News, no longer rumor - WDW layoffs

[Mouseaholic!!!]

News on Orlando TV before the Sentinal can even publish.

Who said Disney was not affected by the economy.



Disney Layoffs Massive, Employees Say
Posted: 8:36 am EDT March 10, 2009

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- Sources close to Eyewitness News inside Disney World say there are massive layoffs going on at Central Florida's number one employer.

Employees at the theme park tell us the number of people let go in recent weeks is in the hundreds. However, Disney would not confirm the layoff numbers, saying only that those figures are speculative.

One man told us his friend was among those recently laid off from managerial positions.

"Disney is pretty much what brings tourism here and if people are laid off, that means there are not a lot of people coming into town right now," said John Carol, friend of Disney employee.

In February, Disney said a major reorganization of the company would lead to some job cuts.

Disney will not say how many Central Florida employees will be affected.

 

[jimmymac]

The timing makes you wonder if D23, Disney Going Green program and The View at DL are smoke screens to hide this little tidbit, which they always deny anyway. My prayers to all the workers and their families affected by this

 

[redrosesix]

The timing makes you wonder if D23, Disney Going Green program and The View at DL are smoke screens to hide this little tidbit, which they always deny anyway. My prayers to all the workers and their families affected by this

I think you're onto something there. The timing is just a bit too perfect.

 

[Metro West]

The timing makes you wonder if D23, Disney Going Green program and The View at DL are smoke screens to hide this little tidbit, which they always deny anyway. My prayers to all the workers and their families affected by this

That's a very good point...kinda makes you wonder.

 

[Mickmse2002]

Is there ever really a good time or a good way to announce layoffs? Being from Michigan it is something that has been happenning here almost daily.

 

[The Rivers' Rats]

I'll bet this wasn't even hinted at during the stockholders' meeting which was held that morning...

 

[WDSearcher]

Disney Layoffs Massive, Employees Say
Posted: 8:36 am EDT March 10, 2009

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- Sources close to Eyewitness News inside Disney World say there are massive layoffs going on at Central Florida's number one employer.

Employees at the theme park tell us the number of people let go in recent weeks is in the hundreds. However, Disney would not confirm the layoff numbers, saying only that those figures are speculative.

One man told us his friend was among those recently laid off from managerial positions.

"Disney is pretty much what brings tourism here and if people are laid off, that means there are not a lot of people coming into town right now," said John Carol, friend of Disney employee.

In February, Disney said a major reorganization of the company would lead to some job cuts.

Disney will not say how many Central Florida employees will be affected.

But there's really no "news" here, is there? I mean, Disney has been saying for months now that they were looking to cut some jobs. That's not new information.

"One man told us his friend was among those recently laid off from managerial positions." OK ... managerial positions where? Parks? Resorts? Marketing? Merchandise? Entertainment? Ops? Foods? Wastewater management? That's all they've got as a "source" is one man's friend from who-knows-which department?

And one of how many? One of three? One of a dozen? A hundred? Five hundred?

The lead to the story says there are "massive layoffs" going on, but nothing in the article corroborates that. They mention one guy. One guy isn't "massive."

"Employees at the theme park tell us the number of people let go in recent weeks is in the hundreds.", but where is the back-up? No source other than "employees at the theme park." That's just as concrete as the "employees at the theme park" who consistently tell Guests that WDW is planning a fifth gate or that Pirate & Princess parties are coming back in April or that a Villains Park is on the drawing boards.

Then the one guy they DO quote doesn't even work at Disney. He's "friend of Disney employee."

I don't see how this particular "news story" provides anything in the way of actual information. Was there more concrete info in the broadcast version?

 

[WDSearcher]

I'll bet this wasn't even hinted at during the stockholders' meeting which was held that morning...

Actually it was. Bob Iger told the meeting how many execs took the buy-out and commented on the fact that the combining and reorganizing of the domestic elements of the company would lead to some job loss, although he didn't say how many. I suspect they don't exactly know yet.

