The Walt Disney Company holds a pep rally every few years. Roughly 140,000 people pay anywhere from $79 to $899 for the opportunity to see Disney stars, preview upcoming movies and learn about new theme park rides at the D23 expo.
Disney often has a message that is loud and clear: keep buying our stuff.
Another item on the company's agenda was present at the latest D23 expo which took place over the weekend near Disneyland in Southern California. Disney had an opportunity to close a difficult chapter in its history by focusing attention on its plans for the future. It was a chance to work on a brand refresh for himself.
The man had a beard. The suits are frumpy. It's gone. He was trying to be more social, which he has said doesn't happen naturally. He shook hundreds of hands from Thursday night to Sunday afternoon and heaped praise on stars in behind-the-scenes schmooze sessions. Disney said it gave credentials to 1,000 people. With his son by his side, Mr. Chapek went on a corn dog run into Disneyland and stopped to pose for photos.
He said in the lobby of the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa that he was trying to show more of himself. I haven't had many opportunities.
The opening ceremony for this year's expo took place on Friday morning and honored people who had made "extraordinary contributions" to the company. The stars from Disney's Broadway musicals were chatting with Mr. Chapek in the moments before the ceremony began. There was a group of people in costume ready to start the show.
You are going to dance with us. Mr. Chapek jokingly asked Jelani if he was from "The Lion King."
I want to learn some moves. The man replied with a smile. The man has two left feet. Everyone had a good laugh.
The Broadway performers were in front of 7,000 people. The stars began with a song from "Aladdin" and ended with a song from "Frozen"
They said they would never go back. The past is not relevant anymore.
Mr. Chapek waved like a boss as confetti fell from the rafters. Attendees gave polite applause and a few boos as the crowd turned cold.
Daily business updates The latest coverage of business, markets and the economy, sent by email each weekday.It wasn't obvious to Mr. Chapek. He started his speech with Disney chestnuts. The whole thing began with a mouse. His presentation became more personal as time went on. He talked about how his parents took him to Disney World every year when he was a child.
Mr. Chapek said that the visits changed his life. It made me realize that there was much more than my hometown. That's what Disney is all about. It is that spark that makes you special.
Plans for a new ride were revealed. The guy who had booed jumped to his feet and cheered.
Robert A. Iger passed the baton to Mr. Chapek in February 2020. The handoff wasn't smooth. Most of the company was closed because of the coronaviruses. Mr. Chapek had a lot of crises this year.
In March, Disney became entangled in a heated dispute with the governor of Florida over legislation meant to prohibit classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity. The employee revolt was caused by Mr. Chapek trying not to take a side at first. The bill set off a political uproar with right-wing figures railing against it.
The top television executive at Disney was fired in June. Mr. Chapek was pushed to consider a number of changes, including shaking up the board and spinning off the sports network. He said on Sunday that he had learned more about Disney's "growth and innovation plans" for ESPN.
Some of Disney's most dedicated theme park customers have grown irate over price increases they see as nickel and diming. Disney told investors that theme park profits would have been higher if not for Disneyland, which annual pass holders took as an insult. The word "Unfavorables" was written in Disneyland's signature calligraphy.
D23 expo was used to polish Mr. Chapek's image.
The Disney chief communications officer, who joined in April, is partly to blame for Mr. Chapek's attempt at a brand change. Ms. Schake was attached to Mr. Chapek as he walked through the one million square foot D23 expo. She brought a number of shoes.
She convinced him to keep his beard after he noticed that he had grown it on vacation. The outcropping has been suggested that it makes Mr. Chapek look like the villain in the movie "Omar". A headline on Friday said that Mr. Chapek was "rocking the rare corporate power beard."
The year that Walt Disney arrived in Hollywood is referred to as D23. The event shows how deep the company's products, mythmaking and characters are in the cultural fabric. There is a dedicated area for Disney's television operation. Disney has a business. The National Geographic is owned by it. The sun never sets on a Disney theme park.
One attendee showed his love for the movie by turning up as Lumiere. A woman dressed as the Queen of Hearts from "Alice in Wonderland" shouted "off with her head" while walking through the aisles. Alan Bergman, the chairman of Disney Studios Content, began a three-hour preview of upcoming projects on Saturday.
There are $899 ticket packages. Seven minutes later, they sold out. People lined up at 3 a.m. on Friday for the chance to purchase D23 expo merchandise. Three retail locations at the convention rang up more than $1 million in sales in the last time the expo was held. Don't call this a cult; a Disney publicist could appear out of nowhere to scold you.
The Disney executives were upset that Mr. Chapek didn't go table to table at the Disney Legend award luncheon. The Friday cocktail reception was attended by some of Disney's top creative executives.
There was a display of Mr. Chapek's charm offensive. He was with stars like Amy Adams and Ariana DeBose. Mr. Chapek said that he was so lucky to have Jamie Lee Curtis as part of the Disney family.
The Oscar-winning "Frozen" director and chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios was chatting with Mr. Chapek earlier. Ms. Lee is working on a script for a musical. He told her that what he had read was great. She said she was working on the script. You ain't seen anything yet.
A D23 attendee tried to grab the attention of the C.E.O. when he encountered an R.V. parked backstage. He was in his 20's.
The man asked the man to speak to him.
Yeah, uh-oh
The Disney security guard tried to get Mr. Chapek to leave.
The man said he wanted to thank the person for keeping Disney alive.
The man said he was glad you were here. I would like you to know that we appreciate you.
The attendee disappeared into the crowd.
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