The latest round of belt-tightening across Hollywood has now reached the Happiest Place on Earth.
Walt Disney Co.’s theme parks division is laying off between 100 and 200 people, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly.
The cuts to Disney’s experiences segment stem from a regular evaluation of the division’s priorities, investments and project timelines, the person said. Burbank-based Disney has more parks-related projects in progress than ever before.
Disney declined to comment.
The layoffs are limited to the experiences division, which includes Disney’s theme parks, cruise line and Aulani resort and spa in Hawaii. All affected employees will be notified by the end of the day Wednesday.
The experiences division is Disney’s economic engine. In fiscal 2025, the segment brought in $36.2 billion in revenue and more than 56% of the company’s total operating income.
Because the division is so central to Disney’s bottom line, analysts closely track attendance at its theme parks, particularly among international visitors to the U.S. Though Disney previously said it faced “international visitation headwinds” at its domestic parks, that trend has since “moderated,” executives said during the company’s most recent earnings call in August.
The news comes as other parts of Disney, including its human resources and technology teams, have been affected by layoffs. Separately, the company offered early retirement packages for older workers earlier this month. The latest round of layoffs is not related to those earlier job cuts.
Those moves are part of an effort by new Disney Chief Executive Josh D’Amaro to sharpen the company’s focus and help it respond faster to the changing entertainment industry.
Disney is far from the only entertainment company cutting costs. Hollywood is in the midst of an industry-wide consolidation that has affected wide swaths of Southern California. Workers at Skydance, the new name for the combined Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery, are also bracing for layoffs as the company looks to cut $6 billion in costs over three years.
Times staff writer Todd Martens contributed to this report.
