1. Joe Schott | President, Walt Disney World Resort
Keeping Orlando among the world’s premier tourism destinations means giving visitors fresh reasons to return while preserving the experiences generations of families already love, according to Joe Schott.
As president of Walt Disney World Resort and an Orlando native, Schott is helping lead a period of major investment and expansion. Disney Experiences has announced plans to invest $60 billion in its parks, resorts and cruise business over 10 years, with a significant share of that work taking place in Central Florida.
“We are building new experiences, investing in what guests already love, and continuing to strengthen the role Walt Disney World plays in Central Florida,” Schott said.
The investment will bring new attractions, expanded resorts, refreshed classics and entirely new lands. It also will create opportunities for contractors, suppliers, skilled tradespeople and cast members. Disney’s daily operations already support thousands of small businesses, including hundreds based in Central Florida that provide everything from specialty popcorn and prop construction to paintwork on Cinderella Castle.
“We love working alongside them, and it’s an honor to grow together,” Schott said.
Schott, who began his Disney career in operations, believes hospitality and convenience are as important as new attractions. With families increasingly turning to technology to simplify travel, Disney plans to test a new vacation-planning experience on DisneyWorld.com. The service will allow guests to compare options and rates across multiple dates, helping them spend less time organizing and more time anticipating their trips.
His greatest inspiration, however, comes from Disney’s cast members.
“They are the heart of Walt Disney World,” Schott said.
Disney continues to expand employee resources, including its Center for Living Well clinics, on-site child care, financial services and discounted food. A third Center for Living Well location is being added, giving more employees convenient access to medical care, prescriptions and eyewear.
That commitment extends into the community. In 2025, Disney cast members contributed more than 240,000 volunteer hours and supported nearly 1,200 organizations through the Disney VoluntEARS program.
With an estimated 80 percent of cast members living within 25 miles of Walt Disney World, Schott sees Disney’s workforce as inseparable from the community it serves.
“When we talk about shaping how millions of people experience Central Florida, it starts with the people who call this community home,” he said.
$40.3 billion in economic impact across the state and a quarter-of-a-million total jobs. That’s something I am incredibly proud of.”