Disneyland and Disney World lay off 28,000 employees amid pandemic struggles - OCR/SCNG

[George Lucas on a Bench]

More than likely the only ones guaranteed to still be left are the cheapest ones with less experience who have been groomed by Cheapek to deliver the cheapest substandard Disney Parks Experiences such as Pixar Pier.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

More than likely the only ones guaranteed to still be left are the cheapest ones with less experience who have been groomed by Cheapek to deliver the cheapest substandard Disney Parks Experiences such as Pixar Pier.

Disney is doomed

 

[Stevek]

Disney is doomed

Doomed, no. Very different for the foreseeable future, absolutely. In time, they, including the parks, will bounce back. When consumers feel safe (not if, when), entertainment offerings such as movies and theme parks will be highly sought after.

 

[Disney Analyst]

 

[cmwade77]

I think the biggest problem is executives pay were restored to full last month, they should have been cut again prior to the layoff announcements. Yes, I know it wouldn't save a ton of jobs, but it would have been a good symbolic gesture of goodwill.

 

[SirWillow]

Bye bye, photo pass. WDC got a lucky break with this pandemic, it gave them the perfect excuse to do it.
...They’ll be able to neatly package lots of bad news as “one” piece of bad news.

yeah, I'm seeing several reports and comments from people I know saying that at the very least it's massively reduced, with few left. But several also saying it's gone completely. Can't confirm that for sure, but seeing enough that I'm starting to think it might be true. It's looking very ugly for Photo Pass at Disneyland.

Honestly, I'm surprised Photopass lasted through the entire 2010's and the Selfie Era as long as it did. It should have been phased out and shut down five years ago.

While you might not have used it, it's been making money quite well. Shoving it in as part of the MaxPass package hurt it a lot, as there were a lot of people that bought that for the Fastpass function. But I know a number that used it just for the photos as well. I still think it would have been better to keep them separate.

Cell phones didn't hurt it anywhere near as much as you might think it would. Cell phones can't get on ride photos, can't get a good photo of the castle and a group of people in "selfie" mode, and most people trying to take selfies take crap looking photos that a decent photographer can easily outdo.

Even as a photographer, and a WDW photopass guy, we made extensive use of Photopass at Disneyland when we were there- just about anytime we saw a photographer without a huge line - and most of them had very long lines, so there are obviously a lot of people who understand the value.

 

[TP2000]

That has to be the best Disney news I've seen in weeks. That Josh D'Amaro guy is the very top quality of human beings.

It's just a shame Josh could not have been promoted years earlier, and ahead of a couple of his notably lesser predecessors in Anaheim and Burbank.

 

[BayouShack]

Does Disney even need Disneyland? North America has SIX Disney theme parks servicing a tad over 550 million people. Europe, on the other hand, has TWO Disney theme parks servicing well over 700 million people. Disney can just divert the western half of the country to WDW and consolidate its theme park operations in the Americas. They have the capacity to carry Disneyland and its own capacity. And when Disneyland reopens it will be this niche little park for locals. Sure they’ll keep it for historical reasons, but it will have just as much use to the company as the practically obsolete Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Does Disney even need Disneyland?

Doesn't really seem important.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Disney's been getting a lot of flack over this move in some internet groups (reddit), but honestly I feel like they did everything they could for their cast.

2+ weeks paid time off during the initial closure. Allowing them to be furloughed and collect the federal unemployment. Continuing that furlough even after it became obvious not everyone would be needed for months after Disneyland reopened.

Disney tried to open back in July- and was vocally opposed by the unions and a few cast members online. I remember CM's on reddit talking about how relieved they are they wouldn't have to subject themselves to the horrors of a theme park.

A good friend of mine who was vocal about the need to close initially (even before the park actually closed), and the need to remain closed even now- was absolutely devastated by the news since she's at less than a year seniority in a role that's likely to be hit hard. She's also utilizing the Disney Aspire program- a benefit still offered despite the park's closure.

I feel for her- and it's been absolutely devastating watching many friends get told that they're likely gonna lose their job. And to see the effect this has had on Anaheim as a whole. But I also wonder what those cast members who were vocal about not wanting the park to open for the last few months thought would happen?

