In another major sign of how Covid-19 has damaged Florida’s tourism industry, about 6,700 layoffs are expected to hit non-union workers at Walt Disney World starting Dec. 4.
“Due to the continuing business impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have made the very difficult decision to reduce our workforce,” Jim Bowden, Disney vice president of employee relations, wrote in an advisory Tuesday to the state Department of Economic Opportunity.
But the layoffs could have been worse, according to Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis.
A day after the Walt Disney Company announced plans to lay off 28,000 employees in the U.S. due to prolonged closures at parks in California and limited attendance in Florida, Patronis on Wednesday praised the state’s economic reopening efforts during an Enterprise Florida Board of Directors meeting.
“Thank goodness that the amusement parks and the destinations we’ve got in the states are making the necessary tough decisions and commitments,” Patronis said. “And I can’t imagine how much worse it would have been for Disney, if Gov. (Ron) DeSantis had not encouraged and supported the opening of those parks.”
A Walt Disney Company senior vice president was scheduled to participate in a panel discussion at the Enterprise Florida meeting but was replaced without explanation.
On Tuesday, Disney Parks Chairman of Experiences and Products Josh D’Amaro advised employees of the pending layoffs.
“As you can imagine, a decision of this magnitude is not easy,” D’Amaro wrote. “For the last several months, our management team has worked tirelessly to avoid having to separate anyone from the company. We’ve cut expenses, suspended capital projects, furloughed our cast members while still paying benefits, and modified our operations to run as efficiently as possible, however, we simply cannot responsibly stay fully staffed while operating at such limited capacity.”
Disney employs about 77,000 people in Florida.
DeSantis opened the Enterprise Florida meeting by defending his efforts to guide the state through the pandemic and compared reopening efforts to states such as California.
“We’ve had Disney parks open since July. We allowed them to do it earlier, they just wanted that time,” DeSantis said. “They’re still not allowed to operate in California. I mean, after all this time, even though as they opened in Florida, infections have gone down tremendously, they’re still not able to operate in California.”
As part of his second phase of reopening, DeSantis allowed theme parks to reopen in June. He later encouraged the parks to increase their daily attendance after a summer surge in Covid-19 cases started to slow.
Disney held off its reopening until July, weeks after Universal Florida and Sea World reopened, all with limits on the number of guests, face-mask requirements, widely available sanitation stations and use of cashless payments.
DeSantis said the theme parks haven’t been linked to a spread of the respiratory illness. Still, by the start of September, Disney and Universal scaled back operating hours due to low attendance.
In mid-September, Universal Orlando extended furloughs of 5,398 workers at least six more months and SeaWorld of Florida announced it would lay off 1,896 of its previously furloughed workers.
The state saw tourism numbers crash more than 60 percent in the second quarter of the year from the same period in 2019, ending a decade of year-after-year growth of travelers to Florida. To try to boost the industry, the tourism-marketing agency Visit Florida launched an ad campaign this month that focuses on in-state travelers.
But troubles persist. Nearly 40 percent of hotel workers in Florida have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic, and industry lobbyists warned this week the number could reach 70 percent this winter without further assistance from Congress.
DeSantis last week lifted restrictions on businesses such as restaurants and bars, and he and Patronis also have said the economic recovery could be aided by providing COVID-19 liability protections to businesses.
Patronis said Wednesday proposals for the 2021 legislative session would “give these businesses the extra confidence that they can move forward without the fear of being punished.”
“Whether it be sports, whether it be our hospitals, whether it be our not-for-profits or our businesses, if they are abiding by best practices from the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and Department of Health, in order to keep a safe environment in place, then they should have some peace of mind that they are going to be immune from frivolous lawsuits,” Patronis said.
–Jim Turner, News Service of Florida
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Always right says
Not sure what the point you are trying to make. DeSantis gave the green light and nobody came. Oh I get it…….DeSantis is a republican.
PLK says
DeSantis gave Disney the green light to reopen, but it’s beyond his power to force people to attend. Especially if they don’t have the money or think its unsafe. Maybe he should distribute gift certificates that could be redeemed at all Disney locations. Do the same for bars, restaurants, hotels and other tourist businesses throughout Florida. Put some gift certificates aside though and earmark them for the 6,700 Disney employees that are getting laid off.
Steve says
I wouldnt expect anything else from DON Desantis. Open it and it will spread. I get the Economic impact but trying to do it backwards is a recipe for disaster and we are experiencing the event unfold before our very eyes. Another failed GOP Leader.
Steve says
And watching the News this eve 27 States recording spikes in C19 cases. Nice job Leaders of the Free World. Failure after failure due to NO Plan downplaying the severity and lethalness with no mask mandates etc. And here we are Biketoberfest superspreaderagain about to happen WTF
R. S. says
The article says: Patronis said Wednesday proposals for the 2021 legislative session would “give these businesses the extra confidence that they can move forward without the fear of being punished.”
However, that fact will not increase consumer confidence in the adequate conquering of the pandemic. An aggressive handling of the pandemic, solid rules for masks and social distancing, and ultimately reduced infection rates would do much better to reopen businesses successfully and effectively. I would also trust a business more that seemed confident in being able to avoid infections than one that needed insurance for its flops.
CB from PC says
Once again for the mathematically challenged:
Disney CA, FL and (elsewhere?)
