Canadian Lumberjack Show to open at Epcot's Canada Pavilion in early October

[Nicole]

That's the wisest thing to do. I'll miss Off Kilter, but entertainment does need to rotate regularly to keep things fresh...

...except for the Voices of Liberty. If Disney touches that, God will strike down SSE with lightning. (And, being improv, World Showcase Players should have stayed, too.)

Yes, I agree 100% on that!

 

[khale1970]

I can back Marie up here. As soon as I heard I called one of the guys. He was gutted and couldn't even talk about it. His wife was almost in tears. I spoke with her yesterday and she said that they are still in shock and that it's surreal to think that he won't be back on that stage.

I don't doubt this is about cutting the budget. In light of that, were these acts offered the opportunity to continue performing at a reduced pay grade? That would be tough medicine, but at least the performers would have had a choice.

 

[note2001]

I don't doubt this is about cutting the budget. In light of that, were these acts offered the opportunity to continue performing at a reduced pay grade? That would be tough medicine, but at least the performers would have had a choice.

I'm not sure how unemployment in Florida works, but for my area: when a full time employee is laid off they may be offered severance pay (optional from company to company.) Once the severance pay term is over, until the employee can land a full time position suiting their skill set and level, they receive unemployment compensation for uptp a specific amount of time (determined by the state.) The past employer, Disney in this case, must continue to pay into unemployment on behalf of the employee until the former employee is off of it either through re-employment or expiration of term. There is a financial incentive there for the past employer to help their people find new jobs.

By the way the World showcase Players were joking in Romeo and Edna on their last day, I get the feeling they were offered severance package. If some of these guys have been at this job for 20+ years, they very well may have 3 or more years of severance pay coming to them. Given the options, and how Disney handled this, I don't think any of the entertainers would take the pay cut to stay doing their same job at a cut rate price.

 

[dreamfinder]

I don't doubt this is about cutting the budget. In light of that, were these acts offered the opportunity to continue performing at a reduced pay grade? That would be tough medicine, but at least the performers would have had a choice.

Remember though, pay grade is only a portion of what an employee "costs" a company. Figure an employee would need to take a 20%+ pay cut to offset the cost of their benefits, health insurance, etc. So by outsourcing the product, even if they "hourly pay" is the same to the new acts, WDW saves their whole benefits package, figure $10-20k per employee per year based on averages.

 

[wannabeBelle]

That's the wisest thing to do. I'll miss Off Kilter, but entertainment does need to rotate regularly to keep things fresh...

...except for the Voices of Liberty. If Disney touches that, God will strike down SSE with lightning. (And, being improv, World Showcase Players should have stayed, too.)

Oh wait......I have heard this was only round one, look towards the New Year for more interesting stuff to go down. Marie

 

[wannabeBelle]

I don't doubt this is about cutting the budget. In light of that, were these acts offered the opportunity to continue performing at a reduced pay grade? That would be tough medicine, but at least the performers would have had a choice.

They were not. They were offered to apply for any other position that was open such as part time Quick Service food though. I would tell you what my thoughts on this were but this is a family board!!! Marie

 

[note2001]

They were not. They were offered to apply for any other position that was open such as part time Quick Service food though. I would tell you what my thoughts on this were but this is a family board!!! Marie

You mentioned this before and I said nothing because it was just one comment. As with any company and layoffs, they can offer reemployment to folk leaving, but only for those positions that are currently open. The reason for the lay off is to eliminate the position and salary/benefits that go with it, they can't reopen it. Sometimes there is a hiring freeze on company wide, and although they tell us we can re-apply to any open positions, there are none. Yes, it feels like a personal attack, but it's not.

If at the time they were told to look at what was open there were only QS jobs, then it is what it is. I am sure no one told a talented entertainer to go work counter service. I doubt anyone was insulting anyone else. Everyone but the bean counters understands how hard a layoff is.

 

[mlayton14]

Great points below and hopefully brings people back to earth. And it might sound harsh but people have to be responsible for the position they put themself in, if someone's main skill is playing bagpipes or general entertainer they can't expect that a great paying job will just be waiting for them when that need disappears. And any severance is A LOT more than most musicians would hope to get anywhere else after losing a gig. These guys should feel BLESSED that they had 20 years with a built-in crowd and paid a salary w benefits , that wasn't the real world that most rock musicians are afforded

Excellent, as long as they leave the voices of liberty, since they're a staple, they'll likely clean house. And I for one see it as an opportunity, not a setback. Do people lose jobs? Sure. But people lose jobs every single day, especially performers. That is the nature of their chosen profession, and at some point they're going to need to deal with it. Unfortunately, no amount of protests, whining, or other continual onslaught of showing how upset they are is going to get them their positions back. Since they're talented, I'm sure they can find other gigs. And yes, it does suck to lose a long term gig.

