In less than three weeks from now, the Walt Disney World theme parks will shorten their operating hours. For EPCOT and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the new hours represent a 20% decrease in previously published hours. Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will see a 10% dip in hours. Overall, the Walt Disney World theme parks will operate for 28% fewer hours this September than they did in September 2019 (not counting the hours for the 2019 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party event, which would bump the disparity to over 30%).
Here’s another figure: 50% – the amount of unionized Cast Members who are still waiting for a call to return to work from Walt Disney World, Local 362 union President Eric Clinton told BlogMickey.com. The Cast Members, who range in roles from Attractions to Custodial, Vacation Planning to Water Park slide operators, are still furloughed and living off of the $275/week check that the State of Florida offers for unemployment.
In terms of raw numbers, the amount of union Cast Members who have not returned to work totals over 21,000. Of the roughly 75,000 Cast Members who work at Walt Disney World, the Service Trades Council Union represents about 43,000. These numbers don’t account for the tens of thousands of Disney World Cast Members who are not part of a union. A sizeable amount of non-union Cast Members are still waiting on a call to return to work as well.
Per an agreement between the unions and Disney World, these furloughed Cast Members will continue to be covered by Disney for health insurance and they will not owe back pay when they return to work. That said, the clock is ticking on those benefits which are currently set to expire in Spring 2021.
As tens of thousands of Cast Members wait for a call to return to work, Disney World will be cutting their theme park hours in less than three weeks from now. While Disney hasn’t commented on the reason for the cutback in hours, Disney CEO Bob Chapek noted that the demand is markedly below what Disney was anticipating. With about 50% of the theme park attendance made up of locals, Disney has begun to aggressively shift Disney Park Pass reservations to the Annual Passholder bucket – a ticket type that doesn’t make Disney as much money, but one that shows a lot of demand for a theme park visit. Other variables such as the restarting of school for many children around the country typically account for lower crowd levels this time of year.
As of publish time, Disney has still not indicated when they will reopen their water parks, which account for some of the Cast Members who still remain furloughed. Disney is also slowly reopening their hotels, with Disney’s Yacht Club scheduled to open on August 24th after hosting some of the NBA teams that were in town. Another NBA host hotel, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, is scheduled to open in late September. While there were no guests staying at these hotels since they closed in March, there were Cast Members called back to operate the hotels for the NBA players, coaches, and staff. Some Cast Members are looking forward to hotel reopening dates as a chance to get back to work, but Disney isn’t a stranger to canceling previously announced opening dates. In the case of Disney’s Beach Club and Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, they did just that.
With 72% of Americans uncomfortable with visiting a theme park right now, we hope that Disney is able to find a path back to longer operating hours, opened water parks, on-time hotel reopenings, and getting those Cast Members who remain on furlough back to work in a safe, responsible manner. Disney has done an outstanding job with the implementation of multiple safety measures at the theme parks, and they plan on continuing the phased reopening when it is safe to do so.
The unemployment from Florida is actually $225 bi-weekly. People won’t be able to live off $450 a month
I think it is very sad and unresponsible of Disney uper management to donate 5 million dollars to an organization that is promoting destruction to businesses and personal property while protesting rights and yet ignore the financial situation loyal cast members that are furloughed are in. Disney could have put that 5 million in the hands of those cast members to help them through this difficult time.
This has become a chicken and the egg problem now for Disney. The vacation crowd don’t want to spend their money on a half a**ed Disney experience. I certainly don’t and I’m DVC. Until they start normalizing operations people won’t spend their hard earned vacation money and time for a substandard experience. They will mostly see more locals and not entice that many people to come. They may entice some of some, but only marginal amounts. They need to just start opening up and returning experiences to normal before people will come around. They need to increase the supply of Disney vacation options to get people to come back. Alsi means they will have to bite the bullet and just deal with increasing costs like any other type of business expansion.
IF everyone that enters Walt Disney world has to sign a waiver assuming personal responsibility for their own health which they should even without a waiver! Then the mask should be a choice not a mandate.Iam a 13yr DVC member and I miss not being there,but I will wait until the masks are not mandatory.
Exactly right , prices are the same if not higher and the experience is 50% what it was 7 months ago. I know the 50% percent is my guess whatever. Point is no way are we going back till it’s worth it, typically go 3-4 times a year for 7 days or so each time, our vacation money went to a cabin in colorado last month had a great time with some friends. Problem for Disney is we had a great time in Colorado for like 1/3 the price. Disney “ All of Orlando “ needs to adjust for the new reality high prices for a subpar experience will not fly for many many people.
Terrible optics and a punch in the gut for the thousands of Cast Members still on Furlough like me. 35 years of dedication and depending on $275 a week from Florida unemployment…..