WDC delaying relocation of 2,000 CMs from SOCAL to Central FL

[k5xs]

Several media outlets are reporting "the move" is being delayed three years to 2026. WDC is stating the delay has nothing to do with the current political climate and everything to do with project completion at Lake Nona.

From their statement: “While a growing number of our employees, who will ultimately work at the campus, have already made the move to central Florida, we also want to continue to provide flexibility to those relocating, especially given the anticipated completion date of the campus is now in 2026...Therefore, where possible, we are aligning the relocation period with the campus completion."

 

[BrianL]

Several media outlets are reporting "the move" is being delayed three years to 2026. WDC is stating the delay has nothing to do with the current political climate and everything to do with project completion at Lake Nona.

From their statement: “While a growing number of our employees, who will ultimately work at the campus, have already made the move to central Florida, we also want to continue to provide flexibility to those relocating, especially given the anticipated completion date of the campus is now in 2026...Therefore, where possible, we are aligning the relocation period with the campus completion."

This is going to end up being a never really happen sort of thing. They will continue with creating an office in Lake Nona, but by that time, plans will have changed a bunch of times. Departments that were intended to move there may not, other departments may, etc. It won't look anything like the original plan. It's too bad for employees that it effected now though, especially if they didn't want it to.

 

[k5xs]

This is going to end up being a never really happen sort of thing. They will continue with creating an office in Lake Nona, but by that time, plans will have changed a bunch of times. Departments that were intended to move there may not, other departments may, etc. It won't look anything like the original plan. It's too bad for employees that it effected now though, especially if they didn't want it to.

The CMs I feel worst for are those who made irreversible decisions (like resigning) based on the adamancy of the original announcement.

A hot mess...

 

[BrianL]

The CMs I feel worst for are those who made irreversible decisions (like resigning) based on the adamancy of the original announcement.

A hot mess...

Exactly. I don't think it's going to end up looking anything like the current plan. Heck, Disney leadership probably won't look the same, nor will the economic landscape. 2026 is a long way down the road.

 

[reddog21]

The CMs I feel worst for are those who made irreversible decisions (like resigning) based on the adamancy of the original announcement.

A hot mess...

This sort of thing happens all the time, Disney isn't the first nor will they be the last to cancel or change relocation plans.

 

[k5xs]

This sort of thing happens all the time, Disney isn't the first nor will they be the last to cancel or change relocation plans.

Oh no doubt. But this is a Disney board, and there has been so much drama in Florida that I think it's an especially interesting development.

 

[DLgal]

This sort of thing happens all the time, Disney isn't the first nor will they be the last to cancel or change relocation plans.

The problem is, this was a highly publicized move, wrapped up with political strife and MANY Imagineers quit over this. Others had ALREADY SOLD their CA homes and now are in limbo. Hot mess, indeed.

 

[reddog21]

The problem is, this was a highly publicized move, wrapped up with political strife and MANY Imagineers quit over this. Others had ALREADY SOLD their CA homes and now are in limbo. Hot mess, indeed.

No doubt it’s more publicized but again it’s not uncommon for people to quit or sell there homes to begin the relocation process.

My friend was relocated to Boston only to have the company move the whole department to Poland after about 2 months. He was given the option to move to Poland of course he turned it down.

You don’t think this very thing is happening right now at Tesla or caterpillar who announced there moving to Texas or with Charles Schwab a couple of years ago. Everyone there is now contemplating the exact same thing that the imagineers where contemplating do it want to move my life. There are those who started looking the minute the announcement was made because they just don’t want to move. Until the moving trucks are in the driveway those companies can change their minds at any time and they probably will. Welcome to capitalism where companies are king and employees are expendable.

 

[ChipnDale79]

ive said this before and i'll say it again, i hope disney pulls all non park jobs out of the state of FL.

 

[New Mouse]

The problem is, this was a highly publicized move, wrapped up with political strife and MANY Imagineers quit over this. Others had ALREADY SOLD their CA homes and now are in limbo. Hot mess, indeed.

No one sold their homes. If this was pushed to 2026 it wasn't anywhere close to completion and those involved were aware of this.

 

[starlite_]

No one sold their homes. If this was pushed to 2026 it wasn't anywhere close to completion and those involved were aware of this.

Do you know every single cast member that was expected to move?

 

[heresabe]

ive said this before and i'll say it again, i hope disney pulls all non park jobs out of the state of FL.

I think I commiserate with ChipnDale79. Disney is a FL economic and employment powerhouse and shouldn't accept the Governor's retribution without reacting.

 

[LYSE]

I live in FL and everyone is celebrating this announcement, as a former Californian I'm neutral on it...if it did have to do with recent events then it's a little funny that now they operate in essentially two hostile environments...great job there.

 

[Sakiki]

I wonder if Disney are holding off while they see if the Reedy Creek dissolution actually goes ahead or whether they can find some sort of common ground with de Santis… after all those 2,000 people (and their families and dependents) represent a fair amount of tax dollars in one form or another! Given the improbability of a Democrat being elected governor in FL, the financial angle is Disney’s only real weapon in this fight. If anyone really considers it a fight. (I think Disney would be stupid to go to war with the FL state government, but IMO Chapek has done more stupid things in the last 3 - 4 years…)

All this of course from my UK-centric view of US politics and economics, which is undoubtedly less nuanced than the view of anyone living in the US.

 

[DLgal]

No one sold their homes. If this was pushed to 2026 it wasn't anywhere close to completion and those involved were aware of this.

You are wrong. People did sell homes. Some have already purchased homes in FL. The employees slated to move had been given a 90 day ultimatum to either accept the move or resign. That was back in the fall. Many quit.

You really don't think Disney would have had these employees work in a temporary space in FL until the new campus was done?

 

[New Mouse]

Do you know every single cast member that was expected to move?

If the project was that far off and you did sell your house, there are bigger things we'd need to discuss.

 

[DLgal]

If the project was that far off and you did sell your house, there are bigger things we'd need to discuss.

The project was NOT that far off. They were expected to be in Florida at the end of THIS YEAR. People sell houses and do rent backs all the time while they look for a new place. The home buying process last fall/early this year was not exactly a walk in the park. People were planning for a long process.

 

[jkh36619]

I think it comical. The announce a move because they're ticked at Newsom, but now they cancel because they're ticked at Desantis.

**My personal speculation of course**

 

[ChipnDale79]

Any company on the face of the earth that would open business in the state of FL, when the State Government will punish you for having an opinion, is crazy.

 

[Jwaire]

Personally, I think the new campus is dead in the water. They'll sell the land in a few years and make bank. I have a feeling we're going to see less and less investment in Florida and more in Anaheim and International. WDW is such a cash cow. They can get away with anything including letting it stagnate.

Once this round of investments is done, it's over for a good while.