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Joe Schott Takes the Helm as Walt Disney World President
A brand-new era of leadership has officially begun at The Most Magical Place on Earth!
Following the retirement of longtime Disney executive Jeff Vahle after an incredible 36-year career with The Walt Disney Company, Joe Schott has officially assumed the role of President of Walt Disney World Resort.
To mark his first official day in the role, Schott shared a photo alongside Vahle on Main Street, U.S.A., along with a heartfelt message reflecting on his journey and sharing his vision for the resort’s future.
For Joe Schott, taking the helm at Walt Disney World isn’t just a major promotion—it’s a full-circle homecoming. His Disney journey began nearly 45 years ago right in Central Florida, where he started out as a part-time Jungle Cruise skipper at Magic Kingdom.
“When I took a part-time job as a skipper on the Jungle Cruise nearly 45 years ago, I never could have imagined where the journey would lead from there,” Schott shared in his message. “I’ve gone from Florida to Disney destinations around the world and back. Returning to the place where it all began feels a lot like coming home.”
Over the past four decades, Schott built an impressive global resume within Disney Parks & Experiences. His past roles include:
- Disneyland Paris: Chief Operating Officer, leading major revitalization efforts across the resort’s parks and hotels.
- Tokyo Disney Resort: Vice President during its milestone 25th anniversary celebration.
- Shanghai Disney Resort: President and General Manager, where he oversaw massive resort expansion, including the debut of the world’s first Zootopia-themed land.
- Disney Signature Experiences: President, overseeing Disney Cruise Line during its fleet expansion (including the launches of the Disney Destiny and Disney Adventure), Disney Vacation Club, Adventures by Disney, and Storyliving by Disney.
Schott takes the wheel at a historic moment for Walt Disney World, as multi-billion dollar expansion projects are ramping up across the property. His priorities for leading the resort’s ~80,000 Cast Members are clear and focused:
“I am honored to be President of Walt Disney World during such an exciting time. With significant investments and growth underway across our property, we have tremendous opportunities ahead. My focus is simple: support our Cast Members, deliver exceptional Guest experiences and build on our strong foundation.”
Schott also paid tribute to outgoing president Jeff Vahle, who stepped down on July 31 after leading Walt Disney World through some of its most transformational years—including navigating the pandemic reopening, the resort’s 50th Anniversary, and the openings of major attractions like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, TRON Lightcycle / Run, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
“I want to thank Jeff Vahle for his leadership and stewardship of Walt Disney World,” Schott added. “He has helped shape the resort’s success, strengthen our culture and position us for the opportunities ahead. I am honored to follow in his footsteps.”
With major new lands themed to Monsters, Inc., Cars, Encanto, Indiana Jones, and Disney Villains on the horizon, Disney fans have plenty to look forward to under Joe Schott’s leadership!
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