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

[LastoneOn]

As a senator that could potentially vote on new tax code and corporate policy, she has authority.

She's welcome to try, and I know she is one that would like the government to dictate corporate policy on all things. She has no authority to tell a company what to do. She can try and legislate, but even then she must act along with others. At this point in time she has very little political capital or she'd be the VP nominee wouldn't she? Instead of a candidate who dropped out of the primary process in December 2019 with 4% popularity.

Perhaps she will try to nationalize Disney. That would work, I'm sure.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I didn't realize Universal's layoffs had hit their creative team.

Remember when some theorized that Universal would scoop up all the laid-off Disney imagineers?

Simpler times. Simpler times.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Disney has been this way for years which is why we haven't visited in a while. I still have a soft spot for Disney (thus posting on this thread), but I can't in good conscience support them financially. I feel really bad for the laid off employees, but this was an inevitable end. The pandemic just sped up the process. As fans, we want magic, but as a business, they want leanness and efficiency. Those things don't coexist well especially when you have to answer to shareholders. I don't necessarily blame Disney for laying off employees during a pandemic...so has most every other company. I do blame them for allowing Iger to sacrifice the company's reputation and well-being at the altar of his ego. The pandemic made things worse, but the chickens were coming home to roost at some point.

As someone who once loved Disney, it kinda hurts to realize that a company doesn't love you back. As a customer, I was a walking wallet and nothing more. Employees are seen as commodities, not people. I quit going to WDW when I realized I was giving more than I was getting. It hasn't been worth the price of admission for me in a long time. Disney way of doing things in recent years is to charge more for less. People have made Disney magic, not overpriced cupcakes or dessert parties, but people cost money while cupcakes make money. That's all that matters. Disney lost the balance between maximizing profits and offering superior service a long time ago, but they have been able to outrun it.

I truly feel terrible for the employees who have lost their jobs and have had some friends affected. It is awful for all of them because so many have poured their lives into the company.

Not picking on you alone crispy but these responses do make me question where people work?? Every one acts a bit surprised that companies act this way. Lol I've only ever worked for major Corp, mainly in the science arena and yes I'm fully aware that I am simply a number. I've been at DuPont, Dow, Sunoco oil and two other worldwide corps.
My CEO recently told us and I'm quoting. " My first responsibility is to make this company profitable and sustainable by whatever means necessary including cutting staff".
Companies are not non profit organizations there to make their employees feel warm and fuzzy. That ship sailed 40 years ago

If Disney could run their parks with 5 humans and 100k robots that's what they would do.

 

[Lilofan]

Not picking on you alone crispy but these responses do make me question where people work?? Every one acts a bit surprised that companies act this way. Lol I've only ever worked for major Corp, mainly in the science arena and yes I'm fully aware that I am simply a number. I've been at DuPont, Dow, Sunoco oil and two other worldwide corps.
My CEO recently told us and I'm quoting. " My first responsibility is to make this company profitable and sustainable by whatever means necessary including cutting staff".
Companies are not non profit organizations there to make their employees feel warm and fuzzy. That ship sailed 40 years ago

If Disney could run their parks with 5 humans and 100k robots that's what they would do.

Those are real points company staff members know, should know but at times don't want to know.

 

[DVCakaCarlF]

I get it, people can get heavy handed with the syrup while making an OF. Especially if they giving you the Don Draper version where they're practically adding a cherry kool-aid packet.

I think the bourbon is better enhanced in the Old Fashioned

Try a bourbon breeze at the poly pool.

 

[LSLS]

Not picking on you alone crispy but these responses do make me question where people work?? Every one acts a bit surprised that companies act this way. Lol I've only ever worked for major Corp, mainly in the science arena and yes I'm fully aware that I am simply a number. I've been at DuPont, Dow, Sunoco oil and two other worldwide corps.
My CEO recently told us and I'm quoting. " My first responsibility is to make this company profitable and sustainable by whatever means necessary including cutting staff".
Companies are not non profit organizations there to make their employees feel warm and fuzzy. That ship sailed 40 years ago

If Disney could run their parks with 5 humans and 100k robots that's what they would do.

The reason people have problems with this is they remember the times disney didn't seem to act like this. If you worked for a major chemical company where they treated you as super important and irreplaceable (and generally cared about), it'd probably be tough to watch the company change its stance to one of "you mean nothing and we don't care about you."

