When Bob Chapek was removed from his dream job as CEO of the Walt Disney Company in late 2022, it wasn’t on his terms.

In Chapek’s mind he had been undermined, attacked and sabotaged by someone who was both his predecessor and his successor, Bob Iger.

Chapek had spent just 2½ years in the top job. He shares his version of events in his new memoir, “Behind the Castle Walls.”

“This is the story of how I fought and scraped and bled and worked my way into the top position of the Magic Kingdom, the places I shaped, and the forces I encountered along the journey,” Chapek wrote in his introduction. “For reasons beyond my control, I didn’t get a chance to finish what I started. In truth, it pisses me off.”

It’s worth taking Chapek’s accounts with a grain of salt, as they represent only one side of the story. Disney did not respond to a request for comment on the book.

But if you have strong feelings about annual passes, or the requirement to make park reservations, or Disney’s cruise ships, you’ll find much to learn. Here are takeaways from Chapek’s story.

1. Chapek thought Iger was out to undermine him as CEO and eager to reclaim the reins.

While Chapek was excited about the offer of CEO, which came in late 2019, he said his “naiveté” about his dream job ended abruptly.

While dealing with the closure of Shanghai Disneyland amid the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chapek and Iger — who stayed with the company as executive chairman — sat for an interview with CNBC about the transition.

“Whenever I glanced in Bob’s direction, his expression was ice-cold, and his shifting body language spoke volumes about how miserable and uncomfortable he felt,” Chapek wrote. “Bob Iger was botching the handoff because I believe he didn’t want to let go of the ball.”

Just a few months later, in April 2020, Chapek felt blindsided when Iger was depicted in a New York Times story as still in charge.

“The new, nominal chief executive is referred to, almost kindergarten-style, as ‘Bob C.,’ while Mr. Iger is still just ‘Bob,'” Ben Smith wrote in the piece. Chapek felt it was a setup.

“Bob clearly hadn’t let go of his position; it appeared he was still managing by pronouncement,” Chapek wrote. “My initial shock quickly turned into boiling anger.”

2. There were two possible reasons for Iger’s sudden exit, Chapek said.

Rather than a months-long leadership transition, Chapek had been hastily handed the reins within weeks of Iger’s decision to step down.

While Iger said he was leaving because he was “sick of the earnings calls and all the board meetings,” Chapek offered other explanations for his sudden exit.

“I have been told by several high-ranking people both in government and private business that in their opinions, the real reason he left the company so abruptly was his anticipation of the arrival of COVID,” Chapek wrote. “He needed someone to take the hits he was desperate to avoid.”

The second reason Iger left, Chapek said, is that he was convinced he could get the job back whenever he wanted.

3. Chapek saw himself as an industry disruptor throughout his time with the Walt Disney Company.

Chapek said he pitched and executed unpopular ideas throughout his 30-year tenure, such as introducing direct-to-video sequels, killing the free FastPass, introducing park reservations and removing classic films from stores to create product scarcity.

He said he rose through the ranks by keeping his head down, working hard and focusing on profits, but long sought to earn the title of CEO. When Iger unexpectedly visited Chapek to ask his opinion on his successor, Chapek said it should be “me.”

“If I left Disney without becoming the CEO, I would consider my time there a failure,” he said. “It was incredibly gratifying to know, for the first time, that Bob might have recognized that potential in me as well.”

4. Chapek saw Disney’s existing passholder program as a detriment to the company’s bottom line, standing in the way of higher-value customers.

When Chapek was promoted to chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, he noticed demand outpaced supply, with too many people in the parks and long lines.

“The (annual passholders) who wanted to show up spontaneously were also paying the least per visit,” he observed in his new role, taking note of annual passes that ranged from $300-$800 in Anaheim’s Disneyland Park. “Logically, reducing the number of visitors in the park would improve guest experiences … We were turning off our highest-value customers,” those who came fewer times but spent more per visit.

He raised annual pass prices and introduced reservations — seen as “heresy” by loyal frequent flyers.

“As appreciated as they were, local Disney Adults didn’t drive the economics of the park with their annual pass.”

5. The pandemic and “Don’t Say Gay” fallout were defining moments in Chapek’s tenure as CEO.

The tumultuous takeover at the start of the pandemic was just the beginning of Chapek’s CEO woes.

In 2022, the Legislature introduced the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, more commonly known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Chapek said Disney typically “maintained an apolitical stance publicly.”

When President Biden criticized the bill as “hateful,” Iger issued a response before Disney’s board could agree on what to say.

“I’m with the President on this! If passed, this bill will put vulnerable, young LGBTQ people in jeopardy,” Iger tweeted.

Angered at the resistance, Gov. Ron DeSantis set out to seize control of Disney’s self-governing district, Reedy Creek. Chapek was left to manage the fallout, he said.

Iger, Chapek said, “receded into the background” and remained publicly silent following the “tweet heard ’round the world.”

6. Chapek said Disney worked to “erase” his legacy.

When Iger retook the reins, he decided to close the Galactic Starcruiser, an immersive Star Wars-themed hotel in Orlando that Chapek oversaw.

Within days of his departure, the company removed a sign on Castaway Cay, one of Disney Cruise Line’s destinations, that said “Bob Chapek, Master Ship Builder,” after he championed new cruise ships.

Chapek said his name was also erased from the Disney company timeline on its official website.

In 2026, Iger again left the top job, succeeded this time by Josh D’Amaro.

7. Despite what he went through, Chapek said he’s not “angry or bitter” at Disney.

“I love Disney, the ideals it supposedly stands for, and all but a handful of people who work there. The cast (the real cast) truly do create magic for the guests every day,” Chapek writes in his final pages. “I gave so much of my career and 30 years of tireless devotion to the company, but I can honestly say I got so much back in return.”

8. Tragedy amid triumph and other interesting notes.

Chapek was in Shanghai about to celebrate the grand opening of Disney’s long-awaited theme park in China when he got news of an alligator attack on Disney property that claimed the life of 2-year-old Lane Graves.

“As head of parks, I knew that instead of basking in the glow of the completion of the Chinese resort, I needed to turn my attention to Florida,” he wrote. “My heart immediately broke for the boy’s parents and family.”

When Disney’s cruise branch came under Chapek’s leadership umbrella, he noticed how highly guests rated their experience with Disney Cruise Line. He responded by advocating for new ships, and now DCL is on track to have 13 ships by 2031.

Where to read

Published by Simon & Schuster’s Gallery Books, “Behind the Castle Walls: My Thirty Years at the Happiest Place on Earth,” is 254 pages. Chapek co-wrote the book with author Don Yaeger.

According to Chapek’s book jacket bio, he currently is “engaged in a variety of advisory, consulting and board positions.” He divides his time between Florida and Los Angeles with his wife, Cindy.

Find the book at simonandschuster.com.

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