After nearly 32 years with The Walt Disney Company, Ken Potrock has announced he’s retiring — but not before helping wrap up one more major project.
Potrock shared the news on LinkedIn, writing, “Well, the news is out. After nearly 32 incredible years, I’ve decided to retire from The Walt Disney Company. But not quite yet… first, we have the biggest Super Bowl ever to help deliver in Los Angeles.”
A Career That Started With a “Crazy Idea”
Potrock’s Disney career began in 1995 in a role most fans wouldn’t expect: helping launch Disney Cruise Line, an industry the company had never entered before. “A lot of people thought we were nuts,” he wrote. “We figured it out anyway.”
From there, Potrock moved through several corners of the company, including Senior Vice President of Disney Sports Enterprises, Disney Vacation Club, the Golden Oak residential community, and Adventures by Disney, as well as President of Disney Consumer Products.
Leading Disneyland Resort Through Its “Hardest Days”
Potrock is likely best known to Disney fans for his time as President of Disneyland Resort, a role he held from May 2020 through March 2025. It was a tenure defined by challenge and growth: he guided the resort through its post-pandemic reopening, secured approval of the massive DisneylandForward expansion project (which opens the door to 40 years of future growth in Anaheim), and oversaw the opening of Avengers Campus, the reimagining of Pixar Place Hotel, the expansion of the Downtown Disney District, and the debut of the reimagined Mickey’s Toontown.
Potrock called it “the honor of leading Disneyland Resort through its hardest days… and some of its best ones.”
Currently Leading Disney’s Major Events Push
Since leaving Disneyland Resort, Potrock has served as Disney’s President of Major Events Integration, overseeing the company’s role in some huge upcoming moments, including America’s 250th anniversary, the FIFA World Cup, the Grammy Awards, and Super Bowl LXI. That last one is why he isn’t leaving quite yet — his retirement will officially take effect after Super Bowl LXI wraps up in Los Angeles in February 2027.
It’s currently unclear who, if anyone, will take over Potrock’s role spearheading Disney’s involvement in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
What’s Next for Potrock
Looking ahead, Potrock said he and his wife, Susanne, have travel to catch up on, along with plenty of time to watch their two sons continue “crushing it.” He also hinted at a fun new chapter: “I just might be heading to the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley. My first job selling Gallo wine was trying to tell me something all along.”
Reflecting on his career, Potrock credited the people he worked with over the people or projects themselves: “Every chapter along this journey was built by people who cared more than they had to. That’s what I’ll carry with me most.” He also shared a lesson from his father: “My dad always said hospitality is just a way of showing up for people. I found that spirit in every Disney cast member I ever worked alongside. To everyone who has been part of this ride: thank you.”
Potrock currently also serves on the board of Rady Children’s Health, as Chairman of Visit California, and as an advisory board member for the L.A. Sports and Entertainment Commission. Thomas Mazloum succeeded Potrock as President of Disneyland Resort in 2025 and has since been promoted to Chairman of Disney Experiences.
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