The Walt Disney Company is getting a new CEO, and that appointment could come with some serious changes.

Josh D’Amaro at Destination D23, 2023 ©Disney

It was recently announced that Josh D’Amaro is set to take over the helm of the company from Bob Iger in March 2026. D’Amaro has been heading up the Disney Experiences branch of the company for a few years now, bringing his expertise and experience with Disney destinations around the globe to his new role. But on a more localized level, how will D’Amaro’s promotion affect Disney World?

For a little bit of background on Josh D’Amaro, he first gained a good bit of popularity with Disney fans during his tenure as President of Disneyland Park, followed by his time as President of Walt Disney World Resort. When Bob Chapek was promoted to CEO of The Walt Disney Company, D’Amaro took over his role as Chairman of Disney Experiences.

Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Josh D’Amaro at the 2023 Destination D23 fan convention. ©Disney

The Disney Experiences division encompasses not only the theme parks worldwide, but also Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney, merchandise, retail, and more. As a “parks guy,” many Disney fans have expressed their hope that D’Amaro will be able to “bring back the magic” to Disney World. But will that be able to happen the way they think?

Josh D’Amaro at SXSW 2023 ©Disney

Deadline notes that Josh D’Amaro will face many challenges as CEO, including many that will require him to turn his focus outside the parks. “Disney’s post-Iger leaders will face a number of headaches, including managing ongoing declines in linear TV, coping with the surging cost of sports rights, and refining the strategy in streaming. During Iger’s first stint as CEO, he spearheaded a number of moves, chief among them the $71.3 billion acquisition of most of 21st Century Fox, as the legacy media player committed to direct-to-consumer streaming.”

Josh D’Amaro in EPCOT

Some of Iger’s most notorious moves as CEO were acquisitions of other major companies and rights to media giants like Star Wars and Pixar. He then went on to focus a great deal of effort into cultivating those acquisitions —  building franchises, putting out new movies, creating new theme park lands, and launching Disney+ to show off the company’s library of content. Now that Disney’s scope has grown, what will D’Amaro do with the array of assets he’s been given to wield?

©Josh D’Amaro

Well, in terms of Disney World, one thing we DO know is that D’Amaro and the new chairperson of Disney Experiences (a role that is yet to be filled) will oversee a number of IP-based expansions in the Disney World parks in the coming years. The same fans who grew attached to Disney movies, characters, and franchises under Iger’s tenure will now get the chance to see some of those creations come to life in the parks.

©Disney

Tropical Americas in Disney’s Animal Kingdom will bring us the village of Pueblo Esperanza, complete with attractions themed to Encanto and Indiana Jones. The Piston Peak expansion in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom will allow fans to explore the world of Cars on the East Coast. And the Monsters, Inc. movies will be made a reality in Monstropolis at Hollywood Studios.

@Disney

Beyond that, Villains Land in Magic Kingdom is a long-awaited expansion of the park, featuring some of Disney’s most iconic and most dastardly characters. All these projects have been in development and announced during D’Amaro’s tenure as head of Disney Experiences, and he’ll continue to see them through when he takes the reins as CEO.

Villains Land ©Disney

It’s hard to say exactly what will happen outside of what has already been revealed, but we do have some sad news for fans who are hoping D’Amaro’s appointment will mean the return of long-lost perks and attractions…it’s probably not going to happen. Just because he “levels up” in terms of leadership doesn’t mean he can magically bring back free FastPasses or Magical Express. The decision to cut those offerings was made during a time when the company needed to recover financially, and returning to the old ways would be a financial detriment.

FastPass+ Kiosk that used to be in the park

The same goes for old attractions and lands. As much as we’d love to ride DINOSAUR again, a new CEO doesn’t just mean that Disney will cancel plans for changes in the parks. These changes have been underway for a while, and the costs and value were carefully calculated before public announcements were ever made. Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind is that many of the changes in recent years were actually made WHILE D’Amaro was head of the parks…when he had even more direct involvement in Disney World than he will as CEO.

DINOSAUR

If you expect things to suddenly revert back to five or ten years ago just because a “parks guy” becomes CEO, then you’ll be disappointed. D’Amaro will likely bring new magic to Disney World in the coming years through the planned additions. It’s also good to keep in mind that a large part of his role is keeping the shareholders and board of directors appeased. That means making financially responsible decisions for the company while also keeping a robust fanbase of customers.

©Disney

We’ll be interested to see what decisions D’Amaro makes during his first few months as CEO, and of course, we’ll report back with more important updates as they happen.

For more Disney World news, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media.

Learn More About Josh D’Amaro’s Future as Head of the Company Here

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.

---

Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.

Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!

GET YOUR GUIDE NOW