Disney World Executive Promoted

LAKE BUENA VISTA (Orlando Sentinel) – Longtime Walt Disney World President Al Weiss was promoted Monday to a new position overseeing park operations worldwide – part of a sweeping change in the way the Walt Disney Co. operates its Parks and Resorts division. Weiss, who has headed the Orlando-area theme parks since 1994, will continue to oversee Walt Disney World on an interim basis until a successor is appointed, the company said. He will remain in Orlando, home of the company's largest resort. Weiss' promotion to president, Worldwide Operations, comes at a challenging time for Disney's parks as they search for ways to remain fresh amid increasing competition from entertainment options from iPods to other theme parks. Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said Weiss and six other executives on a new executive committee will report directly to him and will help integrate business func-tions from the far-flung parks into the global division. Rasulo said in a statement that the new structure will "streamline the decision-making process" and help the company develop consistent business practices for its 11 parks and resorts, which stretch from Orlando and Anaheim, Calif., to Hong Kong, Paris and Tokyo. Weiss said the new global emphasis from a business and operating standpoint does not mean that the parks around the world will become uniform. "They're going to continue to stay very unique," he said. Weiss said he will work with Rasulo to find a successor at Walt Disney World, a process that could take a year or more. In addition to Weiss, the only other executive whose job title is changing is Leslie Goodman, a company spokeswoman in California. She becomes senior vice president of public affairs, in charge of internal and external communication, community and governmental affairs for all the parks worldwide. Her title previously was senior vice president of strategic communications.