Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro wants the streaming platform to become a kind of everything app.
Newly minted CEO Josh D’Amaro says that he wants to turn Disney Plus into “the immersive, interactive digital centerpiece of the company.” It used to be that people went to the movies or theme parks to immerse themselves in Disney’s fictional worlds. But now, D’Amaro says that he sees Disney Plus becoming “the primary relationship between Disney and its fans.”
The general idea that D’Amaro put forth during his call with investors this week is that Disney Plus and Disney’s parks are both places that people visit to spend money while engaging with the company’s characters and worlds. D’Amaro framed the streaming service and the parks as complementary parts of Disney’s larger brand that, together, could create “a more connected fan experience” where Disney uses “technology as an accelerant.”
A lot of this makes sense on paper. Seeing a movie or show on Disney Plus could inspire a fan to plan a trip to Disney World, and a trip to Disney World might push a visitor to sign up for the streaming service if they don’t already have one. It also tracks that Disney would put more energy toward building Disney Plus’ profile given how much cheaper a subscription is compared to the costs attached with making a trip to one of Disney’s theme parks.
