While we’ve mostly been consolidating news items into a single post every week (or more, recently), this is a topic that deserves its own post. (FWIW we’ve also disabled ads on this post.)
Before we discuss the details of the ongoing Cast Member layoffs, we want to start with what’s most important—how to help.
How To Help Laid off and Furloughed Cast Members
We’ve got two things to share if you’re interested in helping laid off and furloughed (yes—furloughs are ongoing) Cast Members.
First, here’s a spreadsheet someone else has compiled of ways to support Cast Members, primarily by shopping at their online businesses. Information on the Cast Member pantry is also included in there. (We can’t independently verify who runs any of those shops, but we have no reason to doubt the accuracy of the list.)
Second, Tom and Sarah Bricker of Disney Tourist Blog have an ongoing fundraiser for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida which serves residents of that area (including but not limited to Cast Members).
About the Layoffs
Last week, Disney announced they would be laying off 28,000 Cast Members from their parks and experiences division, 67% of whom would be part time. This is a huge loss for the company—30% of its domestic parks workforce—and a devastating loss for many of those Cast Members.
Every experience you’ve had at a Disney park had a Cast Member behind it, and 28,000 Cast Members is a lot of Magic.
Like many people in this space, I know people impacted by this decision, but even if I didn’t my heart would break for the situation. It’s honestly hard to fathom how the company could have this many people it could cut—each Cast Member does such a great job of adding to the guest experience, I can’t think I’ve ever encountered one and thought they might not be integral…let alone 28,000.
Details of the cuts are starting to come out. The Orlando Sentinel reports 6,700 of the losses are non-union Cast Members at Walt Disney World. BlogMickey reports 400 Imagineers have been let go, as well as 2,700 non-union Disneyland Cast Members, and 950 and 2,500 Disneyland Cast members from separate unions.
For many Cast Members, working at a Disney park is a lifelong dream. And they show you that in how they treat guests—who can often be quite awful—day in and day out.
I wish Disney did more to keep more Cast Members. Some level of cuts were always going to be a business necessity, but I guess we still hoped it wouldn’t happen.
It’s easy to lose sight of the ongoing struggles when you see increased wait times, new merchandise, and generally higher spirits from influencers / bloggers who might be visiting the parks regularly.