The GOOD, BAD and UGLY of the Disney Decade 

I’ll take Eisner over Chapek all day every day

Michael Eisner is the most underrated CEO ever! He saved the company from corporate raiders, and he made every Disney Park a resort destination. Did he always hit a home run? No. However, he had vision. He had a desire to make the Disney Parks the best they could be. If he hadn't misread the culture in France, and Euro Disney was a hit, we would have soooooooo much more investment in the parks. DCA originally looked cheap because he got scared about spending too much money with little pay off as he did with Euro Disney. If Euro Disney was a hit initially, we would have seen some AMAZING things. Please appreciate this man! While he wasn't perfect, he was everything that a Disney CEO should be. Another great video, Dallin!

I’ve always been amazed how Michael Eisners significant role in Disney history and development has been horribly forgotten. Thanks for putting together this documentary. An entire month should be dedicated in recognition of his success and legacy at Disney

I miss the Eisner era. It was peak Disney in my lifetime, and I'm not sorry about that opinion. Even though I love Galaxy's Edge, I truly think the Eisner Disney decade felt closer to Walt's legacy than the "IP-centric" vision of Iger. Naturally anything is better than Chapek, but I digress

Micheal Eisner once said he was the “last of the creative types” to run a studio or entertainment company and I don’t think he was wrong. Pre-Wells’ death/Euro Disney, Eisner had a lot of great ideas and/or fostered creativity among imagineers, cast members and other employees. Unlike Bob Iger who overspent on purchasing assets and left Bob Chapek to become the scapegoat that Disney needed.

You forgot Fastasmic, the show was a game changer, epic entertainment that changed night time and live entertainment throughout the parks. An utter creative triumph!

Eisner saved Disney. Disney was facing a HOSTILE TAKEOVER before Eisner and Frank Wells went to Texas and convinced the Bass Group to help them turn Disney around

As an aside, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" probably never would have come together the way it did without Eisner. Possibly not at all. Looking back, I feel I was too harsh. Disneyland under Eisner were some incredible times in my life. His reservations about Iger stifling creativity were 100% valid. Defunctland covered Eisner's departure elegantly in a video he did a few years ago- "The Failure of Hong Kong Disneyland". The worst of Eisner is preferable to the state of the parks currently.

Eisner gets a bad rap because of the last half of his tenure. The first half was HUGE, but after the failure of EuroDisney he became extremely gunshy. The last half of the 90's saw a lot of subpar stuff. Everything at Disneyland was done on the cheap (I'm looking at you, new Tomorrowland). I always say the first half of Eisner's tenure was some of the best that Disney has seen while the last half was some of the worst.

I will forever be grateful for the Eisner/Wells era. Eisner seems like he was a creative first (for better or worse), business man second and Frank Wells just kept him in check professionally. Wish we could have seen more (RIP Frank Wells) from them.

As a child of the Eisner era I feel very nostalgic about it, and while not perfect I don’t fully think he deserves some of the hate he gets.

I know it's an inside joke to hate on Eisner but I honestly think he and Wells were the Dream Team, second best only to Walt himself. And after all the shit Bob Cheepskate has pulled, I'd die to have Eisner back.

Don't forget about the start of the Disney Cruise line. Wasn't that in the 90's? I grew up with Eisner as the head of Disney so for me he was the face of Disney. I think he did a lot of good. I would have loved to see WestCot.

You can't really blame Eisner for the cancellation of the Soviet Union at Epcot when the Soviet Union itself was cancelled in 1991.

I thought Eisner did an amazing job in comparison to Chapek. I've never had a problem with how he ran the company

I hope you have more on Michael Eisner let's face it! He was the only that cared about Walt Disneys Legacy Iger and Chapek destroyed Walt Disneys Theme Park and wanted to make their own Legacy I wish we still had Michael Eisner and I still say that you would make an Awesome CEO

"go back in time" *Shows the presidents* "Or to the future" *Shows Star tours* What part of "LONG TIME AGO" did the Disney marketing team not understand?

