Disney theme parks in Anaheim were closed for longer than 400 days during the COVID-19 pandemic and about 32,000 employees were laid-off or furloughed. As Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure reopen, less than half those employees have returned to work.
According to the Orange County Register, the Disneyland resort said it plans to hire about 1,000 more cast members – Disney terminology for employees – this summer.
But there haven’t been any indications as to when more cast members will be added or if employee levels will reach pre-pandemic levels ever again, the Register reported.
As parts of the theme parks slowly reopened in stages, the Register reported that cast members were brought back in small groups.
According to the Register, when Buena Vista in California Adventure was re-opened shortly before Thanksgiving, about 230 cast members were brought back. The limited “Touch of Disney” food festival in March saw Disney bring back more than 700 Disney cast members.
Finally, the Register reported, Disneyland brought back 10,000 cast members in the middle of March to get ready for the full reopening of both parks at the end of April.