Roy O. Disney, who after Walt's death oversaw the building and financing of Walt Disney World, died in late 1971, and for the next decade the Company was led by a team including Card Walker, Donn Tatum, and Ron Miller—all originally trained by the Disney brothers.

Since Walt Disney's passing in 1966, the company has been led by a series of transformative CEOs who have steered it through eras of massive expansion and digital evolution. Initially, Walt's brother Roy O. Disney took the reins to oversee the completion of Walt Disney World. He was followed by Donn Tatum and Card Walker in the 70s. The modern "Disney Renaissance" began under Michael Eisner (1984–2005), who expanded the theme parks globally and revitalized the animation studio. He was succeeded by Bob Iger (2005–2020), who is credited with the high-stakes acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox, turning Disney into a global entertainment juggernaut. After a brief and controversial tenure by Bob Chapek (2020–2022), Bob Iger returned as CEO in late 2022 to stabilize the company and focus on the profitability of Disney+. In 2026, Iger remains the central figure in Disney leadership, working alongside a board of directors to navigate the "post-linear" TV era and maintain the company's status as the world's premier storytelling and theme park empire.