It’s not uncommon for us to see Disney employing cost-cutting measures when the budget is tighter than it should be.
The Walt Disney Company headquarters in California
From price hikes in the theme parks to project cancelations, Disney has used a variety of methods in the past to save money. Unfortunately, the latest round of budget tightening comes with some layoffs.
The L.A. Times reports that The Walt Disney Company’s Experiences division is laying off between 100 and 200 employees. These cuts come from a “regular evaluation of the division’s priorities, investments, and project timelines.” Currently, Disney has a record number of projects underway, particularly for the theme parks.
Disneyland Cast Members
Disney has declined to comment on the matter, but a source familiar with the subject has shared that the layoffs are limited to Disney Experiences, which includes the theme parks around the world, Disney Cruise Line, and Aulani — A Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii. Those getting laid off should have been notified by the end of the day on Wednesday, October 28th.
Cinderella Castle
The Experiences division of the company brought in the largest portion of revenue in 2025, and Disney had previously stated that they were getting a massive wave of international visitors in the domestic theme parks, boosting financial success. Those attendance numbers have since moderated a bit, according to the last earnings report.
Disney California Adventure
Disney also recently had some layoffs in its entertainment division, in addition to offering early retirement packages to some of the company’s older employees. They’re not the only entertainment company in Hollywood laying folks off, though. Workers at Skydance, the new company name for the combined Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery, are preparing for layoffs in the near future as the company cuts costs.
Disney+ ©Disney
We’ll be on the lookout to see if these layoffs affect operations in any of the parks or experiences. Deadline reports that these layoffs will mostly be contained to the Walt Disney Imagineering campus in Glendale, California. They also state that these layoffs are mostly project-based, “as the division constantly must reprioritize and schedule based on the workflows of multiple projects across its mandate.”
©Disney | Walt Disney Company Headquarters
At the end of the 2025 fiscal year, The Walt Disney Company employed 231,000 people. Of that gruop, 172,000 were located in the United States. About 16% of Disney’s workforcce is part-time and 8% is seasonal, largely due to the way the parks and resorts operate.
©Disney
We’ll keep you in the loop with more news about the layoffs and any other cost-cutting measures Disney employs.
Learn About the Last Wave of Layoffs Here
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