The discussion forum topic of the crappy food served to CM's in employee cafeterias goes back decades. Decades!
Just off the top of my head from friends and neighbors and party chatter, I can think of the following small businesses in north OC that rely on Disneyland to survive that are now suffering...
Griffiths Printing. They are based out of Anaheim Hills off the 91 freeway. They do all the collateral printing for Disneyland, from the guides for Food & Wine festivals to signage for Grad Nites to the honorary pilot's certificates they give you on the Mark Twain. They are a family business, about 40 years old now. They are not doing well at all, and it's very difficult for the Griffiths family.
Visser's Florist. They opened in downtown Anaheim in 1956, a year after Disneyland opened. They have a large greenhouse, in addition to a sprawling workroom used for bouquets and arrangements. They provided flowers and bouquets to the Disneyland hotels and Disneyland events. Their business has collapsed. The grandsons of Bill Visser still own the business, but it's not a good situation without Disneyland and their guests buying thousands of dollars of flowers every week.
Ganahl Lumber. They have a major location on Ball Road, and they supply building materials and industrial supplies to Disneyland's maintenance departments. 7 of their 10 SoCal locations are in Orange County, and the Ball Road location and lumber yard is one of their largest. The Disneyland contract was worth millions to them, but it was zapped into non-existence a year ago. They'll survive thanks to their other locations, but it still has hurt them greatly to have a giant long-term account like Disneyland disappear into almost nothing for the last year.
Those are some biggies, but there are many, many others. Think of all the little vendors who used to sell their wares at the Food & Wine festivals. Think of the local laundry company that dry cleaned thousands of CM uniforms each day, and what it must have done to them to have that account instantly cancelled for a year. Think of the restaurant suppliers, the liquor vendors, the California wineries that all had their steady contracts cancelled by Disneyland a year ago.
This one I don't know from dinner party chatter, but it just occurred to me...
Arribas Brothers, who has been the art vendor in Disneyland since the 1960's. The Arribas brothers, and they were brothers, were from Spain and were chosen to display their Spanish glass blowing skills at the Spain Pavilion at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair. Walt visited their exhibit in the Spain Pavilion and was impressed, and asked them if they could do a little something for Disneyland. They started working for Walt at Disneyland in 1967, and they are still there today with shops on Main Street and in New Orleans Square. Or at least they were still there.
Let's hope they are a vendor who survives until late April!
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