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
tirian

tirian

Well-Known Member
Magic Feather said:
Myself and a few others have been trying to get at how truly gutted Entertainment has been. While performers are the ones getting the spotlight today, these cuts go all the way backstage (in the theater sense). Most of these productions aren't going to be able to even remotely easily restart. Truly depressing, especially considering how different of a world we could be living in if just a few different things were done.
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Most of these decisions are due to poor management within the company. Bottom line: Iger overspent because his success seemed limitless. But he still overspent and expected the money tree to keep dropping fruit. Even if Covid had never happened, Frozen and the MCU couldn’t prop up the company forever.

Luckily for him, analysts will blame Covid and won’t connect his financial recklessness until after he’s sold plenty of copies of his book.
 
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Lilofan

Well-Known Member
tirian said:
I’d expect some more nonsensical PR stunts from corporate soon. The company’s spin doctors are going to be blaming California and waving Twitter-friendly announcements — anything to downplay the reality of layoffs in Florida.

We know Disney will eventually restore some entertainment after Covid, but how much is anyone’s guess. The CEO canceled all planned Batuu entertainment to save a buck long before Covid was on anyone’s radar.
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Chapek will need to come up with answers in the upcoming public earnings Q4 and full year results conference call with Wall Street on November 12th at 430pm EST.
 
Piebald

Piebald

Well-Known Member
I hate this for the reasons everyone is mentioning but I'm just not sure what could possibly be done here? How does the company keep some of these folks on the payroll when there is no reasonable solution to doing so? Cant have these shows, cant pack guests into these venues even "spaced out", cant risk liability if folks start getting sick while performing in some potentially intimate roles (i.e. Eric picks Ariel up and pretends to kiss her like 14 times a day in VoTLM)

I mean I get it, it's horrible and in an ideal world everyone is employed but I just dont know how they solve this? As time goes on things just become more and more bleak for things like this because at what point can society comfortably flip a switch and say, "alright. It's over. Let's celebrate"?
 
TrainsOfDisney

TrainsOfDisney

Well-Known Member
Piebald said:
I hate this for the reasons everyone is mentioning but I'm just not sure what could possibly be done here? How does the company keep some of these folks on the payroll when there is no reasonable solution to doing so? Cant have these shows, cant pack guests into these venues even "spaced out", cant risk liability if folks start getting sick while performing in some potentially intimate roles (i.e. Eric picks Ariel up and pretends to kiss her like 14 times a day in VoTLM)

I mean I get it, it's horrible and in an ideal world everyone is employed but I just dont know how they solve this? As time goes on things just become more and more bleak for things like this because at what point can society comfortably flip a switch and say, "alright. It's over. Let's celebrate"?
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There was the possibility of alternate shows.

Citizens could be performing in one of the empty venues right now, they had been planning an alternate beauty and the beast and festival of the lion king show.
 
mm52200

mm52200

Well-Known Member
tirian said:
Add Turtle Talk.

More layoffs are expected next week. Source: Mgmt is telling this to CMs.

Rumors say character performers who aren’t Equity, but that part isn’t confirmed.
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Character performers, techs, cosmo, and costuming have already been affected. All part time were laid off in all roles.
Full time that didn’t meet a certain seniority date were offered a displacement transfer for the time being to another role until their original role returned. If they didn’t take a transfer they would be laid off with recall rights for up Until October 2022.
 
dizneycrazy09

dizneycrazy09

Well-Known Member
How dire is TWDC’s financial situation currently?

Also, with the insanely quick rise in cases across nearly every state in the country, how much longer can WDW responsibly or morally operate before having to shut down again? Or is there no chance in hell they shut it down again?
 
S

Sweet Thing

Well-Known Member
wdwfan22 said:
Other layoffs include Finding Nemo The Musical & Festival of the Lion King Cast & Crew at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Monster's Inc Laugh Floor at Magic Kingdom. Still waiting on confirmation on Indy at Hollywood Studios.
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Not the cast and crew of Festival of the Lion King. Just the Equity performers.
 
flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
tirian said:
But will Chapek spend the money again after guests prove they’ll initially show up anyway? That’s the question. Batuu says no.
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Sure feels like atmosphere entertainment will be dead under this leadership.

... and chapek will be able to point to rising attendance and revenues for quarters to come simply by comparing to their pandemic numbers... instead of pre-COVID numbers.

how many CMs will rush back when given the opportunity?
 
UNCgolf

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
dizneycrazy09 said:
How dire is TWDC’s financial situation currently?

Also, with the insanely quick rise in cases across nearly every state in the country, how much longer can WDW responsibly or morally operate before having to shut down again? Or is there no chance in hell they shut it down again?
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No chance in hell, in my opinion.

I think the Florida government would have to order them to shut down, but that's not going to happen with DeSantis as governor.
 
mm52200

mm52200

Well-Known Member
wdwfan22 said:
I've heard from multiple people it's the entire cast. Hopefully we can get clarification.
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Once again the character department and crew will be offered displacement transfers if they don’t meet a certain seniority date or will take a layoff. All part time and seasonal were laid off.
Equity in FoLK consisted of the singers, tumble monkeys, fire twirler, ballet bird couple.
Character performers consisted of Timon, the movers, and puppeteers.
 
T

Touchdown

Well-Known Member
-No live entertainment
-No new attractions
-No night shows
-No seasonal events except food booths

Universal is somehow doing all of these. I really can’t believe it, but it’s looking more and more like I’ll be celebrating WDWs 50th by being a Universal AP holder. WDW cannot compete with other parks on their rides alone, management is doing irreparable harm to the brand.
 
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techgeek

Well-Known Member
dizneycrazy09 said:
How dire is TWDC’s financial situation currently?

Also, with the insanely quick rise in cases across nearly every state in the country, how much longer can WDW responsibly or morally operate before having to shut down again? Or is there no chance in hell they shut it down again?
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As far as closing down again, personally I’d say it’s highly unlikely considering the numbers they opened to in July and the state political situation.

No chance in hell? Well, a lot of people have tried to make a lot of predictions about 2020, and I think the only rational answer at this point is that no one really knows.

Assuming demand crashes as cases rise, the likely first response would be to cut hours back again. Beyond that, anyone’s guess.
 

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