Disney: How a cartoonist's ideas evolved into a $33 billion media empire

From Hollywood blockbusters to theme parks branded as “the happiest place on earth,” the Walt Disney Company (DIS) has built itself into an entertainment juggernaut. The media giant generated total revenue of nearly $33 billion in 2023, an increase of about 16 percent year-over-year. Despite recent setbacks as the industry shifts from linear to streaming – the company’s massive influence cannot be ignored. Beyond the Ticker dives deeper into Disney’s success – and how it became a household name. 1923 Walt Disney and his brother Roy established Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio in Los Angeles. 1928 New York's Colony Theater premiered Steamboat Willie, the first cartoon released with synchronized sound. It also marked the debut of Mickey Mouse. 1937 Disney released its first feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The film saw instant success, becoming the highest-grossing title of all time to that point. 1955 Disney’s first theme park came about a decade and a half later with California’s Disneyland opening its doors in July 1955. It was regarded as the first modern theme park in the United States. 1957 Disney hit the stock market with an initial public offering price of $13.88 a share. 1966 In December 1966, Walt Disney died at the age of 65 – but his legacy would most certainly live on. 1971 Walt Disney World, named in the filmmaker's honor, opened on October 1, 1971, in Orlando, Florida. 1984 Michael Eisner took over the position of Disney CEO in 1984. In his first four years, Disney surged from last place to first in box-office receipts among the 8 major studios. 1995 One of those box office successes, Toy Story, was released in 1995. It was the first feature-length film of Pixar Animation and also served as the first completely computer-animated feature film. 1996 Disney merged with Capital Cities/ABC for $19 billion dollars. At the time, it was the second-largest merger in U.S. history. 2005 Bob Iger succeeded Michael Eisner as CEO in 2005 – setting off a chain of events that included a slew of famous acquisitions. 2009 Disney became an equity owner of Hulu and also acquired all of Marvel Entertainment. 2012 Disney acquired Lucasfilm, coughing up about $4 billion for properties that included Star Wars and Indiana Jones. 2019 Disney bought 21st Century Fox for about $71 billion in one of the largest media purchases ever. Shortly after, the company launched Disney+. The streaming service officially surpassed Netflix with 221 million total subscribers in 2022. 2022 Bob Iger returned as CEO in a shocking executive shakeup — he had hand-selected Bob Chapek as his predecessor just two years prior but chose to return amid multiple controversies and a sinking stock price. 2023 One of those controversies included an ongoing battle with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Following Iger’s return, Disney sued DeSantis, accusing him of violating the company's First Amendment rights by utilizing political power for quote "government retaliation." 2024 A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit, determining that Disney's position ultimately "lacked standing," or the right to sue. Disney has filed a notice of appeal. Although the future remains unclear – with linear network declines, profitability struggles, and slowing theme park attendance clouding the company's outlook – Iger appears committed to bringing back Disney's magic. From tech giants to retail titans, Beyond the Ticker is a historical series that takes a deep dive into some of Wall Street's trending companies and how they transformed into the financial icons they are today. About Yahoo Finance: Yahoo Finance provides free stock ticker data, up-to-date news, portfolio management resources, comprehensive market data, advanced tools, and more information to help you manage your financial life. - Get the latest news and data at finance.yahoo.com - Download the Yahoo Finance app on Apple (https://apple.co/3Rten0R) or Android (https://bit.ly/3t8UnXO) - Follow Yahoo Finance on social: X: http://twitter.com/YahooFinance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yahoofinance/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yahoofinance?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yahoofinance/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/yahoo-finance