Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum announced on May 18, 2026, that Christophe Murphy has been promoted to President of Disneyland Paris, effective July 6, marking a significant leadership transition for Europe’s leading tourist destination.
A Career Built at Disneyland Paris
Murphy brings more than 35 years of Disney experience to his new role, having originally joined Disneyland Paris in 1991 during the resort’s pre-opening phase. Throughout his career, he has risen through every dimension of resort operations, including theme parks, Disney Village, hotels, entertainment, merchandise, food and beverage, and franchise integration. His deep operational expertise made him the natural choice to succeed Natacha Rafalski, who has been promoted to President of Disney Signature Experiences.
Between 2021 and 2023, Murphy served as Vice President of Operations for Walt Disney Attractions Japan, working in close partnership with Oriental Land Company at Tokyo Disney Resort on quality standards, guest experience, and expansion strategy. He returned to Disneyland Paris in 2023 as Senior Vice President of Operations, where he oversaw all operational strategy for the resort, including the delivery of the major expansion that introduced Disney Adventure World and World of Frozen to guests in March 2026.
Leading Through Historic Expansion
Murphy assumes the presidency at a pivotal moment for Disneyland Paris. The resort recently completed a two billion euro transformation of Walt Disney Studios Park into Disney Adventure World, roughly doubling the park’s footprint and adding franchise powerhouses including Marvel Avengers Campus and World of Frozen. As Murphy’s operational leadership delivered these projects on schedule, he demonstrated the ability to manage large-scale expansion while maintaining guest experience standards.
Rafalski, who led Disneyland Paris since December 2018, praised Murphy’s proven leadership and global perspective in her comments about his promotion. Murphy called the role an honor and said Disneyland Paris has played a defining role in his life since joining Disney over three decades ago. His appointment comes as part of broader leadership changes announced by Mazloum, including Joe Schott being named President of Walt Disney World Resort.
What It Means for Fans
For Disney Parks fans, Murphy’s promotion signals continuity and operational excellence. Having served as Rafalski’s operational deputy during the most intensive phase of the resort’s expansion, Murphy knows the property intimately and understands the challenges ahead. The resort is already moving forward with its next major project: a Lion King themed land currently in preliminary groundwork stages.
Murphy will lead more than 20,000 cast members across two theme parks, seven themed hotels, and Disney Village. His extensive background in operations, combined with experience from Marketing and Sales at Disneyland Paris, gives him a comprehensive perspective across the entire guest journey. Mazloum expressed complete confidence in Murphy’s deep appreciation of the guest experience, extensive financial and operational expertise, and proven ability to deliver at scale.
The appointment reflects Disney’s strategy of promoting leaders with deep institutional knowledge and operational track records during what Mazloum called an unprecedented expansion across the global portfolio. For guests planning visits to Disneyland Paris, Murphy’s proven track record suggests the resort will continue its momentum of innovation and growth while maintaining the quality standards that have made it Europe’s top theme park destination. All leadership changes take effect by the end of July 2026.
