Mickey Mouse, Sleeping Beauty, Darth Vader and other Disneyland employees who work with Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars character performers have voted to unionize, according to the union organizing workers.
The National Labor Relations Board announced the results of the vote on Saturday, May 18 following a four-day union election at Disneyland by character and parade performers.
Disneyland’s 1,700 character and parade performers — calling themselves Magic United — will be unionized under the Actors’ Equity Association.
“The votes are in,” said the Equity website. “The cast members of Magic United have unionized with Actors’ Equity Association.”
The vote was 953 Yes votes to 258 No votes with 78.7% of the votes cast in favor of unionizing, according to Equity.
Equity has been circulating a list of key issues facing nonunion Disneyland characters and parade performers that include pay, annual raises, safety, costumes, scheduling, seniority and job security.
“We believe that our Cast Members deserve to have all the facts and the right to a confidential vote that recognizes their individual choices,” according to Disneyland officials.
Disney princesses, Marvel superheroes and other character performers who work at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure make $24.15 per hour and an additional $4.75 per hour if they perform onstage, according to the Disney Auditions website.
Nonunion hourly employees like Disneyland characters and parade performers have received annual raises for as long as company records show, according to Disneyland officials.
While most of Disneyland’s 35,000 employees are represented by 26 unions, the park’s 1,100 character performers and 600 parade performers and support staff had not been unionized until now.
California’s minimum wage increased to $16 an hour in 2024 with the hourly rate set to rise to $18 in 2025. After a lengthy court fight, Anaheim’s Measure L boosted Disneyland’s minimum wage to nearly $20 an hour.