During the 70's nobody was lining up around the block to see "The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again". But the Disney name was so branded as "family market" that they were trapped. Hollywood studios nearly went bankrupt chasing the family market with big budget musical flops.
I read somewhere that when Spielberg and his group previewed E.T. to studio heads and various industry wags they were terrified when it was compared to a Disney film...which at the time was the kiss of death.