The Walt Disney World Company had a new round of layoffs last night as they distributed pink slips to a mass amount of Disney Parks entertainers, with no foreseeable plans to resurrect any of these shows and attractions. Among the list of shows and entertainers were notably the Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo: The Musical, The Hoop-de-Doo Musical Revue, the street performers from Main Street U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom, The Citizens of Hollywood in Hollywood Studios, the entire cast and crew from Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor, Beauty and the Beast- Live on Stage and the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular.
Other reported cuts include the Green Army Men from Toy Story Land and the Jedi Training Academy crew. Disney has not commented as of this morning, but the website lists these shows as “temporarily unavailable”, which is not different from what has been listed under these shows for months. These new entertainment cuts are among the 28,000 planned companywide layoffs announced by Disney last month. Sadly, more and more layoffs are expected as this pandemic continues.
Kate Shindle, president of the Actors equity Association released the following statement this morning:
“Our hearts go out to all the cast members at Walt Disney World. Disney has made it clear that our members would face work reductions since they announced layoffs of nearly 28,000 employees. That does not make this news any less painful. These reductions are another tragic reminder that until the virus is brought under control with a national strategy for masks, testing and contact tracing, everyone who works in the arts needs help like extended pandemic unemployment insurance and federal COBRA health insurance subsidies.”
If you would like to help, please continue supporting these laid off cast members through the following charitable organizations:
https://www.facebook.com/castmemberpantry/
or