Disney Experiences has revealed a cast of appointments for its executive team, including new heads of Disneyland Resort, Disney Signature Experiences and Shanghai Disney Resort. Well-known among Australian travel professionals, Thomas Mazloum – who has headed up Disney Cruise Lines for several years, will now lead the Anaheim based Disneyland Resort arm of Disney Experiences.

Among the shuffle is the creation of a new role to oversee major events integration. The transition to the new roles will begin immediately, coinciding with Disney Experiences embarking on an ambitious expansion plan for its cruise line business and at theme parks globally.

“We have a deep bench of globally minded business leaders who bring the versatility needed to step into key roles across our diverse portfolio,” said Josh D’Amaro, Chairman, Disney Experiences. “These tenured leaders have extensive technical and operational expertise with strong insight and understanding of the guest experience, and possess qualities that promote innovation, creativity, and results.”

Among the strategic senior executive changes are:

• Ken Potrock, a 30-year Disney veteran will take on the newly created role of President, The Walt Disney Company Major Events Integration. In this role, Potrock will be responsible for developing comprehensive, cross-company plans to maximise the value of large-scale sports, entertainment and tourism events ranging from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics to the 250th Anniversary of the nation. Potrock joined Disneyland Resort in 2020 and led the successful post-pandemic reopening, and recently secured the approval of DisneylandForward, which unlocks opportunities for expansion and investment in Anaheim for the next 40 years.
• Thomas Mazloum has been appointed the new President of Disneyland Resort. Mazloum will lead more than 36,000 Cast Members and oversee the operation of two theme parks, three resort hotels, and the Downtown Disney District, and will guide Disneyland Resort through a new era of growth with the recent approval of DisneylandForward. Under Mazloum’s recent leadership of Disney Signature Experiences, Disney Cruise Line secured investments and development plans to double its fleet size by 2031. Prior to his time at Disney Cruise Line, Mazloum held various leadership positions at Walt Disney World, overseeing Operations, Resorts, Transportation, ESPN Wide World of Sports, Club 33, Disney Springs and more. Mazloum will continue to report to D’Amaro.
• Joe Schott has been appointed President of Disney Signature Experiences (DSE), a division of Disney Experiences that offers family travel and leisure experiences beyond theme parks, including Disney Cruise Line (DCL), Disney Vacation Club, Aulani – a Disney Resort & Spa, Adventures by Disney, Storyliving by Disney and more. Schott’s Disney career spans 40 years, and since 2019 he has led Shanghai Disney Resort as President and General Manager. Under his leadership, Shanghai Disneyland expanded to include the successful Zootopia-themed land, new attractions and entertainment, and in development, a third hotel and a new Spider-Man-themed attraction. Schott will now also report directly to D’Amaro.
• Andrew Bolstein is promoted to President & General Manager of Shanghai Disney Resort. Bolstein was part of the opening leadership team at Shanghai Disney Resort, working hand-in-hand with Imagineers as the park took shape. His 30-year career started at Walt Disney World and included leadership roles in Hong Kong and Tokyo, and nearly 13 years in Shanghai. Bolstein will report to Jill Estorino, President and Managing Director of Disney Parks International.

Disney Experiences has an expansive footprint in the global theme park travel and experience business with 12 parks around the world; Disney Cruise Line, which visits ports in nearly 40 countries and will more than double the size of its current fleet by 2031; and, Disney’s industry-leading consumer products division.