The total number of Disney layoffs has fluctuated significantly due to various restructuring phases under CEO Bob Iger's "cost-cutting" initiatives. In 2023 alone, Disney announced the elimination of approximately 7,000 positions globally to achieve billions in savings. Subsequent smaller waves of layoffs occurred throughout 2024 and 2025, affecting divisions such as Pixar, National Geographic, and various television networks. While the 2020 pandemic saw a massive 28,000 workers laid off from the Parks division, the more recent "restructuring" layoffs are estimated to have impacted over 8,000 corporate and creative roles. Interestingly, despite these cuts, the company's total headcount often stabilizes through hiring in growth areas like streaming and technology, making the "net" loss complex to calculate precisely.
Since the major restructuring began in early 2023, The Walt Disney Company has laid off roughly 8,000 to 10,000 employees across various divisions. The most significant wave occurred in 2023, when CEO Bob Iger announced a target of 7,000 cuts to achieve billions in cost savings; however, reports later indicated the final number for that year was closer to 8,000. The reductions continued through 2024 and 2025, with specific hits to Pixar (175 jobs), National Geographic (140 jobs), and several hundred roles across Disney Entertainment and ABC. In October 2025, Disneyland Resort announced an additional 100 layoffs among salaried cast members as part of an effort to "recalibrate" operations. While these thousands of roles were eliminated to streamline the business for the streaming era and manage economic "headwinds," Disney's total headcount has fluctuated due to simultaneous hiring in high-growth areas like international parks and cruise line expansions.