Disneyland Character and Parade Cast Members are set to stage a major protest just outside the theme park’s gates this weekend in response to unhappiness regarding contract negotiations with Disney and the company’s alleged unwillingness to settle a first contract with the unionized Cast Members.

The rally, set to take place at 10:0 AM on Saturday, October 17th at the northwest corner of Harbor Blvd. & W. Katella Ave. in Anaheim, is being staged by the group due to claims that “Disney has slow-walked contract talks rather than negotiating a fair agreement.”

The group claims that while there has been some progress related to health and safety issues, Disney has “proposed eliminating paid parental leave and reducing PTO for these workers” and that “wage proposals have been insultingly low. In the first year of the contract, the company presented a zero percent wage increase – despite a period of high inflation.” Two years ago, the 1,700 Entertainment Cast Members in the Characters and Parades departments voted to form a union with the Actors’ Equity Association, usually known simply as Equity, the 100+-year-old labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers.

Equity’s Executive Director Al Vincent Jr. spoke about the rally in a statement, saying, “The message you will hear at our rally is that despite Disney’s actions to date, we remain willing and able to bargain with the company to reach a fair contract for the character and parades workers who are the public face of Disneyland and who make a visit to the park rewarding.”

Disney hasn’t commented on the rally at the time of writing, but they did provide their own update on the negotiations earlier this month on the Disney Experiences corporate website. It read, “Disneyland Resort values its cast members, offers competitive benefits, and is proud of its long history of working collaboratively with the unions that represent them. We began bargaining with the Actors’ Equity Association in late 2024 and have since participated in more than 50 days of negotiations, most recently on September 9th-10th, 2026. Throughout this process, full-time and part-time cast members in this bargaining unit have continued to receive annual wage increases. In early 2026, cast members received a 4% wage increase and currently earn between $26 and $31.27 per hour, including premiums, depending on their role. As with any newly formed bargaining unit, this process is focused on establishing the initial terms and conditions of employment for cast members transitioning from non-union to union-represented roles. Negotiations are ongoing, and scheduled next for Oct. 27th-28th, 2026, and proposals may evolve as discussions continue.”

As labor negotiations continue between Disney and the newly unionized members of Equity, Disneyland Parade and Character Cast Members are set to hold a large rally outside the “Happiest Place on Earth” on October 17th. Stay tuned to DFB for more on this ongoing labor story.