WDI/IT Layoffs Revealed

G

General Grizz

New Member
Original Poster
1. First wave: As you know, 1/3 of the IT group (information technology) was notified that it will be laid-off company wide (not just WDI). They will now be out-sourced to other companies.

2. Numerous "WDI Model Shop workers, engineers, show set artists, and managers" were laid off on Thursday. 'While the celebration was still getting started at DL and WDW, there was crying in the halls at WDI. It's bad," said one Insider. These have included newer as well as long term (20+ years) Walt Disney Imagineers in the areas listed.

These were the rumored layoffs I had been posing questions about recently, and I'm not sure if this is the end of it. Of course, this comes at the end of a great period of design, i.e. Hong Kong, Everest, 50th, so it wasn't 100% out of the ordinary.

I'll post more details on this thread as I get them.
 
Lynx04

Lynx04

New Member
I think these imagineers should do what others have done, go out and start their own companies. There is a lot more job security when you work for a company that only works on projects for different parks, rather than work for a company that only needs you for one project then dumps you.
 
CTXRover

CTXRover

Well-Known Member
The IT layoff/operation change was probably the smart move, even if in the end it unfortunately means that some will not get their same jobs back. If something can be done better and also cheaper by companies whose sole role in business is to monitor IT situations, its seems like a no-brainer. For many, their jobs are not lost. Its simply one day they will come in wearing Disney nametags and the next they will come in wearing IBM or ACS name tags. Its more of a shift of operations than real layoffs, although there will be those who lose their jobs in the end.

I'll wait to I hear more about the other WDI layoffs before commenting too much. Many times things are blown out of proportion. Layoffs in that field after the last few years of development around the world is to be expected.
 
M

mraw

Member
I was told that the first layoffs came from within the parks (management). I knew that WDI layoffs were inevitable, but no so many people and so quickly. There are many talented people at WDI, and once someone is laid off from Disney, it is really hard (if not impossible) to get those people back, because they know that it could happen again (layoffs). WDI seems to be like a high school- the teachers and the prinicpal stay for a long time, but the students cycle out every four or so years.
 
Magicot

Magicot

Member
My life dream has been to become a WDI Model-maker. Do I even have a chance now, or will things change in the future?? :veryconfu
 
G

General Grizz

New Member
Original Poster
I understand how this can be interpreted, and I just wanted to forward on what I was told. I don't mean to misrepresent anything, just list what has happened.
 
G

General Grizz

New Member
Original Poster
Magicot said:
My life dream has been to become a WDI Model-maker. Do I even have a chance now, or will things change in the future?? :veryconfu
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I would consider broadening your horizons by looking into other companies, doing well, and applying for WDI, assuming you have somewhere else to go.
 
Figment1986

Figment1986

Well-Known Member
Do they even have their Webmasters inhouse anymore??

Laying off IT does seem a trend... I know some people who were IT untill layed off... now trying to find somewhere to work not outscourcing...
 
Computer Magic

Computer Magic

Well-Known Member
This article gives a little more detail on what functions will be affected. Although still very vague and some what confusing. The confusing part is IBM and Disney will handle data center
  • IBM would handle its data-center and applications jobs.
  • Affiliated Computer Services Inc. was expected to take over Disney's client-service and telecommunications functions
  • The company will keep functions that directly affect guests, transferring back office work such as desktop and applications support and data center and network management

LOS ANGELES, MAY 14: Walt Disney Co will cut some of its 3,000 information technology jobs, transferring the work to outside companies, a Disney spokeswoman said on Friday.

would remove 1,000 technology jobs in New York, Los Angeles, and Orlando, Florida, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Disney workers will be offered jobs at the new suppliers, Disney spokeswoman Michelle Bergman said.

The outsourcing decision caps an 18-month technology review by the entertainment conglomerate, Bergman said.

Disney declined to name the new suppliers or say how many jobs were involved, but The Orlando Sun-Sentinel reported that Affiliated Computer Services and International Business Machines would get the work.

Dallas-based Affiliated Computer Services Inc. was expected to take over Disney's client-service and telecommunications functions, while IBM would handle its data-center and applications jobs.

The company will keep functions that directly affect guests, transferring back office work such as desktop and applications support and data center and network management, the source said. Negotiations on the transfers should conclude by the end of the month, the source said.
Click to expand...

To answers Figment1986 question "Laying off IT does seem a trend... I know some people who were IT untill layed off... now trying to find somewhere to work not outscourcing..."
Click to expand...


Unless something changes in IT with jobs moving overseas, an IT best bet is functions that directly affect customers/guests such as as desktop and applications support and data center and network management or managing the functions.
 
Dayma

Dayma

Well-Known Member
There are a lot of downsides having your support outsourced. I say this in terms of the infrastructure. Desktops support is no big deal but the rest you can have problems. I am in the industry and I am really suprised that they are comfortable outsourcing the DC which is what a lot of companies are trying to build themselves.
 
prberk

prberk

Well-Known Member
"Outsourced" contract employees are rarely as dedicated to the company's overall mission as regular employees. I know that there are more mundane tasks that are involved here, but I also see Disney as a technology company in itself: such as the IT that supports the unique design and implementation of the AudioAnimatronics and ride systems.

WDI holds many patents, and many of them no doubt came from dedicated cast members in IT that looked beyond their mundane IT tasks to create something new and exciting that worked on a larger scale. A contractor would be less dedicated to innovation, and would likely want to keep the patent themselves....

And as for lower-level employees with especially mundane IT tasks: where do you think that the really motivated innovators eventually come from?

I just think that Disney is unique, and is best served by being VERY cautious about subbing things out that affect its unique content and presentation....
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
I definitely agree with Disney not outsourcing work. They should keep as much in house as possible. Think back to the planning stages of WDW back in the 60’s. The original engineering company contracted for its construction said that there was no way it could be done in the time frame that was given so Walt formed is own engineering team and got the job done. You would think that Disney would learn from their past successes as well as their failures because bottom line contracted work will always approach a job with the attitude of do as little as possible for the most money possible.
 
Lynx04

Lynx04

New Member
You have to remember a lot of attractions, great attractions at that have not been in house attractions. Mission Space, RnR, DLP's Space Mountain, and HISTA to name a few were all built by an out side company. Even great rides such as Spiderman, Mummy and MIB were built by out side companies. The coaster portion of EE was done by Vekoma. I think the greatest potential for future attractions is out sourcing. Disney doesn't want to keep dead weight, which is why they have layoffs like these. Imagineers are very expendable, unfortuate to say, but true. They are only needed for the projects that they are assigned to, then discarded. Only the Joe Rhodes stay, which is the way it should be. Keep the people that come up with the main concept, then hire the company that specializes in the fields that will crystalize the goals.
 
peter11435

peter11435

Well-Known Member
Lynx04 said:
You have to remember a lot of attractions, great attractions at that have not been in house attractions. Mission Space, RnR, DLP's Space Mountain, and HISTA to name a few were all built by an out side company. Even great rides such as Spiderman, Mummy and MIB were built by out side companies. The coaster portion of EE was done by Vekoma. I think the greatest potential for future attractions is out sourcing. Disney doesn't want to keep dead weight, which is why they have layoffs like these. Imagineers are very expendable, unfortuate to say, but true. They are only needed for the projects that they are assigned to, then discarded. Only the Joe Rhodes stay, which is the way it should be. Keep the people that come up with the main concept, then hire the company that specializes in the fields that will crystalize the goals.
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it is important to point out that only the ride systems on RnR, Space Mountain and Mission Space were built by outside companies. The rest of the attractions were developed by WDI.
 

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