Disney World & Disneyland Laying Off 28,000 Cast Members
The Walt Disney Company has announced the layoffs of 28,000 Cast Members at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. This follows the temporary furlough of employees back in April, many of whom did not return to work when the Florida parks & resorts reopened over the summer.
This is the latest in a long line of layoffs throughout the hospitality and tourism industries that has spiked the unemployment rate to over 11% in Florida’s Orange and Osceola Counties. Two weeks ago, the Swan and Dolphin Resorts announced plans to lay off 1,136 workers in November 2020 due to “historically low hotel occupancy and mounting event cancellations [that] will extend into 2021.”
Prior to that, SeaWorld Orlando permanently laid off 1,900 workers who had been on temporary furloughs at its theme parks, and Universal Orlando extended unpaid furloughs for 5,400 people. Other layoffs have occurred in waves at the theme parks and resorts across Central Florida. However, today is the first major layoff by Walt Disney World or Disneyland since the Great Recession…
In a press release, Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products attributed the layoffs to the prolonged uncertainty and impact of the pandemic, exacerbated in California by the State’s unwillingness to lift restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen.
D’Amaro further said that Disney has been forced to make a number of necessary adjustments to its business, and “as difficult as this decision is today, we believe that the steps we are taking will enable us to emerge a more effective and efficient operation when we return to normal.”
Here’s D’Amaro’s full statement:
And below is the email sent out to Cast Members, which was also included in the press release:
I write this note to you today to share some difficult decisions that we have had to make regarding our Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products organization.
Let me start with my belief that the heart and soul of our business is and always will be people. Just like all of you, I love what I do. I also love being surrounded by people who think about their roles as more than jobs, but as opportunities to be a part of something special, something different, and something truly magical.
Earlier this year, in response to the pandemic, we were forced to close our businesses around the world. Few of us could have imagined how significantly the pandemic would impact us — both at work and in our daily lives. We initially hoped that this situation would be short-lived, and that we would recover quickly and return to normal. Seven months later, we find that has not been the case. And, as a result, today we are now forced to reduce the size of our team across executive, salaried, and hourly roles.
As you can imagine, a decision of this magnitude is not easy. For the last several months, our management team has worked tirelessly to avoid having to separate anyone from the company. We’ve cut expenses, suspended capital projects, furloughed our cast members while still paying benefits, and modified our operations to run as efficiently as possible, however, we simply cannot responsibly stay fully staffed while operating at such limited capacity.
As heartbreaking as it is to take this action, this is the only feasible option we have in light of the prolonged impact of COVID-19 on our business, including limited capacity due to physical distancing requirements and the continued uncertainty regarding the duration of the pandemic.
Thank you for your dedication, patience and understanding during these difficult times. I know that these changes will be challenging. It will take time for all of us to process this information and its impact. We will be scheduling appointments with our affected salaried and non-union hourly employees over the next few days. Additionally, today we will begin the process of discussing next steps with unions. We encourage you to visit The Hub or the WDI Homepage for any support you may need.
For those who will be affected by this decision, I want to thank you for all that you have done for our company and our guests. While we don’t know when the pandemic will be behind us, we are confident in our resilience, and hope to welcome back Cast Members and employees when we can.
As for commentary, we will start by saying that our hearts go out to the Cast Members, their families and friends who are both directly and indirectly impacted by these layoffs. I cannot fathom how stressful and filled with uncertainty the last several months have been, and to have this happen on top of everything else must just be devastating. Words only mean so much, but we are truly heartbroken by this news.
Along those lines, to all of the Walt Disney World and Disneyland fans reading this, please have empathy and courtesy when interacting with Cast Members in the coming days, weeks, and months. This should always go without saying, but is especially true now. Lingering uncertainty remains, and no Cast Member is truly “unaffected” by this. Everyone will be losing friends and colleagues, and will likely be asked to shoulder more of the weight. When in doubt, always err on the side of kindness.
Beyond that, I wish I could say this is a surprise. Given the low occupancy numbers and slow-going of the reopening at Walt Disney World coupled with Disneyland remaining closed, this was an inevitability. With that said, I do think it’s petty and in poor taste for Disney to take another thinly-veiled shot at California in the opening lines of what should be a heartfelt statement expressing the difficulty of the decision. It’s undoubtedly true that California’s onerous new tier system has exacerbated this; just because something is true doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to say in the moment.
