One of the most magical parts of the Disney Parks are the wonderful Cast Members who make each trip magical. And, the performers who bring shows and entertainment to life touch our hearts in so many ways.

As Disney continues to move forward with its 28,000 layoffs of Cast Members, 720 of the 780 equity performers in the parks have been let go from their positions in Disney World. While entertainment like the Citizens of Hollywood, Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage, Festival of the Lion King, and Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor have seen some major setbacks, the parks are still working to bring back different performances in the parks moving forward.

In an official statement released from the parks, Disney World has detailed the difficult decisions regarding the entertainment industry during this time:

“Walt Disney World Resort offers a treasure trove of experiences for guests of all ages. We recognize that part of the magic of visiting any Disney park is seeing favorite Disney friends and discovering one-of-a-kind shows and performances. Since reopening, we’ve continued to offer modified character experiences and entertainment throughout our resort, while also taking the appropriate steps for the health and safety of our guests and cast members.”

“Recently, we’ve had to make some difficult decisions to reduce our workforce as the business impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic have become more long-lasting than anyone could have predicted. As a result, we’ve had to pause many live shows and entertainment experiences at our resort for longer than originally anticipated.”

“While it’s impossible at this time to fully replace the incredible entertainment that existed throughout our parks before the pandemic, we are offering live entertainment in new ways wherever possible, including character cavalcades in all four parks and pop-up appearances, like discovering Joy from “Inside Out” frolicking on the lawn near the Imagination! pavilion in EPCOT.”

“Additionally, we’re featuring modified shows such as the popular “For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and live musical performances like the Main Street Philharmonic in Magic Kingdom or the Discovery Island Drummers at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.”

“This extends to our seasonal offerings, with Halloween underway and the holidays right around the corner. In fact, the fan-favorite Voices of Liberty are set to make their return and join the JAMMitors and Mariachi Cobre at the American Gardens Theatre during the upcoming Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, beginning on Nov. 27.”

“Determining which shows can return and when is a complex process. As with the rest of our phased reopening, we will also consider the guidance of health officials and government agencies in determining when the time will be right to adjust capacity, and as soon as it is appropriate, we will start to bring additional entertainment back.”

“Like most of our fans, we know that our beloved entertainment cast are an incredibly special and essential part of the Disney experience. We look forward to the day when we can welcome back more live entertainment to our parks, and we will share more news about these announcements as we’re able to do so.”

As Disney World continues to release more details about entertainment returning to the parks, we’ll keep you updated with everything you need to know.

Here’s a sneak peek of the holiday projections being test on Cinderella Castle!

What have been some of your favorite memories from Disney shows? Let us know in the comments below!

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