The Iger speech and Q&A are available on the Disney stockholder's site -- there's a recording of the webcast that you can listen to -- if you want to hear exactly what he said.

 

[lxh11]

Any company anywhere in the US has to report to the labor department when a significant number of layoffs are going to occur in a single geographic area. Once this figure is reported to the Dept of Labor, it is then public knowledge, and anyone can access this information.

If indeed "massive" numbers of people had been laid off, the labor dept would know about it and the info would be available to the media.

Obviously this has not happened, which is why this particular reporter has had to resort to a friend of an ex employee.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Could we get Bob Iger to take the executive buyout...Please.

...(Iger's a slug)...

 

[MCO737FO]

I have 2 friends in the town of Celebration (where I live) that have been laid-off. Both neglected to take the buyout - not second guessing their decision, as those are very private, individual things. One was in merchandising, another at DCL. A friend still there in Entertainment management told me that they have already laid-off over 200 front-line managers in Parks. Security showing up to escort each one off property, or arriving to a cleaned-out desk/cube with Security waiting with your "box or personal property." She told me that the stated goal is to have all of the initial round of RIF's completed by 3/13 so that people can start sleeping again at night (at least those that still have jobs), and gear-up to focus on the Easter/Spring Break. I have been told that morale is extremely low, frustration high, communication poor, etc. lending to a diminished guest experience. While this is may obviously be subjective and assumptive, it also seems very reasonable and predictable.

Blessings to those who have lost their jobs, and to those that remain. I wish you well. My personal feelings towards the WDW Company diminish with each day, and each experience. As a guest, customer, and AP Holder I feel that the quality of this product is nosediving. Parks are tired and dirty, and the magic is barely there. The cuts have been too drastic. I don't think I'm going to renew the passes later this year when they expire.

For those of you not local to the Orlando area, please do not let my accurate portrayal of the state of WDW keep you from flying to Florida, as my company still needs your business! A dirty tired and ambivilent WDW is still probably better than a day at the King of Prussia mall! Like the old adage says, when the tiger is chasing you through the jungle, you don't need to outrun the tiger, only the slowest tribesman. Even if WDW is a shell of what it used to be, I guess it is still better than other alternatives. Just sad that they have lost the passion to be the defacto standard of service and quality.

 

[scooter15]

I have 2 friends in the town of Celebration (where I live) that have been laid-off. Both neglected to take the buyout - not second guessing their decision, as those are very private, individual things.

I am assuming they were director or above. Do you know if those middle managers that have been laid off, received some type of severence package as well? I am sure it will be based on time at the company but just wondering if you know.

 

[bomzar]

Disney had already announced they were offering the voluntary buy out package to 313 Orlando based managers, so the Sentiel just rehashed what has already been known for weeks!

 

[WDSearcher]

I am assuming they were director or above. Do you know if those middle managers that have been laid off, received some type of severence package as well? I am sure it will be based on time at the company but just wondering if you know.

As I understand it, if you've been with Disney for more than five years, you get four weeks pay, plus one week's pay for each year you've been with Disney, plus any accrued vacation / sick time still on the books, plus you can keep your insurance until the end of the calendar year.

If you've been with Disney for less than five years, it's the same deal, only with one week of pay instead of four at the front.

 

[WDSearcher]

I have been told that morale is extremely low, frustration high, communication poor, etc.

I think that's normal in a recessed economy when people are being laid off. One wouldn't expect morale to be high or for there to be no frustration. How many people do you know of in companies right now who are not suffering from morale, communication and frustration problems?

lending to a diminished guest experience. While this is may obviously be subjective and assumptive, it also seems very reasonable and predictable.

I haven't seen it, but I guess it depends on what you're looking for. If you look for the negatives, you'll find them -- that was always true. But I think perhaps people are looking for them now more than they ever did because they know the economy is suffering and, for some reason, expect Disney to not be hit by that. And then they're surprised and disappointed to find out that Disney is "human." A full trash can that would have been overlooked a year ago as "Wow ...the park is so busy they can't keep the cans empty!" is now seen in the context of, "Wow ... there are so many custodial staff laid off the park is falling apart."