Chapek literally sent everyone to universal I’m pretty sure he almost killed Disney

As a kid, I loved the '90's, we got four new Disney princesses that decade, the Wonderful World of Disney was never better, and One Saturday Morning cartoons were the best.

Early DCA was downright charming compared to the IP infested thematic and imaginatively bankrupt mess that it is now. It was just starting to be 'fixed', when they tore it up again.

Disney is such a unique company & has shown that it works best when you have a creative minded person & financial minded person in charge, a yin & yang. I almost think it should be in the board's guidelines when selecting a President & CEO of the company (or at the very least an un-written rule).

The parks were rather unclean and customer service was spotty during the 90’s; but at least they were still fairly affordable and the rides and animatronics worked.

Eisner crushed WDW, if you’re a fan of other parks or facets of the company, can understand some sour tastes for him. But as a WDW exclusive kid (5) and teen (15) in the 90s. He is very fondly remembered in my book.

Eisner is still my favorite era of em all. So many hits and misses, experiments and weird stuff, going big, also going down - love it!!

Eisner allowed Imagineering to imagine and innovate without force IP into everything. Chapek is all about squeezing every penny out of things Disney already made or owns.

I know Eisner was an egomaniac, but as a 90s teen going at least once a year, Walt Disney World during the Disney Decade was truly a wonder to behold.

I believe the 90s was a colossal triumph for Disney. Disneyland had been around for 35 years and I had heard of it, but never had any ambition to visit whatsoever. Disney World had been there since 1971 and I had barely head of it, so no desire to visit there, either. In 1997, my daughter was five years old and my wife decided to take her to the Magic Kingdom in Florida. I still didn't see the point, so I stayed home. They came home with stories and photos and got me intrigued. I said, "Hey, let's go again next year and I'll come, too!" It didn't happen. Not because we couldn't afford it, not because I changed my mind, but because we had a second child. So we went again in 2000, technically the last year of the 90s decade, and we had a great time as a family. If Michael Eisner hadn't done what he did during the previous decade, I never would have wanted to visit a Disney park. Now I have been many times and I am a huge Disney enthusiast. You should see my pin collection!

What made Michael Eisner good for me was any time he was on TV to introduce a movie or show or ride to the world he was right there with the popular characters in animation or live action interacting with him as if Mickey and friends were real life actors who had jobs at the studio. It was a special kind of magic we lack today. He was also responsible for the best movies and if things had not gone south he could have had the best parks. The ideas that never got made always sounded fun. We also had the idea that Micky and friends could do crossovers appearing along side Muppets and Full House and Rosane and Cheers. the other cool things I like about Disney that I miss and I suspect they are not from his era but I'll list them any how were DVD menus where the characters adventured with you to each next menu , the fact that DVDs ALWAYS had special features, The Disney Store at the mall where I could buy toys and stuff and the days when the cartoons and movies all made toys and the time when Disney actually made video games and those video games homered there history. and props to whoever bought Oswald back and whoever did the acquiring of mostly every thing. To Disney's fault there was the underutilized canceled too soon not really a good idea to begin with Disney Infinity , live action reboots, making deals with China who keeps making them censor stuff, the idea they should get involved in politics the decision to not treat the TV shows as good as the movies, the closing of the animation studio, the stopping of direct to DVD sequels, the lack of respect for the books after they acquired Star Wars, not having an agreed story for 3 movies when they started the new trilogy, the fact that Spiderman never dates any more and isn't married the fact that they don't value teen to adult animation fans or internet numbers, the fact that they spread them selves out over multiple cable channels , the choice to not put Disney+ shows on DVD more things maybe. But Michael Eisner did a lot right. He made the 90s Disney today needs to listen to the many polarized sides of the internet and learn how to please each of them with out betraying the others and would do best to cut ties with unfriendly restrictive countries.

