WDW layoffs

[DeeCee735]

Just heard on the news that Disney has announced a 32% decline in 1st quarter earnings report, and they will be laying off employees at both WDW and Disneyland

I feel terrible for those losing their jobs and I wonder about how badly this will effect service, cleanliness, etc at the parks and resorts

bummer....

 

[WALTSAGOD]

32% sounds HUGE!

 

[disneynutz]

The Theme parks only made a profit of 382 million for the last quarter.

 

[eliza61]

Unfortunately a sign of the times.
I can't imagine that it would not effect the service at both theme parks. If any thing it will effect employees morale. People at my job are surely stressed about the economy and it shows. I can't imagine having that type of stress and having to deal with John P. Public every day.

 

[WolfpackFan]

From what I read most of the layoffs will be in management and not in customer service positions. They are basically merging the management of WDW and Disneyland.

 

[lugnut33]

The Theme parks only made a profit of 382 million for the last quarter.

That right there is the key bit of info to keep in mind

 

[jimmymac]

From what I read most of the layoffs will be in management and not in customer service positions. They are basically merging the management of WDW and Disneyland.

Don't bet on it. Disney has already laid off large numbers of people at its entertainment division, its radio division, TV division, ESPN, WDW / DL management (600 there) and now the latest round. Don't for a second think this will not affect the castmembers who work in the parks and at the resorts. That leaves just DCL and DVC unscathed and I don't expect that to last for long either. I can just imagine what the morale is like among castmembers at WDW and DL

 

[CarolAnnC]

This is not DVC specific, so I am moving it over to our News/Rumor board. Thank you.

 

[lxh11]

Don't bet on it. Disney has already laid off large numbers of people at its entertainment division, its radio division, TV division, ESPN, WDW / DL management (600 there) and now the latest round. Don't for a second think this will not affect the castmembers who work in the parks and at the resorts. That leaves just DCL and DVC unscathed and I don't expect that to last for long either. I can just imagine what the morale is like among castmembers at WDW and DL

Incorrect information - 600 WDW/DL management have not been laid off.

 

[jimmymac]

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) - Walt Disney Co. says it will lay off an
unspecified number of workers as it restructures its U.S. theme
parks in the wake of declines in attendance and revenue.
Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said in a
statement the changes "reflect today's economic realities." The
latest job cuts follow Disney's offer last month of voluntary
buyout packages to about 600 executives in the parks division. The changes come just weeks after the Burbank-based media and
entertainment company reported a 32 percent decline in quarterly
profit amid a downturn that Chief Executive Robert Iger called
"likely to be the weakest economy in our lifetime."
The changes take effect immediately.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

That's what AP and Reuters are reporting

 

[lxh11]

Your post read "Disney has ALREADY laid off" and then you go on to quote 600 WDW/DL management. This is incorrect.

The company offered 619 executives a buy out package. There was never an expectation that all 619 would take the package. The company would not function very effectively by getting rid of 600 positions at that level.

I would be nice if people read and correctly comprehend the media reports, rather than just reading and then interpreting it in their own way.

 

[jimmymac]

Your post read "Disney has ALREADY laid off" and then you go on to quote 600 WDW/DL management. This is incorrect.

The company offered 619 executives a buy out package. There was never an expectation that all 619 would take the package. The company would not function very effectively by getting rid of 600 positions at that level.

I would be nice if people read and correctly comprehend the media reports, rather than just reading and then interpreting it in their own way.

A Disney spokesperson when questioned by the AP reporter would not say how many of the 619 had taken the buyouts and how many had been laid off but did confirm that they were all gone.

Not much interpreting there

 

[lxh11]

A Disney spokesperson when questioned by the AP reporter would not say how many of the 619 had taken the buyouts and how many had been laid off but did confirm that they were all gone.

Not much interpreting there

That is completely false information, but please post the link, so I can call AP and tell them to print a retraction.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

That is completely false information, but please post the link, so I can call AP and tell them to print a retraction.

Hey, at the moment it's just his word against yours. Why don't YOU provide YOUR information for a change rather than shouting that everyone else is wrong and - prove it.

We will all be waiting for some specifics from you for a change.

