Disney Parks laying off 28,000 cast members

[TheMaxRebo]

each time I open my social media another friend has posted they got the call, most recently one from costuming at MK. I was just thinking, obviously awful for those getting fired, but also awful for those that have an endless call sheet to give out the bad news.

I know it takes time to make all these calls, etc but also just the not knowing when this is ending must be tough for all the CMs, even the ones that are "safe", when can they truly breath easy?

Not to mention I am sure some guilt over why their friend got the call but they didn't

 

[yulilin3]

I know it takes time to make all these calls, etc but also just the not knowing when this is ending must be tough for all the CMs, even the ones that are "safe", when can they truly breath easy?

Not to mention I am sure some guilt over why their friend got the call but they didn't

exactly, my DD is part of the union so they haven't started with them yet, she has seen some managers and higher ups get fired already. She tells me "I don't understand they've been with Disney for 10/20 years" hard for a 19 year old, that grew up in Disney and has lived the Disney philosophy to process this. All the CM are scared to get phone calls from 407 area code and are asking family and friends to not call unless it's an emergency just to not get their hearts pumping each time the area code pops up

 

[JaxDad]

exactly, my DD is part of the union so they haven't started with them yet, she has seen some managers and higher ups get fired already. She tells me "I don't understand they've been with Disney for 10/20 years" hard for a 19 year old, that grew up in Disney and has lived the Disney philosophy to process this. All the CM are scared to get phone calls from 407 area code and are asking family and friends to not call unless it's an emergency just to not get their hearts pumping each time the area code pops up

@yulilin3 I’m very sorry you and your family are going through this anguish.

 

[yulilin3]

@yulilin3 I’m very sorry you and your family are going through this anguish.

thank you, I appreciate it.

 

[BadPinkTink]

exactly, my DD is part of the union so they haven't started with them yet, she has seen some managers and higher ups get fired already. She tells me "I don't understand they've been with Disney for 10/20 years" hard for a 19 year old, that grew up in Disney and has lived the Disney philosophy to process this. All the CM are scared to get phone calls from 407 area code and are asking family and friends to not call unless it's an emergency just to not get their hearts pumping each time the area code pops up

Oh gosh, sending big virtual hugs. I remember 2019, the excitement of Galaxys Edge opening and all the fun we had on here thanks to you and your DD. Can we pleeeeeaaaase get back to those times, when a post from you would be something to look forward to, a glimpse inside the magic

 

[yulilin3]

another friend, this one worked food and beverage as a manager and trainer in multiple locations through her Disney career of 11 years. Recently had been on furloughed from AKL
P.S. I am not posting this to bring anyone down, it just is the reality. Many people on these boards get lost in the fighting over insignificant details and forget that real lives are affected every day. Most CM working right now LIVE Disney, value the company's keys and none of them are blaming Disney for this, which is incredible to see

 

[Disneyland_emily]

I know it takes time to make all these calls, etc but also just the not knowing when this is ending must be tough for all the CMs, even the ones that are "safe", when can they truly breath easy?

Not to mention I am sure some guilt over why their friend got the call but they didn't

this- all this.
Holding the collective breathe that my household makes it through unscathed while watching some of my favorite people get ‘the call’ is exhausting.
It sucks.

It’s like none of us realized we were playing a massive game of musical chairs until the music stopped and now 28k were in the wrong spot. Doesn’t matter if you were fantastic or not, tenured or not- you were simply in the wrong spot when the music stopped.

Will I sleep better tonight when the ‘time clock’ for the nonunion wave expires? I can’t say because the ‘time clock’ for union hasn’t started ticking.

I remember 2001 and 2008/09 and this is by far more nerve wracking.

 

[skeeter31]

another friend, this one worked food and beverage as a manager and trainer in multiple locations through her Disney career of 11 years. Recently had been on furloughed from AKL
P.S. I am not posting this to bring anyone down, it just is the reality. Many people on these boards get lost in the fighting over insignificant details and forget that real lives are affected every day. Most CM working right now LIVE Disney, value the company's keys and none of them are blaming Disney for this, which is incredible to see

Yes, unfortunately this is happening in tons of companies, corporations, non profits, and government employ around the country. Its sad all around.

 

[rteetz]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1312410200213577728

 

[Txshadow]

this- all this.
Holding the collective breathe that my household makes it through unscathed while watching some of my favorite people get ‘the call’ is exhausting.
It sucks.

It’s like none of us realized we were playing a massive game of musical chairs until the music stopped and now 28k were in the wrong spot. Doesn’t matter if you were fantastic or not, tenured or not- you were simply in the wrong spot when the music stopped.

Will I sleep better tonight when the ‘time clock’ for the nonunion wave expires? I can’t say because the ‘time clock’ for union hasn’t started ticking.

I remember 2001 and 2008/09 and this is by far more nerve wracking.

Was there an official timeframe to notify non union employees? My son is non union and I haven’t wanted to bug him for news. I know he is super nervous since he signed a new apartment lease AND bought a new car just before furlough. He was called back to work in July so I didn’t know if he was safe or not.

 

[LizzyDragon]

FYI there are plenty of places hiring in central FL right now, including Sea World. No one I know in the area who has been effected is fleeing.

