As temperatures soar in Central Florida, Disney World workers are feeling the heat—literally. Over the weekend, two performers in the popular “Beauty and the Beast” show at Hollywood Studios fainted due to extreme heat, according to the Teamsters Local 385. One of the affected performers, who donned the elaborate Beast costume, is represented by the Teamsters. The other is part of Actors Equity.
Denys Ortega, a business agent for Teamsters Local 385, revealed that the issues stemmed from a broken air conditioning system in a room where performers prepare before hitting the outdoor stage. “Now that two people passed out, it was fixed,” Ortega said, but only after significant delays. The fainting actor eventually left his shift early but was unpaid for the remaining hours, spotlighting concerns over Disney’s lagging response to worker safety.
Currently, over 40,000 Disney employees are protected under union contracts, which guarantee safety measures such as the right to refuse dangerous work and access to hydration and electrolytes. However, Teamsters Local 385 President Walt Howard insists Disney often only adheres to these measures under pressure, citing the lack of responsiveness to character performers’ safety.
A Disney princess performer, who asked to remain anonymous, mirrored these frustrations, calling out the “inhumane” conditions. She recounted how staff are often made to continue their duties despite coworkers struggling with heat-related illnesses. “They’re telling us to get on set while someone’s fainting,” she shared, expressing her desire for Disney to treat performers like humans rather than mere attractions.
Interestingly, workers in similar conditions elsewhere have begun to see some change. For example, in Seattle, unionized workers at a sandwich shop chain won a contract clause for “heat pay,” incentivizing employers to improve heat mitigation systems. While Orlando’s unions haven’t yet secured such measures, Jeremy Haicken of Unite Here Local 737 acknowledged it as a potentially impactful strategy.
What do you think Disney should do to better protect its workers from the heat? Share your thoughts in the comments and let’s get the conversation going!
Source: McKenna Schueler
