New Disney CEO gets quizzed on everything from Walt to Figment

At an annual shareholder meeting, new Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro was asked about everything from high theme park prices to the company’s controversial disability pass and more.

D’Amaro recently took the reins of one of America’s biggest entertainment companies with some of the most passionate fans. When it comes to high prices — a ticket to Magic Kingdom Christmas costs $209 — D’Amaro pointed out that the company sells several ticket options, like a child’s $50 Disneyland ticket special happening now.

“What we try to do is focus on offering a wide range of options and different price points so that families can visit in ways that work for them,” he said.

Nobody means more to Disney than Walt Disney himself. Disney’s statute stands in Disney World as fans gather to pose and take pictures.

“How are you considering his legacy and ideals and incorporating his principles into the company’s future?” one shareholder asked D’Amaro during the 20-minute Q&A.

“I think about Walt’s legacy a lot. I think less about preserving something from the past and more about carrying forward the innovative spirit that defined him,” D’Amaro said.

D’Amaro described Walt Disney as someone optimistic about the future, a fan of new technology and a creative risk taker.

“He was always pushing his team to imagine what was possible rather than just what was comfortable,” D’Amaro said. “That mindset, it’s still very much part of our culture today and you can see it across the entire Walt Disney Co. You see it everywhere, whether it’s a filmmaker or Imagineers, in our game development, or our teams that are building new digital experiences.”

Disney has angered some fans — and been sued — over its new policy for guests with disabilities to access rides and avoid the lines. Critics accused Disney of being too restrictive with the changes, which require being interviewed by a Disney worker and a medical professional to see if a visitor is eligible to skip wait times.

A shareholder asked D’Amaro point blank if Disney would consider restructuring its disability policy. 

“The current approach that we have with our Disability Access Service, it reflects really extensive work that we’ve done with accessibility experts and medical professionals all in an effort to better understand individual needs and then really thoughtfully match guests with the right levels of support,” he said.

“Now, of course, as we look ahead, as we always do, we’ll continue to listen, we’ll learn and apply expert guidance as we evaluate these accommodations over time.”

Another question: How will Disney balance new concepts versus sequels? Especially since the company often uses its films to jettison new themes into the theme parks.

“Our creative teams are absolutely best in class and they’re always thinking about ways to extend stories that our fans have these deep connections with … ‘Toy Story’ or ‘Moana,’ ‘Inside Out,’” D’Amaro said. “At the same time, these teams, they’re constantly developing original ideas that they have the potential to become the next beloved, possibly the next enduring Disney franchise.”

D’Amaro pointed to the newest Pixar movie currently in theaters. “‘Hoppers’ is actually a great example of this,” he said.

For years, Disney fans have quizzed the company CEO about Figment, a purple dragon from Epcot’s Journey into Imagination.

Once again, the question came up during the annual shareholders meeting. Will Disney ever make a movie starring Figment or devote more theme park attractions to him?

“I love the fact that there is so much adoration for Figment,” D’Amaro said. “I don’t have anything new to announce at this time, but I can assure you that we’re always exploring new ways for guests to engage with Figment and other of our characters that fans love so much.”