Disney has just announced the next head of the Disney theme parks. We have gotten to know this leader in the past year as he moved over to lead Disneyland from his previous role leading Disney Signature Experiences, the division that includes Disney Cruise Line. Before that he oversaw the reopening of the Walt Disney World Resorts coming out of 2020.
In addition to the next Disney Experiences Head, we also received word about the next Disneyland President and other key roles within the Disney Experiences division. Be sure to read my commentary on the new leaders at the end. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including a look at recent additions announced for Disneyland and a restaurant menu overhaul.
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New Disney Parks Chairman Announced for Division
The announcement for a new Chairman of Disney Experiences, which includes the theme parks, cruise line, and consumer products, comes after other big news from Disney.
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Disney previously announced that Josh D’Amaro, the current Chairman of Disney Experiences, has been selected as the next CEO of The Walt Disney Company effective at the upcoming Annual Meeting on March 18, 2026, when he will succeed longtime Disney CEO Robert A. Iger. The Board also intends to appoint D’Amaro as a director immediately following that meeting.
Concurrent with D’Amaro’s appointment, Dana Walden, Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, has been named President and Chief Creative Officer of The Walt Disney Company, also effective March 18.
Now, Josh D’Amaro has made big news by naming his successor to the role of Disney Experiences Chairman. He also named other key roles related to the promotion.
“We’re in an unprecedented period of growth for Disney Experiences,” said Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences and incoming Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. “This team will propel the world-class experiences Disney is known for to more guests across the globe.”
Thomas Mazloum succeeds Josh D’Amaro as Chairman, Disney Experiences, leading a diverse portfolio of global businesses including Disney’s theme parks, cruise ships, resort hotels, expeditions and adventures, consumer products, and Walt Disney Imagineering, the creative engine behind Disney’s experiences portfolio.
Mazloum brings deep operational knowledge of Disney Experiences, a strong record of international leadership, and a long-standing commitment to Disney’s cast members and creative culture. With the guest experience at the center of everything, he will lead the business into its next chapter as it continues to grow and evolve globally.
Before joining Disney, Mazloum built a strong foundation in European luxury hospitality, gaining extensive experience across high-end hotels in food & beverage, guest services, and hotel operations. He later served as Chief Operating Officer of Crystal Cruise Line, where he was known for driving service excellence, transforming organizational cultures, and successfully launching new travel ventures.
As part of his Disney career, Mazloum held senior leadership roles at Walt Disney World Resort before being named President, Disney Signature Experiences. In that role, he developed a long-term strategic growth plan that included doubling the size of the Disney Cruise Line fleet. With the recent launch of Disney Adventure in Singapore—the cruise line’s eighth ship and its first homeported in Asia—the business expanded into new growth markets and reached the next generation of fans.
Most recently, as President, Disneyland Resort, Mazloum oversaw two theme parks, three hotels, and the Downtown Disney District during the Resort’s 70th anniversary celebration.
“Thomas Mazloum is an exceptional leader with a genuine appreciation for our cast members and a proven track record of delivering growth,” said D’Amaro. “His focus on service excellence, broad international leadership, and strong connection to the creativity that brings our stories to life make him the right leader to guide Disney Experiences into its next chapter.”
Disney Experiences also announced the following changes to its leadership team, with all roles reporting to Mazloum:
• Jill Estorino — President, Disneyland Resort
• Tasia Filippatos — President, Disney Parks International
• Lisa Baldzicki — President, Disney Consumer Products
Jill Estorino has been named President, Disneyland Resort, where she will continue to elevate the guest and cast experience at the company’s original, iconic destination.
Over her 35-year career, Estorino held numerous leadership roles, including Executive Vice President of Global Marketing and Sales for Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, where she played a key role in the grand opening of Shanghai Disney Resort. Most recently, as President of Disney Parks International, Estorino oversaw the operations, expansion and development of Disney’s international parks and resorts, including Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disney Resort and Tokyo Disney Resort with the Oriental Land Company.
Estorino successfully expanded Disney’s global footprint at sites around the world, reaching new consumers and fans from around the world. Since her appointment, Disney’s international parks have seen strong performance and growth.
In her new role as Disneyland Resort President, Estorino brings a global perspective shaped by decades of leadership across Disney’s diverse portfolio of experiences. As a strong business and marketing strategist, she focuses on brand stewardship, exceptional guest experiences, and a deeply connected cast culture. Estorino will guide the resort through its next phase of growth while continuing to foster the culture and community that has defined Disneyland.
She is recognized as a trusted brand steward with a deep respect for Walt Disney’s original vision –
one grounded in storytelling, innovation, and an unwavering focus on the guest experience. In her
new role, she will guide the evolution of Walt Disney’s first park, honoring its heritage while
continuing to elevate experiences that reflect today’s bold, immersive, and emotionally resonant
storytelling.
