News Josh D’Amaro Named Next CEO of The Walt Disney Company

[larryz]

I think they forgot the "every guest receives VIP treatment" a long time ago.

It's still there -- it's just an upsell now.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The Eisner that built DLP or the Eisner that built DCA?

Euro is probably the most beautiful Disney park built…except maybe Epcot 1.0

Mismanaging local politics is not the same as not willing to build high quality

 

[Serpico Jones]

 

[JohnD]

I feel like the author is just confused. The new Zootopia area is in China (unless they’re talking about Zoogether), Up was talked about for new Adventureland in Tokyo, and Anna and Elsa are getting facelifts. Either that or it’s AI struggling.

I got my hopes up for half a second. But I think you're right. The author is confused about attractions in the various worldwide parks.

 

[larryz]

Anyone else get "The Captain" vibes from Josh's photo?

 

[Disney Analyst]

Glowy employee talk

I mean - I worked a summer once at MK on the international college program but that was like a summer fling bucket list thing. Not a lot of Disney jobs for us here in Vancouver

 

[Laketravis]

From a broader perspective, I think there are several favorable elements in play right now:

- "Parks" is currently established as the company's cash cow. You feed that cow whatever it wants.

- A new CEO with intimate knowledge of the revenue drivers that led to that profitability and the impending consequences of such.

- A sack of capital ($60B) already earmarked for improvement and expansion.

- A ~$7B competitive theme park investment to benchmark.

It's an opportunity to go big. Very big.

 

[Lilofan]

Josh hit the jackpot financially. In his contract that was set up for him , base salary $2.5M and if he hits all his performance targets he can earn up to $28M annually.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Josh hit the jackpot financially. In his contract that was set up for him , base salary $2.5M and if he hits all his performance targets he can earn up to $28M annually.

Josh has made more money than regular folks dream of even before today.

In these jobs, it doesn’t matter what happens, even if he fails, just his separation package is more money than is needed for multiple lifetimes like a vampire.

Deep inside Josh is saying to himself, he won the jackpot and he can either end up super rich or mega rich.

Meanwhile, Iger is secretly laughing, “who gives a cr@p about legacy, I have enough money to live multiple lifetimes like a vampire”

 

[Lilofan]

Josh has made more money than regular folks dream of even before today.

In these jobs, it doesn’t matter what happens, even if he fails, just his separation package is more money than is needed for multiple lifetimes like a vampire.

Deep inside Josh is saying to himself, he won the jackpot and he can either end up super rich or mega rich.

Meanwhile, Iger is secretly laughing, “who gives a cr@p about legacy, I have enough money to live multiple lifetimes like a vampire”

It’s still Iger can’t seem to give up his influence by saying in the ABC interview the other night he will stay on as advisor until end of fiscal year. Life is too short. Play golf , or do whatever except be concerned about work. Who’s pulling the strings , Josh or Bob ??

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

Anyone else see the paragraph below in this Deadline article about D'Amaro? (Emphasis mine.)



I've not heard of any of those things before, let alone them being planned projects. I've emailed the author for clarification.

It's amazing how bad mainstream journalism gets when it comes to theme parks. It's like they just don't bother doing any fact checking at all when it comes to the industry. Even from mainstream publications.

 

[Disstevefan1]

It’s still Iger can’t seem to give up his influence by saying in the ABC interview the other night he will stay on as advisor until end of fiscal year. Life is too short. Play golf , or do whatever except be concerned about work. Who’s pulling the strings , Josh or Bob ??

Seriously, I agree, I do wonder if Iger will be pulling strings.

Chapek tried to resist Iger's string pulling, we all know what happened to Chapek.

Josh is smart, and if Iger is pulling strings, Josh will go along.

 

[BrianLo]

Anyone else see the paragraph below in this Deadline article about D'Amaro? (Emphasis mine.)



I've not heard of any of those things before, let alone them being planned projects. I've emailed the author for clarification.

My other guess is they just hallucinated WDSP/DAW projects in that mix. Frozen, Up and Tangled are opening shortly in Paris. An AI google search would hallucinate that.

