Legoland Florida to lay off nearly 250 employees, mainly performers
TAMPA, Fla. - The entertainment company that runs Legoland Florida announced it will be laying off hundreds of employees at the popular theme park.
![Legoland Florida.](https://images.foxtv.com/static.fox13news.com/www.fox13news.com/content/uploads/2025/01/932/524/vlcsnap-2025-01-29-18h28m38s958.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Legoland Florida.
In a document dated Jan. 24, Merlin Entertainments reported to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity that the park would be laying off 234 employees, mainly in the entertainment department, including performers, technicians, and managers.
What they're saying:
Michael Boguslavskiy owns a vacation planning business called Caballeros Vacations with his wife. They know all about the popular theme parks in Florida, including Legoland.
![Caballeros Vacations' homepage.](https://images.foxtv.com/static.fox13news.com/www.fox13news.com/content/uploads/2025/01/932/524/vlcsnap-2025-01-29-18h30m01s485.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Caballeros Vacations' homepage.
"In 2024, we went almost every single month to visit Orlando with the various parks," said Boguslavskiy. "This is just a huge part of what we do in our business."
Dig deeper:
Merlin Entertainments stated that the layoffs, which affect both full and part-time employees, are permanent and that the employees are not represented by a union. For Boguslavskiy – it's disappointing news.
"So much of the atmosphere and the magic and warmth and love you feel when you're at these destinations comes from the entertainment team," Boguslavskiy said. "It comes from those shows and staff members going around in costumes and interacting with the kids."
The other side:
In a statement to FOX 13, a spokesperson for Merlin Entertainments said in part:
"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."
READ: Road rage leads to shooting at Tampa Wawa, police say
Merlin Entertainment adds that it will continue to scale up its core in-house entertainment and is helping employees by finding them alternative employment, including sharing audition opportunities with a 'world-class entertainment partner.'
What's next:
Boguslavskiy said he hopes the layoffs won't impact future or weekend shows.
![Legoland's statement announcing lay offs.](https://images.foxtv.com/static.fox13news.com/www.fox13news.com/content/uploads/2025/01/932/524/vlcsnap-2025-01-29-18h29m37s399.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Legoland's statement announcing lay offs.
"There is this whole thing of the warmth and love that you feel from the cast members on the entertainment team when you go into the parks that truly molds and creates the entire experience, and that's what we may start to miss," Boguslavskiy said. "When you pair that with maybe less shows, now we're kind of creating an environment where we're forcing people to go only for the rides."
The layoffs will occur from March 25 through April 7.
READ: HSN’s St. Pete campus closing after more than four decades in city: Parent company
Merlin Entertainments' full statement:
"LEGOLAND Florida Resort is making operational changes to help us elevate the guest experience in 2025 and beyond. This includes changes in how we deliver entertainment.
"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.
"We will continue to have a core in-house 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. We are confident that the Resort will still offer high-quality guest experiences, as part of our ongoing focus on creativity and innovation to offer memorable visits.
"We are supporting employees during this period of change and will do all we can to help them find alternative employment, including sharing audition opportunities within the external global entertainment provider. "
The Source: FOX 13's Carla Bayron collected the information in this story.
STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA:
- Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV
- Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android
- Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines
- Download the SkyTower Radar app
- Sign up for FOX 13’s daily newsletter