Since the coronavirus pandemic forced thousands of Disney Cast Members to be furloughed, it was expected that they would return to work within 6 months of April. Unfortunately, Disney recently scaled back its park hours because attendance just wasn’t bouncing back as anticipated.  Additionally, the virus concerns still linger with no immediate resolution in sight. Now comes word that Cast Members have been notified of furlough extensions at Disney World through November.

Disney sends Cast Members an email about extending the furlough

News is spreading that Cast Members are receiving emails from Disney informing them of the extensions. The furloughs may extend into November but will vary based on seniority and position.

This isn’t really new information as it is just a reiteration of the ongoing furloughs. While most Cast Members had been expecting to return sooner, Disney is more or less confirming that the furlough period is going to last longer than everyone thought it would.

The email states that these “difficult and uncertain times” have resulted in “business circumstances that [Disney] could not have anticipated” and will most likely extend the furloughs past the 6-month prediction.

Disney goes on to state that they “hope that our businesses will be back up and running and that your furlough will remain temporary.”

The good news is that furloughing employees – rather than layoffs – is the lesser of the two evils. For now, Disney expects to get these employees back to work (hopefully sooner rather than later). But using the term “hope” does leave some Cast Members concerned. But we think that life will resume some sense of normalcy once a vaccine is available. Let’s hope!

Disney Theme Parks New Operating Hours

For now, the effects of COVID-19 on Disney theme parks has been taking its toll. The park has recently announced scaled back hours of operation starting Sept 8th:

  • Magic Kingdom will now open at 9 a.m. and close at 6 p.m
  • Epcot will open at 11 a.m. and close 7 p.m
  • Hollywood Studios is 10 a.m. and closing at 7 p.m.
  • Animal Kingdom is closing at 5 p.m.

Disney World has announced that is will cancel its annual Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom. No word yet on whether the annual Disney World Christmas celebration will go on as scheduled.

Looking Ahead

There is some positive news to report for Disneyland.  California’s COVID-19 watchlist has recently removed Orange County, which could potentially clear the way for Disneyland to reopen soon. For now, all Disneyland reservations through September 12th have been canceled, and they’re still in limbo until the state grants them approval to reopen. Keep an eye on our Disneyland Crowd Calendar for updates.

As Florida’s coronavirus cases recede, thousands of Disney World Cast Members remain furloughed and the operating hours of its theme parks are scaling back for September. Let’s hope this is just a temporary setback and 2021 will be full steam ahead! Keep an eye on our Disney World Crowd Calendar for updates.

Keep checking in with us at MagicGuides.com as we track the latest news from Disney World and beyond.

Thank you for reading our Disney Cast Members Receive Indefinite Furlough Notice blog post. We hope that you and your loved ones remain safe!

Need help planning and booking your Disney World or Universal Orlando vacation? Look no further than The Vacationeer. This Disney travel agency will get you the best rates and make sure every aspect of your trip is as magical as possible.

For more information about Universal, see our Universal Orlando Map, Best Universal Orlando RidesUniversal vs Disney WorldDisney World Map, Magic Kingdom Rides, and Epcot Rides pages.