Joe Schott, the current President of Disney Signature Experiences, will replace Jeff Vahle as President of Walt Disney World Resort next month.

Joe Schott as 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. We now know he will retire at the end of July, and Schott will take over on August 3, 2026.

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

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.

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