Random 5 day trip to Disneyland for my girlfriend’s 40th birthday, and just inside the entrance tunnel, I spot Mr. D’Amaro. Stopped to chat with me, shook hands, and took pictures. He was an absolute gentlemen, and was probably more in shock I knew who HE was. I see why cast members at Disneyland loved the man.
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Josh D’Amaro
- Thread starter hismattjesty
- Start date
Random 5 day trip to Disneyland for my girlfriend’s 40th birthday, and just inside the entrance tunnel, I spot Mr. D’Amaro. Stopped to chat with me, shook hands, and took pictures. He was an absolute gentlemen, and was probably more in shock I knew who HE was. I see why cast members at Disneyland loved the man.
Kamikaze
Well-Known Member
Come on, he knows he's famous.
He was probably shocked you weren't berating him for 'ruining Disney' or some such.
Nope, just pleasantly surprised is all. In 30 years visiting parks, I’ve never seen anyone corporate. I’d also never conduct myself in a disrespectful manner to management, regardless of the good or bad state of things in the parks.
Prince-1
Well-Known Member
Very cool.
He was VP of DAK before moving to CA and was well regarded.
I've seen Iger , wife and young kids on vacation, followed by what looked to be Disney Mgt.
Thank you. Sorry, I was still kind of in shock when posting. I’m an East Coast guy, and haven’t been to Disneyland since 2008.
I didn't want anyone to get their hopes up that they might run into him at WDW any time soon.
No Name
Well-Known Member
I wonder how often he gets negative energy from people. I feel like most people consider him a stellar human being held back by Bald Bob, who is the one ruining the parks.
Also, he’s so new to the job that few to none of the current projects were approved when he was head of parks products and experiences… in fact a lot of them are from when he was just head of transportation, before he flew upwards.
shambolicdefending
Well-Known Member
Probably 99.9% of those greedy, remorseless Disney suits are quite normal and nice people. Including Chapek.
VJ
Well-Known Member
i do believe there is an element of good cop/bad cop at play here, with "daddy josh" being the good cop and the one everyone believes will save the day in the end because hey, he talks about how great cast members are! that must make him good, right? never mind that he doesn't actually do anything to help them besides provide lip service every chance he gets
No Name
Well-Known Member
Bob Chapek also regularly talks about how great cast members are, but nobody buys it. I think it’s half because of looks and half actually warranted. Josh has a more genuine smile and Bob has an awkward smile (I can relate), but Josh seems pretty up to snuff while Bob has actually shown himself to be dumb (talking about how Splash Mountain is 60 years old, “taking a stand” by pausing donations to everyone including the people he is supposedly supporting, etc.). Also Bob is not the best at public speaking.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Let's dig into this fantastic photo from @hismattjesty (great screen name!), because this might be Peak Josh D'Amaro we are looking at here. I don't know that it's ever going to be able to get better than this, and we can look back on this photo decades from now and smile warmly.
First, his wardrobe is spot on perfection for Early 2020's Cool Dad Executive. This man has not just nailed it with this look, he's applied it permanently with some sort of Space Age polymer.
Look at that Peter Millar (I'm betting) sport coat tailored to his svelte runner's physique, with the contrasting pocket lining popped up on the breast pocket. The crisp yet casual dark jeans, sporty business belt. The smooth shaved, lean face (beards are for bellhops, not businessmen) with the obviously coiffed yet still tousled salt and pepper hair. I have a hunch there's a Nordstrom Personal Shopper at Fashion Island that's invovled here, with natural help from Mrs. D'Amaro (who I have been told is a genuinely kind and fun lady to be around, like her husband), but there's also an obvious personal style he has here. This man owns it.
My God, he even gets his nametag right; instead of that awkward too-low nametag placement most Burbank executives do when they never wear one and their assistant reminds them to put it on at the last second, Josh puts his own damn nametag on himself without thinking and places it perfectly right below the notch of his slim lapel. Impressive!
If I have one quibble, it's that I'd like to see just a hint of white shirt cuff at the sport coat sleeve, and that he's unbuttoned two (2) buttons on his starched yet sleek white dress shirt. This isn't a Chippendales revue, Josh! It's a family park! But when @Curious Constance returns eventually for a check in here she will absolutely lose her mind and claim his two undone buttons are perfection and that I should just shut up and let Josh put on his own version of the Disneyland Show.
