Josh D’Amaro Under Fire in First Weeks as Four Controversies Slam Disney Company

Josh D’Amaro is still brand-new in Disney’s top job, but the honeymoon period already seems to be over. In less than a month, he has found himself at the center of several debates that are frustrating fans and raising bigger questions about where the company is headed next.

That is what makes this moment feel so important. A new CEO usually gets a little room to settle in, learn the rhythm, and start shaping the message. That has not really happened here. Instead, D’Amaro is stepping into one controversy after another, and people are forming opinions fast.

It is not one single problem driving the backlash, either. Four different issues are all hitting at once, and together they are creating a rough first chapter for Disney’s new era.

DAS Changes Become an Early Flashpoint

One of the biggest points of tension has been Disney’s Disability Access Service. The company tightened the requirements, and many guests say that has made it much harder to get the support their families once depended on during park visits.

That is why the reaction has been so strong. For some guests, this was not just a policy update or a technical change. It changed how accessible a Disney trip feels from the start.

Plenty of families have said they previously qualified for DAS but no longer do. Others have argued that the process feels harder, less flexible, and less understanding than before. Once those stories started spreading, the backlash grew quickly.

What has made the situation even more heated is that D’Amaro has not tried to distance himself from the policy. He has stood by Disney’s direction and defended the company’s approach, framing the tighter standards as focused on fairness and abuse prevention. For fans who hoped the policy might be softened or rolled back, that response landed poorly.

Because of that, the DAS situation has become more than just one isolated complaint. It now feels like an early sign of how D’Amaro will respond when pressure builds.

Higher Prices Keep Adding to the Frustration

From there, the conversation turns to a complaint that resonates with almost every Disney fan: everything feels more expensive.

Ticket prices keep climbing. Hotel stays cost more. Merchandise feels harder to justify. Disney+ has also seen price increases. For families already trying to budget a vacation, that adds up fast.

That is where many fans feel stuck. Disney has always been expensive, but now the company risks crossing the line from costly to unattainable for many people.

D’Amaro has not suggested that cheaper Disney vacations are on the way. Instead, he has focused on making the experience feel worth the price. In other words, the company seems more interested in adding new features, new offerings, and new selling points than in lowering the bill.

That message makes sense from a business standpoint, but it does not erase the problem. Fans are still paying more, and many do not feel that a few added perks offset the rising cost of a trip. The result is a growing belief that Disney is becoming less accessible to the very families that helped build its reputation.

Layoff Reports Raise More Questions

At the same time, reports about layoffs have only made the mood around Disney even worse.

Roughly 1,000 jobs are reportedly positioned to be cut, with many tied to marketing and corporate operations. Restructuring is common at major companies, so that part alone is not shocking. Still, the timing has stood out to many people.

Fans are seeing Disney charge more while also reducing its workforce. That combination naturally creates questions about priorities.

It also creates concern about what the cuts could mean down the road. Even if guests do not feel the impact immediately, people tend to worry that fewer employees could eventually mean less support, slower service, or fewer resources across the company. That fear has become part of the broader criticism surrounding D’Amaro’s first weeks in charge.

Disney’s AI Future Makes Fans Nervous

Then there is the AI issue, which taps into a very different kind of anxiety.

Disney explored a partnership with OpenAI’s Sora technology, designed to generate video content using artificial intelligence. That deal may have fallen through, but that does not mean Disney has backed away from AI as a broader strategy.

D’Amaro has tried to calm fears by saying AI will not replace human storytelling. Still, that reassurance has not ended the debate. Fans and creatives are worried about more than replacement. They are worried about what Disney becomes if it leans too hard into tools built around speed and efficiency.

Disney’s identity has long been tied to imagination and artistry. Once AI becomes part of the conversation, people start wondering whether that creative core could slowly shift. Even without clear proof of where things are headed, the uncertainty alone has made many fans uneasy.

A Rocky Start That Fans Are Watching Closely

When these four controversies are viewed together, the bigger picture becomes hard to miss. D’Amaro’s early days as CEO have not been defined by a single signature win or an exciting vision for the future. They have been defined by tension.

DAS has upset families who feel shut out. Rising prices continue to frustrate loyal customers. Layoff reports have raised concerns about priorities. The AI push has sparked fears about Disney’s creative direction.

That does not mean D’Amaro’s leadership cannot recover. He still has time to shape how this era will be remembered. But first impressions matter, and right now, Disney fans are not seeing a calm beginning. They are seeing a company under pressure, led by a CEO who is already facing serious backlash before his first month is even over.