Disney’s New York HQ on 66th Street has recently been facing a rather unusual infestation problem – mice. In an urgent email circulated among the staff, it was revealed that the headquarters had become overrun with these squeaky little pests, along with a coterie of fleas. The situation got so bad that employees were instructed to evacuate the premises immediately. One can’t help but make the connection between this infestation and Disney’s beloved character, Mickey Mouse, who is known for always having a colorful gang of sidekicks in Disney stories.
The email assured the staff that the risk management and facilities teams were fully aware of the pest problem and were working diligently to resolve it. As a precautionary measure, employees were instructed not to work on the 5th floor until further notice. They were given until 5 pm that day to collect their belongings from their desks and were advised to either work from home or request relocation to another part of the building. It was not specified when they would be able to return to their regular workspace, as further notifications were expected to follow.
The pest issue seemed to be concentrated on the 5th floor, which is primarily used by the advertising department of Disney. This section of the building was allegedly the only area affected. Disney has been housed in the Lincoln Center-area complex since the 1980s, with the addition of ABC after Disney acquired the news network in 1995. In 2018, the company sold its Upper West Side buildings, including 77W, to Silverstein for an impressive sum of almost a billion dollars. While new headquarters are being constructed downtown at Hudson Square, Disney continues to rent the Upper West Side buildings from Silverstein.
An anonymous source suggested that the poor condition of the current Disney/ABC buildings might contribute to the lack of maintenance. With the impending demolition of these buildings, there seems to be little incentive for upkeep. According to the source, most elevators are often out of commission, causing significant irritation. However, these difficulties may simply be part and parcel of the show business industry.
Unfortunately, representatives from Disney did not respond to requests for comment on this particular issue. It remains to be seen how quickly the mouse and flea problem will be resolved and when the affected employees can return to the 5th floor of Disney’s New York HQ.