With new additions such as the renovation of Disney California Adventure, the creation of Shanghai Disneyland, and the Fantasyland expansion in Walt Disney World, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is currently experiencing the largest expansion period in its history. While this expansion has obvious benefits in terms of its effect on guests, another important benefit is the new jobs that these expansions will bring.
Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Tom Staggs delivered a speech Thursday evening to the Orange County Business Council in Irvine, CA, in which he announced that the company plans to add 10,000 jobs worldwide in 2012, including 7,000 jobs in the United States. The major expansion of Disney California Adventure, which includes the addition of the much-anticipated Cars Land, will create 2,300 permanent jobs alone, primarily in customer service positions. Another 700 jobs will be created throughout the Disneyland Resort.
During Disney California Adventure’s extensive construction period, which is currently still underway, roughly 1,700 construction jobs were needed each year, making the park’s refurbishment a significant contributor to the local economy.
Staggs also spoke briefly about the parks’ “Next Generation Experience,” which seeks to further customize visitors’ experiences in the parks. This includes the ability to book attraction times before even leaving for vacation, just as one would with dining reservations. The project, which was announced last year, has yet to receive a launch date, but Staggs says that it will launch at the Walt Disney World Resort before spreading to other parks around the world.