I cannot fathom Magic Kingdom has another three attractions on the docket and that this was the way they were revealed.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

From a broader perspective, I think there are several favorable elements in play right now:

- "Parks" is currently established as the company's cash cow. You feed that cow whatever it wants.

How have we liked what they’ve been doing
?

- A new CEO with intimate knowledge of the revenue drivers that led to that profitability and the impending consequences of such.

Same question

- A sack of capital ($60B) already earmarked for improvement and expansion.

Subject to Change and/or corporate legend at any time

- A ~$7B competitive theme park investment to benchmark.

Yeah…crickets

It's an opportunity to go big. Very big.

Big how?

 

[HauntedPirate]

Anyone else see the paragraph below in this Deadline article about D'Amaro? (Emphasis mine.)



I've not heard of any of those things before, let alone them being planned projects. I've emailed the author for clarification.

Sounds like someone leaned too hard on AI to write most of their article.

 

[HauntedPirate]

View attachment 906464

Oh my, that's just perfect (And an underrated movie!).

 

[SamusAranX]

That was my first guess when reading that. Who or what-ever wrote that is probably confusing global construction.

OpenAI, YOU are the new VP of park attraction planning. Come on down!

 

[Laketravis]

How have we liked what they’ve been doing
?

Same question

Subject to Change and/or corporate legend at any time

Yeah…crickets

Big how?

Yeah, I see it as an opportunity - whether it's taken advantage of or not remains to be seen. In regards to you last question "Big how?":

I think any hopes of price reductions, discounts, etc. are fruitless. You don't restrict the milk production of the cash cow.

But you can package it differently and mix it with other ingredients to produce ice cream, yogurt, cheese.........

LOL okay enough with the esoterics. Basically I see the cost of a WDW continuing to rise - maybe at a slower creep - but definitely not reduced. What I would expect to see are new benefits and perks to justify those prices and increase demand.

On a smaller scale that could include restoration of some of the pinpoint benefits the market misses (in-room delivery, some form of transportation assist from MCO, meaningful extended park hours for resort guests, etc.).

On a larger scale, $60B pays for 8 Epic's and almost leaves enough change on the table to build another cruise ship. That's the current benchmark.

Now if DIS does something stupid (high probability) like wasting all of that capital on a new attraction or two in existing parks that already need overhauls instead of oil changes then I don't consider that "Going Big".

A 5th AND 6th gate at WDW to provide needed capacity and fresh demand? A third domestic park? A combo of the two with a refresh of existing parks? Start a theme park war - that would be going big.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yeah, I see it as an opportunity - whether it's taken advantage of or not remains to be seen. In regards to you last question "Big how?":

I think any hopes of price reductions, discounts, etc. are fruitless. You don't restrict the milk production of the cash cow.

But you can package it differently and mix it with other ingredients to produce ice cream, yogurt, cheese.........

LOL okay enough with the esoterics. Basically I see the cost of a WDW continuing to rise - maybe at a slower creep - but definitely not reduced. What I would expect to see are new benefits and perks to justify those prices and increase demand.

On a smaller scale that could include restoration of some of the pinpoint benefits the market misses (in-room delivery, some form of transportation assist from MCO, meaningful extended park hours for resort guests, etc.).

On a larger scale, $60B pays for 8 Epic's and almost leaves enough change on the table to build another cruise ship. That's the current benchmark.

Now if DIS does something stupid (high probability) like wasting all of that capital on a new attraction or two in existing parks that already need overhauls instead of oil changes then I don't consider that "Going Big".

A 5th AND 6th gate at WDW to provide needed capacity and fresh demand? A third domestic park? A combo of the two with a refresh of existing parks? That would be going big.

I’m surprised you even suggested “5th gate”…you know better there. There is no demand for that and it makes no economic sense on any level for Disney.

As far as the “$60 billion” goes…we need to revisit it and establish a couple things:
1. First it was done for PR and corporate interests…and those goalposts tend to move around the board.
2. It’s not guaranteed.
3. That number could be heavily tilted towards things that qualify as “maintenance” more than investment.

 

[Kamikaze]

On a larger scale, $60B pays for 8 Epic's and almost leaves enough change on the table to build another cruise ship. That's the current benchmark.

So what does that translate to for parks that aren't awful?