Disneyland Strike Authorization: Has This Happened Before?

Good Monday morning, folks!

With Disneyland Resort authorized to go into strike via the largest cast member unions, I thought I had an interesting bit of info you might enjoy. This morning, let's take a look at times when Disneyland was either closed or interrupted by similar situations. For the purposes of this mini-history, natural disasters, diseases and voluntary closures are being removed. What remains are times that Disneyland has either closed (or been heavily disrupted) via unions, cast members, SoCal sociopolitical environments or other similar events. Just so you can see how rare this is... take a look at the list:

Yippie Invasion (1970): On August 6, 1970, Disneyland faced an unexpected closure due to an invasion by the Yippies (Youth International Party). The group staged a protest inside the park, leading to clashes with security and police. The situation escalated, resulting in the early closure of the park that day to ensure the safety of guests and cast members. Often unmentioned is that some number of cast members were sympathetic and may have been integral in allowing the invasion and protests to occur.

1984 Strike: One notable closure due to labor disputes happened in 1984 when Disneyland faced a major strike by its unionized workers. Cast members, including ride operators, performers, and maintenance staff, walked out in protest of working conditions and wages. The strike led to a partial closure of the park for several days. Negotiations between Disney management and the unions eventually led to a resolution, but the event highlighted the importance of labor relations in the operation of the park.

2003 Hotel Workers' Strike: In 2003, Disneyland Resort faced disruptions due to a strike by hotel workers at the Disneyland Hotel. The workers, represented by the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union (HERE), demanded better wages and working conditions. While the theme parks themselves remained open, the strike affected hotel operations and drew significant media attention to labor issues within the resort.

Black Lives Matter Protests (2020): The Black Lives Matter protests following the killing of George Floyd in 2020 did not lead to a full closure of Disneyland Resort -- it was already shuttered for COVID -- but it did result in increased security measures and temporary adjustments to operations. The protests underscored the broader social movements impacting businesses across the country, including major tourist destinations like Disneyland. At the time, Disneyland was mostly closed... yet quietly the few cast members stationed at the theme park were often allowed to participate in protests rather than be at the resort.

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In other words, this isn't common. If Disneyland is closed for the second-time in five years, it speaks to a volatility in our society that wasn't often seen in the past. After all, it was about thirty years before a foreseeable closure ever occurred at Disneyland from the time it was opened. But that's the world we live in today.

Your pal,
Pro