Joe Schott, the current President of Disney Signature Experiences, will replace Jeff Vahle as President of Walt Disney World Resort. Natacha Rafalski, current Présidente of Disneyland Paris, will replace Schott at Disney Signature Experiences and Christophe Murphy, SVP of Operations for Disneyland Paris, will replace Rafalski.

Joe Schott Named New Walt Disney World President

Vahle has been in charge of Walt Disney World since 2020. He announced in early May that after 36 years with The Walt Disney Company, he will retire this summer.

Schott is a 40-year veteran of The Walt Disney Company. He began his career as a Jungle Cruise Skipper at Walt Disney World.

Walt Disney World Resort is the world’s most frequently visited vacation resort and is the largest single-site employer in the United States, with approximately 80,000 Cast Members. It spans four theme parks, two water parks, more than 30 resort hotels, the Disney Springs retail and entertainment district, and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. It is undergoing a significant era of investment, with the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom’s history currently underway, and new lands in development at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Schott is among Disney’s most experienced international operators, with more than 40 years of leadership across world renowned destinations in Asia, Europe, and beyond. Most recently, he served as president of Disney Signature Experiences, where he oversaw the launches of two new ships, the Disney Destiny and Disney Adventure. Before that, as president and general manager of Shanghai Disney Resort, Schott led the resort through a major expansion phase, including the opening of the Zootopia-themed land – contributing to the resort surpassing 100 million guests in under a decade. The resort continues to grow with a new Spider-Man attraction and two additional hotels currently in development. Prior to Shanghai, Schott served as chief operating officer of Disneyland Paris for five years and earlier as executive managing director of Walt Disney Attractions Japan, supporting the growth of Tokyo Disney Resort.

Natacha Rafalski Named Disney Signature Experiences President

Rafalski’s Disney career began in 1995. She held several positions in corporate treasury and finance until she was appointed Vice President, Corporate Finance, in 2005, overseeing the operations of the Structured Finance, Global Cash Management and Treasury Operations divisions.

She previously served as CFO and Senior Vice President, Business Strategy and Finance for Disneyland Paris. In addition to her duties related to managing the company’s finances, her responsibilities extended to real estate, the resort’s transformation, and strategic partnerships.  

She was CFO for TWDC Greater China from 2013 to 2017. During her tenure as CFO, the business achieved record growth across all segments and achieved various milestones including the construction of the first and world’s largest Disney Store in China, and the opening of regional offices across the country. She also led Disney’s Diversity and Inclusion initiatives for the Asia region. Her contribution was recognized by a Women Worth Watching in Leadership Award from Profiles in Diversity Journal. 

She played a key role in Shanghai Disney Resort negotiations specific to the capital structure for Shanghai Disneyland and led the effort to set up treasury operations for the project.

Rafalski was named Présidente of Disneyland Paris in 2018. She oversaw the years-long expansion and reimagining of Walt Disney Studios Park into Disney Adventure World, including the addition of World of Frozen.

In this new role, Rafalski will guide the next phase of Disney Cruise Line’s historic fleet expansion, growing from eight ships today to 13 vessels by 2031, with each new ship designed to serve as a powerful ambassador of the Disney brand — extending storytelling, service, and innovation to families around the world.

Check out a recent interview with Rafalski about Disney Adventure World.

Christophe Murphy Named Disneyland Paris President

Christophe Murphy is promoted to President of Disneyland Paris, leading one of Disney’s most storied and strategically important international destinations as it continues to evolve through creative innovation. Home to some of Disney’s most enduring stories, the resort is entering a new chapter of growth, including the development of a new Lion King–themed land that will further enrich the experience for guests from Europe and beyond.

Murphy is an experienced operational leader, with more than 35 years at The Walt Disney Company, originally joining Disneyland Paris in 1991 during the resort’s pre-opening phase. He has risen through every dimension of resort operations, including theme parks, Disney Village, hotels, entertainment, merchandise, food and beverage, and franchise integration.

In 2021, Murphy was appointed vice president of Operations for Walt Disney Attractions Japan, where he worked in close partnership with Oriental Land Company at Tokyo Disney Resort — partnering on quality standards, guest experience, and expansion strategy. Murphy returned to Disneyland Paris in 2023 as senior vice president, Operations overseeing all operational strategy for the resort, including the delivery of the major expansion that introduced Disney Adventure World and World of Frozen to guests in March 2026. Christophe also brings valuable experience from Disneyland Paris Marketing & Sales, further broadening his perspective across the guest journey.

All leaders assume their new roles by the end of July.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.