Moreover, Disney will have to file notices of the layoffs with both California and Florida. When those inevitably reveal that ~20,000 of the laid of Cast Members are in Florida, that’s going to make that scapegoating look disingenuous. I also would not (and do not) blame Florida for the layoffs, nor do I blame any government or corporation for the difficult decisions being made right now.
This is especially true in the hospitality and tourism sectors, which are being absolutely devastated. That’s true all around the country, and all around the globe. Irrespective of the response by leaders, nowhere has emerged unscathed. It’s easy to Monday morning quarterback this, but I do not envy anyone tasked with making any of these moves. It’s a veritable buffet of least-bad choices. Even equipped with better knowledge, there’s no way of knowing today what unintended consequences will result from any decision.
Ultimately, this is really sad news for all involved. I know there’s the inclination to critique decisions and what could’ve or should’ve been done differently by Disney, but I’m not in the mood for that when it comes to such a consequential topic. These are the jobs of 28,000 people. The real world impact of this is colossal on those individuals and their families, and again, I cannot fathom how devastating this must be.
Knowing how this is going to impact all of these people–and ripple throughout Anaheim and Orlando–makes me sick to my stomach. I’m just tired of all this and am desperately hoping for some good news that results in a bounce back so more jobs aren’t lost. For ways you can assist, please read our Help Give Back to Disney Cast Members & Community.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Have any thoughts or comments on the news of layoffs at Walt Disney World and Disneyland? Do you agree or disagree with any of our assessment? Please keep the comments civil and exercise empathy. This is not the place for arguing about economics, politics, and so forth—all such comments will be deleted, irrespective of perspective. You are not going to change anyone’s mind via the comments section on this blog.
You always hear CEO’s who are about to fire employees that it’s “such a hard decision” and that their employees are the “heart and life blood” of the company. Then why are the they always the first to go? Disney’s Cash and Cash Equivalents shot up to over $20 Billion (it usually hovers around 3-4) as a result of being closed and due to a $5 billion line of credit. Most of the people they are letting go are part-timers. No benefits, low wages, mostly students and only scheduled when needed. They make this kind of announcement so as to avoid public scorn over firing many (not 28,000 – but probably close to 5) full time career workers with full health and 401K. They will save a ton of money by firing these people, when they can MORE THAN AFFORD keeping them around. Bottom line is, if Disney doesn’t need you they drop in exchange for greed instead of keeping you on and just being patient for the pandemic to come to an end. That’s what a good company would do, the right thing to do. Disney has plenty of money folks, don’t believe their greedy lies. You think a company like Disney who makes tens of billions of a year is suddenly living foot to mouth after 6 months of slow business. Don’t buy it!! Read their financials, they are public information.
I think the swipe at California is justified. California has been arbitrary and capricious in its standards, and, I think, this round of layoffs are going to be disproportionately California-centric. Not all layoffs will be connected to Disneyland, but the layoffs aren’t going to be an even balance between California, Florida and other Disney.
This press release is one more attempt at negotiation on the part of Disney, which should show you how frustrated management is with California’s foolishness.
28,000 is a staggering number, And very unfortunate. However, I’m not sure I agree with Tom’s criticism of Disney ‘taking a swipe’ at the authorities in California.
The infection rates in Anaheim are actually lower than Orlando. And it seems that DeSantis doesn’t really care as much about people’s welfare. It’s all about the $$$$
On the other hand, the 4-tier system is California is very onerous. Bureaucracy is the primary reason for a significant number of those layoffs in Anaheim.
I’m beside myself to hear this. I feel the way I do when I receive bad news about a friend.
Tom, you did a great job summing up our feelings for the CM’s.
Everything you wrote is on spot however for the first time I disagree with you on one point. I think when a person is about to announce a devastating decision affecting so many lives their statement must explain clearly what all the circumstances were that culminated in said decision.
Mr. D’ Amaro doesn’t want to do this. The toughest thing I ever had to do as the head writer on a tv show was fire someone. I can’t imagine what it’s like letting 28,000 people go. And he knows those 28,000 people is really somewhere between 56,000 and 112,000 people that are affected when you count family members like children, spouses, significant others and perhaps parents. There’s also the butterfly effect where less people working is less people putting money into the economy affecting many other business’ and more people. This is no small announcement.
The enormity of the situation makes CA’s role significant and not trivial therefore I don’t see Mr. D’Amaro’s inclusion of it as petty but sadly necessary.
