Disney 2026: New CEO, Ambitious AI Plans for Disney+ and Ticket Price Adjustments at the Parks

It was a packed house for this year's shareholder meeting at The Walt Disney Company, and for once, it wasn't just about the numbers. It was a changing of the guard. For the first time, Josh D'Amaro took the stage as the group's new Chief Executive Officer, and he made no secret of where the future lies. If you thought Disney was just about streaming wars and superhero films, think again. The empire is now very much run from its theme parks – and they're now being given the reins to set the course on the digital front, too.

Goodbye to the Iger era? The parks guy takes the helm

It's official: After months of speculation, Bob Iger has handed the keys to the 58-year-old D'Amaro, who until recently headed up Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. It's a massive vote of confidence for the business division that, in 2025, turned over more than £26 billion and accounted for over half of the group's total operating profit. In my book, it's a crystal-clear signal: It's real-world experiences that will lead the charge going forward. D'Amaro himself has stated that "the parks drive the empire," and now he gets the chance to prove it on the biggest stage of all.

Disney+ gets a major facelift: Now with AI video and user-generated content

But don't be fooled. Even though D'Amaro comes from the parks, his gaze is firmly fixed on the digital future. During the meeting, they served up some of the most ambitious plans for the Disney+ streaming service in a long time. Alongside top boss Bob Iger (now "just" a board member and advisor), they unveiled a strategy that will make the competition sweat.

Prepare for a whole new kind of Disney+. The platform is set to host AI-generated videos made by the users themselves. Yes, you read that right. Disney wants to let the rest of us play with their icons. Just imagine being able to create your own short film where Darth Vader dances with Olaf from Frozen, and share it directly on the service. It's a massive step for a company that is otherwise world champion at protecting its copyright. In partnership with AI companies and with their significant investment in Epic Games (yes, the folks behind Fortnite) under their belt, it's clear they want to capture the next generation of users. It's no longer just about watching content, but about creating it.

The Parks in California and Florida: What will a ticket cost in 2026?

While streaming gets a new toy, just as much is happening on the ground. If you're planning a trip to Disneyland Park in California or the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, there are some very concrete things you need to know. Prices have, as usual, crept up a bit, especially during peak season. But it's not all bad news. In fact, they've changed their strategy to make it more worthwhile to travel outside of school holidays.

• Disneyland (California): A single-day ticket for the absolute busiest periods will now set you back $224. But the price can be as low as around $104 if you hit a low-season day. Keep an eye on that calendar!
• Walt Disney World (Florida): Here, the price peaks at $209 for the Magic Kingdom during peak season, but you can still experience the park for around $119 on the right days.
• New Experiences: It's not just the prices that are changing. In Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland, from April you can meet Luke Skywalker, Leia, and Darth Vader – something new is on the way. And in Florida, the wild Rock 'n' Roller Coaster is being relaunched with the Muppets this summer.

It's classic Disney dynamics: they crank up the price on busy days to spread out the crowds, and they invest heavily in new attractions to keep the magic alive. With the new boss coming from the parks, you can bet your bottom dollar that the physical product will remain in focus.

What does it all mean?

We're at a crossroads. The old guard under Iger turned Disney into a streaming giant. The new guard under D'Amaro needs to turn it into an experiences giant. Whether it's about heading to the Walt Disney World Resort and staying in a new, futuristic hotel, or sitting at home in the UK creating your own AI-generated short film with Disney characters, the way we interact with the House of Mouse is about to change radically. It'll be fascinating to see if the "parks guy" can figure out how to play in the Silicon Valley sandbox. My guess? He'll manage just fine – because he knows better than anyone else what the guests really want.