Menu

Bob Chapek Will Not Attend Destination D23

chapek-ceo-disney
Credit: Disney

When Destination D23 kicks off this weekend, one notable name will not be there. Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Chapek will not be in attendance. Officially the reason for his absence is a scheduling conflict.

Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Wahler shared the following brief statement with Disney Tips and our affiliates:

“Bob has a conflict in LA on Friday night and couldn’t make it back to Orlando on time.”

Chapek was expected to kick off the three day event, which will take place at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. It runs through Sunday, November 21.

While it could be possible that Chapek has a conflict, the timing seems suspect, especially since the dates for Destination D23 were released months ago. This is the largest gathering of Disney fans to take place in over a year and a half, since the D23 Expo was moved to next year.

In the past several months Chapek’s popularity has continued to nosedive. Many Disney fans are upset that they now have to pay for Disney Genie+ when FastPass+ used to be free.

That is just one instance of where Disney fans claim that Chapek cares more about money than the consumers. He has made comments in the past that made Walt Disney World Annual Passholders think that they were less valuable’ than other Guests, although his comments have often been taken out of context.

There is a growing movement for Disney to fire Chapek as CEO. An online petition has close to 75,000 signatures. The petition mentions the popular Josh D’Amaro, Chairperson of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, as a possible replacement.

Josh D’Amaro Credit: Disney

D’Amaro will be on hand for Destination D23. He is scheduled to host the panel ‘Connections: A Look at the Future of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products’ on Saturday morning. We are hoping that there will be some important news released that morning!

Keep up with all the latest Disney information on Disney Tips and like our Facebook page.

 

About Paula K

I grew up in Western Massachusetts. When I was nine my family went to Disneyland and I was hooked. I grew up, attended New England College in Henniker, NH and eventually moved to Virginia. I worked as a disc jockey, married and became a full time mom when our daughter was born. Fast forward several years. In 2010 we moved to Central Florida and my Disney obsession grew. I now work as a freelance writer and spend my spare time in the parks. Under the name Paula Brown I penned the novels Dream Wanderers and The Coffee Cruiser. I also am a co-author of Dining at Walt Disney World: The Definitive Guide. I'm obsessed with Star Wars, so this is a good time to live in Central Florida. I've been a vegetarian for well over a decade, a choice that my daughter eventually made as well. While my husband still hasn't joined us fully he has given up most meats except for seafood. I was relieved to find that vegetarian dining is not difficult at Walt Disney World.