WDW Radio # 796 - Josh D'Amaro - My Exclusive Interview at D23 with the Disney Experiences Chairman (2024)

• WDW Radio Disney Podcast

At D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro revealed a groundbreaking lineup of new attractions, lands, and projects that solidify and highlighted Disney’s bold vision for the next decade.

The event was a remarkable milestone for many reasons, and the highly-anticipated Disney Experiences Showcase fulfilled wishes and exceeded expectations.

I had the incredible opportunity and privilege to sit down, one-on-one, with Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro the morning after his presentation to discuss the event, fan speculation, wishes, expectations, and responses.

It is a very candid and personal conversation that offers unique insight into the strategy, mission, legacy, and message from this year’s presentation. Josh takes us behind the scenes, emphasizing the connection between the Walt Disney Company and its fans.

I was remarkably impressed with Josh’s transparency, particularly illustrating the importance of listening to fan feedback, including criticism, to understand better and meet high expectations, underlining his humility and dedication to the Disney community.

I did not take the responsibility of being granted this interview lightly, and rather than, in the limited but incredibly generous time I had with Josh, try and touch on individual announcements and attractions, but instead focus on the important overarching and significance of the event, and the relationship of the Company and its fans like you and me.

So I invite you to pull up a chair, and sit at the table with me and Josh, and hopefully find our conversation as enjoyable, insightful, and rewarding as I did. And of course, huge thanks to Josh, who is someone I didn’t think I could like and respect any more, but who gave me new appreciation of him as a fan and leader.

(And just so you know… Josh and I shared that hug right after we were done recording).

– What did you think about our conversation?

Share your thoughts in the WDW Radio Clubhouse at WDWRadio.com/Clubhouse, or call the voicemail at 407-900-9391 (WDW1) and share your story on the show.

Summary

In this episode, Lou Mongello sits down with Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products, to discuss the monumental announcements made at the recent D23 Expo. The conversation kicks off with Lou expressing his gratitude and excitement for the event, which saw over 12,000 fans in attendance and millions more tuning in worldwide. Josh reflects on the emotional and exhilarating experience of presenting at D23, emphasizing the deep connection he feels with Disney fans and the importance of delivering on their high expectations.

Josh shares insights into the ambitious plans for Disney’s theme parks, including a $60 billion investment aimed at turbocharging the guest experience. He talks about the collaborative efforts with Imagineers and various teams to bring these visions to life, highlighting the emotional and logistical challenges of such a massive undertaking. The discussion touches on the importance of balancing legacy attractions with new, innovative experiences to cater to both long-time fans and new generations.

Lou and Josh delve into the fan reactions, both positive and critical, and how these shape the future of Disney parks. Josh emphasizes the significance of listening to fan feedback and the responsibility he feels to honor their dreams and concerns. He recounts personal stories that illustrate his deep-rooted connection to the Disney brand, from his early days as a cast member to his current role as Chairman.

The emotional resonance of Disney experiences is a recurring theme in the discussion, with both Lou and Josh sharing personal stories that underline the profound impact of Disney magic. From Josh’s moving experience on Soarin’ over California to Mongello’s own heartfelt reflections, the episode illuminates how Disney continues to create moments that resonate deeply on a personal level. The authenticity and seriousness with which the company treats its legacy, especially in projects involving figures like Walt Disney and Bob Iger, are underscored as key to Disney’s storytelling magic.

Moreover, Josh candidly discusses the behind-the-scenes work that goes into developing new attractions and maintaining Disney’s storied legacy. He emphasizes the importance of tangible progress in projects, such as the highly anticipated Monsters, Inc. door coaster and exciting villain-centric developments. Lou and Josh also touch on the immense pressure to meet high fan expectations, reinforcing the importance of genuine connections and listening to fan feedback, even when it’s critical.

The episode also explores the emotional moments from the D23 Expo, including the surprise appearances and announcements that left fans in awe. Josh talks about the decision to bring Walt Disney to life through advanced technology for Disneyland’s 70th anniversary, a project that involves close collaboration with Walt’s family to ensure authenticity and respect.

Throughout the conversation, Josh’s passion for Disney and its fans shines through. He expresses his pride in the dedicated team of nearly 200,000 cast members who work tirelessly to create magical experiences. The episode concludes with Josh’s heartfelt message to Disney fans, thanking them for their unwavering support and promising to continue delivering unforgettable moments.

This episode is a must-listen for Disney enthusiasts, offering a behind-the-scenes look through the eyes and vision of Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro at the exciting future of Disney parks and the people who make the magic happen.

