Joe Schott is officially President of Walt Disney World Resort. He took over the role on August 3, 2026, succeeding Jeff Vahle, and walked into the job in the middle of the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom’s history, with new lands also rising at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Who Is Joe Schott? – Schott’s Disney story goes back nearly 45 years. He started as a part-time skipper on the Jungle Cruise at Walt Disney World, long before he ever imagined running the place. From there, he built one of the longest resumes in the company. He led Walt Disney Attractions Japan for three years during Tokyo Disney Resort’s 25th anniversary. He spent five years as chief operating officer of Disneyland Paris, leading the revitalization of its parks and hotels. He served as president and general manager of Shanghai Disney Resort starting in 2018, first joining that team as senior vice president of operations. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Nova Southeastern University.
Most recently, Schott ran Disney Signature Experiences, a division that reaches far beyond theme parks. Under his watch, Disney Cruise Line grew from six ships to a planned fleet of 13, including the Disney Destiny sailing out of Port Everglades and the Disney Adventure sailing from Singapore, plus a future ship in Tokyo built through a partnership with Oriental Land Company. The division also covers Disney Vacation Club, Adventures by Disney, National Geographic Expeditions, Aulani, Golden Oak, Disney Institute, and Storyliving by Disney. Natacha Rafalski, previously president of Disneyland Paris, has taken over that role now that Schott has moved to Walt Disney World.
Joe Schott’s First Statement as President: “Feels a Lot Like Coming Home” – Schott marked his first day with a post on LinkedIn, and it reads like a man who never expected to end up back where he started.
“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 wrote. “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.”
He laid out his priorities in plain terms. “I am honored to be President of Walt Disney World during such an exciting time,” Schott wrote. “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.”
He also thanked his predecessor directly. “I also want to thank Jeff Vahle for his leadership and stewardship of Walt Disney World,” Schott wrote. “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.”
He’s Following Jeff Vahle, Who Led the Resort Through Its 50th Anniversary – Vahle announced his retirement back in May, closing out 36 years with the company that started on the floor of Magic Kingdom as an engineer. We covered his full statement when he stepped down, and Disney named Schott as his successor the same week, a move we reported on back in May. Vahle took the president role in 2020 and guided the resort through its phased reopening, the 50th anniversary celebration, and the openings of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, TRON Lightcycle / Run, Journey of Water, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
What Joe Schott Inherits: Four Lands and a New Resort Under Construction – Schott isn’t stepping into a quiet moment. He’s stepping into the busiest construction period Walt Disney World has seen in decades.
At Magic Kingdom, Piston Peak National Park is rising in Frontierland, a Cars-inspired land replacing Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty Square Riverboat. It’s part of what Disney calls the largest single expansion in the park’s history. We track every phase of that build on our Magic Kingdom coverage hub. Plus, we have Villains Land coming in the near future. We should know more information in the next two weeks about the future of who, what, and when we can expect them to take over the Magic Kingdom.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Monstropolis continues to take shape where Muppet*Vision 3D and Grand Avenue used to sit. The Monsters, Inc.-themed land will include the first suspended coaster at a Disney park, plus Harryhausen’s restaurant and the Glob Theater. Full details live on our Hollywood Studios coverage hub.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Tropical Americas is reshaping the old DinoLand U.S.A. footprint around the story of Pueblo Esperanza. We recently reported on the scale of the Encanto casita construction there, part of a new carousel attraction still awaiting an official name.
And on the resort side, Disney Lakeshore Lodge is under construction on Bay Lake, the resort’s first standalone hotel to open since Disney’s Riviera Resort in 2019. We got an insider preview on the water with Walt Disney Imagineering back in May, ahead of its planned summer 2027 opening.
The Full-Circle Angle Other Outlets Are Skipping – Most coverage of this appointment stops at the resume. What gets missed is how directly Schott’s own story lines up with the moment he’s stepping into.
He started as a teenager steering a boat through a fake jungle in Frontierland. Now he’s overseeing the total rebuild of that same corner of Magic Kingdom into Piston Peak. We stood in front of the Imagineering models for Piston Peak, Monstropolis, and Tropical Americas last fall, all three displayed together at Hollywood Studios as one connected vision for the resort’s future. Schott now owns that entire vision, not just a piece of it. That’s the story underneath the headline, and it’s the reason this leadership change carries more weight than a typical hire.
For everything we’re tracking on Walt Disney World’s expansion, visit the Magic Kingdom hub and the Hollywood Studios hub.
