When a leader is forced to step aside, and his underling becomes the boss, tension always exists between them. The two always compare their tenures to see who did a better job leading the company.

Despite his public sentiments, there was always tension between former Disney CEO Michael Eisner and his successor Bob Iger. Eisner led the resurgence of The Walt Disney Company, taking it from the doldrums of the late 1970s to the highs of the early 1990s.
However, by the early 2000s, Disney had a string of box office failures, and Eisner was forced out of the company after a hostile takeover attempt. That’s when Iger stepped in and started buying everything in sight to bring Disney back to its glory.
Those same tensions existed between Iger and his successor, Bob Chapek, as he tried to re-invent the company and survive the pandemic. However, Iger quickly returned once Chapek appeared overwhelmed by the job.

With just under two years left in his tenure with The Walt Disney Company, it appears to some that Iger is attempting to settle some old scores. One Disney fan took to social media to ask why Disney is attempting to get rid of everything from the Eisner era.
So, what did Eisner bring to Disney World, and how is Disney currently changing those?
This company’s obsession to get rid of anything from the Eisner era needs to be studied https://t.co/pXXlToIDXS
— Magic Kingdom King! (@MagicKing__) January 24, 2025
Eisner’s Tenure
Eisner was the CEO of Walt Disney World Resort for 21 years and saw incredible growth. Under his watch, Disney World built Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, dozens of new hotels, and two new waterparks.
However, guests are now noticing that many projects completed under Eisner are being removed from the parks. The removal of Splash Mountain, which opened under Eisner, is the one that sticks out most to fans.

There are plenty of others. With Disney revamping both Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, it’s easy for fans to think that this is Iger’s final shot at Eisner, but there’s more to it than that.
Hollywood Studios is 36 years old, and Animal Kingdom is 27. It’s just time to bring those two parks into the 21st Century.
Most objective fans will agree that the loss of Muppets Courtyard is a blow, but Hollywood Studios needs to be expanded. However, Disney’s policy does not seem to extend the parks; instead, it replaces the current attractions.

Perhaps Iger does desire to erase his predecessor from Disney World, but he would have to destroy two entire parks to do so. This is less about revenge than it is about fans not trusting the current Disney management to create rides they’ll love in the future.
And maybe that’s the larger problem and the questions that should be “studied.”