Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro fielded questions from shareholders today at the company's Annual Shareholder Meeting, touching on the future of the Journey Into Imagination pavilion at EPCOT, Figment, and how Disney balances new creative properties with existing franchises.
Imagination Pavilion Gets No Immediate Update
A shareholder asked about refreshing the Pixar short films currently playing inside Journey Into Imagination at EPCOT, noting the same films have been running there for many years.
D'Amaro acknowledged the films and called out Pixar's ability to deliver emotion in a short runtime, singling out "Bao" as a personal recommendation. But he stopped short of promising any change.
"Right now, we don't have any plans to bring new shorts to Journey Into Imagination," D'Amaro said.
The attraction houses the ImageWorks play area and a rotating theater presentation that has featured Pixar shorts for an extended period.
Figment: No New Announcement, But Disney Is "Exploring"
A separate question asked whether Disney would consider creating a film made specifically for Figment, or whether there are plans to bring more Figment content to the parks.
D'Amaro said the Figment question is a staple of shareholder meetings - and that he welcomes it.
"I love the fact that there is so much adoration for Figment," he said. "He's clearly a fan favorite and continues to spark creativity and imagination across generations."
D'Amaro pointed to Figment's recent appearance in the animated short "How Not to Draw," narrated by Neil Patrick Harris, as a sign that the character remains active in Disney's creative output.
He stopped short of any new announcement, but said Disney is "always exploring new ways for guests to engage with Figment and other characters that fans love."
IP Strategy: Sequels and Original Stories
A third question asked how Disney's creative teams split their attention between building new franchises and extending existing ones -- and whether changes are being made to encourage more breakout original hits.
D'Amaro pointed to the recently released animated film "Hoppers" as evidence that original ideas remain a priority. He said the film opened at number one two weeks ago and is the biggest global debut for an original animated film since "Coco" in 2017.
He framed Disney's advantage not just in what it creates, but in what happens next. Once a story exists - whether a new film or a sequel - it can move across parks, streaming, games, and consumer products simultaneously. D'Amaro said that cross-platform reach is what separates Disney from competitors.
"You'll see us continue to evolve in this way - more stories, existing ones and new ones, and more places where fans spend their time," he said.
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