BWW Blog: The Show Won't Go On - Disney Cuts Live Entertainment

There have been quite a few rounds of layoffs at the Disney parks, particularly Disneyland in Anaheim, California and Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida due to the coronavirus pandemic. Over 28,000 Cast Members have been laid off across the country, a heartbreaking number that has sent shockwaves through the Disney community, both fans and workers alike. As this is a theatre blog, I will be dedicating this article to the thousands of "entertainment" Cast Members, performers who have been laid off during this difficult time.

At Walt Disney World, some of the best forms of entertainment have been cut. In the Magic Kingdom, the Citizens of Main Street, Cast Members who would wander Main Street and have fun improvised conversations with guests as well as sing and dance, have all been laid off. Tomorrowland's "Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor" has been closed as well. Both the "Festival of the Lion King" and "Finding Nemo - The Musical", two incredible musical performances in Animal Kingdom, have had their Cast Members laid off. Disney's Hollywood Studios has now gotten rid of Cast Members in shows like "Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage", "Voyage of the Little Mermaid", and "Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular" as well as following the Magic Kingdom by laying off the Citizens of Hollywood. Only EPCOT has come out mostly unscathed, with only the non-principal vocalists of Voices of Liberty (the American Adventure singers) being laid off. This, of course, does not belittle the hardships that these Cast Members will go through, and I mourn the loss of such wonderful talent. According to the Actors' Equity Association, approximately "780 Equity members were employed at Walt Disney World, either full time, part-time, or seasonally. About 60 are currently working or about to return to work in the park. About 720 Equity member workers have now been laid off."

Both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure each lost a show, with "Frozen - Live at the Hyperion" closing at Disney California Adventure and "Mickey and the Magical Map" being shut down in the Disneyland park proper. These closures were not announced by Disney itself but by the American Guild of Variety Artists, which stated that 214 members (70% of those in the guild working at Disneyland) had been laid off. Other "entertainment" Cast Members like the Dapper Dans and performers from across the two parks have been laid off as well, as the California resort has yet to open back up to the public.

Once these announcements were revealed, Disney fans on social media, particularly Twitter, were outraged. Some performers have been a part of the company for decades, only to be let off just as quickly as those Cast Members who had started a year or two ago. In the difficult situation the pandemic has created, it was only a matter of time until Cast Members were laid off by the Disney company. What makes it more difficult to swallow, however, is the fact that Disney executives had their salaries restored right before most of these layoffs occurred. People like Bob Chapek continue to make thousands of dollars while dedicated Cast Members now struggle to survive without their source of income.

Disney released a statement on its Disney Parks Blog on October 30th, explaining the extent of damage the pandemic has caused and offering some new entertainment options like a modified version of "For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration" at Disney's Hollywood Studios as well as having performances by the Main Street Philharmonic in the Magic Kingdom. There is also a bit at the end that mentions, Like most of our fans, we know that our beloved entertainment cast are an incredibly special and essential part of the Disney experience. We look forward to the day when we can welcome back more live entertainment to our parks, and we will share more news about these announcements as we're able to do so". So for now, none of the cut entertainment is permanent, but it does not look good for those Cast Members who have been laid off.

My thoughts on the situation? Personally, I'm heartbroken. Some of my first memories are of the spectacle of "Festival of the Lion King" with its bright costumes, memorable music, and incredible performances. For years I have dreamed of performing as a Cast Member, entertaining guests of all ages while singing and dancing my heart out. Seeing all of these people get laid off without notice, reading the stories of Cast Members who no longer have a source of income, is something that I still cannot fully wrap my head around. These people lost their livelihoods in a single email and there is no "magical" way to help them. Even though many of these layoffs were probably considered necessary by the Disney company as the performers are not needed and are costing money to keep, Disney should have taken a stand to help their Cast Members and to have a strong support system in place.

Will some shows be brought back to Disney? Almost definitely. Will other shows and forms of entertainment be closed permanently? Again, yes. But we must hold out hope that Disney will recognize the need for performing Cast Members in the parks and give some of its laid off employees their jobs back once the pandemic has ended.

To help Cast Members in need, please consider donating to the Cast Member Pantry via Venmo (@castmemberpantry). You can also support small businesses that Cast Members have on @smallshopcm on Instagram. Help thank Cast Members for all of the magic they have created. If you cannot donate, consider posting some happy memories of Disney Cast Member interactions on social media to bring joy to others.