An Open Letter to Bob Iger on Disneyland's 70th Anniversary

As part of the commemoration of Disneyland’s 70th birthday, Bob Iger and Josh D’Amaro met with guests and cast members. It was great to see them both interact and share in the moment with those that bring the story of Disneyland to life. For the first time in a while I got to spend a moment with Bob. I was so moved that he took a moment to meet folks like me, that I was speechless, but if I had my wits about me, this is what I would have said.

Congratulations Bob! It is great that you can share this special moment with the cast and Disneyland’s fans. I want to take this opportunity to thank you.  On a more immediate level, thank you for sharing “The Last Verse" with us and ensuring its legacy is brought to the parks. This gift that Richard Sherman gave you deserves to inspire the generations of guests that experience “it’s a small world" on a daily basis.

More importantly, thank you for leading this company. While I can't say that I've agreed with every decision, there is no question that your commitment to creativity has brought a lot of amazing experiences to Disney fans. You have also brought in stories that echo Disney’s ethos through bringing in Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm into the family.  Perhaps the most important thing you have done is to always make it clear that creativity needs to be at the core of the company and that integrity is the organization’s most important value.

You are about to be faced with your most important decision that will impact your legacy.  Unfortunately, you are well aware of how making the wrong choice could quickly tarnish your legacy.  While I have my preferred choice, I am cognizant that you and the Board know the options much better than I do. I guess this brings up another reason to share my appreciation. Thank you for coming back so that you can restore Disney, which also gives you a second chance you make the right call.

I hope you had a chance to appreciate the special moments of this day. I imagine as you have to do the tough work in Burbank, that spending time celebrating can recharge your pixie dust batteries. I hope you know how much many in the Disney fan community appreciate what you have done to preserve and grow the legacy of Walt Disney. Your team of cast members of employees do you proud each and every day and based on their reactions today, they appreciate you too.

Happy Birthday Disneyland. May it continue to be a source of joy and inspiration for guests around the world, and yourself as well.