Josh D’Amaro

Since March 2026, Josh D’Amaro has been leading one of the largest entertainment conglomerates in the world. Everyone knows Disney for its iconic characters, theme parks, movies, TV shows, streaming services and cruise lines, but a less discussed asset is the company’s real estate holdings. 

In California alone, Disney’s assets include the Disneyland Resort, which features two theme parks, several hotels and a shopping district, as well as its corporate and production studios plus several residential properties. 

For the last 70 years, Disneyland Resort has helped to drive the economy in Southern California, generating $1.3 billion in annual state and local tax revenue, $279 million in for the City of Anaheim alone, and provided 102,000 direct and indirect jobs in Orange County. 

“I grew up on the parks side of the business,” D’Amaro, a 28-year veteran of the company, said at the D23 Disney fan event in August. “And, if I wasn’t in a meeting, I was out in those parks walking around to speak with the guests, fans and cast members to hear their hopes and concerns.” 

And those interactions bore fruit. Disneyland is expanding, with the Avengers Campus at the California Adventure theme park expected to double in size and add two new attractions. Meanwhile, Disney has committed to investing $1.9 billion in new theme park experiences and guest accommodations in California by the summer of 2034.

“As long as there is imagination left in the world, Disneyland will never be complete,” company founder Walt Disney once said.

But even Walt’s imagination may never have envisioned the scale the Walt Disney Company would grow to in California, or even throughout the world. Disney magic is a feeling many park guests dream they can take home, and for some that dream is a reality. 

In 2024, the Walt Disney Company launched its first residential community near Palm Springs, Calif., called Cotino, which is a master-planned residential community under the Storyliving by Disney brand. The company partners with DMB Development and third-party luxury homebuilders on these projects. 

Home prices start at more than $1 million, and Disney earns royalties on revenues generated by sales of the homes.