One Month Later, Disney’s Josh D’Amaro Publicly Explains D23’s Controversial Updates

in Disney Parks

Josh D'Amaro in front of United States of America flag, with Sleeping Beauty Castle (L) and Cinderella Castle (R)

Credit: Inside the Magic

One month after The Walt Disney Company announced a series of exciting—albeit controversial—updates for its Disney Experiences division, department chairman Josh D’Amaro took to the stage once again, this time at the INBOUND 2024 conference in Boston, MA, to discuss those developments.

Exterior of The Walt Disney Company office building.
Credit: D23

In August 2024, the House of Mouse hosted its bi-annual D23 Expo–The Ultimate Fan Event–in Anaheim, Southern California. There, Disney Experiences chairman Josh D’Amaro took to the stage at the Honda Center to share updates that were coming to the company’s beloved theme park resorts, as well as the Disney Cruise Line.

Of course, many fans were keen to see what new attractions and experiences were coming to Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort in the United States. While D23 is highly anticipated each year, Disney often leaves attendees deflated due to the lack of concrete updates regarding the parks worldwide.

To combat this, D’Amaro set the tone immediately.

Crowds in front of Cinderella Castle
Credit: Inside the Magic

“At Disney Experiences, Imagineers dream, create, design and build these stories into real places,” the chairman said (via Disney Parks Blog). “And we have Imagineers in place right now all around the world because everything we’re going to share with you is in active development. Plans are drawn. Dirt is moving. I just want to be clear about this: We are doing everything you’re going to hear tonight.”

That said, even with drawn plans and moving dirt, not everything the Mouse House shared was universally well-received. From the announcement of the company’s first-ever Monsters, Inc. land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios to the confirmation that the Tropical Americas area in Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be known as the Pueblo Esperanza (and feature the Casita Madrigal from Encanto), updates came thick and fast.

Monsters Inc land artists rendering from D23
Credit: Disney

Perhaps the most unusual—and eventually controversial—change was the reveal that the “Beyond Big Thunder” project would be happening at the Disney park. The Disney Villains will be getting their own land at Magic Kingdom Park, and surprisingly, the Cars franchise will be getting a major footprint in Frontierland.

While this was already confusing when it came to theming, the discourse reached new heights once Disney dropped the concept art for Cars Land. The image revealed that Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America would be completely removed to make way for Radiator Springs at the Central Florida Disney resort.

Aerial view of the 'Cars' area in Frontierland in concept art.
Credit: Disney

Questions have been raised as to why Disney is upending Frontierland this way, with accusations made that Disney is sacrificing atmosphere, environment, and themes in favor of its many Intellectual Properties (IP). Many of those questions are aimed at Bob Iger and the man leading the Experiences brand, Josh D’Amaro.

D’Amaro’s big moment came in May 2020 when he was named Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products. Now at the helm of Disney’s global parks, resorts, cruise lines, and consumer products, he’s steered the company through a transformative period.

Guests in front of Spaceship Earth inside of EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort
Credit: Disney

From navigating the post-pandemic landscape to pushing forward with major projects like the reimagining of EPCOT, D’Amaro continues to be a driving force behind Disney’s ongoing innovation, even if not everything is largely well-received.

The executive, who is one of a few names suspected to take over as Chief Executive Officer from Bob Iger when he steps down, recently spoke at the INBOUND Conference in Boston, MA, where he addressed how storytelling is the main component of Disney’s theme park success.

Josh D'Amaro with a statue of Walt Disney at Disney World
Credit: Josh D’Amaro, Instagram

D’Amaro gave the last address at INBOUND on September 18. Titled “Dream to Reality: How a Disney Story Comes to Life,” D’Amaro opened his speech by giving an overview of how Disney fully embraces storytelling when it comes to parks and movies.

He also focused on the company’s recent D23 announcements, bypassing the scrutiny the company faced in the weeks following the slew of updates. On the D23 changes, D’Amaro said, “These experiences are an investment in new ways of telling stories for brand new generations of Disney fans.”

Disney Parks Chairperson Josh D'Amaro talking on Main Street, U.S.A.
Credit: Josh D’Amaro, Instagram

Related: Disney Cancels Major D23 Park Promise, Refuses to Bring New Ride to Park

“When we tell our best stories and fully believe in them, our audience responds,” D’Amaro added. He said this is why the parks have been visited “four billion times in the past seven years.”

Of course, the conference stage is not the place to reflect on Disney’s shortcomings, but as shared just earlier this year at the Q3 shareholder presentation and earnings call, attendance at Walt Disney World Resort–the company’s theme park crown jewel–had flat attendance versus last year, with both CEO Bob Iger and CFO Hugh Johnston giving a snapshot of the future.

Big crowds at Disney World
Credit: Inside the Magic

“According to Johnston, he expects similar results for the next several quarters,” Travel Weekly wrote. “Lower-income consumers are feeling some financial stress, he said, while higher-income consumers are traveling internationally more; he expects those trends to continue.”

The cost of a Disney vacation, especially a Disney World one, is a hot topic at the moment. With the rising costs of accommodation and admission, not to mention the divisive Lightning Lane Passes (formerly Disney Genie+), even the most exquisitely told stories may still not entice guests back to the parks.

Crowds gather around the Millennium Falcon at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
Credit: Inside the Magic

At INBOUND, D’Amaro seemed to reference the intensity of the fanbase, saying, “Disney fans, they take their fandom very, very seriously.”

Perhaps commenting on the recent backlash, D’Amaro referenced how many Disney fans spend their lives in the parks: “If we make a change, some of our fans feel like we are altering part of their personal story.”

D’Amaro once again commented on building for new generations, seemingly doubling down on the sacrifices that have to be made to secure future fans. The executive did admit, though, that Disney “may not always get this right.” Watch here:

Related: Disney World Officially Backtracks on Major Lightning Lane Changes After Guest Outcry

Information on the Epic Games collaboration, the “digital playground,” was also shared at the conference, which D’Amaro explained was Disney’s new frontier in storytelling.

How do you feel about the theme park updates from D23 and Josh D’Amaro’s recent address about storytelling at INBOUND? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!

in Disney Parks

View Comments (7)