The Walt Disney Company has never been one to shy away completely from politics. Going as far back as World War II, Walt Disney famously made propaganda videos for the United States military. However, there may not have been a time like this before — when Disney has been receiving so much backlash for its political stance.
A majority of the backlash began when former Disney CEO Bob Chapek spoke out against Florida’s controversial Parental Rights in Education Bill. The bill was championed by Republicans and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, but decried by groups like the Human Rights Campaign.
It’s been almost two years since the debacle began, but Disney is still dealing with some of the fallout.
On February 8, the news broke that Disney had settled a lawsuit brought by a former BP Oil executive who was supposed to work for the House of Mouse at one point.
Shanan Guinn claimed that she was offered a position within Disney’s corporate affairs department when Geoff Morrell was in charge. Unfortunately, Morrell was fired before Guinn’s contract was set to begin. Morrell was only with Disney for three months but, within that time, he managed to make a number of notable gaffes.
Morrell was the main force behind the way Chapek didn’t address and then did address the controversy. He also accidentally leaked the opening date of Walt Disney World Resort’s newest attraction, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
Guinn said that her offer was wrongfully rescinded as the company continued to fight with Governor DeSantis and made a number of personnel changes. She said that she was lured to the company, only to have the lucrative offer yanked away.
Disney argued that Guinn signed a contract, and in that contract, Disney was given the right to revoke the offer at any time. They also claimed that it wasn’t wrongful termination because they had not hidden anything from Guinn, nor had they been untruthful. They said that the offer was rescinded simply because of the employment shakeup within the company.
The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, but lawyers for both Disney and Guinn informed the courts that a deal had been made.
Video Game fans get excited! Epic Games, the popular owner of Fortnite and Rocket League, is expecting a long-term infusion of cash from none other than the Walt Disney Company.
Although a partnership has existed previously between the two companies, CEO Bob Iger spilled the beans on a a huge investment that Disney will be making, taking a stake in Epic Games, cementing their video game partnership for years to come.
The popular gaming experience has worked with Disney previously to bring big names from Star Wars, Marvel, and even Jack Skellington to life, but moving forward, Disney will be a much more prevalent feature in the Battle Royale feature.
As the newest season of Fortnite has cemented many exciting collabs moving forward, including Rocket League (owned by Epic Games), Fornite Festival, and LEGO Fortnite, despite outward appearances, a large-scale partnership between the two isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds.
Taking advantage of a significant opportunity in the gaming business, Disney has announced, as part of their quarterly earnings call, that they will be injecting a whopping $1.5 billion into the Unreal Engine-based Fortnite moving forward.
Although not necessarily ground-breaking news, the investment represents a large-scale shift in Dsiney’s portfolio. Although previous games featuring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and other famous Disney characters have made their presence in the gaming community, owning a stake in Fortnite, arguably the most competitive and popular video game environment, will help diversify Disney’s already exhaustive portfolio.
Among news of a sequel to Moana and much more, The Walt Disney Company has made it clear that they are dedicated to bringing the magic of Disney through a partnership between Disney CEO Bob Iger and Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney.
Interestingly enough, Fortnite won’t be the only area of focus for Disney and Epic Games. CNBC states, “the media giant will work with the Fortnite gaming studio on new games and an entertainment universe.”
As Fortnite has seen an expansion in its current gaming offering, an entertainment universe feels right up their alley as the game evolves, especially considering the amount of intellectual property that The Walt Disney Company owns.
As The Walt Disney Company continues its march towards an evolving business, it seems that Bob Iger is very much aware of the lucrative and promotional availbility regarding a partnership of this magnitude with Epic Games. Whether it be Fortnite, an entertainment universe that includes new gaming experiences, there’s much to look forward to for fans of older games such as Disney Epic Mickey or Kingdom Hearts.
With the accompaniment of Epic Games’ Unreal Engine, properties such as Marvel and Star Wars, the ability to create new and amazing worlds, as seen by Portkey Games’ 2023 release of Hogwarts Legacy, is now a real possibility for Disney.
A Disney-Apple partnership more than six months in the making will officially go into effect in just a few days, on February 2, per an announcement from Apple Inc. via press release this week.
Since November 2022, just days after The Walt Disney Company’s board of directors removed then-CEO Bob Chapek, replacing him with veteran CEO Bob Iger, media outlets began to overflow with news about a potential merger of The Walt Disney Company, purveyor of theme parks like Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, TV shows, and films, and Apple, tech purveyor and creator of the Apple Watch, Apple TV, Apple TV+, and the iPhone.
