A California WARN notice now puts a firm number on the Disney Experiences layoffs: 159 permanent layoffs at Walt Disney Imagineering’s Glendale address. Disney filed the notice on October 27th, a day before the Los Angeles Times reported cuts of roughly 100 to 200 jobs in the division. That address is home to Walt Disney Imagineering, which matches our understanding of where most of the cuts happened.
Disney Imagineering WARN Notice: 159 Permanent Layoffs in Glendale
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- What the California WARN notice lists for the Glendale layoffs
- How the 159 figure compares with the earlier 100 to 200 estimate
- What the cuts mean for projects opening in 2027
Until now, the size of the layoffs was an unconfirmed range. This filing gives the first specific figure, and it falls inside that range. The notice lists these details:
- Company: Walt Disney Parks & Resorts US, Inc.
- Location: 1401 Flower Street, Glendale, California, in Los Angeles County
- Type: Permanent layoff
- Employees: 159
- Notice date: October 27th
- Effective date: December 29th
Nothing in the filing names specific roles or projects, so the Imagineering connection comes from the address and our earlier reporting. It also covers only the Glendale site. It is our understanding that the layoffs were not exclusive to Imagineering, so the total across Disney Experiences could differ from 159.
As of this morning, Disney has not filed any WARN notices in Florida. Notices are current through October 29th.
Affected employees get about two months between the notice and the effective date. Federal law generally requires 60 days of notice for mass layoffs, which explains the timing.
How 159 Fits the Earlier Reports
The Times’ source tied the cuts to a regular review of the division’s priorities, investments, and project timelines. As we reported, Imagineering is a project-based organization. Teams grow and shrink as projects move forward and backward on Disney’s schedule. A paused or reshuffled project can reduce the staff needed in the near term without meaning Disney canceled it.
Disney also has more parks projects in progress than ever, according to the Times. That context matters, because while 159 jobs at one campus is a notable number, the workforce remains poised to complete those projects. There is a long list of attractions, lands and ships still moving forward.
What This Means for 2027 Openings
Nothing in the notice changes what we expect from Disney’s announced projects. We still anticipate that phase one of Monstropolis and Tropical Americas will hit their 2027 opening targets. Piston Peak National Park, Villains Land and the new Disney Cruise Line ships appear on track to continue, and major work should carry on at Disneyland, starting with the previously announced Tomorrowland reimagining.
CEO Josh D’Amaro toured Monstropolis, Tropical Americas and Lakeshore Lodge with the Imagineers building them earlier this month. All three are scheduled to open at least in part in 2027. Disney reports full fiscal 2026 earnings on November 17th, and that report may add more context on where Disney Experiences stands.
Story So Far
- April 14: Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro confirmed layoffs in a company memo without naming specific divisions.
- October 20: D’Amaro toured Monstropolis, Tropical Americas and Lakeshore Lodge with the Imagineers building them.
- October 27: A California WARN notice lists 159 permanent layoffs at Disney’s Glendale address, effective December 29th.
- October 28: The Los Angeles Times reported that layoffs had reached the Disney theme park division, affecting roughly 100 to 200 employees.
- October 29: We updated our reporting to say Walt Disney Imagineering was hit by layoffs tied to shifting project priorities.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!