I'm sure the good folks at AP will be waiting to hear from you!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

A Disney spokesperson when questioned by the AP reporter would not say how many of the 619 had taken the buyouts and how many had been laid off but did confirm that they were all gone.

Not much interpreting there

If an AP reporter wrote such an article, it should be easy for jimmymac to provide a link to the article.

When companies offer voluntary buyout packages to management employees, some employees accept those offers -- especially employees who are near retirement or feel they can get a good job somewhere else -- and many don't because they want to stay employed.

In this economy, with falling 401(k) account values and poor employment prospects, I wonder how many Disney managers accepted the buyout offer. My guess is that it's a fairly small percentage.

Yes, Disney is now turning to layoffs. However, I have not seen any credible reports that every Disney manager who didn't accept the buyout is now out of a job anyway. I find that hard to believe.

 

[RainbowSpice]

A memo was sent to DRC cast telling us of an organizational move to combine some different areas of marketing of WDW and DL parks/resorts/adventures by disney/sports/youth and cruise lines. The memo didn't mention lay offs but I'm sure a few got the boot. The layoffs in OUR memo and meetings has to do with upper management and backstage areas that are not directly affecting the parks/resorts and reservation center. We have all had to deal with a lot of cutbacks since mid last year. This isn't anything new. No one I work with is worried. We're all doing the best we can to continue making magic for our guests and making money for ourselves. Yes, we at DRC work on commission so it's not just the parks that are feeling the pinch financially we are all struggling.

 

[Backstage_Gal]

A Disney spokesperson when questioned by the AP reporter would not say how many of the 619 had taken the buyouts and how many had been laid off but did confirm that they were all gone.

Not much interpreting there

Completely false, I work for Disney, and most of the execs are still there. My DH heard 45 were gone, but that is a RUMOR! I only know of 2 that are gone, one was close to retirement, the other I don't know and can't comment on.

 

[peter11435]

Hey, at the moment it's just his word against yours. Why don't YOU provide YOUR information for a change rather than shouting that everyone else is wrong and - prove it.

We will all be waiting for some specifics from you for a change.

I'm sure the good folks at AP will be waiting to hear from you!

Stop and use some common sense for a change. If all theme park execs that were offered the buyout are no longer with the company then who is running the parks?

Have you read any of the articles about the restructuring? It has been reported that Dan Cockerell is now VP of Epcot and Jim McPhee is now overseeing walt disney world special events. Both were offered the buyout package and clearly did not take it, and clearly both are still with the company. The other three park VPs were also offered the buyout and all are still VP of their respective parks with some added responsibility.

Either jimmymac or the AP is flat out wrong.

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Stop and use some common sense for a change. If all theme park execs that were offered the buyout are no longer with the company then who is running the parks?

Have you read any of the articles about the restructuring? It has been reported that Dan Cockerell is now VP of Epcot and Jim McPhee is now overseeing walt disney world special events. Both were offered the buyout package and clearly did not take it, and clearly both are still with the company. The other three park VPs were also offered the buyout and all are still VP of their respective parks with some added responsibility.

Either jimmymac or the AP is flat out wrong.

Funny story about Dan Cockerell. To set the stage, he is tall, blonde, blue eyed and handsome. He was promoted to GM or the Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness in about 2002 or so. As he was making his rounds meeting CM's, one of them commented "I thought we were getting a new GM, not a surfer dude".

I again say that most execs are still around.

 

[redrosesix]

My interpretation of the buy-out package was that it was offered to 619 management level employees, and WDW would have been happy if all of them had accepted it. There was also the caveat that if an insufficient number accepted, WDW would have to begin layoffs at that level.

The employees had until Feb. 6th to accept the offer, but I haven't seen any follow-up in the sources which I trust (I stick to the business news) so either a substantial number accepted (thus averting layoffs) or an insufficient number accepted and the layoffs are yet to be announced.

But I agree, the target was the removal of about 600 high paying salaries from the books. This is what the shareholders want to hear in order to keep the share price up there.

PS. seems like this thread is getting a bit of a nasty tone -- I was almost afraid to jump in myself. But we have to remember that much of what is happening is open to conjecture since the crucial announcements will come in the next quarterly report