Disney has had quite a shuffle of leadership across the entire company as a new CEO was announced earlier this year and the president of Disneyland was promoted to lead all the Disney theme parks. We were able to hear more from the new president of Disneyland during media briefings and small gatherings during the recent D23 fan event.
She shared a couple of key anecdotes based on her previous experience and goals for her time at Disneyland. We have the first one of these to share today as she shares thoughts on leveling up the food and beverage offerings at Disneyland. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resource, including new details on the Avengers Campus expansion and new popcorn buckets at Disney World.
READ MORE – These 10 Disney Rides Have Changed Dramatically Since Their Opening
Disneyland Wants to Level Up Food and Beverage
Disneyland’s new president, Jill Estorino, wants to make food even more of a central point of the Disneyland experience. She shared her perspective based on her previous roles running all the international Disney theme parks and from her rise in marketing.
She spoke on a panel of leaders representing many of the different Disney international destinations. Also on the panel were Joe Schott, President of Walt Disney World; Tasia Filippatos, President & Managing Director, Disney Parks International; and Natacha Rafalski, President, Disney Signature Experiences.
Disney Ride Closure ALERTS, Major Changes, Secrets Revealed
Get alerts on closures, park changes, exclusive discounts, and free printables. Trusted by 100,000+ Disney fans & planners.
Before becoming the President of Disneyland, Jill Estorino oversaw the international Disney theme parks and spent lots of time in Asia. In that role, she managed expansion at all destinations across Europe and Asia, including Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disney Resort, and Tokyo Disney Resort. Under her leadership, Disney Parks International had strong performance while also moving forward a big slate of new rides and expansion.
On the panel at D23, she was asked what she learned working and living internationally and how she was bringing that mindset to Disneyland in California. She shared thoughts on how she wants to focus on food at Disneyland.
After speaking about living in both Hong Kong and Shanghai, she talked about the profound impact that those years had on her life.
“It changed me. These were some of the happiest years of my life both personally and professionally. I changed as a leader. I changed as a person. It opened my eyes. I felt so welcome in both cities”
She reflected more on the connection between Asian cultures and Disneyland. “I can see it now as the head of Disneyland in California. I can see here the same way food and dining and being around the table as family and friends plays in the Chinese culture. It is number one or two priority in life. We may not have gotten it right when we opened up Hong Kong Disneyland, but we quickly pivoted and we got it right in Shanghai in many ways. We had to think about the experience and how food and dining and that moment were going to play in the Disney experience. I am very proud of where we are right now at Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong.”
Estorino said, “I see it at Disneyland Resort in California as well. California has a rich history and heritage of the Chinese culture. Immigrants came here many, many years ago and shaped what California is today. When I walk through our parks here, and resort and restaurants, I see an incredible array of food and beverage that I believe is authentic. We’ve thought long and hard about it. We have asked our guests. We have started really celebrating in an authentic way Lunar New Year. We have overlaid a part of the park into San Fransokyo. We have traditional Chinese, Vietnamese dishes, and just recently added Filipino lumpia to our portfolio and we are going to continue doing that.”
She concluded, “I am going to bring that sensibility and importance to Disneyland Resort and take our food and beverage program to the next level with the team.”
READ MORE – This Is The Coolest Moment of the Day at Disney California Adventure You Won’t Want to Miss
The important context on the above quotes is that they were to an audience of international media that was not made up of Disneyland diehards. I wonder if the comments about taking the food to the next level would have been the same if it were a room of locals and if she is thinking of any specific moves. She is early in her job, so this may not be directly tied to changes she is actively making. Instead, it could also be referencing the just-opened dining locations in Downtown Disney, which include Gordon Ramsay’s new restaurant, and other expansions for dining already in motion.
Turning to a bit of commentary. Out of all the Disney theme parks, Disneyland has relied the most on specialty food and beverage offerings to drive demand and visitation by locals. Disneyland Magic Key Annual Pass Holders are always looking for something new to enjoy at the theme parks to give them a reason to visit again. Unique foods have played a big part in this. Before 2020, when the cute cupcake craze was still booming, Disneyland could share a picture of a cupcake on Instagram, and there would be a line there the next day. This is still true in many ways.
Throughout the year, Disneyland offers seasonal food guides and unique menus for those who follow along closely. Right now, we are in the Disneyland Halloween season, when dozens of new and returning treats and unique meals were released in the Disneyland Halloween food guide for 2026. We’ve tried quite a few of these in the parks already and loved the pumpkin shake from Schmoozies and the Mickey-shaped Waffle Macaron from the Cappuccino Cart.
Disneyland has opened multiple new restaurants and snack options in recent years, including Gordon Ramsay at the Carnaby, San Fransokyo Square, Parkside Market, lumpia and Italian ice locations, a Din Tai Fung, Tiana’s Palace, and more.
Disneyland food and beverage teams also face the difficult task of balancing affordability with quality for all the different food options. They need to sustain quality offerings while the cost of ingredients and food prices go up beyond Disneyland’s control. Earlier this year, we reported on the kids meal that they are focused specifically on keeping at just $5.99.
Disneyland teams have difficult decisions to make to strike this balance. We recently reported on Disneyland cutting some vegetarian items across the resort alongside food price increases. Disappointingly, the fresh fruit was recently cut out of one of my favorite desserts. On the other hand, I am still surprised during many visits by how inexpensive certain high-quality food items are at the resort. The Turkey Pesto Sandwich which comes on fantastic Dutch Crunch bread with chips is only $13.99, and that’s before my Magic Key discount.
Generally, food at Disneyland costs far less than comparable food items at other theme parks, sports arenas, or even generally in major cities. For anyone coming in from cities in Southern California, the cost of food does not feel different than the cost beyond the parks.
The culinary teams at Disneyland have quite a few different buckets of guests that they need to deliver for. This is a hard job. They need to have affordable options for families. They need to keep delivering quality food options that make Disneyland stand out as a food lover’s destination. They also need to keep creating new dining offerings and specific foods that function as attractions in their own right to draw Southern Californian visitors and tourists alike to the parks.
These different buckets represent the push and pull of what Jill Estorino needs to balance in this area as president. They need to keep creating a strong interest in food at the theme parks while also keeping offerings accessible.
I strongly advocate for Disneyland to keep many meals affordable for families. They have done this well. There are tons of affordable options, and I see them pushing to keep various food items across the resort at lower prices by making changes to dishes.
Separately though, I hope Disneyland keeps a different bucket where the most iconic food items are not cut back with an eye toward costs. I understand that food items need to cover their costs and those costs are rising. I am also comfortable having those higher costs passed on to guests for a high-quality offering. Our biggest frustration comes when there is a cut to quality while the individual price increases.
Looping back to Jill Estorino’s comments. My strong hope is that the teams can find this balance to service all of the different groups and constituencies that visit the resort every day. There should be generally affordable options for someone looking for a meal for their family, but there should also continue to be the high-quality, unique, foodie options where Disneyland has made real strides in recent years.
We’ll continue to watch the latest Disneyland menu changes and updates closely to bring you any news of changes here on Mickey Visit.
Don’t Miss the Latest Disney News
Don’t miss the latest Disneyland and Disney World news from Mickey Visit. Join the FREE Mickey Visit newsletter that over 100k readers receive every single week. Mickey Visit is here to help you save money and experience more during your Disney and Universal vacation. See the Mickey Visit guide to Disneyland and the Mickey Visit guide to Disney World for tips.