 

[wannabeBelle]

Not picking on you alone crispy but these responses do make me question where people work?? Every one acts a bit surprised that companies act this way. Lol I've only ever worked for major Corp, mainly in the science arena and yes I'm fully aware that I am simply a number. I've been at DuPont, Dow, Sunoco oil and two other worldwide corps.
My CEO recently told us and I'm quoting. " My first responsibility is to make this company profitable and sustainable by whatever means necessary including cutting staff".
Companies are not non profit organizations there to make their employees feel warm and fuzzy. That ship sailed 40 years ago

If Disney could run their parks with 5 humans and 100k robots that's what they would do.

Agreed but what if the "Product" is the Cast Members? In part that is certainly what Disney is selling. The interactions with cast members are part of the experience that I am paying for. Certainly the entertainment CM's, the CM's in the parks at the attractions, etc. I dont doubt that people may not notice if you replaced say housekeeping with a robot, but other positions have that human factor and that is part of the package of what I am expecting when I purchase a hotel stay there as opposed to any of the other resorts in the area or purchase a ticket to their theme parks as opposed to any other theme park in the world. No you aren't required to make your employees feel warm and fuzzy but if you dont produce your product up to the standard people expect, your company will not be profitable. The question is what does Disney want their product to be? If it is just going to a theme park with rides, there are a number of those that people can attend all over the world. What is the "Disney Difference"? Marie

 

[networkpro]

Agreed but what if the "Product" is the Cast Members? In part that is certainly what Disney is selling. The interactions with cast members are part of the experience that I am paying for. Certainly the entertainment CM's, the CM's in the parks at the attractions, etc. I dont doubt that people may not notice if you replaced say housekeeping with a robot, but other positions have that human factor and that is part of the package of what I am expecting when I purchase a hotel stay there as opposed to any of the other resorts in the area or purchase a ticket to their theme parks as opposed to any other theme park in the world. No you aren't required to make your employees feel warm and fuzzy but if you dont produce your product up to the standard people expect, your company will not be profitable. The question is what does Disney want their product to be? If it is just going to a theme park with rides, there are a number of those that people can attend all over the world. What is the "Disney Difference"? Marie

Thats the intangible "good will" valuation of a company.

 

[flynnibus]

Agreed but what if the "Product" is the Cast Members? In part that is certainly what Disney is selling. The interactions with cast members are part of the experience that I am paying for. Certainly the entertainment CM's, the CM's in the parks at the attractions, etc. I dont doubt that people may not notice if you replaced say housekeeping with a robot, but other positions have that human factor and that is part of the package of what I am expecting when I purchase a hotel stay there as opposed to any of the other resorts in the area or purchase a ticket to their theme parks as opposed to any other theme park in the world. No you aren't required to make your employees feel warm and fuzzy but if you dont produce your product up to the standard people expect, your company will not be profitable. The question is what does Disney want their product to be? If it is just going to a theme park with rides, there are a number of those that people can attend all over the world. What is the "Disney Difference"? Marie

anyone know the usual turnover numbers at WDW every year? We know at least there are thousands of CP every year right?

my point being is... Disney knows they can mold those people. They di it at scale every

has anyone every heard a regular park CM say it was thinking about leaving, but Disney really stepped up and made it so I didn’t have to leave...’

On here we are talking at a scale that risks losing institutional knowledge when they cut so deep... or lose key people. But one also has to recognize Disney knows they create new CMs all the time and they know how to do it.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

The more of this I read, the more I lose respect for the modern Disney company.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Not picking on you alone crispy but these responses do make me question where people work?? Every one acts a bit surprised that companies act this way. Lol I've only ever worked for major Corp, mainly in the science arena and yes I'm fully aware that I am simply a number. I've been at DuPont, Dow, Sunoco oil and two other worldwide corps.
My CEO recently told us and I'm quoting. " My first responsibility is to make this company profitable and sustainable by whatever means necessary including cutting staff".
Companies are not non profit organizations there to make their employees feel warm and fuzzy. That ship sailed 40 years ago

There are many companies of all sizes that treat employees with respect and value them. Sorry you have such a terrible boss, employee morale must be really low.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

There are many companies of all sizes that treat employees with respect and value them. Sorry you have such a terrible boss, employee morale must be really low.

I've mostly been lucky...only had one job where employees were treated as disposable. It was the most miserable work experience I've ever had, and is why I would never work for a huge corporation.

 

[JoeCamel]

There are many companies of all sizes that treat employees with respect and value them. Sorry you have such a terrible boss, employee morale must be really low.

