Disney’s new CEO comes from parks — and it could change how you experience the magic

The keys to the Magic Kingdom are about to change hands. The Walt Disney Company has confirmed who will succeed Bob Iger – and if you’re a fan of Disney Parks or Disney Cruise Line, the choice won’t come as a surprise. Josh D’Amaro will take the reins as Disney’s next CEO on March 18.

D’Amaro is a 28-year Disney veteran whose career has been shaped largely inside the company's parks business, most recently as the head of Disney Experiences. He’s been overseeing one of the most ambitious expansion periods in the company’s history, with tens of billions of dollars being poured into new cruise ships, major park expansions, and entirely new destinations – from a long-awaited Magic Kingdom expansion at Walt Disney World to an Avatar-themed land coming to Disneyland, and a brand-new Disney park planned for Abu Dhabi.

Iger’s return was ...