Skip to content

Disney to lay off at least 100 workers in theme parks division

Disney reorganises experiences segment with up to 200 job cuts

Cinderella Castle adorned for a 50th anniversary celebration at sunset at Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom at Disney World in Orlando has six themed lands offering iconic rides and attractions
Disney

Disney is laying off between 100 and 200 workers across its theme parks division as the entertainment giant continues a restructuring programme.

The job cuts were confirmed by a person familiar with the matter who was not authorised to comment publicly, the Los Angeles Times reports.


The layoffs are limited to Disney Experiences and are part of an evaluation of the segment's priorities, investments and project timelines, the person said.

The cuts are the latest in a series of reorganisations at Disney under new CEO Josh D'Amaro, who took over the role in March, succeeding Bob Iger.

Mickey Mouse welcomes visitors in front of a fairytale castle. Part of Disneyland Resort in California, Disneyland opened as the first Disney theme park in July 1955 Disney

The Walt Disney Company recently laid off nearly 300 workers and offered early retirement packages to older employees.

At Bloomberg News' Screentime media conference in Hollywood on 1 October, Disney's president Dana Walden said: "There is a need to constantly evaluate how you’re structured.

"It is extremely painful. We’ve exited colleagues who I’ve worked with for most of my career and it is, in many ways, a harsh reality."

In April, D'Amaro announced the elimination of around 1,000 positions at Disney as the company works to "streamline our operations".

Growth at Disney parks

In its most recent earnings report, Disney's theme parks division reported a 10 per cent rise in revenue, as well as operating income growth of 20 per cent.

Attendance rose by 4 per cent year-over-year at Disney's global attractions, with particular strength at Walt Disney World and additional capacity at Disney Cruise Line.

D'Amaro said the company is "proud of the growth that we’ve had this year, and we’re investing to sustain that growth".

“The pipeline includes major attractions at every site, including Villains Land in Orlando and the Avengers Campus expansion in Anaheim, amongst others in the US, and our previously announced cruise ship expansion,” he added.