While I have every reason to believe that Disney DOES owe royalties in this case, and IS remiss in paying them, I think it might be worth pointing out that the

While I have every reason to believe that Disney DOES owe royalties in this case, and IS remiss in paying them, I think it might be worth pointing out that the characterization of Disney's position as "they have purchased the rights but not the obligations of the contract" is the SFWA's, and presumably not literally the position that Disney espoused (because to do so would indeed, as you note, be a clear cut criminal copyright infringement case).