Gabrielle Russon
Changes are coming for one of Central Florida’s entertainment destinations.
With the holidays over, Legoland Florida is offering notice on an impending layoff of 234 employees primarily from its entertainment department.
The mass layoffs are permanent and scheduled to begin March 25 through April 7 at the popular children’s theme park in Polk County’s Winter Haven, the company said in the WARN Notice filed Friday with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. The employees are a combination of full-time and part-time workers.
“At Legoland Florida Resort we are making operational changes to help us elevate the guest experience in 2025 and beyond. This includes changes in how we deliver entertainment,” spokeswoman Julie Estrada said in a statement Saturday afternoon. “The decision to reduce the size of some of our teams was undoubtedly difficult, but these changes will allow the Resort to operate more flexibly and responsively in a competitive market.”
Legoland employees are not represented by a union, unlike their equivalents at Walt Disney World, offering flexibility for the employer. Roughly 75% of those being released are performers.
Throughout the Halloween and Christmas holidays, Legoland performers sang and danced in shows or greeted children on stilts. Yet for many, this is their final holiday season.
The company canceled its water skiing show at the end of 2024, ending a longtime tradition on Lake Eloise, the Orlando Sentinel reported. In retrospect, this augured what was to come.
Trimming is also coming to the c-suite and middle management.
Other positions being cut are multiple leadership positions, including a director, entertainment senior creative manager, head of resort quality, team leader, sustainability managers and more.
At Florida’s theme parks, there can often be an invisible clash between the guests who adore in-park entertainment and the companies paying close attention to the bottom line.
That dynamic is playing out in this case also.
On social media, some pass holders are lamenting the cuts and sharing their favorite memories of the park’s entertainment.
“What a huge loss,” one person wrote.
The layoffs do not signal entertainment is completely gone from the park, despite the force reduction.
“We will continue to have a core entertainment offering, which we will scale up to meet our brand and guest experiences during the year. This will include working with a global leader in this sector – who will be providing employment opportunities – to bolster our entertainment provision during seasonal special events,” Estrada said. “We are confident that the Resort will still offer a high-quality guest experience, as part of our ongoing focus on creativity and innovation to offer memorable visits.”
Legoland is owned by the Merlin Entertainments, a British company that owns attractions across the world — including several in Florida.
The upcoming Legoland Florida layoffs come as the company has been expanding at the site.
The company recently opened a new car building Lego attraction and is opening a new SEA LIFE Aquarium inside the theme park in the next few months.
In recent years, Merlin has also added a hotel, a water park and a Peppa Pig-themed park next door to Legoland that’s geared for younger children.
Last year the company acquired the Orlando Eye, the giant ferris wheel visible from Interstate 4 off International Drive. The purchase meant Merlin now owns the major attractions at ICON Park and could market the Orlando Eye with Madame Tussauds Orlando and the SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium.
Estrada said the company is helping employees find new jobs, including at the new aquarium opening at Legoland soon.
“We will do all we can to help them find alternative employment,” she said.
Legoland Florida has been open since 2011.
Previously it was Cypress Gardens, a historic place dubbed Florida’s first theme park, which was famous for water ski shows.
Merlin purchased it in 2010 for $22 million and later reopened it as Legoland Florida. After that acquisition, the park was modernized with drone shows, roller coasters suited for children, and elaborate Lego sculptures and city renderings on display.
One comment
Performer at Legoland
January 25, 2025 at 6:34 pm
That is a lie; They have not even offered to move us into different departments in the company. It is a clear cut: We are fired. We have not been given the option to find alternative employment within the company, that spokesperson has given false information