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Credit: Edited by Inside the MagicDisney fans have spent the last few years asking the same question in different ways: Does the company still remember what made the parks feel special in the first place? The rides are bigger. The technology is flashier. But something about that old-school Disney charm feels harder to find.
Now, with leadership changes looming at the top, there’s growing buzz that a familiar sense of fun, heart, and personality could be on its way back.
According to multiple reports, Disney Experiences chairman Josh D’Amaro is expected to be named the next CEO of The Walt Disney Company, with a board vote anticipated soon. At the same time, current CEO Bob Iger is reportedly eyeing an early exit before his contract ends. While nothing is official just yet, the timing alone has fans speculating about what a D’Amaro-led Disney could look like—and more importantly, feel like.
One thing longtime park fans know about D’Amaro is that he genuinely “gets” Disney parks culture. He’s not just a corporate figurehead. He’s the executive who shows up in park announcements, wears the spirit jerseys, and speaks the same language as the fans who obsess over details. It’s fair to point out that many classic elements have changed with D’Amaro as the head, but it’s also fair to point out that he will have a stronger voice as the CEO than he does in his current executive position.
And lately, one detail keeps coming up in fan conversations: the Muppets.
A Leader Who Understands Emotional Disney
D’Amaro’s entire career has been shaped inside Disney’s theme parks division. That matters. While studio executives often think in box office terms, parks executives think in emotional ones. They understand nostalgia, repeat visits, and why certain attractions stick with guests for decades.
That perspective could be crucial right now. Disney has leaned heavily into IP-driven expansions, but some of those additions feel more transactional than timeless. D’Amaro stepping into the CEO role could signal a shift toward restoring personality-driven experiences—the kind that don’t rely on massive franchises to work.
Which brings us back to the Muppets.
Josh D’Amaro who is likely being the new CEO of The Walt Disney Company has been vocal about bringing more “Muppets material” into the parks. via The Wrap
“Josh D’Amaro has made noise about bringing more Muppets material into the parks.”https://t.co/tW8iSRwNLi#TheMuppets pic.twitter.com/2sqSDas2j0
— DTVA News (@DTVANews) February 2, 2026
The Muppets Are Already Quietly Returning
Disney has already confirmed that Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets is set to open later this year. That alone felt like a surprising move. For years, the Muppets existed on the edges of Disney World, loved deeply by fans but rarely given real investment.
At the same time, Disney made the confusing decision to shut down Muppet*Vision 3-D, a show that many considered one of the purest examples of classic Disney humor still operating in the parks. The timing raised eyebrows. Why bring the Muppets back in one space while erasing them in another?
Under a new CEO who openly appreciates the brand’s history and reportedly wants the brand to have greater representation, that question suddenly feels more interesting.
Could Muppet*Vision 3-D Return in Some Form?
On paper, Muppet*Vision 3-D didn’t fit Disney’s recent direction. It wasn’t new. It didn’t sell merchandise easily. It didn’t connect to a modern franchise rollout. But emotionally? It checked every box fans say they miss.
D’Amaro has never publicly said he would bring Muppet*Vision back. Still, his track record suggests he’s more open to rethinking decisions that didn’t sit right with guests, if he gets back to his roots. And if Disney is serious about reconnecting with families beyond blockbuster IP, the Muppets offer something few brands can: humor that works for kids and adults in the same room.
Is a Muppets Land Actually Possible?
This is where things get really fun to think about.
Disney has experimented with smaller, character-focused lands before, but never fully committed to the Muppets in that way. A Muppets-themed area wouldn’t need massive E-ticket attractions to work. It could thrive on shows, interactive elements, walk-around characters, and clever sight gags baked into the environment.
Think controlled chaos. Practical humor. A land that doesn’t take itself seriously—and doesn’t need to.
Interestingly, recent industry analysis has pointed out that Disney’s mishandling of the Muppets over the past decade caused the brand to fade from younger audiences. Yet new creative efforts suggest Disney is finally trying to reverse that trend, carefully and deliberately.
A CEO who believes in the Muppets could finally give that effort a permanent home inside the parks.
What “Classic” Really Means Under Josh D’Amaro
Bringing back classic elements doesn’t mean undoing modern Disney. It means balancing it.
D’Amaro understands that nostalgia isn’t about freezing the parks in time. It’s about preserving tone. That feeling of warmth, humor, and human touch that made guests fall in love with Disney in the first place.
The Muppets embody that idea better than almost any property Disney owns. They’re imperfect. They’re chaotic. They’re funny in a way that doesn’t feel engineered by committee.
If Josh D’Amaro does become Disney’s next CEO, fans may finally see leadership that values those qualities again—not as a risk, but as a strength. And if that leads to more Muppets, more heart, and more classic Disney energy in the parks? For a lot of fans, that would feel like a long-overdue homecoming.
It will be interesting to see what Disney gets from D’Amaro as CEO. Will he toe the corporate line, or will he begin to bring back some of the classic elements that have left the parks in past years? That’s a question only time will answer.