Eisner 's controlling style inhibited efficiency and progress according to some critics , while other industry experts indicated that " age compression " theory led to a decline in the company 's target market due to youth copying teenage behavior earlier . The year 2000 brought an increase in revenue of 9 % and net income of 39 % with ABC and ESPN leading the way and Parks and Resorts marking its sixth consecutive year of growth . However , the September 11 attacks led to a decline in vacation travel and the early 2000s recession led to a decrease in ABC revenue . Plus , Eisner had the company make an expensive purchase of Fox Family Worldwide . The year 2001 was one of cost cutting , laying off 4,000 employees , Disney parks operations decreased , slashing annual live-action film investment , and minimizing Internet operations . While 2002 revenue had a small decrease from 2001 with the cost cutting , net income rose to $ 1.2 billion with two creative film releases . In 2003 , Disney became the first studio to record over $ 3 billion in worldwide box office receipts . Eisner did not want the board to renominate Roy E. Disney , the son of Disney co-founder Roy O. Disney , as a board director citing his age of 72 as a required retirement age . Stanley Gold responded by resigning from the board and requesting the other board members oust Eisner . On November 30 , 2003 , Disney resigned from his positions as the company 's vice chairman and chairman of Walt Disney Feature Animation , accusing Eisner of micromanagement , failures with the ABC television network , timidity in the theme park business , turning The Walt Disney Company into a " rapacious , soul-less " company , and refusing to establish a clear succession plan , as well as a string of box office film flops starting in the year 2000
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
The Walt Disney Company