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

[TrainsOfDisney]

If the board continues to view Parks and Resorts as a means to an end and its loyal Parks and Resorts customers as "useful idiots," then it really does feel like our only hope is for them to "go private," in some capacity.

Maybe Disney Family Museum can purchase Disneyland before its too late. Run it as a non-profit. I’d be all for that.

 

[UNCgolf]

Nope sorry, governments response has been to lock down, which has caused more pain than the actual threat. No balance or risk based decision-making at play. Lock downs as we have done have never been tried before and the data proves most of the lock down actions governments have taken have not worked. Sweden is exhibit A on what does work.

Sweden very clearly did not work. They had much higher per capita death rates than their neighbors, and they're actually starting to implement stricter policies now specifically because it didn't work.

Also, it relied on the assumption that herd immunity would develop, but the current science suggests that isn't feasible because we lose the antibodies too quickly.

 

[wm49rs]

Nope sorry, governments response has been to lock down, which has caused more pain than the actual threat. No balance or risk based decision-making at play. Lock downs as we have done have never been tried before and the data proves most of the lock down actions governments have taken have not worked. Sweden is exhibit A on what does work.

Lockdowns were used (effectively) during the 1918 flu pandemic. But, lovely first post(s) full of b#ll#cks. Sure you'll do fine around these parts....

 

[JoeCamel]

Equity statement is 720 people. Think how sweeping that felt when you found out and ramp it up to 28000. This pain will be far and wide for years to come.
I go to the dentist for a couple of hours and come out to find new members making the same debunked arguments here? Maybe the bot farm is hiring the layoffs?

 

[denyuntilcaught]

Nope sorry, governments response has been to lock down, which has caused more pain than the actual threat. No balance or risk based decision-making at play. Lock downs as we have done have never been tried before and the data proves most of the lock down actions governments have taken have not worked. Sweden is exhibit A on what does work.

This non-argument isn't really worth having again.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

This argument can go on forever... because people will keep talking past each other.

Did Bob Iger say they were going to zero out virtually ALL performance based entertainment at WDW? No.. but that's essentially what has been done right now. Example.. Plans to eliminate streetmosphere or reduce show counts... is not on the same level of closing essentially every live performance including fixed theatre shows... which is where we are at.

So one can't really take the line of 'this isn't a response to COVID'. Because they aren't doing a reduction - they've essentially zero'd it all out. And unless someone can validate that's really what Disney's end game was back at the start of the FY.. then there really is a reaction to COVID element.

"cuts were planned" - is a whole range of 1% to 100%... without talking about how much, it's real convenient to blanket claim 'planned cuts' could be anything?

These aren't the cuts that were planned. Iger's comments were primarily about back-of-house and administrative staff. The on stage layoffs are COVID, full stop.

 

[kayaknc56]

Sorry, no again. Lockdo

You're wrong. They were used during the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918, so they've been proven to work. Both schools and businesses closed...and guess what...people were told to wear masks.

I live in the world as it is, not how I wish it was. The data is clear. We can argue why lock downs don't work, but clearly they don't when balanced against their costs in lives.

 

[HongKongFooy]

COVID itself is causing all this.

Human responses to the virus profoundly affect, too.

It's both the hand you're dealt(disease)and the way you play your cards(policy), no?

 

[ImperfectPixie]

Sorry, no again. Lockdo

Google is your friend.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

You've been hoodwinked and bought Disney's PR spin.

Disneyland's inability to open has very little effect whatsoever on these cuts.

Saying "these layoffs are due to COVID" and "these layoffs are due to Disneyland being closed" are not the same argument.

Financially, the capacity limits and absence of demand at WDW are much more damaging than Disneyland being closed.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

absence of demand at WDW are much more damaging than Disneyland being closed.

I’m guessing this is the major problem. Chapek said on the conference call they would be turning people away when they reopened. They still aren’t doing that... at 25% capacity.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

I live in the world as it is, not how I wish it was. The data is clear. We can argue why lock downs don't work, but clearly they don't when balanced against their costs in lives.

WOW.

Please pay attention.

We had to close everything up to limit the spread of the virus and reduce active infections so that hospitals didn't get to the point they did in Italy - with bodies being stacked in random rooms because the morgues were full and doctors being forced to limit treatment to those under a certain age. THOSE THINGS HAPPENED. If you think they can't happen again, then you live in a dream world. Cases are on the rise again all over America...if people don't suck it up and wear masks and follow the CDC recommendations, we run a risk of being in that very situation.

The economy is NOT going to just keep chugging along as if everything is okay during a pandemic regardless of what you think. Job losses can be recovered over time. Dead people cannot.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I’m guessing this is the major problem. Chapek said on the conference call they would be turning people away when they reopened. They still aren’t doing that... at 25% capacity.

And without having the data, I assume room nights and F&B are in worse shape than admission.

WOW.

Please pay attention.

We had to close everything up to limit the spread of the virus and reduce active infections so that hospitals didn't get to the point they did in Italy - with bodies being stacked in random rooms because the morgues were full and doctors being forced to limit treatment to those under a certain age. THOSE THINGS HAPPENED. If you think they can't happen again, then you live in a dream world. Cases are on the rise again all over America...if people don't suck it up and wear masks and follow the CDC recommendations, we run a risk of being in that very situation.

The economy is NOT going to just keep chugging along as if everything is okay during a pandemic regardless of what you think. Job losses can be recovered over time. Dead people cannot.

You're missing the point that lockdown itself has also caused deaths. We're not debating deaths-versus-jobs, we're debating deaths-versus-different-deaths-and-jobs.

 

[wm49rs]

I live in the world as it is, not how I wish it was. The data is clear. We can argue why lock downs don't work, but clearly they don't when balanced against their costs in lives.

The data is clear, as is your trolling....

 

[flynnibus]

Equity statement us 720 people. Think how sweeping that felt when you found out and ramp it up to 28000

I'm still trying to figure out how many of the 28k apply to the parks vs the other divisions in total. Still seems like the totals reported fall far short?

 

[flynnibus]

@wdwmagic in agregate have you been able to form a picture on how many of the 28k are in the parks and how many have been hourly vs salary folk?

 

[monothingie]

Saying "these layoffs are due to COVID" and "these layoffs are due to Disneyland being closed" are not the same argument.

Financially, the capacity limits and absence of demand at WDW are much more damaging than Disneyland being closed.

Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products Division operates as a whole, as much as we'd like to separate Orlando and Anaheim, you can't do that. Having one park 100% Closed and another self-limited to 25 % capacity is going to have broad reaching effects impacting everyone across the board.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I'm still trying to figure out how many of the 28k apply to the parks vs the other divisions in total. Still seems like the totals reported fall far short?

It was parks, imagineering and cruises correct?
Do Disney stores count as well? What about Disney theatrical?

 

[mdcpr]

So pretty much WDW wants you to be either on rides, spending money on food, or shopping, because there's no entertainment for leisurely fun.

 

[UNCgolf]

Saying "these layoffs are due to COVID" and "these layoffs are due to Disneyland being closed" are not the same argument.

Financially, the capacity limits and absence of demand at WDW are much more damaging than Disneyland being closed.

I agree and it's what I've been saying. Disneyland's closure has very little effect on any of this.