The only thing I truly regret is him selling out to the very thing that represented what LFL was founded to rebel against.
This.
But I think a certain part of Lucas always admired Disney. Remember that kids across America in the 50s grew up watching “Uncle Walt” promote his movies and then his theme park every Sunday on ABC. Something of that showman’s magic must have left a lingering impression, and made it easier even decades later to ignore what the company has basically always stood for in corporate terms.
And Lucas evidently admired Disney’s total commitment to maintaining the illusion of reality for a child audience. So much so that he initially tried to emulate the old Disney practice of not revealing voice-actor credits with the droids in SW, pretending they were actual robots rather than performers in suits.
Anthony Daniels and even Kenny Baker were always credited in the film. IIRC, it was more Fox marketing/publicity dept. that wanted to push the notion they were actual robots in the early days. If you can find anything that shows Lucas was on that bandwagon, I’d like to see it.