of the bargain.