During today’s Walt Disney Company annual shareholders meeting, a pivotal vote on leadership threatened several board members, including Disney CEO Bob Iger. However, Bob not only came out victorious, but celebrated his victory by offering a first look at what guests “might expect” from an Avatar experience at Disneyland.
We knew Avatar was coming to Anaheim and we knew it would be a full-fledged land, but thanks to new concept artwork Bob shared from Walt Disney Imagineering, we also now know there’s potentially an outdoor boat ride!
Here’s everything we know so far about Avatar at Disneyland:
So, What Happened Today?
Business Insider reported Trian Partners CEO Nelson Peltz waged a proxy fight against Disney for two seats on the company’s board, which they also observed was not only about those two seats, but also “about the future of one of America’s most iconic companies.”
During the call, Peltz stated, “There’s no doubt Disney is an iconic company that…has some of the greatest brands and entertainment and unforgettable theme parks and experiences and is a company that occupies a special place in the hearts of millions of people around the world, including me.”
However, he also explained that Trian (which not coincidentally has three and a half billion dollars invested in Disney), wants Walt Disney Company to “get back to making great content and delighting consumers and…to create sustainable long-term value for all shareholders.”
Iger’s ongoing plan to repair the wreckage created by Bob Chapek has included refocusing the studio division on providing the type of entertainment Disney fans want to see, while also capitalizing on the continued success of the theme park and travel divisions of the company.
Even though Trian’s attempt to oust him was unsuccessful today, Bob should take it as a warning sign that he needs to get profits and stock prices up to avoid another potential revolt in the future.
“I want to thank our shareholders for your trust and confidence in the Disney board…and the ambitious strategy we’re implementing across our businesses to build for the future,” Iger said before the Q&A portion of the meeting. “Now that this distracting proxy contest in behind us, we’re eager to focus 100% of our attention on our most important priorities: growth and value creation for our shareholders and creative excellence for our consumers.”
Among the laundry list of accomplishments Iger boasted about during his pre-recorded video introduction was the advancement of Disneyland Forward to the Anaheim City Council for final approval.
Read all about Disneyland Forward here:
IT’S APPROVED!!! DisneylandForward Moves Forward What You Need To Know
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Let’s Hear From You!
Do you think Peltz was right to challenge Iger’s leadership and attempt to replace him on Disney’s board of directors or do you think Bob is doing a good job of righting the wrongs caused by the previous Bob? And, most importantly, what do we think about a possible Avatar-themed boat ride at Disneyland? Let us know in the comments!