Disney Park Workers Protest In Front of Castle - Inside the Magic

For most people, Disney Parks are the centre of all things magic, a place to escape the outside world.

But today, Disneyland Paris became the site of something less magical – a protest from Cast Members.

We recently reported on a hotel worker strike at Disney’s Newport Bay Club hotel at Disneyland Paris. Social media was rife with Disneyland Paris Guests sharing details about the problems families were facing as the housekeeping staff — who work as independent contractors for The Walt Disney Company — protested their working conditions.

“Kids were sleeping on the floor“, and Guests were reportedly left for hours without a room to check into at the Disneyland Paris hotel.

It appears this union strike is still ongoing and has presented itself actually inside the Disney Parks themselves. DLP Report shared photos on Twitter of a group of union Cast Members in red shirts standing both outside the famous castle icon and in Central Plaza:

CGT union Cast Members are also assembling in the Resort Hub in addition to the demonstration in Central Plaza which is still ongoing. They are protesting working conditions and understaffing. Entertainment timings may be modified.

CGT union Cast Members are also assembling in the Resort Hub in addition to the demonstration in Central Plaza which is still ongoing. They are protesting working conditions and understaffing.
Entertainment timings may be modified. pic.twitter.com/ZHJmxPic28

— DLP Report (@DLPReport) October 27, 2021

According to DLP Report, the CGT union workers are protesting working conditions and understaffing. The stage set-up for the upcoming Halloween Party on October 31 can be seen in the background of the hub:

One party that already started is a protest by union CGT right in the middle of Central Plaza:

One party that already started is a protest by union CGT right in the middle of Central Plaza: pic.twitter.com/EOowSRI4bP

— DLP Report (@DLPReport) October 27, 2021

Disneyland Paris Cast Members have been faced with lots of uncertainty, layoffs and closures during the pandemic and since the phased reopening.

Disneyland Paris — home to Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park — originally reopened its theme parks on July 15, 2020 following its first closure due to COVID-19. However, theme park officials then made the decision to close for a second time in October 2020 due to French government regulations.

Disneyland Paris officially reopened Disneyland Park, Walt Disney Studios Park, Disney’s Newport Bay Club Hotel, and Disney Village on June 17, 2021.

At this time, neither Disneyland Paris nor Walt Disney Company officials have spoken out regarding the protest, but it is clear that it is impacting Guests’ visits to Disney’s only European theme park property.

What do you think about the Disneyland Paris protest? 

Let the expert team at Academy Travel help you plan your next magical vacation to any of Disney’s destinations around the world, including Walt Disney World Resort’s four theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios — and the Disney Springs shopping and dining district!