Tag Archives: Walt Disney Company

The Miami Herald reports: The Walt Disney Company will host a major conference promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in the workplace in Central Florida this September, gathering executives and professionals from the world’s largest companies in a defiant display of the limits of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign against diversity training. Michael Chamberlain, chief marketing officer for Out …

Florida Politics reports: Presented with regretful comments from Disney CEO Bob Iger about consequences for the company’s opposition to the state’s Parental Rights in Education law, DeSantis did not back down from previous critiques of the “Burbank-based” corporation. “We didn’t drag them in, Tucker, they went in on their own,” DeSantis said on Fox News. “And not only opposed the bill. They …

CNBC reports: Bob Iger is back. Disney, in a shocking late Sunday announcement, said it had re-appointed Iger as chief executive, effective immediately, after Iger’s handpicked successor as CEO, Bob Chapek, came under fire for his management of the entertainment giant. Iger is a widely respected and liked figure at Disney. He oversaw its deals to acquire Pixar, Lucasfilm and …

Newsweek reports: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said on Tuesday that the Walt Disney Company “crossed a line” by announcing its plan to repeal the Florida legislation known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which was officially signed into law on Monday. In a press conference in Tallahassee on Tuesday, DeSantis told reporters, “For Disney to come out and put a …

Via press release from the Walt Disney Company: Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law. Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national …

Florida Politics reports: The Florida Democratic Party late Tuesday announced it has postponed the annual Leadership Blue conference after numerous members threatened to boycott the weekend-long event. The party received fierce pushback from its LGBTQ+ Caucus in light of The Walt Disney Company’s prior financial contributions to lawmakers who sponsored a controversial bill, HB 1557, which critics have dubbed the …

The Associated Press reports: With some workers across the U.S. threatening a walkout Tuesday, The Walt Disney Co. finds itself in a balancing act between the expectations of a diverse workforce and demands from an increasingly polarized, politicized marketplace. One of the organizers of the walkout, a New York-based employee, said they were expecting participation by workers with the “privilege” …

Variety reports: The Walt Disney Company is working to suspend all business in Russia following the country’s “unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,” a spokesperson said Thursday. Last week, the entertainment and media conglomerate announced plans to halt the release of new movies in Russia, but now the company is taking additional steps to shut down the rest of its operations in …

The Wrap reports: The Walt Disney Company on Friday responded to calls for action over the Florida House of Represenatives’ passage of a “Don’t Say Gay” bill that would limit what classrooms can teach about sexual orientation and gender. However, the media giant sidestepped the bill itself  and instead recommitted itself more broadly to LGBTQ+ rights. “We understand how important …

The Hill reports: The Walt Disney Company is requiring its employees to get the coronavirus vaccine within 60 days. “We are requiring that all salaried and non-union hourly employees in the U.S. working at any of our sites be fully vaccinated,” the company said in a statement Friday. “Employees who aren’t already vaccinated and are working on-site will have 60 …

The Disney Parks Blog reports: Just in time for Pride Month 2021, I’m delighted to announce that fans around the world can showcase their LGBTQ+ pride with all-new bespoke products featuring Disney — and for the first time ever – our other iconic brands as well! From apparel to accessories to pins and plush and so much more, there are …

From the Disney Parks corporate blog: Our new approach provides greater flexibility with respect to forms of personal expression surrounding gender-inclusive hairstyles, jewelry, nail styles, and costume choices; and allowing appropriate visible tattoos. We’re updating them to not only remain relevant in today’s workplace, but also enable our cast members to better express their cultures and individuality at work. Moving …

Via press release from the Walt Disney Company: After being closed for more than one year, magic is finally returning to the Disneyland Resort theme parks! Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park are planning to officially reopen to the public on April 30, with limited capacity. You’ll soon be welcomed back to enjoy unforgettable attractions, see beloved Disney friends, …

USA Today reports: Disney World will no longer be digitally adding face masks onto guests’ faces in ride photos, the company said. Florida’s Disney World reopened with new COVID-19 restrictions in July, one of which included wearing a face covering at all times except while eating or swimming. Park visitors who chose to not wear a mask while riding on …

The Street reports: Walt Disney plans to lay off a total of 32,000 employees in the first half of 2021, a further reduction in its workforce as the Covid-19 pandemic and severe drop-off in visitors to its theme parks continues to slam its business. The layoffs, revealed in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Wednesday, are 4,000 more than …

CNBC reports: Prolonged closures at Disney’s California-based theme parks and limited attendance at its open parks has forced the company to lay off 28,000 employees across its parks, experiences and consumer products division. In a letter sent to employees on Tuesday, Josh D’Amaro, head of parks at Disney, detailed several “difficult decisions” the company has had to make in the …

Forbes reports: When Walt Disney World opened its doors to greet park guests to the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on July 11, the decision was met with no small amount of criticism. Florida is in the midst of its largest coronavirus surge yet. Critics of Disney’s plan were vocally opposing the resort’s reopening before the July 13 announcement that …

ESPN reports: The Walt Disney Company today announced an overall first-look deal with Colin Kaepernick’s production arm Ra Vision Media. The partnership will focus on telling scripted and unscripted stories that explore race, social injustice and the quest for equity, and will provide a new platform to showcase the work of Black and Brown directors and producers. The first-look deal …

Los Angeles’s ABC News affiliate reports: Disney on Wednesday announced it is postponing next month’s phased reopening of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. The Anaheim theme parks, which have been closed since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic, had planned to welcome back visitors on July 17, with enhanced health and safety measures in place. However, the company decided to …

The Orlando Sentinel reports: About 43,000 unionized Disney World workers will be furloughed starting April 19, the largest wave of employees in Central Florida to be sent home without pay because of the coronavirus crisis. The Service Trades Council Union, a coalition of six locals, announced the news Saturday on Facebook Live. The coalition said Disney had agreed to provide …