The Disney Imagineering layoffs now have an official number, with 159 employees at Walt Disney Imagineering’s headquarters in Glendale, California, set to lose their jobs. The layoffs are permanent and take effect December 29, about two months after Disney notified the state.
What the Filing Shows
Disney filed a WARN notice with California’s Employment Development Department on October 27. The notice lists the layoffs under its Walt Disney Parks & Resorts US company at 1401 Flower Street, Imagineering’s headquarters. California law requires large employers to give 60 days’ notice before mass layoffs. As we previously reported, Disney began laying off between 100 and 200 employees in its theme park division this week. That range came from the Los Angeles Times, and this filing provides the first official count.
The notice does not list job titles or projects, so the Imagineering connection comes from the address and earlier reports. It also covers only the Glendale site, meaning the total number of layoffs across Disney Experiences could differ. As of Friday morning, Disney had not filed any WARN notices in Florida.
Why Imagineering
The Times’ source tied the cuts to a regular review of the division’s priorities, investments and project timelines. Imagineering works on a project basis, so its teams often grow and shrink as projects move along Disney’s schedule. Disney declined to comment on the layoffs.
What It Means for New Projects
Nothing in the filing points to changes for Disney’s announced projects. CEO Josh D’Amaro toured Monstropolis, Tropical Americas and Lakeshore Lodge with Imagineers earlier this month. Disney plans to open all three at least partly in 2027. The company will report its full-year earnings on November 17.
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