Dead on the inside

[Formercost7]

Up until recently I worked as a Cast Member at WDW, I worked as a Cast Member for 21 years. I was proud, I loved Disney, I loved my job, I loved you our Guests.

Covid 19 is nothing the company could control and Layoffs was inevitable and preventable. What was preventable was the way Disney treated its Cast Members.

When it came to Layoffs Disney said they were going to use Guest Feedback to say who was being made lay off. Other things including sickness etc was used to.

As soon as lay offs were announced I went from being in the top 25% of my rank to being in the bottom 50% which meant I was classed as underperforming. Not once in my career was I told I was under performing. I had a good sickness recorded and no other blemishes on my file.

I was layed off along with other very experienced cast members who were top performing cast Members. The majority were long serving cast. We cost more, we got more leave, we were too expensive. So they got rid of us and they kept underperforming cast and kept cast with very little experience.

Disney say they care about their Cast Members, they do not. I was not even sent a thank you for your service email from my manager on my last day. I’d been there 21 years.

They are a shambles.

The Disney we all loved and knew is dead on the inside. They don’t care about their Cast Members and they have little respect for what Disney is. The current CEO of Disney and president of Walt Disney World are people who are only interested in themselves. The lies they tell are disgusting.

 

[AgentMama]

Up until recently I worked as a Cast Member at WDW, I worked as a Cast Member for 21 years. I was proud, I loved Disney, I loved my job, I loved you our Guests.

Covid 19 is nothing the company could control and Layoffs was inevitable and preventable. What was preventable was the way Disney treated its Cast Members.

When it came to Layoffs Disney said they were going to use Guest Feedback to say who was being made lay off. Other things including sickness etc was used to.

As soon as lay offs were announced I went from being in the top 25% of my rank to being in the bottom 50% which meant I was classed as underperforming. Not once in my career was I told I was under performing. I had a good sickness recorded and no other blemishes on my file.

I was layed off along with other very experienced cast members who were top performing cast Members. The majority were long serving cast. We cost more, we got more leave, we were too expensive. So they got rid of us and they kept underperforming cast and kept cast with very little experience.

Disney say they care about their Cast Members, they do not. I was not even sent a thank you for your service email from my manager on my last day. I’d been there 21 years.

They are a shambles.

The Disney we all loved and knew is dead on the inside. They don’t care about their Cast Members and they have little respect for what Disney is. The current CEO of Disney and president of Walt Disney World are people who are only interested in themselves. The lies they tell are disgusting.

So sorry you're going through this. Disney is no different than the other companies trying to survive COVID. They are going to upset some group in any decision that they make and I'm sure they're going to make decisions and do things that could have been handled better.

I hope you find another career path that brings joy and stability to your life.

 

[snappy]

I am so sorry about your situation. I have wonderful memories of many special CM’s making the trips taking our 3 kids wonderful experiences. It’s terribly upsetting what has happened to the CM’s who made this happen.

Many years ago I worked for a Fortune 500 company for 16 years. At one point, management brought in consultants who later took on senior management roles. The consultants laid off many long term employees quickly. It became apparent that anyone over a certain age and anyone making over a certain salary were on the chopping block. The consultants described it as “right sizing” but in truth it was very targeted and not based on the work quality of the individuals laid off. I was not laid off but I ended up working many more hours per week to take over additional duties. Lots of the remaining employees became burned out and bitter. I left about 4 years later after dropping to half time when our third child was born. I don’t miss that job or that group of management.

Good luck to you. I hope a door opens for you.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I'm heartbroken for you. Just know the years of joy you've given to families does matter very much, my children's best childhood memories are all about those experiences which were created by human beings, not a logo

 

[Formercost7]

I'm heartbroken for you. Just know the years of joy you've given to families does matter very much, my children's best childhood memories are all about those experiences which were created by human beings, not a logo

This is why I loved working as a CM at Walt Disney World, bringing joy to families.
It's just a massive shame that Disney don't care anymore like they cared Pre-Covid.

 

[mousefan73]

Is it even legal to use sick history as a reason to layoff? I feel for you. I am an airline employee so I get the stress you guys have gone through this year. The US totally lacks in worker protection. By us seniority legally plays a big role as of course companies will try first to get rid of the expensive employees and can manipulate employee evaluation standings.

are there possibilities that anyone can be called back in the future ?

I fear our next trip to Disney we will miss all the experienced CM’s that are vital in making our trip magical. Thank You!

 

[mjkacmom]

I am so sorry about your situation. I have wonderful memories of many special CM’s making the trips taking our 3 kids wonderful experiences. It’s terribly upsetting what has happened to the CM’s who made this happen.

Many years ago I worked for a Fortune 500 company for 16 years. At one point, management brought in consultants who later took on senior management roles. The consultants laid off many long term employees quickly. What was apparent that anyone over a certain age and anyone making over a certain salary were on the chopping block. The consultants described it a “right sizing” but it in truth it was very targeted and not based on the work quality of the individuals laid off. I was not laid off but I ended up working many more hours per week to take over additional duties. Lots of the remaining employees became burned out and bitter. I left about 4 years later after dropping to half time when our third child was born. I don’t miss that job or that group of management.