Iger’s return was an attempt by Disney’s board to stop the bleed at the company that started in the months following one of the most challenging times in Mouse House history–one that began in early 2020 when unexpected global pandemic that rendered Disney Parks non-operational, and hasn’t let up since that time.
But Iger’s reinstatement didn’t bring about instant change–not by a long shot.
Challenges presented by the parks’ extended closures, combined with poor box office returns, less-than-optimal revenue across various divisions of The Walt Disney Company, and a major upheaval between Disney and the State of Florida’s legislature created the perfect storm for Walt’s beloved company, as well as for the Disney CEO–perfect for spelling near-disaster.
And while most Disney fans applauded the board’s decision to remove Chapek from his post and reinstall Iger, they also knew that such a move on the part of Disney’s board meant that things at the House of Disney were likely far more dire than anyone realized.
Perhaps that understanding is what gave way to the instant interest in a buyout of Disney by Apple. One analyst’s claims that Iger had spoken of selling the company, only adding fuel to the fire.
In the days following Chapek’s removal, the media frenzy centered largely on the speculation about plans by the reinstated Disney CEO Bob Iger for Disney going forward. Gone were the days of “business as usual,” of that much, fans were assured. But more questions–followed by even more speculation–followed:
If things are so bad at Disney that the board brought back the tried-and-true Iger, what happens next?
The claims of that anonymous outspoken “insider” seemed like a well-fitting piece of the puzzle.
Shortly after the world ushered in 2023, talk of a potential Apple takeover of Disney was silenced by the events of the time, namely a Disney Company earnings call on February 8 that took even Wall Street’s finest by surprise.
In his first earnings call since his return, Iger took charge of the Wednesday afternoon meeting alongside then-CFO Christine McCarthy. Following Iger’s run-through of Disney’s financials, including information about revenue categorized by divisions at the company, the extent of Disney’s dire straits became glaringly more obvious.
Iger announced a complete overhaul and restructuring at Disney, effective immediately, before delving into the specifics of a cost-cutting initiative, also effective immediately, aimed at trimming $5.5 billion in expenditures at the company. The plan included the layoffs of 7,000 employees, and according to upper management, no one knew who would be let go, and no one was safe.
Only weeks later, Disney’s up-tops were told to compile a list of their “useless” and “replaceable” employees in preparation for the layoffs.
Then, in three lashes of layoffs, one that was referred to as a bloodbath, The Walt Disney Company purged itself of those worthless employees once and for all.
Never did the company seem so ripe for a buyout, and news about Apple’s interest in Disney slowly began to infiltrate the headlines yet again.
In June 2023, Apple and Disney announced an upcoming partnership. It’s the first time a representative from either company had spoken publicly about such a proposition. But the announcement had nothing to do with an Apple buyout of Disney. Instead, Disney had something that Apple needed.
Apple introduced its first virtual reality (VR) project, called Apple Vision Pro, which the company describes as a “spatial computer that transforms how people work, collaborate, connect, relive memories, and enjoy entertainment.”
Disney would be instrumental to the way people “enjoy entertainment,” per a partnership that would see Disney’s best content available on Apple’s newest $3500 gadget. According to announcements from both companies, Disney+ would be available on the new VR headset from Apple.
For some, the announcement served to peacefully quell the “wonder-ifs” about Apple taking over Disney. But for others, the Apple Vision Pro announcement only bolstered speculation about a takeover, even giving credence to it.
In a press release on Monday, Apple announced the rollout of its Apple Vision Pro VR headset, setting the availability date as February 2, 2024. Pre-orders began on January 19, 2024.
Per the announcement from Apple:
Apple today announced Apple Vision Pro will be available beginning Friday, February 2, at all U.S. Apple Store locations and the U.S. Apple Store online.
Vision Pro is a revolutionary spatial computer that transforms how people work, collaborate, connect, relive memories, and enjoy entertainment. Vision Pro seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world and unlocks powerful spatial experiences in visionOS, controlled by the most natural and intuitive inputs possible — a user’s eyes, hands, and voice.
An all-new App Store provides users with access to more than 1 million compatible apps across iOS and iPadOS, as well as new experiences that take advantage of the unique capabilities of Vision Pro. Pre-orders for Apple Vision Pro begin Friday, January 19, at 5:00 a.m. PST.
“The era of spatial computing has arrived,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said. “Apple Vision Pro is the most advanced consumer electronics device ever created. Its revolutionary and magicaluser interface will redefine how we connect, create, and explore.”
Ah ha! There’s the Disney keyword: magical. Could it be that this Disney-Apple partnership is only the first leg of the journey toward a full acquisition of The Walt Disney Company by Apple? After all, Apple owns the Vision Pro, and Disney’s content will stream on an Apple-owned device, thanks to the new partnership, not the other way around.
