Here is a copy of the actual memo released by Bruce Vaughn, Craig Russell, and Kevin Eld.  There were a total of 22 layoffs out of a division of 50 staff members in MAPO (Manufacturing and Prototype Operations) or almost 40 percent.  Layoffs occurred on Wednesday June 11th. 

Not surprisingly, all the animated characters you mention in your article (Lucky, Wall-E) have been created by the R&D division (where Bruce Vaughn came from) with an unlimited budget and with no help from the talent at MAPO.  It is a sad day for MAPO especially now that the “kids” are running the candy store.

Walt Disney Imagineering Memorandum

To: WDI All

Date: June 12, 2008

From: Bruce

Craig Russell

Kevin Eld

Subject: MAPO Organization and Charter

Over the past several months we’ve been evaluating the charter, organization, and production strategy of the Manufacturing and Prototype Operations (MAPO) group at our Tujunga facility in North Hollywood. After a thorough analysis, we’ve realized that our current strategy of producing all complex and the majority of medium-complexity Audio Animatronics figures in-house is not sustainable and requires a significant fluctuation of our internal talent pool given the varying scope and scale of our attractions menu. We need to evolve our strategy to one that has more long-term sustainability and allows us to more effectively leverage outside partners through workload peaks.

Effective immediately, all simple, medium-complexity, and the majority of our complex Audio Animatronics figures will be produced using outside vendors with close oversight from our talent at MAPO, who will focus their efforts on prototyping, proof of concept, pre-visualization, engineering, vendor management, and quality assurance. We will still continue to build some select, highly complex Audio Animatronics figures in-house on an as needed basis. As a result of this change in strategy, we are changing the charter of the MAPO organization.

In conjunction with this change of charter, we have asked Ted Carlsson to expand his responsibilities and take on the leadership of both MAPO and Entertainment Design and Production groups within our Show division. He will continue to report directly to Kevin. Ted will work to strengthen MAPO’s core capabilities in engineering, development, prototyping, and proof-of-concept for all of our Audio Animatronics product. He will also work to create strategies to improve collaboration and partnership between MAPO and the WDI R&D animation development team.

Reporting to Ted within MAPO will be Dale Doria, leading the prototype shop operation, and Vic Martin, who will now lead all outside vendor oversight and quality assurance efforts.

We are confident that the changes in the strategy and charter of our MAPO organization will lead to a stronger and more sustainable organization without compromising quality, and are certain that Ted will be a great leader and partner with both the WDI R&D group and each of our project teams.

Bruce Vaughn, Craig Russell, Kevin Eld