Disney Experiences Shakes Up Top Ranks: Joe Schott to WDW, Rafalski to Cruise Line, Murphy to Paris

Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum has named three new presidents to lead the segment's flagship businesses — Joe Schott takes over Walt Disney World as Jeff Vahle retires after 36 years, Natacha Rafalski moves from Disneyland Paris to lead Disney Signature Experiences, and Christophe Murphy is promoted to President of Disneyland Paris. All three step into their roles by the end of July, as the segment heads into what Mazloum calls 'its most ambitious era of expansion.'

Disney Experiences has reshuffled its most senior ranks, with three new presidents now in charge of Walt Disney World Resort, Disney Signature Experiences, and Disneyland Paris. The moves arrive as the segment heads into what Chairman Thomas Mazloum describes as the most aggressive expansion period in the company's history.

In a statement, Mazloum framed the appointments as a deliberate reflection of "the depth of leadership talent driving Disney Experiences," calling out the trio's blend of guest-experience instincts, financial discipline, and operational track records. "I have complete confidence in each of them to build on the remarkable momentum underway across these businesses and to write the next chapter of Disney's story," he said.

Joe Schott Returns to Walt Disney World

Joe Schott takes the top job at Walt Disney World Resort, succeeding Jeff Vahle, who is retiring after a 36-year career at the company. For Schott, it's a homecoming: he originally began his Disney career as a Jungle Cruise Skipper at the resort he'll now lead.

The job he's stepping into is, by any measure, the company's largest single-site operation. Walt Disney World remains the world's most frequently visited vacation resort and the largest single-site employer in the United States, with roughly 80,000 Cast Members spread across four theme parks, two water parks, more than 30 resort hotels, the Disney Springs retail and entertainment district, and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

It's also a resort in the middle of its biggest investment cycle in decades: the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom's history is currently underway, with additional new lands in development at Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Schott's resume reads like a tour of Disney's international portfolio. With more than 40 years of leadership across destinations in Asia, Europe, and beyond, he most recently served as President of Disney Signature Experiences — the role Rafalski is now inheriting from him — where he oversaw the launches of the Disney Destiny and Disney Adventure ships. Before that, as President and General Manager of Shanghai Disney Resort, he led the resort through a major expansion phase, including the opening of the Zootopia-themed land, helping it surpass 100 million guests in under a decade. A new Spider-Man attraction and two additional hotels are now in development there.

Earlier in his career, Schott served as Chief Operating Officer of Disneyland Paris for five years and as Executive Managing Director of Walt Disney Attractions Japan, supporting the growth of Tokyo Disney Resort.

Natacha Rafalski Takes the Helm of Disney Signature Experiences

Natacha Rafalski, a 30-year Disney veteran, moves from Disneyland Paris to lead Disney Signature Experiences (DSE) — a sprawling portfolio that includes Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, Aulani – A Disney Resort & Spa, Adventures by Disney, National Geographic Expeditions, Storyliving by Disney, and Golden Oak.

The headline initiative she's inheriting is the cruise line's historic fleet expansion — growing from eight ships today to 13 vessels by 2031, with each new ship designed, in the company's framing, to serve as a "powerful ambassador of the Disney brand."

Rafalski's prior runway at Disneyland Paris, which she has led since 2018, gives her a strong claim to the role. There she oversaw more than 20,000 Cast Members across two theme parks, seven themed hotels, and Disney Village, and spearheaded the resort's €2 billion transformation of Walt Disney Studios Park into Disney Adventure World — roughly doubling the park's footprint and adding franchise powerhouses like Marvel Avengers Campus and the recent opening of World of Frozen.

Before Paris, she played a key role in the development of Shanghai Disney Resort and negotiated what the company describes as one of the most consequential theme park development agreements in its history, before serving as Chief Financial Officer of The Walt Disney Company Greater China from 2013 to 2017 — a finance pedigree that should serve well as she steers a multi-billion-dollar fleet buildout.

Christophe Murphy Promoted to President of Disneyland Paris

Replacing Rafalski in Paris is Christophe Murphy, a 35-year Disney veteran whose tenure with the company began at Disneyland Paris in 1991 during the resort's pre-opening phase. He has worked through every dimension of resort operations — theme parks, Disney Village, hotels, entertainment, merchandise, food and beverage, and franchise integration.

Paris is heading into another growth chapter under Murphy, including the development of a new Lion King-themed land that will further expand the resort's IP footprint for European guests.

Murphy's recent track record sets him up for the role: in 2021 he was appointed VP of Operations for Walt Disney Attractions Japan, working in close partnership with Oriental Land Company at Tokyo Disney Resort on quality standards, guest experience, and expansion strategy. He returned to Paris in 2023 as Senior Vice President of Operations, where he oversaw the delivery of the major expansion that introduced Disney Adventure World and World of Frozen to guests in March 2026.

What This Means for Disney Fans

The reshuffle lands at an inflection point for the segment. Walt Disney World is in the middle of its biggest expansion in decades, the cruise line is sprinting from eight ships to 13 by 2031, and Disneyland Paris is fresh off its largest-ever overhaul. Picking three operators with international resort and signature-experience pedigree — rather than promoting from a single park or division — signals that Bob Iger's leadership team views the next several years as one continuous global expansion, not a series of separate park-by-park initiatives.

For guests, the practical impact won't show up for months — but it does mean every flagship destination Disney sells vacations to is now under brand-new leadership heading into 2027.