I have such a different view of that era than many guests. One of Michael Eisner's sons was the goalie on my brother's hockey team.

Walt: The gold standard Roy: Finished his bros dream Donn: The one we forget about Card: Ok Ron: not great Eisner: Aggressive but unlucky Iger: Lazy but super lucky Cheep-ass: Cheap and short sighted We in for some rough years, unless they make a change soon.

ALL Disney fans owe Michael Eisner a HUGE apology. His tenure as CEO was by far the best Era after Walt. In comparison, the Era of the Bobs have been nothing but a disaster. Iger sunk the company into creative bankruptcy and Chapek is burying it.

I think if Frank didn't pass we would of gotten more they were literally walt and roy reincarnated

Michael Isner: “Let’s build an American-themed theme park!” Me: “Where?” Michael Isner: “Virginia!” *Insert Disney’s America getting scrapped here.* Michael Isner: “Let’s build a California-themed theme park!” Me: “….where?” Michael Isner: “CALIFORNIA!”

I must say Michael Eisner remains a hero. He did sooo much to save the company and created the trend today to continue to grow the parks... He is amazing

Alien Encounter was a top 10 attraction. It's too bad they didn't have a minimum age requirement to keep out the little ones. Definitely not for those under 10. What I think stinks is being restricted to the same show buildings in Tomorrowland. They seem to limit the success of the new attractions.

Meanwhile, in Virginia, Disney tried to propose a park next to a National Battlefield Park, it made basically everyone angry, and it vanished after EuroDisney did it’s best impression of a fish out of water.

Sort of surprised you didn’t mention Disney rocket rods, that removed the people mover attraction entirely from Disneyland Park and happened in the 90s.

when the code is changed to just OFFHAND is when you know you've made it

#BringBackEisner

Great video its crazy how much Michael Eisner had played an important role of changing Disney for both the good and bad. I really remember the most of the Eisner era mainly during the 50th Anniversary of Disneyland by not only adding some additions to the park but also the parks worldwide. Also, this would be a great series to talk about each and every CEO of Disney of the "GOOD, BAD and UGLY". 😃

4:10 That’s actually a concept art for the “Indiana Jones et le Temple du Peril” attraction at Disneyland Paris!

Given the complete and utter disaster Disney and its parks have become since Iger and Chapek have taken over, Eisner's tenure doesn't seem all that bad now.

So excited for this Eisner video. He really understood the disney magic

I’m so thrilled that Disneyland Paris is finally coming up trumps & getting things right! They seem to putting lots of love in to their parks at the moment. Their renaissance 🥳 Would love to hear your thoughts of what their 3rd park would be (that they have to build by 2036)

I notice this a lot in the context of old Disney commercials, but I wonder why 30 year old TV always seems so corny looking back, but not as much during the time they aired.

you are one of the five creators I truly watch and just want to say these videos are brilliant

Please make another of these videos from 2000 to current day. This was so interesting.

I can remember taking my daughter to Disney Animal Kingdom and that initially it was kind of boring with not much to do . Overtime it grew into what we have today while it’s still not my favorite I do enjoy it .

Eisner was the start that sparked the Magic at Disney. It just took time to see profits, but it would cost consumers more to enjoy the magic.

Future histories of the company are going to speak of the COVID pandemic following immediately on the 20th Century Fox acquisition in the same tone these histories of the 1990s use for Euro Disney. "All this stuff was going to happen until..." There were even earlier plans for a complete transformation of Epcot Future World. Mission: Space and Test Track are more or less the bits that survived from it.

hot take, i think if Westcot was built it probably would end up falling into disrepair like epcot has. maybe not but its worth consideration

I prefer the way the Disney theme parks were in the mid to late 80's before Eisner started changing things. Glad I was able to experience it and have little interest returning to a theme park now.

I always like Michael Eisner. He saved the company from being sold off in parts, he made a few mistakes, but that’s business. You take risks, and sometimes they don’t pay off. But overall, I think he did a good job.