I hear Publix is good

 

[Lilofan]

I hear Publix is good

Publix has a perk that the staff will push your shopping cart to your car and load your grocery bags into your trunk.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Not picking on you alone crispy but these responses do make me question where people work?? Every one acts a bit surprised that companies act this way. Lol I've only ever worked for major Corp, mainly in the science arena and yes I'm fully aware that I am simply a number. I've been at DuPont, Dow, Sunoco oil and two other worldwide corps.
My CEO recently told us and I'm quoting. " My first responsibility is to make this company profitable and sustainable by whatever means necessary including cutting staff".
Companies are not non profit organizations there to make their employees feel warm and fuzzy. That ship sailed 40 years ago

If Disney could run their parks with 5 humans and 100k robots that's what they would do.

Even employee centric companies have a breaking point where they have to put the company first. I live and work in Las Vegas and am very fortunate to work for a great company that bends over backwards for it staff, in 2007 when the economy crashed and every other casino in town was laying off thousands of employees our management team transferred employees between departments, asked us to voluntarily take hour reductions, modified our schedules, etc and were able to avoid letting a single person go... for about 6 months... eventually even they ran out of options though and had no choice but to lay people off. I still work for that company and am proud of the steps they took but also realize that no company, even a billion dollar casino, can pay thousands of people to stand around when entire towers and restaurants are shuttered and there’s no revenue coming in.

 

[tirian]

Not picking on you alone crispy but these responses do make me question where people work?? Every one acts a bit surprised that companies act this way. Lol I've only ever worked for major Corp, mainly in the science arena and yes I'm fully aware that I am simply a number. I've been at DuPont, Dow, Sunoco oil and two other worldwide corps.
My CEO recently told us and I'm quoting. " My first responsibility is to make this company profitable and sustainable by whatever means necessary including cutting staff".
Companies are not non profit organizations there to make their employees feel warm and fuzzy. That ship sailed 40 years ago

If Disney could run their parks with 5 humans and 100k robots that's what they would do.

Those are real points company staff members know, should know but at times don't want to know.

It’s sad but true.

 

[Mr Mindcrime]

Agreed but what if the "Product" is the Cast Members? In part that is certainly what Disney is selling. The interactions with cast members are part of the experience that I am paying for. Certainly the entertainment CM's, the CM's in the parks at the attractions, etc. I dont doubt that people may not notice if you replaced say housekeeping with a robot, but other positions have that human factor and that is part of the package of what I am expecting when I purchase a hotel stay there as opposed to any of the other resorts in the area or purchase a ticket to their theme parks as opposed to any other theme park in the world. No you aren't required to make your employees feel warm and fuzzy but if you dont produce your product up to the standard people expect, your company will not be profitable. The question is what does Disney want their product to be? If it is just going to a theme park with rides, there are a number of those that people can attend all over the world. What is the "Disney Difference"? Marie

You are correct. But the only way it will ever make a difference is when enough people decide that they want more or different than what Disney is offering and they speak with their wallet. If Disney continues to remove CM's from the equation and the "product" becomes lessened or more on par with a day trip to Six Flags, they will only care ...... if enough people stay away.

My travel agent friend tells me that there are hundreds of other vacation options, many which are less expensive than WDW

 

[eliza61nyc]

Agreed but what if the "Product" is the Cast Members? In part that is certainly what Disney is selling. The interactions with cast members are part of the experience that I am paying for. Certainly the entertainment CM's, the CM's in the parks at the attractions, etc. I dont doubt that people may not notice if you replaced say housekeeping with a robot, but other positions have that human factor and that is part of the package of what I am expecting when I purchase a hotel stay there as opposed to any of the other resorts in the area or purchase a ticket to their theme parks as opposed to any other theme park in the world. No you aren't required to make your employees feel warm and fuzzy but if you dont produce your product up to the standard people expect, your company will not be profitable. The question is what does Disney want their product to be? If it is just going to a theme park with rides, there are a number of those that people can attend all over the world. What is the "Disney Difference"? Marie

but here's the thing, in the service industry there are always people to be hired and let go. Most companies that are generally low wage service industry aren't really worried about the long term work atmosphere simply because they know they won't have a lot of long term front line workers.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

but here's the thing, in the service industry there are always people to be hired and let go. Most companies that are generally low wage service industry aren't really worried about the long term work atmosphere simply because they know they won't have a lot of long term front line workers.

But here’s the thing... Disney used to be different. (To an extent). Disney isn’t “most companies” - that’s why we like Disney.

 

[eliza61nyc]

There are many companies of all sizes that treat employees with respect and value them. Sorry you have such a terrible boss, employee morale must be really low.

actually it's not, first I'm in the very high paying tech and science field now we do have the normal issues about work life balance. It's a bit hard to compare because it's not a minimum wage type of service sector. I never said I had terrible bosses, my direct supervisor is a brilliant young women who lol values me the way I want to be valued with pay raises, matching stock options and a great health plan but I don't delude myself that the companies bottom line comes first.