The Walt Disney Company employs over 200,000 people around the world. The company is preparing for lay offs after recent executive reshuffling within the company. This is part of a broader efficiency effort to centralize parts of the company around “one Disney”.
We explain how these changes may affect specific departments of Disney’s corporate business affairs, particularly in light of newly minted CEO Josh D’Amaro’s ascension. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including trivia from a Disneyland episode of Jeopardy! and a Lightning Lane update at Magic Kingdom.
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Disney Laying Off ~1,000 Cast Members
In January 2026, Disney promoted executive Asad Ayaz, second from right in the photo above, from Chief Brand Officer to the newly created position of Chief Brand and Marketing Officer.
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Ayaz has been with Disney for over two decades and now leads marketing efforts for Disney Entertainment, Disney Experiences, and ESPN, effectively placing him in charge of all promotion for Disney’s tentpoles. Film, television, theme parks, consumer products, and sports all fall within the domain of those three sectors.
As a result of this shift in the org chart, some of Disney’s marketing teams will be consolidated. Disney plans to lay off up to 1,000 cast members as it removes seemingly redundant positions. The layoffs are part of a broader efficiency effort referred to as codeword “Project Imagine”, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. They were the first to report on these layoffs.
New Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro has identified his three priorities for the company and one of them was to establish themselves as “one Disney”. Here’s what he said to employees in a letter. This feels connected to this integration and resulting layoffs.
Third, we will operate as One Disney. Our greatest advantage is not any one business, but how our global businesses come together. When our teams are aligned and working in a connected way, we can build on our strengths, reach people wherever they are, and deepen their relationship with Disney.
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In terms of theme parks, this could mean guests at Disneyland or Walt Disney World may begin to see more closely integrated activations for new movies, streaming series, or sports events.
The Hoppers-focused activities that debuted at Disney California Adventure on the same day the Pixar movie was released in theaters come to mind as examples of the types of initiatives that may become more frequent with marketing being more streamlined across multiple Disney disciplines.
As another example, Disney is already planning a cross-promotional campaign for the 2027 Super Bowl.
First Round of Layoffs Under New Disney CEO
Josh D’Amaro became the new CEO of The Walt Disney Company on March 18, 2026, replacing Bob Iger. D’Amaro was formerly Chairman of Disney Experiences, in charge of Disney’s theme parks and consumer products.
The laying off of 1,000 cast members in marketing roles is the first large-scale consolidation under D’Amaro’s tenure. Given the timeline of Asad Ayaz’s aforementioned new Chief Brand and Marketing Officer role being instated before D’Amaro became CEO, D’Amaro’s direct involvement in the layoffs is unclear.
Iger remains with Disney as Senior Advisor through the end of 2026. The company recently announced Iger will be inducted as a Disney Legend at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event this August, alongside fellow luminaries Anne Hathaway, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and others.
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