Who took over the Disney company after Walt died?

Roy Oliver Disney was, with his younger brother Walter Disney, the co-founder of what is now The Walt Disney Company. After Walt died, Roy became the chairman of the company.



Following Walt Disney's death in December 1966, his older brother and co-founder, Roy O. Disney, took full control of the company. Roy was already the financial brain behind the operation, but he famously postponed his planned retirement to oversee the completion of "Disney World" in Florida, which he insisted on renaming Walt Disney World as a permanent tribute to his brother's vision. After Roy O. Disney passed away in 1971, shortly after the Florida park opened, the leadership transitioned to Donn Tatum (the first non-family CEO) and Card Walker. This era, often called the "interim" or "steady hand" period, focused on maintaining the status quo and opening EPCOT Center. It wasn't until the mid-1980s, under the leadership of Michael Eisner and Frank Wells, that the company entered a modern "renaissance" of rapid expansion and creative revitalization. Roy's son, Roy E. Disney, also remained a powerful figure in the company for decades, eventually leading the "Save Disney" campaigns that influenced future leadership changes, including the appointment of Bob Iger.

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Disney's fortune passed to his daughters when he died. Upon his daughter Sharon's death in 1993, her share was in Trust for her fraternal twin grandchildren, who should have been able to access funds upon attaining age 35, with subsequent payouts scheduled for their 40th and 45th birthdays.

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Forest Lawn Memorial Park is a cemetery in Los Angeles which is the final resting place of Walt Disney. Following his death in 1966, Walt's remains were cremated and a burial plot was established in the eastern section of the park as a memorial.

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Disney's Shanghai resort isn't actually owned by Disney. It's a joint venture with a state-owned enterprise — i.e., the CCP. The split? The CCP owns 57%, Disney just 43%.

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As of 2023, Bob Iger's net worth is estimated to be around $350 million (via Celebrity Net Worth), and his annual pay is reported to be close to $27 million per year. As pointed out by Disney heiress Abigail Disney, this is roughly 787 times more than the median salary of a Disney employee.

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Disney resigned as an executive from Walt Disney Productions in 1977 over disagreements with corporate decisions. He later said, I just felt creatively the company was not going anywhere interesting. It was very stifling.

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The board had fired Chapek. Within days, Iger fired Chapek's closest advisors, including his former chief of staff, Arthur Bochner; his assistant, Jackie Hart; and his de facto second-in-command, Kareem Daniel. In July, Iger extended his contract through 2026, the fifth time he has pushed back his departure as CEO.

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Key Takeaways
  • Vanguard Group, BlackRock, State Street Corporation, and Berkshire Hathaway are the key players in Disney's ownership landscape.
  • State Street Corporation is the largest shareholder of Disney, indicating its significant influence on the company's operations and decision-making.


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Walt and his brother and business partner Roy Disney obtained funding to construct the new venture from ABC, one of the three major networks then in existence, in exchange for creating and hosting an hour-long weekly television show.

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