Disney to Sack 28,000 Theme Park Staff as Visitor Attendance Plunges

LOS ANGELES, KOMPAS.com – Walt Disney Co is looking to ax 28,000 staff, mostly at its Disney theme parks, as the coronavirus pandemic delivers crushing visitor attendance.

Of all the Disney theme parks, its California location has been especially hit by the pandemic hence resulting in Disneyland’s continued closure.

Walt Disney Co shared that nearly two-thirds of the expected furloughed employees will be part-time workers.

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When the Covid-19 pandemic began, the company's theme parks worldwide shut down but all the parks have since reopened except for Disneyland dubbed the ‘Happiest Place on Earth’.

Though the popular tourist attractions reopened globally, the company was forced to limit the number of visitors to allow for physical distancing.

"We have made the very difficult decision to begin the process of reducing our workforce at our Parks, Experiences and Products segment at all levels," Josh D'Amaro, chairman of the parks unit, said in a statement.

He cited the parks' limited capacity and uncertainty about the duration of the coronavirus pandemic, which he said was "exacerbated in California by the state's unwillingness to lift restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen".

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In a letter to employees, D'Amaro called the move "heartbreaking".