Takeaways

• Welcome and Introduction
• – Lou Mongello welcomes Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products.
• – Discussion about the recent D23 event and its impact on Disney fans worldwide.
• D23 Event Highlights
• – Josh D’Amaro reflects on the excitement and energy of the D23 event.
• – Emphasis on the $60 billion investment in Disney theme parks and the ambitious plans unveiled.
• Fan Engagement and Feedback
• – Importance of interacting with Disney fans and listening to their stories and dreams.
• – Josh shares his experience of walking the convention floor and receiving feedback from fans.
• Managing Expectations and Delivering Surprises
• – Addressing the high expectations of Disney fans and the pressure to deliver.
• – The unexpected appearance of Deadpool at the event and its significance.
• Personal Connection to Disney
• – Josh D’Amaro’s journey from an entry-level position at Disneyland to his current role.
• – His deep connection to the Disney brand and the importance of staying true to its ethos.
• Genuine Interactions with Fans
• – Lou Mongello praises Josh for his meaningful engagement with fans.
• – Josh emphasizes the power of simple, genuine interactions and listening to fans’ concerns and dreams.
• Balancing Legacy and Innovation
• – The importance of balancing legacy attractions with new, innovative experiences.
• – Josh shares personal stories of generational Disney experiences and their impact.
• Bringing Walt Disney to Life
• – The decision to bring Walt Disney to life through new technology for Disneyland’s 70th anniversary.
• – The involvement of Walt’s family in the project and the emotional significance of this endeavor.
• Concrete Plans and Timelines
• – The importance of providing fans with concrete plans and timelines for new attractions.
• – Josh reassures fans that the announced projects are real and already in progress.
• Pride in the Disney Team
• – Josh expresses pride in the Disney team and the collective effort behind the D23 announcements.
• – The significance of the almost 200,000 cast members who contribute to Disney’s success.
• Final Message to Disney Fans
• – Josh D’Amaro’s gratitude to Disney fans for their passion and support.
• – A promise to continue delivering exciting and meaningful experiences for the future.

Quotes

• “True Disney Magic”: “There’s nothing like being at a D 23. It’s my favorite thing to do. We’re in the convention space today, but walking around and being able to interact with true fans, people that really, really care about the Disney company, about the brand, about the experience, who have long histories with us, to be able to walk with all of the fans and hear them and listen to their stories, listen to their dreams and what they hope.” — Josh D’Amaro [00:01:20 → 00:01:52]
• Disney Devotion: “I feel like the luckiest guy in the world, that I get to lead this part of the business and show up every morning and stay late into the night, absolutely loving what I do.” — Josh D’Amaro [00:04:15 → 00:04:56]
• The Impact of Community Feedback: “What other company or brand in the world has so many people watching and hoping and giving you input.” — Josh D’Amaro [00:06:29 → 00:06:37]
• “Disney Leadership Philosophy”: “Anytime we do that, I want to make sure first I hear what you’re worried about, what you’re concerned about. I want to make sure you hear my point of view.” — Josh D’Amaro [00:07:01 → 00:07:08]
• Humanizing Leadership at Disney: “I believe fans of any company, but particularly the Walt Disney company, they want to see human beings that are running this place. They want to know the people that are leading or performing actually care that they’re part of it and not just doing a job.” — Josh D’Amaro [00:09:15 → 00:10:22]
• Balancing Legacy and Innovation at Disney: “Making sure that you’re bowing down to legacy in some regard and making sure that you’re kind of stoking those emotions that people have with something like the Monsters franchise, which we definitely wanted to do here, but also being cognizant of the fact that we’re going to want new and fresh.” — Josh D’Amaro [00:14:31 → 00:14:48]
• The Importance of Leadership in Entertainment: “And when he says that our job is to bring joyous to the fans, again, that’s not just a convenient thing to say on stage or because it happens to be on the teleprompter. He’s living that.” — Josh D’Amaro [00:20:31 → 00:20:43]
• “Iconic Moments at Disney”: “You can imagine that moment walking into imagineering and standing in front of Walt with Roy Disney. And it’s complete silence as we both just stand there and stare.” — Josh D’Amaro [00:21:47 → 00:22:04]
• “Inspiration Behind the Scenes”: “My pride is, is as much as it is about the announcements. It’s about this team that I have. It’s really. It’s really incredible.” — Josh D’Amaro [00:27:35 → 00:27:44]
• The Heart of Disney Lies in Its Cast Members: “And so behind me, the one who gets to stand up there on the stage are almost 200,000 cast members, and every one of them, in some way is touching this. Like, making it come to life, is giving me the confidence to say, yes, let’s go do that.” — Josh D’Amaro [00:28:07 → 00:28:24]

Timestamped Overview / Chapters

• Certainly! Here are additional timestamps for the topics found in the transcript:
• 0:00 Fan Engagement and Appreciation
• 2:45 Fan Expectations and Self-Awareness
• 4:57 Genuine Fan Engagement
• 7:30 Core Value of Listening
• 9:15 Sharing Behind-the-Scenes at Disney Parks
• 12:27 Unveiling New Disney Attractions
• 15:40 Theme Park Experience Enhancement
• 18:21 Meaningful Announcements at Disneyland
• 20:55 Celebrating Walt Disney
• 23:10 Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary Celebration
• 25:35 Theme of Nostalgia and Sentiment in Theme Park Attractions
• 27:50 Emotional Connection to Disney
• 29:22 Words of Gratitude
• 31:05 Future Plans and Excitement at Disney Parks
• 34:18 Passion for Disney
• 37:45 Speculation and Excitement Before Disney Announcements

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Related

• August 12, 2024

• Cars, Cast Members, D23, D23 Expo, D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney Cruise Line, Disney experiences, Disney fans, Disney future plans, Disney park expansions, Disney Parks, Disney Parks and Experiences, Disney storytelling, Josh D'Amaro, Monsters Inc., Walt Disney Imagineering

About Lou Mongello

Lou Mongello is a former attorney who left the practice to pursue his passion, and is now a recognized Disney expert, author, speaker, and host of WDW Radio. Learn more…