Okay, we did not see this one coming. EPCOT Vice President Matt Simon has reportedly resigned and left Disney. And with the holidays right around the corner, the timing has a lot of people talking.
The news first came from WDWMAGIC, which says sources told them Simon resigned earlier this week. And he didn’t just switch jobs within Disney. Reports say he left the company completely.
Hold On, Is This Confirmed?
Not yet. Disney hasn’t said anything officially. There’s also no word on who’s replacing him or why he left. So for now, this is still a “reportedly” situation. We’ll keep an eye out for an official announcement.
Who Is Matt Simon?
If you don’t follow Disney leadership super closely, here’s a quick rundown.
Simon became Vice President of EPCOT back in March 2025. So he was in charge of the park for about 20 months. That’s not very long, which is part of why this news is such a surprise.
Before EPCOT, he ran Disney Springs. He took over there in early May 2018, after Keith Bradford left, and he led Disney Springs for almost seven years. So if you’ve shopped or eaten your way through Disney Springs anytime in the last several years, he was the guy in charge.
All together, that’s close to nine years in leadership at Walt Disney World. That’s a pretty big run.
Before Disney, He Was a Shopping Center Pro
Simon came to Disney with a lot of experience in big shopping and mixed-use spaces. He worked as Vice President of Operations at North American Properties Atlanta, where he handled planning and development for places like Avalon and Colony Square.
And before that? He managed The Grove, which was recognized for having the second-highest retail sales per square foot in the whole country. So yeah, the guy knows shopping. No wonder he was a good fit for Disney Springs.
So Who’s Running EPCOT Now?
That’s the big question. Disney hasn’t named a replacement yet. But most likely, it’ll be someone who already works at Disney.
Here’s the thing about Disney leadership. When they move someone into a big job like EPCOT Vice President, that person’s old job opens up. Then someone else has to fill that spot, and so on. So one person leaving can turn into a whole game of executive musical chairs.
That means we might see a bunch of leadership changes around Walt Disney World because of this.
The Timing Is Kind of Wild
EPCOT is about to kick off the 2026 International Festival of the Holidays on November 27. There are new food booths, the Olaf scavenger hunt, and the Candlelight Processional all coming up. It’s one of the busiest times of year for the park.
But don’t worry, this shouldn’t mess with your holiday plans. Festivals this big are planned way ahead of time, and there are tons of teams making them happen.
Will Guests Notice Anything?
Probably not right away. EPCOT will keep running like normal, and the festival is still on.
Down the road, though, a new leader could bring new ideas and changes to the park. So EPCOT fans will definitely want to see who steps in next.
Stay Tuned
This one really came out of nowhere. After almost nine years at Disney, Matt Simon has reportedly moved on. Now we’re just waiting on Disney to confirm it and tell us who’s taking over.
So what do you think? Are you surprised by this EPCOT shake-up?
