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

[Rteetz]

You’re not seriously gonna take the bait there are you? (My fighting Illini friend )

I never know with you.

Maybe on day you’ll get my team right too

 

[sndral]

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.

So maybe Disney took a look at the Florida numbers and decided it didn’t pencil out to reopen CA w/ only 25% attendance & most of that from local APs?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I never know with you.

Maybe on day you’ll get my team right too

I make it interesting, don’t I?

...it’s part of your Jedi training

 

[Disorbust]

I am surprised that no one has mentioned that none of the international parks are effected. They are considered untouchable but domestic park CMs are cannon fodder.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So maybe Disney took a look at the Florida numbers and decided it didn’t pencil out to reopen CA w/ only 25% attendance & most of that from local APs?

People are under the vastly mistaken impression that good money is being made in Florida.

Vastly mistaken.

 

[techgeek]

So maybe Disney took a look at the Florida numbers and decided it didn’t pencil out to reopen CA w/ only 25% attendance & most of that from local APs?

I think Disney will be able to find a way to operate DL in a profitable manner no matter what numbers and demographic they can with.

 

[Q_Division]

I am surprised that no one has mentioned that none of the international parks are effected. They are considered untouchable but domestic park CMs are cannon fodder.

I may have not understood what you are trying to say but outside of Paris (which is "protected" by the French government currently via their schemes), I'm not sure Disney would have unilateral control to replicate the layoffs even if they wanted too. Tokyo for example Disney has no control in that regard as it would be down to OLC.

 

[Rteetz]

I am surprised that no one has mentioned that none of the international parks are effected. They are considered untouchable but domestic park CMs are cannon fodder.

Paris probably would’ve been the one to see any impact if they were included. Disney doesn’t have the same control/investment in all of the other international parks as they do the US parks.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I am surprised that no one has mentioned that none of the international parks are effected. They are considered untouchable but domestic park CMs are cannon fodder.

It has been mentioned and answered.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I am surprised that no one has mentioned that none of the international parks are effected. They are considered untouchable but domestic park CMs are cannon fodder.

Because Disney doesn’t own all the parks?
Because they took it over Paris fairly recently?
Layoffs get FAR more backlash in europe than in the Gipper’s grand millionaire land?

Your choice of reasons

 

[flynnibus]

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?

You mistakenly confuse political PRESSURE with political MOTIVATION.

 

[el_super]

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..

It has more to do with the devolution the state has setup, to have the counties and municipalities work to combat coronavirus at a more local level. The way the tier system and numbering are setup, Orange County is responsible for ensuring good numbers in Orange County, and Los Angeles and San Diego (and the rest) are all responsible for their own numbers. Orange County's numbers have been good (not great) for awhile, but the surrounding counties have not. If Disneyland were to reopen tomorrow, there is the potential that it would attract visitors from higher risk counties, and potentially jeopardize the good numbers that Orange County has achieved.

It's the potential for cross-county traffic, en masse, that forces the state to take action. It wouldn't be fair to LA county, for Orange County to open up and put both counties at risk.

So maybe Disney took a look at the Florida numbers and decided it didn’t pencil out to reopen CA w/ only 25% attendance & most of that from local APs?

I wouldn't completely dismiss this idea. I know it's verging into tinfoil hat territory, but I have my own personal suspicions that part of the delay in releasing guidelines from the state, was Disney's objections to what the original guidelines contained. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they know the number they need to be profitable, and are basically rejecting any proposal below that capacity number.

I am surprised that no one has mentioned that none of the international parks are effected. They are considered untouchable but domestic park CMs are cannon fodder.

The international parks have been impacted. I just think it doesn't travel well into the English speaking news environment when a few hundred part time workers at a theme park are let go. It's worth mentioning though that both HKDL and SHDL have much smaller operations (both being a single park) and that a lot of their creative development is still handled in the US. So the impacts there are much smaller. But even OLC, who runs Tokyo Disneyland, has started asking people to retire or change positions because there just simply isn't enough work for them to do.

 

[GladToBeHear]

This just in... P&E covers huge swaths of Disney... that have nothing to do with California or even the parks.

Just going off of the official press release making note of the CA lockdown being a factor.

 

[Kamikaze]

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

It did, though. The number wouldn't be 28,000. It might be 25,000. Or 22,000. Or 27,500. No one knows, because DLR is still not operating. But to say it had no impact is wrong - the number would be less then 28k.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Just going off of the official press release making note of the CA lockdown being a factor.

Look that one up under:

“Excuse, Easy”

Do you think that everyone’s hero JOSH didn’t know this when he tweeted at them last week?
If so I have some Disney “magical” beans to sell you.

I’m gonna have to keep repeating this: Disney has a fundamental problem with its labor costs, it has since the 1990s, and they will do lay offs everytime the economic conditions make it palatable. Bank it.

I’ll make a guess: current stock price is $124...by November it will be $133. It was $137 when covid landed.

And their business is currently emaciated parks and Tv networks and a streaming service with Bambi.

Just saying

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

It did, though. The number wouldn't be 28,000. It might be 25,000. Or 22,000. Or 27,500. No one knows, because DLR is still not operating. But to say it had no impact is wrong - the number would be less then 28k.

Have they laid off the employees that would reopen the DLR?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It did, though. The number wouldn't be 28,000. It might be 25,000. Or 22,000. Or 27,500. No one knows, because DLR is still not operating. But to say it had no impact is wrong - the number would be less then 28k.

That’s the icing, not the cake however...

Layoffs where guaranteed...won’t be the last...and will be in large numbers.

Middle management better lock themselves in the bunker...they’re coming for them.

 

[GladToBeHear]

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



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

Josh D'Amaro: "...exacerbated in California by the State’s unwillingness to lift restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen..."

 

[FigmentFan82]

Prime Video is advertising the hell out of it.

And it got a spinoff series order

 

[SirWillow]

wait....they actually cut photo pass!!!

According to twitter.

they haven't cut it completely, but yes, Photopass has taken some hits. On both coasts.

It's worse on the West Coast for a couple of reasons. The parks being closed is a big one. But they also don't relaly do individual photo sales anymore. It's part of the package with their Fastpass Max system. And since so many get that, and get the photos added in with it, they aren't making the dedicated Photopass money like they used to when you had to buy the photos as a separate package.

They can cut the photographers, cut the opportunities to get photos, and still make the same money.

Also for both coasts there are no character meet and greets, and likely won't be for quite a while. And guess where a lot of the photographers were stationed... with the characters. Which means a lot of empty photo locations. And a lot of photographers they just aren't using. Which makes them, sadly, an easy cut to make.