A California WARN notice shows Disney is permanently laying off 159 employees at its Glendale Imagineering campus, effective Dec. 29. It’s the first official count from this week’s parks cuts.
There’s now an official number for this week’s Disney Imagineering layoffs.
Disney is permanently laying off 159 employees at the Walt Disney Imagineering campus in Glendale, California, according to a state filing reported by WDW News Today and BlogMickey on Friday, Oct. 30.
The layoffs take effect Tuesday, Dec. 29.
What is a WARN notice?
A required heads-up. California’s WARN Act makes larger employers give workers and the state 60 days’ notice before mass layoffs, WDWNT reported. The notices are posted publicly.
Disney filed this notice on Tuesday, Oct. 27, under its Walt Disney Parks & Resorts US company, BlogMickey reported.
Where are the Disney Imagineering layoffs?
At 1401 Flower Street in Glendale, the address of Imagineering’s headquarters, according to BlogMickey. The filing doesn’t list job titles or projects, so the Imagineering connection is based on the address and earlier reports.
The layoffs are listed as permanent.
Are Imagineers in Florida being laid off too?
There’s no official word yet. As of Friday morning, Disney hadn’t filed any WARN notices in Florida, BlogMickey reported.
Earlier reports said the cuts weren’t limited to Imagineering or Glendale, so the total across Disney’s parks division could be higher than 159.
How many Disney parks employees are being laid off?
Between 100 and 200 across Disney Experiences, which runs the theme parks, Disney Cruise Line and Aulani, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday. The Times cited a person familiar with the matter. Disney declined to comment.
The 159 figure is the first official count tied to that round.
Why is Disney laying off Imagineers?
One source said the cuts came from a regular review of the division’s priorities, investments, and project timelines.
Some projects have been pushed back in the short term, BlogMickey reported. Imagineering teams often grow and shrink as projects hit different stages, so the cuts don’t necessarily mean projects were canceled, the site said.
This does coincide with Disney hiring Character.ai workers, but it could be unrelated.
Will the layoffs affect new Disney park projects?
BlogMickey expects announced projects to stay on track. That includes Monstropolis and Tropical Americas, which are set to open in 2027, plus Piston Peak National Park, the Villains Land expansion at Magic Kingdom and new cruise ships.
Some rumors indicate that Villains Land and Abu Dhabi Disney could be cut. Again, they are only rumors, so don’t panic yet.
Disney hasn’t said which projects were affected. BlogMickey said the impacted work is mostly unannounced.
What does Walt Disney Imagineering do?
It designs and builds Disney’s theme parks, resorts, attractions and cruise ships around the world. Imagineers include artists, engineers, writers and show designers, and the Glendale campus has been the team’s main home for decades.
Walt Disney founded the group in 1952 as WED Enterprises to design Disneyland, which opened in 1955.
Has Disney had other layoffs in 2026?
Yes. More than 1,000 employees were laid off in April after Josh D’Amaro took over as CEO from Bob Iger, WDWNT reported. Hundreds more were cut at Pixar, ESPN and National Geographic in July, and tech and HR teams were hit in September.
The company also offered early retirement packages to some older workers this month, according to the Times.
How big is Disney’s workforce?
About 231,000 employees at the end of fiscal 2025, including about 172,000 in the U.S., WDWNT reported.
When will Disney share more?
Possibly at its next earnings report on Tuesday, Nov. 17, when Disney will share its full fiscal 2026 results, according to BlogMickey.
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
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WDW News Today, Shannen Ace (Oct. 30, 2026), the WARN notice, numbers, dates, earlier layoffs and workforce figures
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BlogMickey (Oct. 29-30, 2026), the filing address, permanent status, Florida check, project outlook and earnings date
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Los Angeles Times (Oct. 28, 2026), the 100-to-200 estimate, the stated reason and early retirement offers
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