But you know who elses loses long time jobs all the time? Factory workers during layoffs. Do you know what they do? They soldier on and find something else. These gents will find other opportunities, and Epcot may find new entertainment avenues. You don't know whether or not you like something until you actually see it.

I'm sorry if this offends, but these two threads have become huge downers. Rather than go over the same point over and over, we should be looking to see what comes out of the cuts and then pass judgement.

Oh and yes, if they cut the VOL I would get over it. Would I be a bit ed? Sure. But I would survive. So would the performers.

 

[note2001]

As a bean counter, I'm going to take very limited offense to this (no harsh feelings obviously). It sucks, sucks telling a group they are getting a layoff. At my company, we took rolling layoffs last year - so the bean counters were also laid off. Now, I haven't seen Disney do that, but bean counters do understand people. We do feel bad when the termination happens, even when it helps our bottom line.

My apologies "Bean counters" are human too!

Great points below and hopefully brings people back to earth. And it might sound harsh but people have to be responsible for the position they put themself in, if someone's main skill is playing bagpipes or general entertainer they can't expect that a great paying job will just be waiting for them when that need disappears. And any severance is A LOT more than most musicians would hope to get anywhere else after losing a gig. These guys should feel BLESSED that they had 20 years with a built-in crowd and paid a salary w benefits , that wasn't the real world that most rock musicians are afforded

Yes.

Over the recession (and still to this day) many many folk who were talented in their fields were laid off from their jobs. Re-employment was easier for some than others simply due to their skill set and experience. When those who are still hiring are looking for skills in ABC, but you've progressed past that to XYZ, the number of open jobs available to you dwindles unless you're willing to roll back the clock and skill set to your roots. I have no doubt these folk will find new jobs, and frankly, I hope Universal picks some of them up. Overall, these entertainers were lucky the dart never landed on their jobs until now.

 

[wannabeBelle]

Hi there, Agreed Note. From what I understand all entertainment is under review and can be changed or eliminated at any time, and that this is done regularly. It has been said that I am taking this personally, and I agree. I am at least friendly, if not friends with all of the guys in the band and many of the subs as well, so I feel their pain. Layoffs are awful but I know this can happen to anyone at any time. It doesn't make it any easier when/if it happens. I agree MLayton, this was not your typical musician gig at all and the guys know how lucky they were to have landed this gig without a question. Marie

 

[Alektronic]

Great points below and hopefully brings people back to earth. And it might sound harsh but people have to be responsible for the position they put themself in, if someone's main skill is playing bagpipes or general entertainer they can't expect that a great paying job will just be waiting for them when that need disappears. And any severance is A LOT more than most musicians would hope to get anywhere else after losing a gig. These guys should feel BLESSED that they had 20 years with a built-in crowd and paid a salary w benefits , that wasn't the real world that most rock musicians are afforded

Also, if you are a bagpipe player and you see this day coming eventually, then you go out and acquire other skills like this bagpipe player did , about year and a half ago, he became a full time firefighter and playing the bagpipes was just his weekend gig.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

I don't doubt this is about cutting the budget. In light of that, were these acts offered the opportunity to continue performing at a reduced pay grade? That would be tough medicine, but at least the performers would have had a choice.

From my understanding of the conversation, no, they were not offered anything. They were just advised that their positions were terminated. I know a few of them would have taken positions elsewhere - other bands playing on property if given the opportunity - but that hadn't been offered.

If they were offered anything I wasn't aware of it but it's possible as Disney often hints at - well, your position isn't available but there are still some openings elsewhere. They were looking for something music related so I don't know if an alternative was offered.

 

[tigger1968]

Also, please tell me that Brawny will be the sponsor for this show.

This....

 

[mouse_luv]

This....
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More like

But this works too hahaha

 

[RSoxNo1]

I guess they're offering free wood chips on your food for F&W in the Canada Pavilion now.


Also, please tell me that Brawny will be the sponsor for this show.

Don't they sponsor Lights, Motors, Action? They could be looking for something new to sponsor soon enough.

 

[RSoxNo1]

More like

But this works too hahaha

Or this?

 

[PhotoDave219]

Don't they sponsor Lights, Motors, Action? They could be looking for something new to sponsor soon enough.

Such is the rumor....

 

[wdwmagic]

PHOTOS - Stage preparations underway for the Canadian Lumberjack Show at the Canada Pavilion

 

[JCtheparrothead]

It just seems so...plain. I will hold judgement until everyone else judges it for me.

 

[Bolt]

I am genuinely excited for this.