As a guest, customer, and AP Holder I feel that the quality of this product is nosediving. Parks are tired and dirty, and the magic is barely there. The cuts have been too drastic. I don't think I'm going to renew the passes later this year when they expire.

If that's how you feel, then you shouldn't. You should not be putting your money into a company or experience that you feel is not giving you your money's worth. However, as I said above, my perception is not that "the magic is barely there" or that the "parks are tired and dirty." I think maybe you're assuming that things will be worse and so you're looking for those things to somehow corroborate your assumption. The "magic" is in you just as much as it is in Disney. And if you're not able to walk into Disney looking for the magic, as opposed to looking to see if the bathroom is dirty, then maybe it's time for a break.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

I don't think the place is very magical anymore either and we won't be renewing our AP's this spring because they refuse to act like Disney. That doesn't mean they have act like they like losing money or lose money gracefully but there are ways to look at the big picture vs. short term and Iger only see's things his one, short sighted, quarterly, wall st. pleasing way.

Bye, bye Disney. The recession will end and when it does Disney will be gone I'm afraid.

 

[WDSearcher]

I don't think the place is very magical anymore either and we won't be renewing our AP's this spring because they refuse to act like Disney. That doesn't mean they have act like they like losing money or lose money gracefully but there are ways to look at the big picture vs. short term and Iger only see's things his one, short sighted, quarterly, wall st. pleasing way.

Bye, bye Disney. The recession will end and when it does Disney will be gone I'm afraid.

Do you have any specifics as to why they aren't "acting like Disney?" It sounds more like you don't like Iger and have decided that Disney's not worth it with him in charge. Your opinion is your opinion, of course, but I was just wondering.

I'd be willing to bet you a fairly large amount of money that Disney will still be there after the recession. Just like it was after the last one.

 

[caitlinsmom]

Disney is a business, just like any other business and the economy effects them just like anyone else. Morale is down everywhere, jobs are being lost everywhere.

Would you rather Disney lay off a few hundred out of thousands of employees or would you rather have rides not run. The fact of the matter is that every company nationwide needs to do things to survive the recession and while I'm not thrilled that Disney had to layoff employees I'd rather have that happen than some of the other options.

For those of you who say the magic is not there anymore, are you seriously that upset over an overflowing trash can or a promotion that's not available on weekends?

 

[OrlandoMike]

Here in Orlando, Channel 9 (WFTV) just reported on the noon news they would have info on tonights 6:00 news about how many layoff are about to take place.....

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

caitlinsmom, if your view of Disney is that "it's just another business" then you and I at least have no room for discussion at all. The Disney that I grew up with and loved over the years has always been much, much more than 'just a business' in nearly all matters of conern. Do they and have they always had to operate for a profit? Of course but if that had been Walt's sole motivation we wouldn't be having this discussion today because Disney would just be Six Flags.

WDSearcher, I was a huge believer in giving Iger his shot when Eisner left. I felt he had earned it by licking Mikey's boots for all those years and also (wrongly) figured he'd have seen some of the errors in Eisner's ways. Turns out he isn't anything more than a bootlicker. I hear he's a really swell guy and all and probably a great father and husband but he just doesn't get the Disney legacy. While I agree that the Company can't be run as Walt ran it for a multitude of reasons, there is absolutely no reason it can't be run based on Walt's tried and true principals - Principals that worked so well that many of us still talk about them today. Principals that propelled PIXAR to the top of their field (before the Disney buyout).

As for will Disney still be there after the recession I'd be willing to bet a large sum of money that YOUR Disney will still be there ... I'll also bet that all semblence to the 'real' Disney will be lost forever save for clever advertising campaigns and mass appeal gimmicks.