Did Eisner do some bad things during his tenure? Sure, but let's not ignore all the good he did for Disney and how he essentially saved the company from death.

I can’t believe the play pavilion is canceled

Anyone else notice the resemblance between OD and Hercules? Imean just look at that DIsneyHair!

“Unstoppable” “ish”! HILARIOUS!!! Great video dude

The "Disney Decade" got worse and worse and worse as the decade went on into the present. The Disney Co. has never been in a lower place than it is right now as this video releases. Giants are falling.

Cast Members have confirmed that Disney has not come out to confirm or deny the cancellation of the Play Pavilion therefore it is currently in a state of limbo.

To borrow a phrase from Eisenhower “I LIKE MIKE!” 🐭 🏰 Best CEO IMO!

one of my dad's friends works with Michael eisner at his investment company...my dad has resisted asking for a minute long call just to go wow thank you but also wow

Disney could use Michael Eisner right now!

The problem with Euro Disneyland was the way in which it had been set up. Eisner and Well's couldn't beleave how much money Disney left on the table when setting up Tokyo Disneyland. This was not going to happen with the new park. With Frances very high tax rates Disney set up different divisions to run the new park and they all leased and rented to each other. Here is just one example Disney the park, had to pay royaltie's to Disney ( Burbank) to use the characters etc. If a Disney Hotel had a Character Breakfast, they were charged a seperate royalty to use them. Also in the terms the company set up Disney was to be payed all it's commisions before anyone else. Then on top of all that Disney charged a management fee. In 1994 all commisions and bank payments were frozen. The park needed 10 million visitors a year to be profitable. When "Space Mtn" opened attendance shot up. 1995, 10.7 million visiters, 1996, 11.7 million, 1997 12.6 million. In 1997 the park was able to start paying back some of the frozen commisions and bank payment's as well as paying it's current outgoings and still be profitable. Cheer's Chris Perry.

Anybody remember Michael Eisner appearing during showings of Mickey's Christmas Carol and (I forget the name of the Winnie the Pooh). He appeard with Winnie the Pooh characters and Tigger got a plam tree to decorate instead of an evergreen. Anybody remember that or am I the only one that remembers this?

I much prefer Eisner's Disney Decade to Iger's Anything-But-Disney Decade. Eisner did accrue a lot of bad mojo at the end of his reign, but if it wasn't for him we wouldn't have had the Disney Renaissance, Disney Afternoon, Disney on Broadway, Disney Cruise Lines, Disney Store, expansion of Walt Disney World or Disneyland, or Disneyland Paris. Eisner's love affair with Michael Graves' postmodern architecture demonstrates a certain creative vision lacking today, a certain refinement of taste beyond merely making money. Even Eisner's corporate synergy and direct-to-video sequels are superior to Iger's wholesale conversion of the Walt Disney Company Ltd. into a high-end IP management firm of which "Disney" is just one brand, mined ruthlessly for content, and we're back to a style of managing the parks that would make Paul Pressler go "whoa, guys, come on."

14:57 Blizzard Beach was WDW’s THIRD water park. River Country was still in operation throughout the 90s, and they would even sometimes advertise themselves as having “three” water parks.

I recommend Disney Wars to learn all about Eisner- wild stuff

I don’t think Eisner was that bad, knowing what came after with auger and thumb head.

It's difficult to summarize Disney under Eisner's leadership, but I do think people tend to focus more on ridiculing his failures rather than appreciating his successes. Eisner's Disney was full of highs and lows. Personally, I'd rather have that sort of ambitious attitude than one that's risk-averse and always trying to play it safe. Mistakes were made, especially towards the end of his leadership, but those shouldn't overshadow the many great things that happened. It is undeniable that the company and brand would not be where it is today without Eisner's major contributions.