This whole situation is beyond ridiculous. I remember when this was a voluntary two week closure...

 

[SuddenStorm]

Does Disney even need Disneyland? North America has SIX Disney theme parks servicing a tad over 550 million people. Europe, on the other hand, has TWO Disney theme parks servicing well over 700 million people. Disney can just divert the western half of the country to WDW and consolidate its theme park operations in the Americas. They have the capacity to carry Disneyland and its own capacity. And when Disneyland reopens it will be this niche little park for locals. Sure they’ll keep it for historical reasons, but it will have just as much use to the company as the practically obsolete Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.

Disneyland is a cash cow for the company. Yes, they need Disneyland.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

There's no way you can drag this thing out and endlessly delay a reopening without losing the majority of the cast, whether as a result of people being let go because there's simply no reason to keep them on since there's no business, or as a result of them finding other employment. It's a huge mess that just keeps getting worse and worse. In the case of Disneyland, I would expect most people to move on to other things or be let go by the time they can reopen. They're not reopening any time soon.

It's the Downtown Disney now, not Disneyland Resort.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Doomed, no. Very different for the foreseeable future, absolutely. In time, they, including the parks, will bounce back. When consumers feel safe (not if, when), entertainment offerings such as movies and theme parks will be highly sought after.

I meant doomed in reference to what @George Lucas on a Bench had said about Disney keeping the Pixar Pier team and Chapek lol.

 

[DCBaker]

One of the DL unions -

 

[TP2000]

One of the DL unions -

The numbers of Club 33 staff being fired is most illuminating. That's not a big restaurant, even by outside standards not just mega theme park standards. That amount of lay offs is huge for a restaurant that small.

Club 33 is also entirely an indoor establishment. There is no ability to offer outdoor dining or service there. It's obvious that Disneyland's Club 33 will be a shell of its former self once it's eventually allowed to reopen.

 

[Figments Friend]

Disneyland is a cash cow for the company. Yes, they need Disneyland.

Forget them....

I need Disneyland.





Ya know....
We need one of those meme video clips of the famous 'I'm Spartacus!" scene from the film 'Spartacus' that starred Kirk Douglas.
Except instead of those heroic characters saying 'I'm Spartacus!', they need to be saying 'I need Disneyland'...!

-

 

[Sharon&Susan]

Does Disney even need Disneyland? North America has SIX Disney theme parks servicing a tad over 550 million people. Europe, on the other hand, has TWO Disney theme parks servicing well over 700 million people. Disney can just divert the western half of the country to WDW and consolidate its theme park operations in the Americas. They have the capacity to carry Disneyland and its own capacity. And when Disneyland reopens it will be this niche little park for locals. Sure they’ll keep it for historical reasons, but it will have just as much use to the company as the practically obsolete Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.

Where are you getting your numbers from? At least according to TEA, every single American park had higher attendance numbers than either of the French park with Magic Kingdom having more visitors than Paris and Studios combined.

 

[Figments Friend]

The numbers of Club 33 staff being fired is most illuminating. That's not a big restaurant, even by outside standards not just mega theme park standards. That amount of lay offs is huge for a restaurant that small.

Club 33 is also entirely an indoor establishment. There is no ability to offer outdoor dining or service there. It's obvious that Disneyland's Club 33 will be a shell of its former self once it's eventually allowed to reopen.

It's also a novelty to see Disney actually 'confirming' on paper that the Club actually exists.
For years it was treated as a 'big secret' and even up until recently if Guests asked a CM about Club 33, it was always brushed off like it didn't exsist.

Of course, we all know it exsists since we have both had the pleasure.


-

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Where are you getting your numbers from? At least according to TEA, every single American park had higher attendance numbers than either of the French park with Magic Kingdom having more visitors than Paris and Studios combined.

Misinformation? Call the mods!

 

[MisterPenguin]

The numbers of Club 33 staff being fired is most illuminating. That's not a big restaurant, even by outside standards not just mega theme park standards. That amount of lay offs is huge for a restaurant that small.

Club 33 is also entirely an indoor establishment. There is no ability to offer outdoor dining or service there. It's obvious that Disneyland's Club 33 will be a shell of its former self once it's eventually allowed to reopen.

It's being renamed to Club 11.