In a recent class-action lawsuit, Disney Vice President of Product Design Maria De La Cruz and Creative Director George Fong allege that Disney relocated California employees to Florida in 2021 under the premise of constructing a new Florida campus called “Lake Nona.” However, the project was later canceled, leaving 2,000 Disney employees impacted.
According to the complaint, the affected employees were informed that failure to relocate would result in job loss. Many, including De La Cruz and Fong, sold their California homes and purchased new properties in Florida. Fong said he found the decision painful as the home he sold was his “family home he had grown up in and inherited.”
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Employees were initially told that the Lake Nona project would be delayed until 2026. Later, in May 2023, they were later informed that the project was canceled entirely. Disney told employees they would have to decide by the end of the year to physically relocate again, this time back to California.
Plaintiffs cite dropping housing costs in Orlando, Florida, and soaring home prices and mortgage rates in the California area. The complaint said Fong was only able to afford a smaller home than he previously had in California.
Straight Arrow News reached out to Disney for comment and awaits its response.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
DISNEY EMPLOYEES ARE SUING THE HOUSE OF MOUSE AFTER THEY PACKED UP AND MOVED FROM CALIFORNIA TO FLORIDA — AT THE REQUEST OF THE COMPANY. ONLY TO LATER BE TOLD THE REASON THEY MOVED HAD BEEN CANCELED.
IN A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT FILED THIS WEEK DISNEY VICE PRESIDENT OF PRODUCT DESIGN MARIA DE LA CRUZ AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR GEORGE FONG ALLEGE – DISNEY RELOCATED CALIFORNIA EMPLOYEES TO FLORIDA IN 2021 – WHERE THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY SAID IT WAS CONSTRUCTING A NEW FLORIDA CAMPUS CALLED “LAKE NONA.”
ACCORDING TO THE COMPLAINT – DISNEY MADE IT CLEAR THAT IF THE AFFECTED EMPLOYEES DID NOT RELOCATE, THEY WOULD LOSE THEIR JOBS.
AND THEN THE LAKE NONA PROJECT WAS CANCELED.
IN TOTAL, 2,000 DISNEY EMPLOYEES WERE IMPACTED.
DE LA CRUZ AND FONG BOTH SOLD THEIR CALIFORNIA HOMES – AND PURCHASED NEW PROPERTIES IN FLORIDA.
FONG SAYS THE DECISION WAS PARTICULARLY PAINFUL FOR HIM AS THE HOME HE SOLD WAS HIS “FAMILY HOME HE HAD GROWN UP IN AND INHERITED.”
THE SUIT CLAIMS DISNEY EMPLOYEES WERE TOLD IN JUNE 2022 THE LAKE NONA PROJECT WOULD BE DELAYED UNTIL 2026.
THEN IN MAY 2023 EMPLOYEES WERE TOLD DISNEY CANCELED THE LAKE NONA PROJECT, ALTOGETHER – AND THAT EMPLOYEES WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE BY THE END OF THE YEAR IF THEY WOULD PHYSICALLY RELOCATE AGAIN, THIS TIME – BACK TO CALIFORNIA.
THE PLAINTIFFS CITE HOUSING COSTS DROPPING IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA AFTER DISNEY CANCELED THE PROJECT – AND THE SOARING HOME PRICES AND MORTGAGE RATES IN THE CALIFORNIA AREA.
THE COMPLAINT SAYS FONG WAS ONLY ABLE TO AFFORD A SMALLER HOME THAN HE PREVIOUSLY HAD IN CALIFORNIA.
WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO DISNEY FOR COMMENT AND ARE WAITING TO HEAR BACK.
I’M LT.
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