NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - It's been a tumultuous year for The Walt Disney Company...but now it looks like a Hollywood-style happy ending for the House of Mouse.

The year began with cable operator Comcast's surprise takeover bid for Disney (Research) in February, which sent shares of the media giant to their highest level since the summer of 2001.

Over the next few months, the stock price fell as Comcast walked away, a string of films flopped, and the ABC television network's ratings continued to founder.

Dissident shareholders were calling for beleaguered chief executive officer Michael Eisner to resign. Eisner gave up his role as chairman after a contentious shareholder meeting in March.

But things began to brighten. In August, Disney reported that fiscal third-quarter earnings increased 21 percent, beating expectations. In September, Eisner announced he would retire as CEO in 2006.

Fall arrived and, to everyone's surprise, ABC found itself with a number of hit programs, most notably the salacious pop culture phenomenon "Desperate Housewives." In November, Disney said its fourth-quarter earnings jumped 24 percent, thanks largely to its highly profitable ESPN cable sports network and theme parks division.

And the movie business, smarting from bombs earlier in the year, bounced back in November with two big box-office hits: "The Incredibles," Disney's latest animated film with Pixar, and "National Treasure."

As a result of this recent success, shares are up 33 percent since mid-August and trade just 3 percent below the peak price they hit after Comcast announced its takeover bid. So is it too late to cash in on the Mouse's turnaround? Find out in our Stock Spotlight»