For the answer to that question, fans and Wall Street analysts alike will simply have to wait and watch. Things that transpire after February 2, 2024, may tell more of the story, assuming there’s one to tell in the first place.
Disney has announced its decision to lay off many cast members, some of whom you may have even spoken to.
This unfortunate news has sent shockwaves to many who work in the magical world of Disney, leaving many to wonder about the future of their employment with the mega-company.
Disney, being a conglomerate business, has many arms. Movies, television, Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and more make up the multi-faceted nature of the larger-than-life entertainment giant.
A big part of that business is cast members. Unlike typical employees you’ll find at other companies, Disney considers all of their staff to be a part of the story, hence the preferred name for their workers.
Cast members, the ones that we interact with at least, are responsible for the day-to-day operations of theme parks, customer service, and much more. One capacity in which cast members offer a magical experience is via shopDisney.
shopDisney is another arm of The Walt Disney Company that allows Disney fans to shop their favorite Disney characters and park merchandise online via a website or app.
Guests can find all the latest trends, fashions, and must-haves in the online Disney shop, highlighting favorite characters and franchises like Mickey Mouse, Avatar, Star Wars, Marvel, and much more.
Sadly, the news of new layoffs will impact this specific arm of employment for The Walt Disney Company, with Scott Gustin reporting that 115 employees in this branch will be out of work effective March 24.
shopDisney will lay off 115 employees effective March 24. The impacted employees work remotely in guest service roles – most of the positions are part-time. shopDisney will transition guest services to a third-party company with employees across the globe and time zones. pic.twitter.com/S5dbYBKQrf
Scott went on to explain that many of the workers impacted by this round of layoffs will be those who work remotely in a guest service role, mostly part-time employees.
This is considerable news as many find it challenging to afford groceries these days as inflation continues to impact the US dollar. Even more alarming, Scott also went on to explain that Disney will outsource their current job function to a third party with “employees across the globe and time zones.”
With the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Disney has faced unprecedented challenges in operating at total capacity. Despite its best efforts to rebound from the economic downturn, the company has been forced to make difficult decisions to ensure long-term sustainability. As a result, additional cast members have been affected by recent waves of layoffs.
As mentioned, the cast members facing termination from their current positions are that of the shopDisney customer service arm. Although these employees are expected to work part-time, 115 people being removed from an already busy customer service system is significant, especially considering that they are losing their jobs for potentially cheaper labor overseas.
For many cast members, working at Disney is not just a job but a lifelong dream. The announcement of the layoffs will most likely leave these dreamers devastated and uncertain about their future and what lies ahead. It is essential to recognize this decision’s emotional toll on individuals who have poured their hearts and souls into creating magical experiences for park guests.
Disney has always emphasized the importance of its cast members and their well-being. In the wake of these layoffs, the company is surely committed to providing support and resources to help impacted employees navigate this challenging time.
Efforts such as career counseling, access to professional development programs, and assistance in finding new job opportunities could be extended to the affected cast members. However, there is no official word regarding how Disney will navigate this mass exit of customer service representatives.
Like many other major companies, Disney strives to navigate these uncertain times. The layoffs are part of a larger strategy aimed at ensuring the long-term viability of the Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland, shopDisney, Disney+, and many other arms that belong to The Walt Disney Company.
As the company continues to adapt and evolve, there is optimism for a brighter future where Disney’s magic can thrive again, bringing back the beloved cast members who make it all possible.
The decision to lay off more cast members at Disney is undoubtedly a painful and unfortunate one. It marks a challenging chapter in the history of those impacted and casts a shadow over a world that we rarely see outside of a bubble.
However, in times of adversity, Disney has always persevered, and we hope the company will emerge stronger while providing essential support for those impacted by these layoffs. Let us rally behind the cast members who bring joy and magic to our lives and keep the Disney spirit alive.
A Disney-Apple partnership more than six months in the making will officially go into effect on February 2, per an announcement from Apple Inc. via press release this week.
Since November 2022, just days after The Walt Disney Company’s board of directors removed then-CEO Bob Chapek, replacing him with veteran CEO Bob Iger, media outlets began to overflow with news about a potential merger of The Walt Disney Company, purveyor of theme parks like Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, TV shows, and films, and Apple, tech purveyor and creator of the Apple Watch, Apple TV, Apple TV+, and the iPhone.
Iger’s return was an attempt by Disney’s board to stop the bleed at the company that started in the months following one of the most challenging times in Mouse House history–one that began in early 2020 when unexpected global pandemic that rendered Disney Parks non-operational, and hasn’t let up since that time.
