But it's also clear (at least to me) that when Disney (for example) decided to return Fantasmic! to a nightly schedule, some other type of entertainment would have to be cancelled to balance that out. So when you look at live entertainers who were dropped, you have to also look at whether something else in entertainment (character, show, atmosphere somewhere else, etc) was added.
It's not always a simple one-for-one.
Completely pointless comparison. First off, the entertainment budget at DHS is separate from that at MK, Epcot, or any other part of property. Within DHS an increase in one entertainment area would indeed most likely be offset by a decrease in another. Except bringing up F! is a strange one. As they already were running daily shows. Which they then cut back, presumably as they thought there would be demand for Idol, and could save costs by not running both. When Idol mostly bombed, and people complained, they brought back F! to a nightly status. But during the downturn I don't recall seeing an increase in entertainment elsewhere in DHS that would equal offsetting the 30-40 performers in F! plus however many techs. If there was and I missed it, I would love to know what they added in the park. Also, F! has been back to full time for a while, but they just recently cancelled both the afternoon parade, and the Disney Channel Rocks!, once again with no apparent offset elsewhere in the park.
I'm not too sure if I agree with that. The Kristos show in Epcot was never replaced with another show.
Neither was the Tapestry of Nations/Dreams replaced, Skytastic!, etc etc.
I'm guessing that this is just part of life for performers at any venue. No doubt another performer has been hired for the vacant time slots.
See above. Also see Brer Bear and the other characters that used to meet in the AK entry area. Or the 3rd Pooh & Friends character being cut when they move at AK, or the 3PM parade at AK that sounds like it will be done at the end of the year with no announced replacement. I'm sure someone else can chime in with additional decreases in entertainment around the world.
So while this specific case might have a good reason behind the change, at the same point, there is precedence to think that WDW might be acting in a cost saving measure.
Yes, there are instances where new hires do offset ones that have been let go, the Silly Saxtet replaced the Fantasyland Quartet, the British Revolution replacing the British Invasion, etc. But lately it does seem to follow the trend of less across the board.
Not really, but she pointed that out to me once and it stuck.
Love that movie. As a John, I don't get offended by people naming toilets after me, though I get a little bothered that customers of the world's oldest profession are named after me. What did I do to deserve that? 
