Channels with Peter Kafka Who is Josh D'Amaro and Why is He Disney's New CEO?
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Feb 3, 2026 
Julia Alexander, Puck journalist who covered Disney and briefly worked on its strategy, breaks down Josh D'Amaro as the parks-savvy leader now tapped to run Disney. She highlights why parks and cruises are driving corporate priorities. Short takes cover his parks wins, the CEO-as-figurehead dynamic, how creative leaders fit in, and what streaming’s slowdown means for succession.
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Experiences Over Content
- Disney is shifting to an "experiences-first" company, prioritizing parks, cruises, and digital experiences over content as the primary profit engine.
- Julia Alexander argues experiences now account for the majority of Disney's profit and are a more certain monetization path than uncertain future media formats.
Monetize The Visit, Not Just Attendance
- Parks growth is driven more by higher per-customer monetization than by vastly more visitors.
- Disney raises prices and sells premium upgrades to extract more revenue from each guest, boosting profit margins.
CEO As Public Brand Figure
- Disney CEOs serve as public figures who embody the brand and interact with fans at parks.
- Executives said Josh D'Amaro has a "Walt-like" affable quality that Bob Chapek lacked, which matters for the role.