Take heart though, good news is on the way. It always is. For me it’s your blog that I look forward to everyday. Please stay strong as we need you.
I don’t think the swipe at California is out of line. I’m a native California and my home state is on a train wreck ride in so many areas. We are at the point now with covid that people have more then enough info on the risks and responsibilities needed if they choose to take those risks and states like CA are not letting their people make those choices. Covid continues to track along with a 99.997 % survival rate and high risk groups are well known at this point. Let the people make their own choices already on the risk, California.
Anyway, I agree with the rest of what u write – very sad to see.
Agreed. It’s the same here in Illinois. Restaurants are closimg left, right, and sideways because our fearless leader won’t allow them to open past 25% capacity. We took a trip to a more sensible state this summer where businesses were far more open, busy, andmakimg money. Their covid rates are no worse than ours. Like you said, we’re all aware of the risk at this point. If we truly hit a point of overwhelming hospital capacity, fine, do a mini-shutdown until it’s back under control. But I maintain that far more people are being affected detrimentally BY the lockdowns than are being saved by them.
I actually think that disney has been doing the right thing as far as with covid and capacity. I’m from Illinois as well and I feel the opposite julie, I think the right thing has been done because unfortunately humans think they are invincible and sometimes you have to make desperate measures in order to protect everyone including those who don’t believe it. Just because you accept the risk doesnt give you the right to spread it.
100%. CA is a train wreck with no leadership or direction. The tier system is beyond absurd.
I just keep praying.
As a Canadian just hearing the local news here regarding this massive Disney layoffs, I was so deeply sadden…as I been taking my kids to Disney Florida every September. This pandemic has also hurt our economy very hard here. I truly hope this will be a short term and everyone will be called back to enjoy what I believe is one of the greatest jobs/company you can work for.
Tom –
this past winter my family started making plans to visit WDW in June – I came across your website and subscribed to your blog – it’s very informative and straight forward, better than anything I’ve ever seen regarding Disney or any other entertainment venue – once it was obvious we wouldn’t be going I didn’t unsubscribe but I haven’t paid much attention to it either – today I opened it – it was refreshing to read the compassion you have for the CMs and the people who run the company – your concern is about the people affected, not who to blame or what “should” be done – I hope all of us who haven’t lost our job share the same compassion you do for the Disney employees and everyone else who hasn’t been as fortunate
My heart goes out to all the cast members. Those who have or could loose their job and those who keep it. I was recently laid off due to the slow down in the airline industry. I have also been on the other side when my company had massive layoffs and I kept my job. It is hard to still be there, I know I had survivor guilt. You miss your friends who were laid off and the general atmosphere changes.
Just like others we have had MANY wonderful cast members who have helped us and been so kind. We have been going for many many years and I can literally only think of 1 time that 1 cast member was snotty/rude to us and that was back in 2008. It was SO rare I still remember it. I give the cast members LOTS and LOTS of credit for being SO WONDERFUL. I also give Disney as a corporation some credit for creating an atmosphere where everyone is expected to behave that way.
My heart goes out to all the cast members.
Amen, Erin! I get asked sometimes why I love Disney, and my response is similar to yours. There is nothing like that Disney Magic. We have so many stories about the fantastic CMs who have made our days in the Magic Kingdom special. The lady who let my family onto Peter Pan’s Flight after hearing that we had to leave before our FastPass time was available. The lady who overheard us trying to pick between seeing Chewbacca or Kylo Ren because the park was closing soon, and offered to take us through the “secret door” to see Chewie immediately. The million times a CM told my child “Happy Birthday” when they saw her pin, or “Happy Anniversary” when they saw my wife’s or mine. The CM who heard us lamenting about our scores in Space Ranger Spin and asked if we wanted to try again (of course we did!) and took us through the wheelchair door to do just that. Seeing my young daughter’s face when she met Tiana, holding her hand for pictures and not wanting to let go. These are the memories that make me want to go back, again and again.
The shot taken at California is well deserved. Knowing how these types of corporate letters work, the fact that this small sentence about California was inserted is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what management truly thinks. And while it makes sense that Florida would have a lot more layoffs then California given that it is so much larger than California (not even a comparison), I place a lot of the blame on California. This company is based in California and corporations tend to operate with uniform policies across the entire market they cover. WDW Florida is certainly affected by the California governance and the way they deal with their employees and unions across the board. Some of my family where there last week and noted how WDW is much more strict and severe in what they expect of their guest. Right or wrong, it’s their property and choice, and their customers are speaking loudly that they don’t like it by not showing up. This said, my heart goes out to the cast members losing their job. I pray this ends soon and that they find jobs and security. They are the heart and soul of this amazing company that is such a big part of so many including me. So sad about this whole thing.
