864 · What Does It Actually Take to Lead Disney? Chairman Thomas Mazloum - His First Interview

864 · What Does It Actually Take to Lead Disney? Chairman Thomas Mazloum - His First Interview

From WDW Radio: Your Guide to the Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise and More Disney Magic! by Lou Mongello - Disney Expert

May 4, 2026 · 42 min

About this episode

Lou Mongello interviews Thomas Mazloum about leadership at Disney and the importance of guest experience.

864 · What Does It Actually Take to Lead Disney? Chairman Thomas Mazloum - His First Interview What does it really take to lead Disney at a global scale... while still making every single guest feel like they matter? In this episode, Lou Mongello sits down with Thomas Mazloum in his first interview since stepping into his new role as Chairman of Disney Experiences - overseeing 12 theme parks, 57 resort hotels, Disney Cruise Line, Imagineering, and more than 180,000 Cast Members around the world. Recorded live during a special Make-A-Wish event at Disneyland, this is a rare, candid, and deeply personal conversation about Disney leadership and guest experience... and why scale doesn’t change what matters most. Thomas shares his own Make-A-Wish story, the emotional impact of granting wishes, and the responsibility that comes with being chosen by families during some of the most important moments in their lives. He also reveals his three guiding pillars - trust, quality, and simplicity - and how they shape every decision across Disney parks, resorts, and experiences worldwide. From the future of Disney Cruise Line and global expansion, to the philosophy behind Disneyland Forward, to…

People in this episode

Host: Lou Mongello

Guest: Thomas Mazloum

Topics covered

  • Disney leadership
  • guest experience
  • Make-A-Wish
  • Disney parks
  • Disney Cruise Line
  • emotional impact

Keywords

  • Disney leadership
  • Thomas Mazloum
  • guest experience
  • Make-A-Wish
  • Disney parks
  • Disney Cruise Line
  • trust
  • quality
  • simplicity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Disney, Disney Cruise Line, Make-A-Wish

Places: Disneyland

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