Agents are reporting an increase in concern from customers over strikes by cast members at Disneyland Paris amid complaints from Brits who say their holidays have been ruined.
Workers have been calling for better pay and conditions for several months and have held a series of protests at the park in recent weeks.
On 10 May, about 200 employees staged a demonstration. Two weeks later, the number of participants had grown to 500, with employees from hotels, maintenance, and security also joining.
Le Monde reports 1,000 took part in demonstrations on Saturday, while workers also downed tools on Tuesday, France’s national day of action.
On Wednesday, protesters took over Main Street USA, chanting, blowing whistles and waving flags, with some holding banners with slogans such as: ‘The magic doesn’t exist without us’.
Video footage posted on Twitter on Wednesday showed crowds booing when a fireworks show was delayed, then cancelled at the last minute.
MailOnline claims children were left in tears at the cancellation of the fireworks display, at the Sleeping Beauty Castle, as well as the cancellation of the flagship ‘Stars On Parade’.
Sophie Cattermole, 34, from Kent, told MailOnline: “We are livid. Our children are not getting the full experience we expected and paid a lot of money for. We saved up for this holiday for months, we were really looking forward to it, but now it’s been ruined.”
She said the 11pm fireworks display was cancelled five minutes before it was due to start.
“Everyone got really angry because parents had kept their children up late to watch the show and then it was cancelled right at the last minute.
“Disneyland then had to close City Hall, their guest relations, because too many people were trying to get in to complain.
“And then we were woken up at 2am by the sound of cheering and shouting by the protesters who were marching around outside our hotel.”
The blog DLP Report says there are no plans for strike action today (Thursday) and cast members have also reportedly agreed not to strike over the weekend or on Monday so as not to disrupt a planned Make-a-Wish event.
However, there are concerns the protests are likely to escalate amid reports Disneyland Paris President Natacha Rafalski said negotiations could not start until August and that the resort’s profits were not yet big or sustained enough to promise pay rises.
Hays Travel Personal Travel Consultant Julie Chapman said the ongoing protests ‘have been a great concern to people who are about to go out’.
A South Yorkshire homeworker said: “I’m concerned that customers who have paid thousands for a three-day trip may not have a leg to stand on in regard to amendments as Disneyland Paris says everything is open and its terms and conditions state that all rides, processions and displays are subject to availability.”
Disneyland Paris has not responded to requests for a comment from Travel Gossip however, a Disneyland spokeswoman told MailOnline: “Due to a planned strike at Disneyland Paris by part of our staff, certain shows or activities have been disrupted or cancelled.
“Most of our experiences including attractions were available to our guests.
“Disneyland Paris took pro-active measures with guests planning to arrive at the resort on impacted days to inform them of the upcoming situation.
“We are also offering flexible commercial conditions.
“We apologise for the inconvenience and thank our guests for their understanding.”
The post Kids in tears as Disneyland Paris strikes force show cancellations appeared first on Travel Gossip.
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Workers have been calling for better pay and conditions for several months and have held a series of protests at the park in recent weeks.
On 10 May, about 200 employees staged a demonstration. Two weeks later, the number of participants had grown to 500, with employees from hotels, maintenance, and security also joining.
Le Monde reports 1,000 took part in demonstrations on Saturday, while workers also downed tools on Tuesday, France’s national day of action.
On Wednesday, protesters took over Main Street USA, chanting, blowing whistles and waving flags, with some holding banners with slogans such as: ‘The magic doesn’t exist without us’.
Video footage posted on Twitter on Wednesday showed crowds booing when a fireworks show was delayed, then cancelled at the last minute.
MailOnline claims children were left in tears at the cancellation of the fireworks display, at the Sleeping Beauty Castle, as well as the cancellation of the flagship ‘Stars On Parade’.
Sophie Cattermole, 34, from Kent, told MailOnline: “We are livid. Our children are not getting the full experience we expected and paid a lot of money for. We saved up for this holiday for months, we were really looking forward to it, but now it’s been ruined.”
She said the 11pm fireworks display was cancelled five minutes before it was due to start.
“Everyone got really angry because parents had kept their children up late to watch the show and then it was cancelled right at the last minute.
“Disneyland then had to close City Hall, their guest relations, because too many people were trying to get in to complain.
“And then we were woken up at 2am by the sound of cheering and shouting by the protesters who were marching around outside our hotel.”
The blog DLP Report says there are no plans for strike action today (Thursday) and cast members have also reportedly agreed not to strike over the weekend or on Monday so as not to disrupt a planned Make-a-Wish event.
However, there are concerns the protests are likely to escalate amid reports Disneyland Paris President Natacha Rafalski said negotiations could not start until August and that the resort’s profits were not yet big or sustained enough to promise pay rises.
Hays Travel Personal Travel Consultant Julie Chapman said the ongoing protests ‘have been a great concern to people who are about to go out’.
A South Yorkshire homeworker said: “I’m concerned that customers who have paid thousands for a three-day trip may not have a leg to stand on in regard to amendments as Disneyland Paris says everything is open and its terms and conditions state that all rides, processions and displays are subject to availability.”
Disneyland Paris has not responded to requests for a comment from Travel Gossip however, a Disneyland spokeswoman told MailOnline: “Due to a planned strike at Disneyland Paris by part of our staff, certain shows or activities have been disrupted or cancelled.
“Most of our experiences including attractions were available to our guests.
“Disneyland Paris took pro-active measures with guests planning to arrive at the resort on impacted days to inform them of the upcoming situation.
“We are also offering flexible commercial conditions.
“We apologise for the inconvenience and thank our guests for their understanding.”
The post Kids in tears as Disneyland Paris strikes force show cancellations appeared first on Travel Gossip.
Continue reading...