I worked for a hotel in the Orlando area ran by one of the large international hotel companies that recently did large layoffs. I know several people who have left to move in or be near family. I know others who are open to moving if they find the right opportunity to move.

The job market is tough right now. I know one former coworker who did nearly 300 applications before getting a job. I'm at 60 and counting since getting laid off last month. I know the pain the Disney CMs are going through. I hope they can find a way to move forward, and hope that those that want to return to the company later can do so.

 

[Disneyland_emily]

Was there an official timeframe to notify non union employees? My son is non union and I haven’t wanted to bug him for news. I know he is super nervous since he signed a new apartment lease AND bought a new car just before furlough. He was called back to work in July so I didn’t know if he was safe or not.

The consensus is that with the 60 days= Dec 4- the ‘time clock’ will run out 10/4@ midnight/ 9 pm (latest we’ve heard they make calls) But there isn’t anything official

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

Over the years, and I am talking 30+ years Disney would periodically slash and burn the Imagineering department. Not surprised by this.

Most large companies go through boom/bust periods which result in projects getting cut (and therefore engineers being shown the exit). I graduated in 2008 and now work in an industry that was hit hard in 2008/2009. There is almost no one my age in the company.

I don’t buy it at all. Like @rteetz said above, he is as close to untouchable as they come. He’s the face of Imagineering. Now, was he forced/offered to take early retirement? That I would believe, but to be laid off, no way. Also, considering there isn’t a firm answer as to whether Voyage of Little Mermaid is actually closed for good, your rumor source isn’t too believable.

I got the impression that Rhode was already semi-retired anyways. Doesn't he spend a month at a time in foreign countries doing paintings now or something?

 

[RivShore]

another friend, this one worked food and beverage as a manager and trainer in multiple locations through her Disney career of 11 years. Recently had been on furloughed from AKL
P.S. I am not posting this to bring anyone down, it just is the reality. Many people on these boards get lost in the fighting over insignificant details and forget that real lives are affected every day. Most CM working right now LIVE Disney, value the company's keys and none of them are blaming Disney for this, which is incredible to see

That is amazing and shows that there's still something special about the company.
Good luck to your DD, I hope everything turns out OK.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

this- all this.
Holding the collective breathe that my household makes it through unscathed while watching some of my favorite people get ‘the call’ is exhausting.
It sucks.

It’s like none of us realized we were playing a massive game of musical chairs until the music stopped and now 28k were in the wrong spot. Doesn’t matter if you were fantastic or not, tenured or not- you were simply in the wrong spot when the music stopped.

Will I sleep better tonight when the ‘time clock’ for the nonunion wave expires? I can’t say because the ‘time clock’ for union hasn’t started ticking.

I remember 2001 and 2008/09 and this is by far more nerve wracking.

Ugh, I feel so much for you all

And I vote "it sucks" as the official tagline for 2020

 

[andyman8]

exactly, my DD is part of the union so they haven't started with them yet, she has seen some managers and higher ups get fired already. She tells me "I don't understand they've been with Disney for 10/20 years" hard for a 19 year old, that grew up in Disney and has lived the Disney philosophy to process this. All the CM are scared to get phone calls from 407 area code and are asking family and friends to not call unless it's an emergency just to not get their hearts pumping each time the area code pops up

It’s just awful. My heart goes out to everyone, and it really appears that no positions are off limits. Just heard last night about a friend who was let go who worked in GO/Club 33 team. I was surprised, given how much revenue those services generate, but it is just heartbreaking. And so many are still in the dark. Despite the nervousness, I am in complete awe of the support and love CMs are showing for each other, celebrating their contributions to Disney instead of spiting the organization. Disney doesn’t realize how lucky it is to have a group of employees so emotionally invested in what they do. We all could take a page from these CMs.

I remember 2001 and 2008/09 and this is by far more nerve wracking.

Yes, I’ve been following Disney for a long time and these layoffs pale in comparison to those. Social media makes it even more anxiety-inducing.

 

[mercuryvenus]

This is all really horrible, but Disney has really very little choice. They are a business and have lost a huge amount of revenue.

 

[TonyaG83]

Yeah, there are NBA fans, but of those that visit Disney, I just don't see the NBA being more than only a small percentage. I always looked at the NBA experience as something like Ripley's Believe it or Not. Some folks will enjoy it, most will just pass it by.

I also thought it was horribly presented. We went in to check it out and wanted to see what the different stations were like, because if they looked fun enough, I might drop some $ for us to try it out. They couldn't do anything but show me a pricing brochure and barely explain what's behind the pay-wall (and would absolutely not let me "take a peek"), so we passed it by and never looked back.

It wasn’t much of an experience, and as a huge NBA fan (will watch any game at any time, almost every day during the season), it didn’t actually have much for me. You couldn’t even watch games there. I literally would have paid for only that

 

[Aimeedyan]

A (distant) friend in the Nemo show got the dreaded call. Makes me wonder what the future of that show (and others) may be, or if they are just trimming cast back to bare minimum for now.

 

[yulilin3]

A (distant) friend in the Nemo show got the dreaded call. Makes me wonder what the future of that show (and others) may be, or if they are just trimming cast back to bare minimum for now.

Like a performer or another area of the show?