The global health crisis has rattled the entertainment industry in a very serious way.
Cinderella Castle
The Disney Parks are not excluded. With Disneyland remaining closed until further notice and many offerings (including some live entertainment) on hiatus for the foreseeable future in Disney World, Disney announced that 28,000 Cast Members would be laid off.
We’ve looked a little bit at how Disney executives have handled the layoffs, and last night we heard that Hollywood Studios’ Citizens of Hollywood were affected. Now, according to Orlando Sentinel, a number of beloved live entertainment casts have been laid off.
Citizens of Hollywood
Cast Members have reported layoffs from large musical shows such as Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo: The Musical in Animal Kingdom. Without the casts and crew, these shows could be very far from reopening.
Performer Nicolette Quintero posted on her layoff from Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue saying, “My dream role at my dream company on one of my favorite stages. Today is a very hard day.”
Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue
The Sentinel article continues to mention the Citizens of Main Street USA, the Citizens of Hollywood, and the Green Army Men from Toy Story Land; improv performers who helped with the streetmosphere of the parks.
In some cases, those being laid off have reported that the ENTIRE cast and crews of some attractions will not be returning. This includes Monsters Inc: Laugh Floor, Beauty and the Beast — Live on Stage, and Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. We do not have more information on that at this time.
Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
Jennifer Bonner, a Cast Member at Jedi Training Academy said, “I will miss saving the galaxy. I will miss the young girls who look at me and think ‘Wow, I can do THAT.’ I will miss my Jedi family.”
In some cases, those who were laid off had worked at Disney for decades, some had only just gotten hired. Despite the extensive union talks throughout the summer, many affected performers are members of the Actors’ Equity Association.
Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
Very limited numbers of performers have returned to the parks at this time including those at Savi’s Workshop, and at For the First Time in Forever Frozen Sing-Along. We will continue to update on returning performers.
Frozen Show
Overall, it is not an easy time for Cast Members. These layoffs mark one of the saddest events of the year in Disney World and in the other Disney parks. If you are an affected Cast Member looking for resources or if you just want to help, click here for a list of resources.
We love you Cast Members. You are and will always be the magic. Sending you thousands of virtual hugs. ❤️
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
Wow! Disney Parks are in a death spiral cutting attractions and entertainment to reduce costs which, in turn, disincentivizes attendance leading to further cuts and fewer visitors still. Instead of the ‘Circle of Life” park management has given us the ‘Circle of Death’. Brilliant!
I pray that God bless each of our Cast Members who have lost their jobs and return them soon to the carEARS, about which they are passionate beyond comprehension.
I found out from my wife last night that there is a FB group named Ear For Each Other, where CMs are offering services to generate family income, and non-CMs are offering services to temporarily idle CMs. We JUST moved to Winter Garden to be near the Parks and already have a request in for lawncare and ceiling fan-hanging. I understand that this extends to the Anaheim area as well.
Please consider hiring Cast Members if you live in the vicinity of any of the Parks. Our CMs have done so incredibly much for us and this is but one small way we can help them in their dark hours!
This is heartbreaking news. It’s been a hard year for everyone in nearly every industry, and I’m afraid it’s only going to get more and more difficult. When travel does pick back up again, I hope Disney remembers that these shows and cast members are the ones who create the magical streets we know and love at Disney! Main Street USA is NOT the same without its citizens. Same with the streets of Hollywood Studios.
is Jim the Casey’s Corner pianist amongst the layoffs? Sad news for all of the CMs.
This is devastating news! I am so sad for the parks and all of the cast members/performers.
Disney is giving us fewer and fewer reasons to head there this year.
This is another sad day for Mickey and the cast.
I find this whole situation so hard. I finally saved enough for the family to go and stay on the grounds with dining plan and all the extras and everything is cancelled. I can only imagine what the workers are going thru ours is only a vacation yours is horrific to lose your jobs. Just know we are thinking of you.
Wow…such a shame……and yet Disney keeps their ticket prices high, with no shows or entertainment…definitely not worth the price of admission.
I have decided to retire as of 10/31/2020 so that someone who needs their job will have a place.
Going to Disney won’t be as fun anymore without the shows and performer’s.
It was nice to go to, get off your feet, relax in the AC and enjoy a show.
It also helped make the wait in lines for rides a little bit shorter.
No wonder the wait times are crazy!
I feel for all CM’s affected.
Upper management is still making their big bucks while others are trying to make ends meet!
Very sad situation!
So sad. My heart goes out to those affected.
We may consider to vacation else where
We love Festival of the Lion King and Hoop Dee Doo and other shows
WDW is going down hill fast
Sorry to say the WDW execs are making some big mistakes
I will not spend our money for any WDW products
WDW is Not worth an expensive vacation
This is so sad. I still hope they get their jobs back once the crisis is over. My prayers go out to those affected by this…
Disney in California needs to open up their parks! That is part of the problem. Does not make since that the governor won’t open the parks. It is working in Florida by using social distancing, masks, smaller capacity’s, sterilization, and monitoring people coming in by taking their temperature. So sad that they let go so many entertainers. We always look forward to all the shows. It is not the same without them.
Let’s not forget that the company isn’t alone in this. Actors Equity seems to be overly cautious (much like the state of California) about what conditions must be like before their members can go back to work. Look around, it’s not just Disney but live performances everywhere including Broadway. You can’t keep people on furlough indefinitely when they can’t or won’t go back to work.
I’m so saddened to see all of this; my prayers will go out to them. However, I will say the strategy that Disney is employing is not working–I have to agree with those that say that the vacation is too expensive to go with so little of the magic and restrictions in place. There would be many more people going right now if they lessened some of the restrictions and brought back fast passes, attraction pre-shows, more entertainment, etc.
We went a few weeks back and it just wasn’t worth the price we paid. The resorts were mostly good (no ping pong, because of COVID?)–but constant (constant, constant) reminders about COVID (scolding about slightly askew masks and standing too close, announcements and signs ad nauseum). Sadly, we cancelled our trip for this month and maybe for May.
It’s a downward spiral and they need to start listening to their guests and potential guests. And start voting differently in California; their politics has doomed Disneyland (and all the other parks).
I love Disney, but I think they have to bring back the magic and some moderation in restrictions.
I feel for the Disney employees. I’ve been in their shoes. As for Disneyland, I’ve seen it and don’t plan return, in fact, there’s nothing in California that I want, are need to see. Since our visit to Disney World in 1975, it’s the only Disney place to go to, and will go back in the future. Remember this fact, Disney is a business, and if revenue is low, they do what do what every business does to cut cost, and employees are always the first to go. I hope Disney comes back to what they were, and they will, we will be there. It’s called survival.