Disney parks chairman Josh D'Amaro acknowledged the company hears from the message from fans who miss the theme parks' live entertainment and vowed to bring some of it back.
"We've heard from many of our guests that they're looking forward to us bringing back some of the entertainment that we recently had to discontinue. And we plan to do that," D'Amaro said, without providing further details, as he gave a keynote speech at IAAPA Virtual Education Conference Monday.
The Walt Disney Co. has laid off 28,000 people in the theme park division, including about 18,000 from Central Florida. Equity performers were among some of the cuts as marquee attractions such as "Festival of the Lion King" or "Finding Nemo: The Musical" were shut down.
D'Amaro took a tone of resilience Monday as he stressed the company is facing major challenges from the coronavirus pandemic but is strong enough to rebound.
"I believe that a crisis also creates opportunities for us to reinvent ourselves, to think of our business and our industry in brand new ways," D'Amaro said.
He highlighted some of the ongoing projects, including the Star Wars-themed hotel at Hollywood Studios, as examples of the growth ahead. Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, a trackless Epcot ride based on the 2007 movie, will open in 2021, D'Amaro confirmed, although he did not say which month.
The company also plans to celebrate Disney World's 50th anniversary next year with D'Amaro saying more details will be forthcoming on how the milestone will be acknowledged.
"But what I can tell you is it's going to be very remarkable, and we intend to celebrate the stories and experiences that our guests love," D'Amaro said.
D'Amaro praised the company for moving nimbly during the pandemic. The online reservations system that helps Disney control its crowds was built within a few weeks, a project that might normally have taken a year or more to build, he said.
He said he has dared his Imagineers to dream bigger and differently in the future.
"These dares don't just apply to big, new moonshot products and experiences. They apply to our products and experiences today," D'Amaro said. "Do you really have to wait in line? Why can't guests choose exactly what they want to do when they want to do it?"