Yup, this is Peak Josh D'Amaro on display here, and it's impressive to behold. No wonder Josh leapfrogged his career quickly over the snobby and charmless Michael Colglazier. (How's Virgin Galactic going Michael? Not good? Oh.)
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Agreed.
People are not dumb. And this might surprise the Burbank executives and their handlers in the Communications department, but Cast Members are... people. Thus, because Cast Members are people, Cast Members are not dumb. They can instantly spot fakery and schmoozy PR instead of honest talk.
Bob Chapek does not have the looks or style of Josh D'Amaro. But it goes deeper than that. Bob Chapek has routinely and regularly displayed that, at least when it comes to the parks division, he has absolutely no idea what he's talking about regarding that business. He is reading a script he didn't write, and reciting Talking Points his Comm team gave him to memorize. It reads instinctively as fake, and it comes off as forced. He just doesn't know the lingo, doesn't have the vibe, is a stranger to the theme park industry, and he can't read the room when he's surrounded by Parks CM's and Parks fans.
Honestly, the biggest problem with Bob Chapek is that at least when it comes to Disney's Parks Division he doesn't seem genuine or knowledgeable, or even likable. I imagine these same problems also are at play with the movie studio divisions and creative groups. But for CM's at the parks, it's obvious he has no clue what he's talking about or what the parks are supposed to do and what the paying audience expects from them.
Bob Chapek doesn't use the park products as a consumer, so he doesn't know what he's talking about. You can't gloss over that reality with PowerPoint scripts and approved Talking Points. Cast Members know. We all know.
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TP2000
Well-Known Member
Never trust a man who can't put his nametag on correctly, and whose own assistant doesn't even know how it's supposed to be worn! If you are going to be a leader of theme parks, this is Theme Park Culture 101 stuff.
On the jacket breast instead of the lapel, sitting three inches too low for a beefy man, and not even on straight. This man simply does not belong at Disneyland. He reads instantly as a faker.
On the jacket breast instead of the lapel, sitting three inches too low for a beefy man, and not even on straight. This man simply does not belong at Disneyland. He reads instantly as a faker.
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CaptinEO
Well-Known Member
At the end of the day, we're all just people doing a job. I have to agree with @TP2000 , Chapek doesn't really know theme parks or creative entertainment.
He was chosen for the job and it pays well. He isn't a villain, just a businessman trying to maximize returns.
He doesn't realize how confusing planning a trip to a Disney park is and how annoying the app is, he's never used it.
He was chosen for the job and it pays well. He isn't a villain, just a businessman trying to maximize returns.
He doesn't realize how confusing planning a trip to a Disney park is and how annoying the app is, he's never used it.
WDWJoeG
Well-Known Member
The amazing thing about Josh (and this is NOT a criticism and young executives would do well to understand this) is that he has created a fan base by being simply likable. Note: NOT by doing anything substantive as the current head of the parks. He grew up at Disneyland in the late 90's watching Cynthia Harriss work those AP rubes like a fiddle and learned the value of a selfie.
He has (and also due to to Chapek's complete lack of warmth) created this incredible scenario where anything you like about the parks is HIM and everything you hate about the parks is Chapek. He's the head of the parks division, but gets ZERO accountability for anything negative that happens in the park, it's fascinating to watch. When Chapek was head of the parks he get 100% of the blame. Now Josh is head of the parks....and Bob still gets 100% of the blame.
But hey, Josh took a photo with me!!!! So the complete wasteland that is Epcot and the misery of Genie+ isn't HIS fault!
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Ryan120420
Well-Known Member
Never trust a man who can't put his nametag on correctly, and whose own assistant doesn't even know how it's supposed to be worn! If you are going to be a leader of theme parks, this is Theme Park Culture 101 stuff.
On the jacket breast instead of the lapel, sitting three inches too low for a beefy man, and not even on straight. This man simply does not belong at Disneyland. He reads instantly as a faker.
To be completely fair to Bob, he is wearing a microphone in the same area where his name tag should be. I'm guessing he, or his handlers, moved it so the mic wouldn't rub up against the name tag.