Dead on the inside

[brockash]

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.

I'm so sorry to hear all of this and that you're going through. That's pretty sad for the CM's and the guests if they're getting rid of the better more experienced CM's, although obviously would be better for their bottom line, but it certainly sounds like taking advantage of the situation and this is not the first I've heard of it. It makes me sad.

 

[Farro]

Losing a job sucks all round. I have empathy for you.

 

[VandVsmama]

I've been in your shoes before. It sucks. Over 10 years ago, I was laid off from a big Fortune 500 company. A couple of years before I got the boot, the company started doing "resource actions" every 3 months. So once a quarter, we'd all have a 15 minute 1-on-1 meeting with our boss, in which we'd find out if we still had a job or not. Eventually, it was my turn and I was told that my position was being outsourced overseas. I'd been a top performer the entire time. What's ironic is that I got my "you're being laid off" notice almost exactly 1 month before my 10 year anniversary of working with the company. A few days after getting the lay off notice, I received an auto-generated email saying "Congratulations on your 10 years of service! Click on this company website to pick out your free gift!" It was insulting. But now? I'm so glad that they got rid of me. That place was and still is a sweat shop and I'd never want to go back to working there again.

It may seem like it right now, but this, too, shall pass. You will find something else. Eventually, everything will be ok.

 

[kdonnel]

So sorry to hear.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I hope you are not really dead inside and wish you well finding another position; Disney isn’t the only game in town.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

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.

I am so sorry this has happened to you and to all the other cast members. It was unimaginable to all of us that something like a pandemic could wreck havoc and cause this mass state of pure hell in our lives. But Disney really isn't any different than most for-profit companies. The priority now is to sustain the Co. until things get better. They can and they will. I hope you can accept that a "thank you" may not come. I personally hope you get a call someday soon asking if you can come back to WDW to work.

 

[wilbret]

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.

Unfortunately, this is the way the world works is SUCKS. I literally had this conversation with my kid yesterday... save AGGRESSIVELY as soon as you start earning, because at some point you will need it.

I've lived this, too. Layoff top earners, and don't worry about the loss of knowledge or culture. I've worked at 2 companies in a row that did this, and watched them suffer. I was on both sides...laid off and a layoff survivor that quit. It creates a death spiral of people quitting on top of the layoffs. If you are over 50, you may be in for a painful reality. My buddy was unemployed or underemployed for 2 years, solely because of his age and experience. Luckily, he landed a great job eventually.

I miss the days of Ward Cleaver... work at one place, do your job, retire. I'm 43, and have had to restart at least 3 times. It stinks. Good luck out there!

 

[lifesavacation]

I am really sorry you're going through this.

 

[ronandannette]

I hope you are not really dead inside and wish you well finding another position; Disney isn’t the only game in town.

The OP said it's Disney that's dead inside, with a shiny, pixie-dusted exterior.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I am sorry to hear this. I've never had the rose-colored glasses on when it comes to Disney and cast members. I have heard stories straight from a few cast members themselves about how much it can suck, and even though that's how it is (especially these days) with most companies, it's hard to hear. I hope you find something else just as rewarding to you in the future, and I thank you for making the *real* magic.

 

[Darcy03231]

Sorry to hear this. Unfortunately, you are not alone. A lot of companies are cutting out long time employees who have higher wages and more benefits than their newer hires. I hope you find something else soon that turns out being a much better position.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

This happened to my mom. All employees aged 55 and up with 5 years with the company were given severance package offerings with the knowledge that if they didn't accept they may still be let go..without the offer. She had been with the company 39 years (40 in march)

Believe it or not other people are in the same boat. A lot of people see the company they dedicated their lives to doesn't give back. And sometimes they do, not all leavings are done so in such a sour way.

That said I think Disney has become a high profiled one not only because the sheer number of layoffs but because of their image. Just keep in mind that Disney was never all sunshine, there may have been a better workplace culture but in the past decades but I've seen how posters here in the Boards forget that when they go to WDW they still can run into problems. They expect almost an immunity to the real world. Sadly that isn't the case.

I'm very sorry you've lost your job

 

[fly girl]

21 years at a company is not a drop in the bucket. It is clear how much you loved your job and the company you worked for. I am so sorry that has come to an end.

Focus on all the wonderful things that career gave you. I know, hard to do right now, but in time you will. It left on a very sour note, but don't let that ruin the 21 years you loved. Don't let it sour you.

Something better is on the horizon. It may not be how you envisioned it, but that's ok. Good luck.

 

[Planogirl]

Dismal Disney indeed.

Allow yourself to grieve and even get angry. You've had a big loss. I've been there and I know its hard no matter what company it is. I agree that hopefully you will cherish those years eventually and move on to something that also means something.

 

[superme80]

I am so sorry to hear this.

 

[AnnaS]

I am so sorry you are going through this. This virus has affected so many/all of us - many many more than others - in so many levels.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

It's a shame that some many people are suffering everywhere. Assuming Disney is no different than any other company, as they are trying to save as much by cutting higher salaried. Still this often comes back and haunts company as often higher salaried are most experienced. Still to say they are going to do differently than their how to they do is unfair or to me unethical.

 

[RamblingMad]

It’s all about the Benjamins.

 

[cabanafrau]

I hope 2021 brings you many good things.