As 2026 rapidly approaches, The Walt Disney Company’s Board of Directors is running out of time to find a replacement for CEO Bob Iger. The Board initially announced that an announcement was coming in “early 2026,” but with Iger not leaving until the end of the year, it has some time before it settles on a final decision.
However, that hasn’t stopped rumors from flying about who Disney’s next CEO will be. Earlier this year, rumors spread that the head of Disney Parks, Josh D’Amaro, was in the driver’s seat to take over for Iger, but Iger quickly squashed those rumors by telling the media that the Board “hasn’t made a decision” yet.
A few months later, a rumor spread that Disney was considering a co-CEO model, similar to Netflix’s, with D’Amaro sharing the CEO duties with Dana Walden, the Co-head of Disney Entertainment. Again, in the months since that story broke, there has been no announcement from Disney’s Board.
Now, with less than a month left in 2025, the Wall Street Journal reports that, once again, the job belongs to D’Amaro with the potential for an announcement early next year. Despite his name being floated as the next CEO, in his first public comments since the story broke, D’Amaro downplayed the possibility, instead emphasizing his work at Disney’s Parks and Cruises.
“Right now, my energy is focused on growing Disney Experiences,” D’Amaro told Axios. “We have more projects in motion than ever before — expansions on land, on sea, and online with the incredible innovation happening in our gaming division.”
D’Amaro is right that he is overseeing some of the most significant projects in Disney Parks history, including massive construction projects at the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland, as well as an expansion of Disney’s Cruise Line.
Instead of touting his own candidacy for the job, D’Amaro showcased his value in the interview by highlighting some of the projects currently in development and others that have recently been completed. Without actually saying it, he was able to provide compelling reasons for the Board to retain him after Iger departs.
There was, however, one question that D’Amaro or any Disney executive could not provide an adequate answer for, and that is about the affordability of a Disney vacation. When asked about the continually rising prices for a Disney vacation, D’Amaro sold the company line that there is no price families can put on the Disney experience.
“What matters most to us, across all of our businesses, is delivering experiences families feel have value. We know these moments are planned and saved for, and we take that responsibility seriously,” he said.
While Disney fans may not be thrilled about the idea of Josh D’Amaro ascending to the role of CEO, it appears that, for now, the Board is set on giving him the big chair. What happens after that is anyone’s guess.
Are you happy about the possibility of Josh D’Amaro becoming Disney’s next CEO? Let us know in the comments.
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