News Disneyland Character Performers Look to Unionize With Actors’ Equity

[Disstevefan1]

Do I see Disney dropping all or a majority of entertainment at Disneyland because more performers joined Equity, no I do not.

What I do see happening is that Disney may adjust prices to offset the cost of the increased labor. But I don't see them eliminating entertainment because of this.

TWDC is the world leader in raising prices on everything..

 

[Disney Irish]

TWDC is the world leader in raising prices on everything..

This is the way of the world. I know everyone likes to rag on Disney for raising prices, but that is the basis of a capitalistic society. Disney is a business, not a charity.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Do I see Disney dropping all or a majority of entertainment at Disneyland because more performers joined Equity, no I do not.

Well we are talking about multiple things here - “all or a majority of entertainment” is not character and parade performers.

 

[Disstevefan1]

This is the way of the world. I know everyone likes to rag on Disney for raising prices, but that is the basis of a capitalistic society. Disney is a business, not a charity.

I WISH TWDC thought this way in their movie business!!!!

It goes to the double standard between their business -

In their theme park business its all about charging more, providing less, very budget minded.

In their movie business, there is no budgets; reshoot after reshoot, out of control budgets, resulting in money losing movies,

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Do I see Disney dropping all or a majority of entertainment at Disneyland because more performers joined Equity, no I do not.

What I do see happening is that Disney may adjust prices to offset the cost of the increased labor. But I don't see them eliminating entertainment because of this.

The question is whether they have any room left to adjust prices to offset rising costs, they just offered a DL $69 locals ticket to try to increase attendance, they are already offering $104 weekday tickets in August to everyone, that’s down from $169 weekday tickets this month. Attendance is already soft at WDW and softening at DL, I’d argue they can’t afford to raise prices anywhere right now because they’d lose more in lost attendance than they’d make from the price increase.

 

[Disney Irish]

Well we are talking about multiple things here - “all or a majority of entertainment” is not character and parade performers.

Except we are, as now all entertainment pretty much falls under Equity as I understand it. So even if just walking about character and parade performers, no I don't see an elimination of character or parade performers because of this.

 

[Disney Irish]

The question is whether they have any room left to adjust prices to offset rising costs, they just offered a DL $69 locals ticket to try to increase attendance, they are already offering $104 weekday tickets in August to everyone, that’s down from $169 weekday tickets this month. Attendance is already soft at WDW and softening at DL, I’d argue they can’t afford to raise prices anywhere right now because they’d lose more in lost attendance than they’d make from the price increase.

There are more ways to offset this than an increase in ticket prices. Even a slight increase in food or merch costs, and we're not talking about a huge increase something less than $1, can bring in Millions to offset any increase in labor by entertainment moving to Equity.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Except we are, as now all entertainment pretty much falls under Equity as I understand it. So even if just walking about character and parade performers, no I don't see an elimination of character or parade performers because of this.

Why not? I’m not saying total elimination - but significant reduction.

 

[Disney Irish]

Why not? I’m not saying total elimination - but significant reduction.

I've already said, I can see them increasing prices around the Parks before even a significant reduction in entertainment. As I just posted, a simple less than $1 increase in food or merch cost can offset any increase in labor as it would bring in Millions.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I've already said, I can see them increasing prices around the Parks before even a significant reduction in entertainment. As I just posted, a simple less than $1 increase in food or merch cost can offset any increase in labor as it would bring in Millions.

but that’s not what Disney Parks have done in the past - they already cut performers this summer when the vote went through.

I’m not saying what Disney should do - if I was running Disneyland jungle cruise skippers would be equity! But that’s not reality.

I’m just saying what is all but certain.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I've already said, I can see them increasing prices around the Parks before even a significant reduction in entertainment. As I just posted, a simple less than $1 increase in food or merch cost can offset any increase in labor as it would bring in Millions.

That’s assuming people continue to buy those products at the higher prices though, it’s easy to say just charge $7 for a Churro instead of $6 but if 20% of the guests stop buying Churros because of the higher price you actually lose money instead of making more.

I mentioned this in an earlier post but we’ve almost completely stopped buying souvenirs at Disney, we can’t justify it anymore, what was $25 for a shirt is now $40, it’s already too much, making a $40 shirt that isn’t selling $41 isn’t going to offset anything. We used to spend a couple hundred on souvenirs every trip, now we probably spend $50, they’ve lost money from us due to raising prices.

