Disney’s Reputation Seems to Have Taken a Big Hit, According to New Poll

The Walt Disney Company has been in the news quite a lot recently.

Magic Kingdom

Disney’s handling of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill was widely criticized, even prompting employee protests. Then, the Florida government decided to take away Disney World’s Reedy Creek District status. And now, all of this seems to have hurt Disney’s reputation, according to a new poll.

The Walt Disney Company fell 28 spots on the Axios Harris Poll 100 this year, according to The Washington Times. The poll ranks the “most visible brands in America” by using a survey with questions about trust, ethics, growth, products/service citizenship, vision, and culture.

©Disney

Disney is now ranked at number 65, when it was previously number 37 in 2021. It is now listed in the “Good” category. Last year, the company was in the “Very Good” category.

©The Harris Poll

“Disney’s about-face shows the reputational hit that comes when the public perceives you as being calculating rather than clear in what you believe in and stand for,” said Harris Poll CEO John Gerzema, according to The Washington Times.

©Wall Street Journal

Recently, Disney has been criticized for failing to initially speak out about Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill as well as their eventual response to the bill being signed into law. There has also been a lot of back and forth between Disney and Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis.

©Reuters

On the top of the Axios Harris Poll 100 for 2022 is Trader Joe’s, followed by HEB Grocery, Patagonia, and The Hershey Company.

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10 Replies to “Disney’s Reputation Seems to Have Taken a Big Hit, According to New Poll”

  1. Exactly! I agree with all of the other comments. Disneys brawl with DeSantis probably has very little impact on its rating. Nickle and diming guests and totally abandoning Walt Disney’s image of his parks has probably had a far greater impact. It has always been expensive to visit Disney but you paid because you felt you got value for what you paid. Disney has been steadily downgrading their product for years but now they have completely abandoned even pretending their customers (not even considered a guest now)experience is even a remote consideration in any decisions they make. The parks have always been the company’s cash cows and they are going to milk them for every cent they can until they dry up.

    1. Well, many of these trips are booked WAY in advance and some people are playing catch-up from trips cancelled by COVID. I think it will take a little time for a true picture to emerge.

  2. There’s a huge difference in what you pay for vs. what you get over the past five years. Crazy price increases and the removal of so many perks. We went in 2017, 2019, and March of 2022, all staying at deluxe resorts. We are going to Disneyland this November, our first time there. Hubby has mentioned going elsewhere for future vacations. He’s noticed the decline in value and is not really interested in feeling taken advantage of much longer.

  3. I think this has a lot more to do with price increases, Fast Pass charges, dropped resort perks, massive lines and waits ect. Now, despite the polls and whatever prompted people’s response therein Disney parks are still packed and they’re making money hand over fist. What people say and what they do are often two different things and polls are notoriously bad in their assessments.

    1. I agree that polls accuracy can be questionable. As for packed parks, I believe it is the pent up travel fever due to Covid that has so many hitting the parks. It’s as if they think they have to go before it’s gone. There are also tons of “new money” out there due to the escalating values of real estate and people tapping their new found “free” equity. Not a smart financial move but I know many who have become rich in their minds and foolishly spent equity on non real estate purchases such as once in a lifetime trips. I’m anxious to see what another year or two brings for the Disney crowds if their policies remain unchanged. I’m betting Disney has the lowest percentages of new customers with intentions to make return visits ever. I feel most of the “new money” visitors will be one and done customers instead of us old timers who were one and fell in love and returned over and over and over until we were jilted and cheated on. Just like when someone you love cheats on you, it takes a very long time, if ever, to get over it and come back. Disney may well learn that they should have been true to those who loved it instead of looking for something new to replace us with. I know I have 3- kids, now adults, who were raised to love Disney and were next in line to be long time returning customers with their kids, but thanks to Disney’s policy changes, they don’t even want to go back. Sorry for the long comment, but in a nut shell, time will soon tell if Disney made the winning move or lost the game. Right now they appear to be playing the short game.

  4. Disney’s reputation taking a hit has more to do with their raising prices exorbitantly on many things and at the same time cutting back on things like live entertainment, perks (i.e., magic hours), staffing (I mean, who hasn’t been in a filthy WDW bathroom lately–that was very, very rare before), housekeeping, park hours and forcing their visitors to use park reservations and Genie plus (you know, if you want to ride more than a ride or two a day). Their rep was being tarnished long before their’s and the gov’s “disagreement.”

  5. I don’t think Disney’s fall is just about their battles with the Florida government. The rise in their prices across the board and charging for what was once a free perk is hurting the brand. Disney’s profits may be up in the short term, but they are hurting their image in the long run, and that will impact their bottom line later on.

    1. I keep saying it, but neither Iger nor Chapek went to a park just to see how things were operating, or simply to enjoy it.
      I don’t think they even understand why people liked going there in the first place

    2. I agree. I’m going to DW in October, and it may be my final trip there, due to outrageous price increases. I’m on a fixed income and refuse to take out a reverse mortgage on my house to afford a trip to Disney.