But Iger’s reinstatement didn’t bring about instant change–not by a long shot. Challenges presented by the parks’ extended closures, combined with poor box office returns, less-than-optimal revenue across various divisions of The Walt Disney Company, and a major upheaval between Disney and the State of Florida’s legislature created the perfect storm for Walt’s beloved company, as well as for the Disney CEO–perfect for spelling near-disaster.
And while most Disney fans applauded the board’s decision to removed Chapek from his post and reinstall Iger, they also knew that such a move on the part of Disney’s board meant that things at the House of Disney were likely far more dire than anyone realized.
Perhaps that understanding is what gave way to the instant interest in a buyout of Disney by Apple. One analyst’s claims that Iger had spoken of selling the company, only adding fuel to the fire.
In the days following Chapek’s removal, the media frenzy centered largely on the speculation about plans by the reinstated Disney CEO Bob Iger for Disney going forward. Gone were the days of “business as usual,” of that much, fans were assured. But more questions–followed by even more speculation–followed: If things are so bad at Disney that the board brought back the tried-and-true Iger, what happens next?
The claims of that anonymous outspoken “insider” seemed like a well-fitting piece of the puzzle.
Shortly after the world ushered in 2023, talk of a potential Apple takeover of Disney was silenced by the events of the time, namely a Disney Company earnings call on February 8 that took even Wall Street’s finest by surprise.
In his first earnings call since his return, Iger took charge of the Wednesday afternoon meeting alongside then-CFO Christine McCarthy. Following Iger’s run-through of Disney’s financials, including information about revenue categorized by divisions at the company, the extent of Disney’s dire straits became glaringly more obvious.
Iger announced a complete overhaul and restructuring at Disney, effective immediately, before delving into the specifics of a cost-cutting initiative, also effective immediately, aimed at trimming $5.5 billion in expenditures at the company. The plan included the layoffs of 7,000 employees, and according to upper management, no one knew who would be let go, and no one was safe.
Only weeks later, Disney’s up-tops were told to compile a list of their “useless” and “replaceable” employees in preparation for the layoffs. Then, in three lashes of layoffs, one that was referred to as a bloodbath, The Walt Disney Company purged itself of those worthless employees once and for all.
Never did the company seem so ripe for a buyout, and news about Apple’s interest in Disney slowly began to infiltrate the headlines yet again.
In June 2023, Apple and Disney announced an upcoming partnership. It’s the first time a representative from either company had spoken publicly about such a proposition. But the announcement had nothing to do with an Apple buyout of Disney. Instead, Disney had something that Apple needed.
Apple introduced its first virtual reality (VR) project, called Apple Vision Pro, which the company describes as a “spatial computer that transforms how people work, collaborate, connect, relive memories, and enjoy entertainment.”
Disney would be instrumental to the way people “enjoy entertainment,” per a partnership that would see Disney’s best content available on Apple’s newest $3500 gadget. According to announcements from both companies, Disney+ would be available on the new VR headset from Apple.
For some, the announcement served to peacefully quell the “wonder-ifs” about Apple taking over Disney. But for others, the Apple Vision Pro announcement only bolstered speculation about a takeover, even giving credence to it.
In a press release on Monday, Apple announced the rollout of its Apple Vision Pro VR headset, setting the availability date as February 2, 2024. Pre-orders will begin on January 19, 2024.
Per the announcement from Apple:
Apple today announced Apple Vision Pro will be available beginning Friday, February 2, at all U.S. Apple Store locations and the U.S. Apple Store online.
Vision Pro is a revolutionary spatial computer that transforms how people work, collaborate, connect, relive memories, and enjoy entertainment. Vision Pro seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world and unlocks powerful spatial experiences in visionOS, controlled by the most natural and intuitive inputs possible — a user’s eyes, hands, and voice.
An all-new App Store provides users with access to more than 1 million compatible apps across iOS and iPadOS, as well as new experiences that take advantage of the unique capabilities of Vision Pro. Pre-orders for Apple Vision Pro begin Friday, January 19, at 5:00 a.m. PST.
“The era of spatial computing has arrived,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said. “Apple Vision Pro is the most advanced consumer electronics device ever created. Its revolutionary and magicaluser interface will redefine how we connect, create, and explore.”
Ah ha! There’s the Disney keyword: magical. Could it be that this Disney-Apple partnership is only the first leg of the journey toward a full acquisition of The Walt Disney Company by Apple? After all, Apple owns the Vision Pro, and Disney’s content will stream on an Apple-owned device, thanks to the new partnership, not the other way around.
For the answer to that question, fans and Wall Street analysts alike will simply have to wait and watch. Things that transpire after February 2, 2024, may tell more of the story, assuming there’s one to tell in the first place.