Well thought out response, KenR. Thanks.
100% right Ken!
WDW is “severe and strict” because we are in the middle of a global pandemic. Disney needs to model what’s best for their guests because many Americans are not doing it for themselves, and – of course – to protect the company from lawsuits and bad publicity. Unfortunately, the fact that people think the protocols at WDW are “severe and strict” is a bellwether for why the U.S. is doing so poorly at effectively combating, much less containing, the virus. https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality
I am glad that WDW is being strict with guests! We are planning a trip and it is only because we have heard that WDW is trying to enforce masks, social distancing, etc.
There are signs outside our stores then you walk in saying you MUST wear a mask and I see employees not wearing their mask or wearing it below their nose. One store’s employees are REALLY good but they told me when someone doesn’t wear a mask they are not allowed to say anything. There is a sign at the door saying you MUST wear a mask. As people say, no one thinks it is wrong if they refuse service if you don’t wear a shirt and shoes. They have a right to say if you want to come in you have to wear a mask.
With the numbers I see I cannot believe that Florida is going into the next phase.
I agree with much of what you said about the CA/FL business part, but I disagree that customers aren’t returning because they don’t like WDW’s safety policies. I think most American people are simply not comfortable with travel in addition to the lack of time and/or money to take a trip (to Disney especially). You can take out foreigners entirely, many of whom couldn’t even travel to the US if they wanted to, though I doubt very many do. Sprinkle in all of the various uncertainties right now, from the virus to the election, and you have a very hostile travel environment. If WDW removed all of the safety measures today, it still would not bring business back right now. In fact, I’d venture to say at best there would be an even swap between those now unwilling to go for safety reasons and those who would go because they no longer have to wear masks. If polling is correct, it’s more likely there aren’t enough non-maskers to make up for the loss and Disney would see a drop in attendance.
Great message Ken! Much of the blame should be laid at the feet of the State of California. I applaud Disney for being so polite about it.
Well said, The Tourist!!
I was laid off by Disney in a mass layoff of February 1994. Over 400 Salaried CM’s lost their job that day, many who were co-workers of mine in Disney Marketing. It changed my life forever. It really damaged me inside. But I recovered. And I went on to have 2 more careers with Disney, essentially making more money than before. Disney is just reacting to a huge drop in business due to COVID-19. I know people who got cut in this 28,000 lay-off. At some point, COVID-19 will be a thing of the past, but that might take another 1-3 years. Slowly Disney will recover, or go out of business entirely, which would be highly unlikely. One thing is for sure: COVID-19 definitely has threatened the existence of Disney and thousands/millions of other businesses. I feel sorry for the Cast Members who were not financially secure, which I’m sure are many thousand. These are sad times we live in. The world has changed not for the better. It’s a wake up call to what is really important in life. Disney fun is not something we have to have in order to exist. It’s a luxury item, so to speak. It’s expendable. If the world survives this pandemic, most likely Disney will survive, but many current Cast Members will move on with their lives and go in different directions. The entertainment business in not mandatory for us to survive. Yes, it produces jobs and income for people, but the entertainment business is totally optional for the existence of life. Disney has no choice but to let go of workers. They could also let go of many of the overpaid Disney Executives.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Bob.
Bob I appreciate your comment. You said exactly what I was thinking about the entertainment industry. When economic times get though most families will reduce or eliminate the money they spend on entertainment since it is not essential for living. There is still a global pandemic going around and it has affected the entire world’s economy as dome people are just not comfortable doing activities around strangers during a pandemic. For everyone, including Disney, that is trying to blame one man, the Governor of California for the mass layoffs at Disney, let’s take a minute to be more realistic. If WDW was able to boom during this pandemic then there’d be no reason to layoff CM in Florida. The layoffs in Florida are a result of low demand for WDW; bottom line. I live a few cities away from Disneyland. We had news stories of CM planning protest because CM did not feel safe reopening when Disneyland originally wanted to submit a plan to reopen. Every industry for the most part has been negatively impacted and it will take time to rebuild. Real people are losing real jobs and it’s a sad situation. My husband’s been on furlough for 5 months and we are preparing for the reality that he may not be called back to work. I think it will be years maybe 3 plus years before the economy starts to bounce back and I think we will continue to see business close during the bounce back. We need to or patient and thoughtful of what we say and how we treat each other as this pandemic continues to linger and impacts us all in one way or another.