I have always had a great respect for Eisner and Wells but Wells death destroyed Eisner and decades later much to my surprise he took over Portsmouth FC and looks so much more at peace and relaxed.

I remember riding the Alien encounter ride when I was six years old, I could escape the restraints the ride had and everyone around me was screaming, I was just sat there wondering what was going on and when the Alien "breathed" on me I just wiped it away.

I'm not sure why anyone thought Chapek was going to work out.

When I think Michael Eisner, the theme song to "Videopolis" immediately starts playing in my head.

although I'm not super informed about Eisner, you can tell he cared about the Disney parks and company as an experience and not about the money as the stupid new guy does

Eisner didn’t handle failures well. But I’d rather have Eisner at his worst than Iger and Chapek at their best. Bob and Bob are the worst thing that’s ever happend to the Walt Disney Company.

I heard Westcot had issues with getting its startup because the lack of space and not being able to expand due to the people of Anaheim protesting against it. Can anyone confirm this?

This was a amazing video. I would love to see this turn into a mini series if possible.

Micheal is the reason CEO’s should have term limits. He did some good things- but I feel the second half was all popularity, no follow through. But, he’s better than Chapek.

I Love ❤️ Old Disney

Great video Dallin

Awesome vid ! Can’t wait for more!!!!

Saw the Dick Tracy film a few years ago, and it’s one of my favorites. Surprised it flopped! I throughly enjoyed it!

Miss Big Thunder Ranch- such a shame they got rid of it.

Say what you will about Michael Eisner but Disney was at their peak in the 90s. The Disney Renaissance movies were some of the best animated films they've ever made. The Disney Afternoon block elevated the quality of TV animation. We got MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom. Maybe not all of Eisner's initiatives worked but there were quite a few successes in that era. I have fond memories of growing up in the "Disney Decade." Also, I don't care what anyone says. Dick Tracy was an awesome movie and I wish it had done better at the box office.

Home sick today and this is JUST what I needed!

Thank for your documentary it was great inside . Please do more Michael Eisner related content such an interesting person and a great creative mind.

Michael may not have stuck the landing completely with his tenure as CEO but Bob cheapskate makes him look like a Renaissance master

I preferred Eisner over our current Bob Paycheck

Fantastic video. Objective and fair. 👍

"Disney hesitates to announce attractions until everything's set in stone" Okay so explain the D23 2022 Parks Panel lol

Yeah I never understood the hate for Eisner. The animated Disney Renaissance, the building of Animal Kingdom, DCA, Hollywood Studios, etc, his buying of the Muppets, Pixar, ESPN, etc, all make him arguably the second best Disney CEO behind the man himself. 90's Disney was insane

How about how Isner put in rocket rods to wreak the track.

If Westcott was built, I think my family would have far less wanted to go to Disneyworld (Until the Avatar attraction came out). Epcott is a massive highlight.

Love the content

Dick Tracy was heavily marketed to children back in the day. I honestly did not even know that the film was a flop due to the exposure it got growing up. Watching it as an adult, I appreciate the cinematography and use of color, but question why on earth anyone would let their child watch this.

I love your presentations on the parks. I would suggest you monitor your audio levels.... Some content is almost unaudable and some is loud. On laptop computers and such it can be hard to hear. Maybe a boost in levels would be great! Thanks!

Solid win!

In Disney history, so much is attributed to "the failure of Euro Disney". I think most of it is revisionist history, finding something to blame failures on. The facts: the park opened in 1992. The financials were bad the first seasong, with fewer guests and less spend per guest than estimated. But they turned things around quickly. Already in 1995 the park turned a profit. It is not unusual for big projects like a theme park to lose money in the beginning. But it if off course easy to blame all failures during the 90s on to one single park doing worse than expected for a couple of years... I think Wells passing was much more important to the downfall of Eisner than the Paris parks financial result.

Eisner gets too much hate. Dude signed off on alien encounter

No, I will never get over wondering what would have happened if Jim Henson hadn't died.