Disney theme parks to cut 4,000 more jobs

ORLANDO, Fla. — On the day before Thanksgiving, the Walt Disney Co. revealed that 4,000 more layoffs are coming in its theme parks division, bringing the total number of announced layoffs to 32,000 across the company.

At least 18,000 of the total jobs lost belong to cast members at Walt Disney World. A report filed Wednesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission did not specify how many of the Orlando resort’s employees are included in the most recent round.

This year, the resort has already lost nearly a quarter of its reported 2019 workforce of 77,000.

The report said about 32,000 employees in the company’s Parks, Experiences and Products division will be laid off in the first half of the 2021 fiscal year. This number makes up nearly 21 percent of the 155,000 reported employees of the Walt Disney Co.’s theme parks division as of Oct. 3.

The company partially attributed the job losses to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“Due to the current climate, including COVID-19 impacts, and changing environment in which we are operating, the company has generated efficiencies in its staffing, including limiting hiring to critical business roles, furloughs and reductions in force,” the filing said.

As of early October, nearly 37,000 theme park employees companywide were furloughed but not scheduled for termination, according to the document.

The Walt Disney Co. employed nearly 203,000 people last month, 80 percent of whom were classified as full-time workers.

Wednesday’s filing is the latest in a series of mass layoffs in Disney’s theme parks division and comes just two months after 28,000 theme park, merchandising and cruise line workers lost their jobs across the company.

Of the 18,000 Disney World cast members affected during that round, 8,857 were part-time union employees, the Orlando Sentinel found.

The company’s theme parks division lost about $2.4 billion in revenue this year, compared with 2019. Disney land resort in California has been closed since March, and the Disney Cruise Line has extended its suspension of departures through the end of January.

Disney World continues to operate at a limited capacity since its reopening in July. Earlier this month, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said the resort was raising its occupancy cap from 25 to 35 percent, and he expressed optimism at the park’s ability to effectively implement covid-19 safety protocols while welcoming additional guests.

Disney World is anticipating a busy holiday season, with 77 percent of park reservations booked for the next quarter. As of Nov. 12, the resort was booked near capacity over the Thanksgiving weekend, Disney executives said.