Good luck to you. I hope a door opens for you.

Yes, that’s how it usually works, I still remember my dad losing his high level job a few years out from being able to take his full pension, he was with the company for almost 30 years. My husband’s current company offered almost everyone an excellent package if they left (more than a year’s salary and 2 years of healthcare). Those who were younger took it because it wouldn’t be as difficult to find jobs, and those close to retirement took it.

 

[Formercost7]

are there possibilities that anyone can be called back in the future ?

We've been told there may be opportunities for some CM's to be called back however after how much they have lied to us since March it's hard to believe anything they say anymore.

 

[dclpluto]

Is it even legal to use sick history as a reason to layoff? I feel for you. I am an airline employee so I get the stress you guys have gone through this year. The US totally lacks in worker protection. By us seniority legally plays a big role as of course companies will try first to get rid of the expensive employees and can manipulate employee evaluation standings.

are there possibilities that anyone can be called back in the future ?

I fear our next trip to Disney we will miss all the experienced CM’s that are vital in making our trip magical. Thank You!

yes it is legal

 

[dclpluto]

So sorry you are going though this. Hopefully things go back to normal soon. Lots of people are scared and don’t want to come to wdw or can’t come. I’m going Sunday for a week wdw/universal than end of January for a week. I like to help people. Plus I have like maybe around 10 renters that are staying at wdw that started in September. Also went to Disney Hilton head beginning of September. Wish more people were like me and wants to help people out. So sorry

 

[RUDisney]

If it helps, I've found that everyone whom I know that has been let go from a company has landed better and stronger on their feet. I hope the same is true for you.

You're right. The execs are concerned about themselves and their bonuses and not about the people who actually keep the company running. That is true in most companies.

I am very sorry that this happened to you and your former coworkers.

 

[neverlandsky]

This hits home and I’m so incredibly sorry this has happened. You are valued. You are heard. I’m sure you were absolutely amazing at your career. It shows just by your post.

Unfortunately though it’s not just Disney. It’s happening everywhere. In our area alone restaurants that have been in business 30-40 years are permanently closing their doors.

On a personal level, DH has worked for a very top Fortune 500 company for almost 23.5 years now. Bit by bit they have been chipping away and it is not the same company it is today compared to just 4 years ago. Right now they are head hunting huge. We’ll find out next week if DH survives this next round. Corporate and heirs of the company have changed the business from what it once was. So much so that although DH works there, we don’t even do business there anymore. Overall it’s a do way more with less mentality. Doesn’t help that their major competitor Amazon is slaughtering them. Covid just amplified everything.

It’s draining, stressful, and anxiety daily. So much so that even if DH survives this next round he’s seriously considering resigning and has that date set just a few months away. It’s just not worth it anymore even if the change is scary and unsettling at first.

It’s also an extremely hard pill to swallow realizing you’re nothing but a cog when you’ve devoted basically more then half your life to a company. A company where it was solid and you could once retire from too. At the end of the day it’s a business and a business biggest expense is their payroll and it’s the first thing that’s cut. The higher you go with a company whether it be pay or years the more susceptible you are to layoffs.

The positives you have are your years of dedication & loyalty to one company along with the company you have worked for is well known which is golden on a resume. You’re not alone in this. Your first act was great, yet your second act will be even better. In the future, we’re looking forward to working to live not living for work. We’ve spoken to others impacted and they have all said they’re happier elsewhere. All will be ok. GL

 

[Karin1984]

Is it even legal to use sick history as a reason to layoff? I feel for you. I am an airline employee so I get the stress you guys have gone through this year. The US totally lacks in worker protection. By us seniority legally plays a big role as of course companies will try first to get rid of the expensive employees and can manipulate employee evaluation standings.

are there possibilities that anyone can be called back in the future ?

I fear our next trip to Disney we will miss all the experienced CM’s that are vital in making our trip magical. Thank You!

It's one of the biggest differences between The US and Europe. What you see in movies and tv series that someone arrives at the office and there is a box with personal belongings on the desk and that they have to hand over their company ID to the manager... For a long time I thought that was just a dramatic thing they do in movies. It was not till a few years ago, til I realized that this is how companies in the US (can) operate.

But we are not fully perfect either when it comes to old versus young employees. For the last few years, even before Covid, my airline hired so many interns. They were really focussing on constantly hiring 'new talent' instead of keeping the current talent in.

Even when companies do this and are allowed to do this, be a man and be open about it. Things are much easier to process when a company owns up to their procedures. And have some human decency, when someone is with you for a long time, at least say 'thank you', it doesn't cost anything to thank someone. Even when someone is with you for short time!