I went to Disneyland in February of this year. So sad that it is not reopening any time soon. Wondering now about the reopening of Art of Animation scheduled in 4 weeks. This news does not bode well for this. I am planning to go there in November.
I doubt it means anything for Art of Animation. Keep in mind that there are still countless Walt Disney World hotels, restaurants, entertainment, and attractions that are not only closed–but that don’t even have reopening dates.
I saw the “shot” as more a last ditch effort to see if California will at least give an opening date before they start making the layoff calls. My brother-in-law started working there full time last summer so he’s pretty low on the totem pole and pretty worried. Prayers go out to all that are affected.
Perhaps it’ll be effective, in which case it’ll have been justified.
I’m just skeptical that was the goal (rather than laying blame). Disney has negotiated with the state and issued public statements–as have local political leaders, unions, and trade groups. I don’t understand why California is dragging its feet on reopening parks given the comparable businesses that are allowed to reopen, but I see this as more antagonistic than productive.
Such sad news… but the sun will shine again and I am sure that all you lovely cast members will soon be back in yours and our happy place … there are so many of us waiting to be allowed to travel back to lovely Florida… I am sure 2021 will be a good year.. This too shall pass xxxxx
Disagree that Disney shouldn’t take a shot at California. The state leadership most definitely needs to be called out. They seem to think they can keep businesses closed without financial consequence, and for that, they are indeed partly responsible for the California job losses that Disney was forced to make.
Absolutely! The government is more than partially responsible and shots were fired in the right direction. I am a small business owner in the entertainment industry (escape rooms). I am about the lose my livelihood. A business can only hold on for so long, waiting for the economy to return and the government to stop controlling our ability to make money. We have to cut overhead in an attempt to survive, unfortunately that means jobs are being lost. The government is making decisions that are continuing to effect the people they serve in a negative way. Easy to do when they do not live in the same financial world as we do. How about letting us make decisions effecting the financial stability of the upper elite class????
My daughter is a furloughed full time cast member at Disney World. We all are praying she is able to go back to her dream job. Please support the affected cast members and Disney as we move forward.
By heart goes out to these people. I have loved Disney since I was small and lately I’ve been trying to figure out why. It’s never been the rides, it has always been the experiences. Thank you to the cast member who noted my screaming 6 week old and when the magic bands weren’t working he simply gave me two ice cream bars and three waters. Thanks to the cast member who leaned into the doom buggy while my dad was trying to scare me and creepily said “have a good ride, sir” (caused my dad to almost jump out of his seat). Thanks to Rapunzel and Flynn Rider at Epcot who talked with my kids after their line was long finished and took pictures with her stuffed panda, and to the cast member in the Stitch costume who hugged my son for what seemed like an eternity because he wouldn’t let go. The ladies who play Anastasia and Drusella are simply unstoppable. The caricature artist at the Poly who’s drawing still hangs in my daughter’s bedroom. They all are what makes me love these vacations and i wish there was a way to let them know.
Erin Johnson, your post is very touching and gave me all the feels. My heart goes out to all the Cast member’s as their difficult roads continue.
I am saddened to hear about the layoffs and no one can understand the loss to these families other than those impacted. I loved Disney for many years and the cast members are such a big part of this company and experience. I was just there and each cast member was beyond great. That being said, Disnry is a for-profit company who has tried sail in rough waters for months along with many other tourism businesses who have already succumbed to massive layoffs and furloughs. The ship will right itself,,however, there is pain in doing so. I cannot throw stones at anyone here because the decision to let folks go is heart wrenching at any level and never taken lightly. Prayers are going up for everyone impacted and those other industries that benefit from Disney, Universal, and SeaWorld clientele. It is truly sad day and the man himself, WD, would be crying.
as a cm i just want to thank tom and everyone else in the comments for their prayers and sympathy. i moved from indiana to california to work at disneyland and the thought that it could be taken from me is devastating. i’m still part time so the chances of my name being on the list are higher than many. i’ll be spending the next few days trying to avoid internet speculation and distract myself with other things until i know for sure.