Managers Emptying Offices, Staff Forced to Pay Back Health Insurance, and Mass Layoffs Part of the Ongoing Turmoil at EPCOT’s Morocco Pavilion

Jessica Figueroa

epcot morocco pavilion

Managers Emptying Offices, Staff Forced to Pay Back Health Insurance, and Mass Layoffs Part of the Ongoing Turmoil at EPCOT’s Morocco Pavilion

Up until recently, the Morocco Pavilion at EPCOT has made few headlines, beyond some questionable festival food booth items or the occasional new museum exhibit. However, in the aftermath of the COVID-19, few pavilions have been so publicly affected by the pandemic’s devastating impact.

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Back in April, Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant, LLC. filed for a PPP loan of $1-2 million in order to retain 260 jobs through the funds acquired. In September, Walt Disney World filed a UCC Financing Statement, or a type of lien with the state, claiming collateral against “All goods, inventory, the Furnishings, and all other items of personal property belonging to Debtor which are or may be put into the Facilities and all proceeds of the foregoing.” With Walt Disney World poised to take over the pavilion in case of a default or bankruptcy, things seem to be going downhill internally.

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Sources indicate that owners of Restaurant Marrakesh have since emptied out their offices. As of this week, all Cast Members previously working at Marrakesh have been officially terminated through an internal memo. Reportedly, most of the long-time chefs at the restaurant have been let go with no severance pay, including those that were just a year or two away from retirement. The company is also asking its employees to pay back health insurance since being furloughed, with payments ranging from $1,000 to $4,000. When Cast Members were furloughed at the pavilion, they were instructed to use vacation days in order to continue receiving paychecks.

Do note that the Morocco Pavilion is one of the few pavilions that operates independently from Disney within World Showcase. Despite these events, owners and upper management have not given Cast Members any type of clarification on what is happening. Restaurant Marrakesh remains closed, with the Morocco Pavilion reopened with just Spice Road Table, an array of shops, and its museum. Tangierine Cafe closed back in early August.

4 thoughts on “Managers Emptying Offices, Staff Forced to Pay Back Health Insurance, and Mass Layoffs Part of the Ongoing Turmoil at EPCOT’s Morocco Pavilion”

  1. I’m a former cast member Morocco pavilion all what this article states is unfortunately true, my follow cast members in Morocco pavilion are suffering, the owner received the ppp lown and haven’t spent a dime to pay the 260 employees that they claim in their application they need to be audited and examined to see where did that money go this is the US everyone should be held accountable for their actions

  2. Not sure they’re going about this the right way . Maybe some higher ups should take a pay cut. Pretty sure you don’t need 40+ million to live on . Employees are more important especially to maintain the happy feelings of WDW.

  3. As a Chef and a foodie in general Marrakesh is one of my Favorites, I thought I only had to miss it for a few months but now it’s gone. 😔

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