Politics 28000 Layoffs coming to Disney's domestic theme parks - statement from Josh D'Amaro

This thread contains political discussion related to the original thread topic

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
Where’s Bob Iger? Is he still on the governor’s coronavirus business task force? He’s been awfully silent in recent weeks

Board members, whether for Disney or for a governor's task force generally do not make their own press announcements. A board member's job is to advise, not get out in front of the execs in charge. And if they do need to intervene, they do so with a majority vote of the board. Otherwise, they resign in protest while making a statement.

When Iger was CEO, how many times did one of the Disney board members release a press release about Disney business?
 

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
Or you can spin it as..."If DLR was opened would there be a huge spike in Covid-19 cases? If the answer is yes then our outrage would be at the "greedy" corporations that put profit before people"

Either scenario would be possible, either scenario would have someone being outraged
The sad truth is had DLR been allowed to open, and opened with the proven, known good procedures that are right now in use by WDW in FL and Knotts RIGHT NOW in CA, there would have been NO SPIKE. It’s sad.....
 

Kamikaze

Well-Known Member
The sad truth is had DLR been allowed to open, and opened with the proven, known good procedures that are right now in use by WDW in FL and Knotts RIGHT NOW in CA, there would have been NO SPIKE. It’s sad.....
Knotts is only open for special food events with no rides operating. Food and shopping only, with very limited times and guest counts. Its not fair to portray the park as fully operating.
 

sndral

Well-Known Member
Then if the current/extended lockdowns are TRULY about saving lives as we're being told, what changed between the announcement of the layoffs and the governor changing course (assuming this is actually happening) practically overnight? What COVID case/death threshold was met? Why would it be safer to reopen now on Wednesday as compared to Tuesday?
Tuesday nights are when California county Covid numbers are tallied, so if your numbers are down on Tuesday you may move down a tier & more things can open in your county on Wednesday.
Disneyland/Orange County is currently in the red tier & very close to going into the orange tier, https://abc7.com/orange-county-reopening-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic-frank-kim-oc-ceo/6643967/
My guess - based on my county, currently in the purple (highest) tier & once we get to the red tier (second highest tier) our aquarium can re-open w/ modifications (reopening plan is already approved by the state) - is that w/ modifications DL could be open w/ modifications in the red tier, but that they haven’t come up w/ a plan to safely do so or it doesn’t make economic sense to do so w/ the 25% cap on attendance. Most public venues that are open (zoos, some aquariums) have time limited reservations to keep the occupancy @/below 25%, I’m wondering how DL could do that.
 

el_super

Well-Known Member
So Disney announces layoffs of 28,000 employees from the domestic parks in part due to their inability to open DL due to the CA governor. Then "magically" something changes almost overnight and the governor reconsiders (according to sources). And you still don't think these lockdowns are not politically-motivated?

Do you really think when Disney gets the guidelines from the governor, they will "magically" need to rehire all of those impacted CMs?

It's not petty or manipulation when it's a major contributor. Disney was right in calling it out.

Whether Disneyland reopened in July or September or December really had no impact on the layoffs.
 

techgeek

Well-Known Member
Most public venues that are open (zoos, some aquariums) have time limited reservations to keep the occupancy @/below 25%, I’m wondering how DL could do that.

The exact same way they are running WDW right now. We are not privy to the capacity numbers in Orlando, but based on some easily observable markers it’s definitely ‘under 25%’, however you choose to define it.
 

el_super

Well-Known Member
Then if the current/extended lockdowns are TRULY about saving lives as we're being told, what changed between the announcement of the layoffs and the governor changing course (assuming this is actually happening) practically overnight?

The governor hasn't "changed course" at all. He has promised the industry guidelines for reopening. They could come today, or tomorrow, or next week. This isn't a black/white decision on whether the parks are safe or unsafe to reopen, but a negotiation on what parameters will be in place when they do reopen.
 

sndral

Well-Known Member
The exact same way they are running WDW right now. We are not privy to the capacity numbers in Orlando, but based on some easily observable markers it’s definitely ‘under 25%’, however you choose to define it.
DL is much smaller than the MK, I wonder if the issue is maintaining 6’, or given the different demographic that frequents DL (local APs) v. WDW whether staying below 25% would present a bigger challenge in DL?
I do know that w/ a workable plan you can have limited opening in the red tier - for my county the plan I’m familiar w/ involves masks, reservations, one way foot traffic, redoing seating at food venues, etc..
 

Rteetz

Well-Known Member
Scott Trowbridge posted an Instagram a message that could be taken either way.

I’m going to guess Joe is on some sort of leave, he hasn’t returned to the office since quarantine. If they want to go ahead with Bahamas they will need him for political reasons.

Hopefully Steve stays around as long as possible.

Anyone else?
I would be shocked if Joe was let go. Yes he has the tenure and high salary but before all of these he was considered one of the untouchables. He is one of the faces of WDI.
 

techgeek

Well-Known Member
DL is much smaller than the MK, I wonder if the issue is maintaining 6’, or given the different demographic that frequents DL (local APs) v. WDW whether staying below 25% would present a bigger challenge in DL?
I do know that w/ a workable plan you can have limited opening - for my county the plan I’m familiar w/ involves reservations, one way foot traffic, redoing seating at food venues, etc..

WDW has the benefit of larger spaces, this is true.. but there are still plenty of tight corners. Disney has dealt with those situations by either creating new dividers to physically provide a barrier (ie: the plexi screens so prevalent in many queues), made traffic one way (and usually enforced by a cast member), or they have just simply closed the area (smaller shops, some tight walkways).

There's a spot in the Pan queue that literally uses cast member 'flaggers' to enforce one-way-at-a-time traffic through an area that just couldn't be made to accommodate any other solution easily.

WDW is also largely operating with a AP / local guest base as the moment... but I'm not sure how much that really changes the impacts other then guests have a better familiarity with the layout.
 

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