Disneyland Resort employees who play costumed characters such as Mickey Mouse and Cinderella have voted to form a union under the Actors Equity Association.
The 1,700-member force voted 953 in favor of unionizing and 258 against. Actor’s Equity made the announcement Saturday night. Of the votes counted, 79% were in favor of the union.
The results, overseen by the National Labor Relations Board, came after a three-day election period in which employees, known in Disney parlance as “cast members,” cast their votes at three polling locations at Disneyland. Employees announced their intention to form a union in February.
Representatives for Walt Disney Co. did not respond to requests for comment.
“This is an incredible victory and we thank you for all your support over the past few weeks. We are excited for the next stage,” said Actors Equity Assn. President Kate Shindle said in a statement. “These Cast Members support the union and Disney, and are willing to work in good faith to improve both the work experience and the guest experience, and to meet with their employers across the bargaining table. looking forward to it.”
Employees regularly wear full-body costumes of famous Disney animated characters. Also, so-called look-alike characters, such as Disney princesses, whose faces are exposed during the performance, are also drawn. These employees work at meet-and-greets in the parks, perform in parades, and work as part of the dining experience at Disneyland Resort hotels.
Organizers said before the election that creating a healthier and safer working environment for these workers, who often endure injury and discomfort due to the physical nature of their work, is a top priority.
Employees can accidentally injure themselves during interactions with guests, such as when a child gets excited and jumps on a costumed character or intentionally injures them. A recent social media trend is for guests to try to distract employees by wearing full-body costumes, twisting their heads and moving wildly.
Employees in the character and parade departments at Disneyland Resort are now unionized, as are employees at Walt Disney World in Florida. Most of the remaining employees at the Disneyland Resort, including janitors, ride operators, and merchandise sales staff, are already unionized.
The organizing effort comes as Walt Disney Co. plans to invest $60 billion over 10 years in its “experiential” sector, which includes theme parks, resorts, cruise lines and merchandise. This division turned out to be a cash cow for the company. Last year it brought in about 70% of Disney’s operating profit.
At Disneyland Resort, the investment marks what company CEO Bob Iger called the largest park expansion since the addition of Disney California Adventure, which opened in 2001. The plan, known as Disneyland Forward, would result in an investment of at least $1.9 billion. The development is likely to include new attractions alongside restaurants, retail and hotel space.
The plan calls for changes to the park’s zoning, giving the company more freedom in combining attractions, theme parks, shopping, dining and parking. The plans do not specify which attractions will be added to the resort, but company officials have floated ideas such as immersive Avatar, Frozen and Tron experiences.
Times staff writers Christy Karas and Ryan Funder contributed to this report.