Layoffs . 28,000
FL layoffs 6,700
CA and
elsewhere
Layoffs. 21,300
Thank Democrat CA Governor
Gavin Newsome for the bulk of Those 21,300 layoffs due to continued mandated shutdown of the Disney owned parks in CA.
Between the high taxes, wildfires due to mismanagement of forests and the rolling power blackouts, people are leaving the state of CA en masse.
And again, thank you China for The COVID-19 pandemic.
Tourism is down in Florida, as everywhere because it is only recently that life has returned to any semblance of normalcy with the ‘re-opening of businesses.
Trump/Covid 2020 says
People leaving California en masse? California’s population has GROWN by +/- 2.5 million in the last 10 years. Shouldn’t it being going down if they’re leaving en masse?
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/CA
Why haven’t other countries that have to deal with Covid-19 failed as greatly as the US at controlling cases and deaths? 4% of the world population yet we have 20% of deaths and cases. How’s that for the mathematically challenged?
Doc W says
The Champion of Herd Immunity is rolling the dice. Does science bends to political wishes?
Anyone betting against the next huge surge in about 3 weeks?
Jimbo99 says
The Government may have gave out the corporate welfare,but it was inadequate to put money into the hands of the non-essential consumers that didn’t get paid or a pittance of relief. Can’t reboot an economy without end consumers. so they chose who wins & loses again. And now spin that as a fine job ? Nobody is going back to save Disney, bank on that my friend. Disney is an unnecessary & non-essential debt. And what kills Disney worse, the tourism, domestic & international. Disney’s formula before was packed to beyond capacity. Today, it’s just a Coronavirus breeding ground that nobody really ever has to even be there as a risk exposure.
Steve says
Minnie Me should follow the Leader and quaruntine for awhile. Keep tempting fate it will eventually bite ya on the ass. Meanwhile hes going to expose more Florida residents needlessly due to reckless Policies or lack of them. Drama Queens #1,2 certainly do get what you pay for.
James M. Mejuto says
This is a Trump-loving fool, an idiot whose end-game is to get Humpty-Dumpty re-elected.
He opens up the state while an increase of COVID-19 cases and deaths emerge.
We the people have got to vote these rascals out of office from the W.H. to state, city and town legislatures.
We can no longer allow Republicans idiots to run our governments.
What Else Is New says
DeathSantis is a Trumper. A Republican. Unfit for the job. Get ready for someone who can really handle the job as Governor of Florida. Nikki Fried.
MRC says
Throwing out a comparison between Florida and California is like comparing apples to oranges. I have lived in both places and I can assure you that the economic structure, the population level, and other immediate concerns (related to global warming) totally alter the playing field. Florida’s economy is based on tourism. California has a much more diverse economic structure with many facets to it. My nephew is one of those California Disneyland employees laid off . He already has explored and obtained alternate virtual employment elsewhere. There are many more job opportunities in California, compared to Florida. DeSantis is patting himself on the back for reopening everything and damn the consequences. As far as people leaving California in droves…that migration pattern has been going on for over 100 years (remember the “gold rush”?), and Florida also has a huge revolving door of people moving here thinking they will be able to “live the good life”, then finding out the reality of a poor economy, lack of substantial employment opportunities, high cost of living, etc. and then they leave. People move to California for a variety of reasons, but they have many more employment options to choose from. The cost of living is actually lower there. The population of California is much higher also. And why wouldn’t you take proactive steps to protect your citizens? It is common sense. Just look at your “fearless hero”. He now has COVID-19. Gee, I wonder why? He has steadfastly refused to follow the advise of the EXPERTS to promote his own self agenda and protect his “economic” record (in his own opinion) and ram forward with reopening everything. Now the chickens come home to roost. Will DeSantis catch a clue? No way. He has been deeply drinking the koolaid for a long time now. And yet the innocent suffer. Shows great moral fiber and who cares that over 200,000 people are now DEAD due to their crazy political aspirations ? Vote people, vote!
Les Paul says
California has the 2nd highest cost of living in the country compared to Florida’s 24th ranking. Source: Cost Of Living Index by State 2020
Jane says
He doesn’t care about his people like opening up 100% he didn’t think about the servers The Cook’s the dishwashers The Host people who have come in close contact like bartenders we have to touch their dirty dishes when they don’t have a mask on he has no common sense think of the germs in the bacteria that are on them dishes and silverware that you expect us to deal with for 5:15 hour and then they say you care about your people give me a break
Agkistrodon says
Disney only has Disney to blame. Here’s a tip,maybe raise your prices some more, then I can stand in livestock feeder lines for hours and drink 8.00 bottles of water………no thanks. Has absolutely ZERO to do with who is governor, or what would Disney’s excuse in California be? Rather DeSantis than Mr I’m Great Gavin Newsome. .. …
Steve says
Rather an Ant than Deathsantis
CB from PC says
97% if U.S. has not been infected.
If those infected, about 3% have died. Those are very favorable odds of survival.
As far as population increase in CA, from your own Census Chart. Foreign born persons, percent, 2014-2018 UP 26.9%.
Not all are Illegals, but plenty are. far as CA,
I am not counting the illegals or homeless coming in to take advantage if all the “free” stuff.
The people who are leaving are those who refuse to subsidize it with their paychecks and no longer want to deal with the crime, such as stealing in SF which is now legal.