 

[LuvOrlando]

This is why I loved working as a CM at Walt Disney World, bringing joy to families.
It's just a massive shame that Disney don't care anymore like they cared Pre-Covid.

We learned this past season that the virus gets much less aggressive over the summer so I'd expect tourism to reve back up in the spring so I'd also expect rehirings after March. Best guess is tourism industry will probably all wait for stable earnings reports in the first quarter before kickstarting those businesses with job fairs in the spring, try to stay positive in all communications and keep floating your resume to catch that wave. Try not to be too vocal to people you know on how upset you are, while you are entirely justified to be upset you don't want to get labeled where people talk, just try to not make a long term problem out of a short term problem.

I am hoping to go back to WDW once this is over and am not at all interested in dealing with newbies that don't get the culture that makes WDW "home" I do not want to be part of some new CM's learning curve and if they pull this I'll be done. WDW charges a premium for me being in a pretend bubble and it it bursts then I might as well be anywhere. I've been going for quite a while and really like talking to the CM's who are just like me as I move around the parks. I always enjoyed retired CM's on the boats and well seasoned CM's scattered around where we can chat about what's new & what used to be, when best to do this or that and the new things to check out. These are things only fans understand and those high touch employees are very important to the bubble. Some of the best tips ever come from unexpected places like guys sweeping the streets, retirees doing crowd control, people helping me in stores... they might not be characters but they are very high touch and shouldn't be overlooked.

 

[MissStitch626]

I'm sorry you're going through this. I'm so grateful for all the Cast Members who work so hard to make Disney parks a special experience. It's because of Cast Members that so many of us come back time and time again. I hope everything works out for you.

 

[lynxstch]

Very sorry to hear you are going through this. I too am grateful to all CM's who worked so hard to make sure everyone has a magical experience. I hope nothing comes of your posting about it on a 'social media' board such as the DISboards though. I think that is, or at least used to be, frowned upon by the Disney company. I hope things work out for you soon.

 

[GreatLakes]

I'm sorry to hear about that OP. I think once we have a virus that is proven effective and we see that it is safe to travel again there will be a lot of pent up demand for travel. My family had to cancel 4 family trips along with the 2 work conferences that were cancelled. We are already planning a few trips for once this whole thing is behind us. We will do a Disney trip, Hawaii, and Grand Teton for sure.

I do think there will be a big surge in travel and leisure by either next summer or next fall unless the vaccines are ineffective or the virus mutates.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Sorry to say the story you tell is pretty common. I worked for a mid-sized engineering firm that was clearly about to need to do layoffs. Instead of that though, they went through and did special mid-term employee reviews and gave everyone less-than-stellar reviews. They then used those reviews as a basis for "firings" that were "performance based". It didn't take much to see the firings (really layoffs) were not performance, but salary based - which could easily have been argued were also a form of age discrimination. It was slimy, barely legal, and in the big picture not worth fighting. It only resulted in my not getting any unemployment benefits until about a month after I had already started getting paid at my new job (that I like a lot better and I am still at 8 years later).

There is a silver lining, you will find it. Best of luck to you!

 

[tex1989]

Sorry you had this happen to you and I am also sorry for all the other folks across all segments that are being laid off under the current environment.

I know corporate villainy and how ruthless major companies can be. I have worked in the Energy Industry for 39 years. I spent seven years with Enron. Talk about screwed up and corrupt, I was a first hand witness. At one point while working there I was officed next to Ken Rice, Andy Fastow, and Jeff Skilling. Including me three out of four of us spent time in Federal Prison.

The system they had in place of rank and yank is similar to what you describe however they were making money at the time. The theroy was that at all times 25% of your staff was under performing so they would rank the total employee base and if you fell in the lowest 25%, you were "yanked" Hence the term rank and yank. It was brutal and something as minor as not refilling the coffee pot and having one of the upper managers see it could put you at risk.

While these times are difficult think what it would be like to be subject to those standards when everything else seemed normal.

I hope you find something that makes you happy as you move forward in life.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Sorry you had this happen to you and I am also sorry for all the other folks across all segments that are being laid off under the current environment.

I know corporate villainy and how ruthless major companies can be. I have worked in the Energy Industry for 39 years. I spent seven years with Enron. Talk about screwed up and corrupt, I was a first hand witness. At one point while working there I was officed next to Ken Rice, Andy Fastow, and Jeff Skilling. Including me three out of four of us spent time in Federal Prison.

The system they had in place of rank and yank is similar to what you describe however they were making money at the time. The theroy was that at all times 25% of your staff was under performing so they would rank the total employee base and if you fell in the lowest 25%, you were "yanked" Hence the term rank and yank. It was brutal and something as minor as not refilling the coffee pot and having one of the upper managers see it could put you at risk.

While these times are difficult think what it would be like to be subject to those standards when everything else seemed normal.

I hope you find something that makes you happy as you move forward in life.

My Dad was in the infamous Broadband division in Houston. Oh the stories we could tell! Thankfully Mark Cuban already did;