The Disney store website is full of merchandise on sale, if it’s not selling at its current price it’s not going to sell at an even higher price.

 

[Disney Irish]

but that’s not what Disney Parks have done in the past - they already cut performers this summer when the vote went through.

I’m not saying what Disney should do - if I was running Disneyland jungle cruise skippers would be equity! But that’s not reality.

I’m just saying what is all but certain.

Those performers were already cut before the vote went through. So maybe it was an anticipatory cut, but it was seen as due to lower attendance this summer rather than anything to do with the performers going to Equity.

Also just because its not what Parks have done in the past doesn't mean that isn't how they deal with this in the future. I know everyone likes to be cynical, but Disney can find ways to keep entertainment without just cutting or scaling it way back.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I know everyone likes to be cynical, but Disney can find ways to keep entertainment without just cutting or scaling it way back.

I don’t see a viable way for them to do it but I certainly hope you are right, Disney has already lost a lot of its magic due to cuts, more cuts is just going to make the experience worse.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Important to remind everyone, there is no contract yet. Equity and Disney will go to the table, and negotiate a deal. What Equity provides performers is protection, so ideally they'll get more set schedules, better benefits, etc. etc.

Equity does not automatically mean a TON more money. Equity rates vary by production type, size of theatre venue etc. etc.

Does anyone know how Equity handles other theme parks, if any?

 

[Disney Irish]

That’s assuming people continue to buy those products at the higher prices though, it’s easy to say just charge $7 for a Churro instead of $6 but if 20% of the guests stop buying Churros because of the higher price you actually lose money instead of making more.

I mentioned this in an earlier post but we’ve almost completely stopped buying souvenirs at Disney, we can’t justify it anymore, what was $25 for a shirt is now $40, it’s already too much, making a $40 shirt that isn’t selling $41 isn’t going to offset anything. We used to spend a couple hundred on souvenirs every trip, now we probably spend $50, they’ve lost money from us due to raising prices.

The Disney store website is full of merchandise on sale, if it’s not selling at its current price it’s not going to sell at an even higher price.

Except you're making an assumption that there will be a 20% reduction in guest spending. This hasn't the case at Disneyland, at least so far.

Also it wouldn't have to be an across the board $1 (or more) increase of all food and merch prices. Spreading the price increases across many products by even a $0.25 can produce the same effect.

 

[Disney Irish]

I don’t see a viable way for them to do it but I certainly hope you are right, Disney has already lost a lot of its magic due to cuts, more cuts is just going to make the experience worse.

I'm not sure how people assumed Disney was going to handle an increase in their costs over the years. Disney is running a business not a charity, if their costs increase they have two options to maintain profits, either increase prices on goods and services or cut goods and services. Its basic economics, Disney can't just maintain the same level of service trying to run the Parks using 1990s prices, it just doesn't work out that way.

 

[TsWade2]

I'm not sure how people assumed Disney was going to handle an increase in their costs over the years. Disney is running a business not a charity, if their costs increase they have two options to maintain profits, either increase prices on goods and services or cut goods and services. Its basic economics, Disney can't just maintain the same level of service trying to run the Parks using 1990s prices, it just doesn't work out that way.

At least I didn't say it's the end of Disneyland or the end of entertainment.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Does anyone know how Equity handles other theme parks, if any?

Disney World is the only other one that I know of - and that does not cover costumed characters, face characters and parade performers. (*green army men in block party bash, and the Mc’s in Move It Shake It were equity).

I’m honestly surprised equity wants to cover parade performers and costume characters - it’s honestly a different talent level.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Disney World is the only other one that I know of - and that does not cover costumed characters, face characters and parade performers. (*green army men in block party bash were equity).

I’m honestly surprised equity wants to cover parade performers and costume characters - it’s honestly a different talent level.

Yes it's very different, and hourly at that. So I will be very interested to see what kind of contract they want for the performers.

Only specific shows at Disney World are equity, and those still run normally I believe. I have to imagine there would be a different price point for characters around the parks, parade performers, and stage performers etc. Varying rates based on output needed / risk.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Only specific shows at Disney World are equity, and those still run normally I believe.

Yes -
Hoop dee doo, Beauty and the Beast, Nemo, Festival of Lion King, Indiana Jones, Castle Stage Shows, Dapper Dans, Voices of Liberty, Holiday Storytellers, Laugh Floor, Crush.