Part 2/14:
On February 3, 2026, Disney made a surprising announcement: Bob Iger, the visionary leader who spent two decades crafting Disney into the preeminent entertainment empire, was stepping down as CEO. His successor, Josh D’Amaro—head of Disney’s theme parks division—isn't a creative visionary but a park operations veteran. This change signifies a deeper shift: Disney is no longer chiefly focused on film magic or storytelling innovation. Instead, the company pivots toward leveraging its parks as the backbone of its empire, revealing that the real power now lies within the physical, experiential realm of theme parks.