“Jill is a remarkable leader who deeply understands what makes Disneyland special,” said D’Amaro.
“She leads with heart, holds incredibly high standards, and believes that great guest experiences
begin with inspired cast members. Jill brings a global perspective shaped by strong collaboration
with international business, community and government leaders while guiding significant, strategic
investments for long-term global growth. Jill is uniquely suited to carry Walt Disney’s legacy forward
while building what’s next for this special destination.”
“Disneyland is where Walt’s dream began, and it has always represented the very best of what Disney can be,” said Estorino. “I am honored to lead this incredibly special resort, deepen our longstanding commitment to the community and support our cast members as we care for its rich legacy and continue to create new, innovative experiences that resonate with today’s guests and generations to come.
Tasia Filippatos is appointed President, Disney Parks International, overseeing the growth and evolution of Disney’s parks outside the United States.
Most recently, Filippatos served as President of Disney Consumer Products, guiding the business through a period of transformation fueled by innovation-led growth. Her leadership included a global portfolio spanning products, Parks merchandise, retail, publishing and games while translating iconic storytelling into scaled consumer experiences through premier brand partnerships worldwide.
In her new role as President of Disney Parks International, Filippatos brings a proven track record of leading complex global businesses at scale across diverse international markets. A visionary leader at the forefront of creativity and innovation, she will oversee the operations, expansion, and development of Disney’s international parks—including Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disneyland, Tokyo Disney Resort in partnership with Oriental Land Company, and the newest park coming to Abu Dhabi in partnership with Miral.
Lisa Baldzicki is promoted to President, Disney Consumer Products, where she will continue to build on the great momentum and evolution of the global consumer products business.
Baldzicki was most recently head of Parks Product Development & Retail for Disney Consumer Products, where she defined the vision and business strategy for retail product and integrated experiences across Disney’s domestic parks. She brought a consumer-led merchandising perspective to the role, shaping strategies that drive how guests engage with products and brands before, during, and after purchase.
In her new role as President, Disney Consumer Products, she will lead the continued evolution of the global retail division of The Walt Disney Company. The division includes the world’s largest licensing business with a presence across more than 100 product categories and a global reach spanning over 180 countries.
“As we look ahead, I have tremendous confidence in Thomas and in the leaders stepping into these roles—Jill, Tasia, and Lisa—along with the incredible leadership team across Disney Experiences,” said D’Amaro. “Together, they will continue to build on our momentum around the world, delivering the service, creativity and one-of-a-kind experiences that define Disney.”
Transitions will get under way in the next few weeks, with all roles effective March 18, 2026.
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Mazloum is taking over a division that last year delivered a record $10 billion in operating income and is expected to be the growth driver for the entire company. It is also the division that just produced incoming Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, who most recently held this role.
We know that D’Amaro has repeatedly trusted Thomas Mazloum with tasks that require delicate and powerful leadership. Coming out of the pandemic, Mazloum led the reopening of the Walt Disney World Resort Hotels and then the expansion of Disney Cruise Line to double the size of the fleet by 2031 and create a second private island during the critical planning years for the fleet growth.
Now, he is at Disneyland overseeing improvements to the guest experience and long-term master planning of the multidecade expansion project that was previously approved under the DisneylandForward name. In his short year at the resort, he has already quickly made moves to leave a mark through an increased focus on hospitality and simplifying the guest experience. He recently shared with us an increased focus on improving and changing the cast member experience.
When Thomas Mazloum was first announced to be the next President of Disneyland, I wrote “I would not be surprised if we see Thomas as one of the top contenders for the Disney Experiences Chairman job after Josh moves on.” That has come true today.
At that same time, I wondered if he was capable of leading Disneyland, writing “I personally just hope he understands how special Disneyland is and how differently it needs to be handled than Disney Cruise Line or Walt Disney World.”
In the year since I wrote that article, I have spent time with Thomas Mazloum on multiple occasions at the Disneyland Resort, sometimes in controlled media settings and others when I’ve just bumped into him in the parks or around Disney. I have been extremely impressed by his immediate grasp of the importance of Disneyland and how different the resort is from any other Disney theme park in the world.
He speaks eloquently about the Disneyland Resort and the honor of leading Walt Disney’s theme park. He told me that during his first week leading Disneyland he was walking in New Orleans Square and the weight and responsibility of his new role hit him. He immediately grasped the importance of the park and how the role was different than any other. This is the only park that Walt Disney walked in. He has said that when you work here, you still feel his spirit around you.
He shared that in his office at Disneyland, he has a saddle that they discovered Walt Disney personally purchased.
Mazloum has also come to understand the unique mix of Disneyland guests. Disneyland has a far bigger annual pass holder population than the other Disney Parks and many more locals in Southern California who feel an ownership over the resort. He spoke about how lucky they are at Disneyland to have guests who are so passionate about the place. He has told me on multiple occasions that whether it is positive or negative feedback, they are fortunate to be hearing from guests who care about the place.
