The Walt Disney Company is bracing for significant workforce reductions as it aims to achieve up to 20% in annual cost savings across its operations. This initiative follows a recent round of layoffs targeting between 100 and 200 employees in the Experiences division, including at Walt Disney Imagineering in Glendale, California. The exact scale of upcoming job cuts remains uncertain and will ripple through various business units, including television networks and the motion picture studio. Disney has not provided an official comment on the forthcoming reductions.

Since Josh D’Amaro became CEO in March 2026, he has pursued a strategic restructuring that includes multiple rounds of layoffs. This has involved about 1,000 job cuts in April, additional layoffs in Pixar and National Geographic in July, and voluntary early retirement options introduced in August. Further reductions took place in September affecting human resources and technology staff. Disney’s Chief People Officer Sonia Coleman has indicated that involuntary layoffs have started and will continue into the next year, underscoring the challenging nature of the company’s transformation under D’Amaro’s leadership.

The cost-cutting effort is not isolated to divisions experiencing revenue declines; for example, Disney’s Experiences segment, which covers its parks, resorts, and cruise lines, generated nearly $10 billion in revenue in the latest quarter with a 20% increase in operating income. Despite robust financial performance, Disney is focusing on operational efficiency to fund new growth opportunities such as next-generation content, guest experiences, and technological advancements. The company reported about 231,000 employees globally at the end of fiscal 2025, highlighting the broad scope of these workforce adjustments.

Disney's restructuring mirrors wider trends in Hollywood, where traditional TV viewership declines and streaming growth slows as audiences shift toward social media and digital platforms. D’Amaro has emphasized that improving operational efficiency is essential to unlock capital for future investments and achieve double-digit growth in earnings per share this fiscal year. As Disney navigates these industry changes, cost-cutting and workforce realignment continue to be central pillars in its strategy to remain competitive and innovative.