This is a perspective that we are fortunate to have headed into the overall leadership role of the theme parks. Beyond being a nice guy, he is receptive to feedback and ways to improve the theme park experience. He has a strong focus on hospitality and making things easier for guests. Even in my interactions with him, he has been open to new ideas and quickly chased down whether they were possible to make happen.
During a recent business update presentation, he shared more specifics around some of the ideas and focus areas at the resort. Those were around simplicity and improving guest experience. It was clear that he has made a real impact in a short amount of time at Disneyland.
His presentation was moderated by a member of his executive team at the resort. She expressed that his specific and simple principles have helped the Disneyland executive team to focus in on where improvements are required and to tune out the noise.
We also talked about his master plan for Disneyland and experience working with Walt Disney Imagineering. The two Imagineering Portfolio executives over Disneyland sit on the resort executive team. The other leader who moderated the conversation said that the Disneyland relationship with Imagineering is more productive and comprehensive than under any leader she has seen before. That comes from Mazloum bringing Imagineering into the conversation more actively for all aspects of Disneyland from the biggest master planning projects to the smallest additions.
Thomas Mazloum has been a great steadying force at Disneyland after the reopening years and now he is poised to apply that same steady hand to the overall division.
In fact, my only worry with this promotion is that Disneyland will lack some of the continuity around the specific implementation of the big ideas he has been focused on.
Going into the business update event, I was confident that we would see Mazloum elevated to the chairman role. By the end of the event, I was actually so impressed that I hoped he would end up staying at Disneyland to see the projects and renewed hospitality expectations through. While he will be elevated to parks chairman, I hope that he remains closely focused on the improvements for Disneyland and that the new leader carries this forward.
I have not spent any real time with Jill Estorino, the incoming Disneyland President, other than seeing her at events. I’ve heard that she is approachable and easy to work with, but I have never had any personal experiences. I wish her real luck in the role and hope that she runs forward with the same focuses that Thomas has established at Disneyland.
When I was reflecting on this expected change before it was announced today, I wrote up the below looking at other candidates in the leadership of Disney Experiences who could have taken on the role of Disneyland Resort President in the case that Thomas was promoted without a named successor. While the commentary isn’t as relevant now, it is interesting to have a look at the other capable leaders in the division.
Separately, we have not seen movement from the President of Walt Disney World for longer than typical and could see that destination get a new leader eventually, though we have not heard anything substantial about a shift there. This is a constant rumor around these shuffles, which likely comes from earlier practices. Comments about a potential new Walt Disney World leader may come from a pre-2020 standard of a more frequent rotation of leaders at Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
Jeff Vahle continues to lead Walt Disney World through an ongoing period of growth. We have heard that he and the Imagineering team based in Orlando have developed a strong rapport which has led to the pleasing slate of attraction openings coming this year in what could have been a quiet period waiting for the big new rides under construction.
Generally, there are quite a few great options for candidates for other leadership positions. The Disney Experiences division creates a deep bench of talent because there are so many discret businesses across the division to give leaders general manager experience owning their own profit and loss statement.
Here’s a look at some of the other great leaders in the division we are watching right now.
We like Natacha Rafalski who is President of Disneyland Paris, Michael Moriarty who was just promoted to division CFO and most recently ran Hong Kong Disneyland, or Joe Schott who runs Disney Cruise Line and Disney Signature Experiences for the role.
When I met Rafalski at the D23 Expo a couple of years ago, I asked her what her favorite part of the job was. She said it was working with entertainment to develop new shows for the park. She is just finishing off the first big phase and relaunch of the Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris with the upcoming launch of World of Frozen and a new lagoon section of the park.
I met Michael Moriarty and Joe Schott for the first time in the past year. Disney theme parks have been their whole lives. Michael’s father helped open Walt Disney World and was a leader there for 20 years, helping to open Disney Village, which became Disney Springs and then eventually overseeing all resorts. It’s nice to know that Michael has a close connection to Disney history. He has proven himself with an incredible run at Hong Kong Disneyland where he oversaw the major World of Frozen addition and launch of the 20th Anniversary at the resort.
Joe Schott was onboard the Disney Destiny preview sailing we attended toward the end of last year. He shared his deep passion for the theme parks with the fan media in attendance and even broke out a Disneyland Paris hidden secret that stumped some of the deep Disney fans in our group. In that moment, it was clear his passion for the theme parks. Before running Disney Cruise Line and Signature Experiences, he led Shanghai Disney. Importantly, he started his Disney career as a Jungle Cruise Skipper at Magic Kingdom. He is now focused on the doubling of the Disney Cruise Line fleet by 2031.
We will be watching all of these leaders closely for any future shifts. Make sure to keep following along with Mickey Visit for more of the latest Disney news and planning resources.
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