ORLANDO (NewsNation Now) — Walt Disney World is called the ‘happiest place on Earth.’

But if you drive just miles from the pristine theme parks into cities like Kissimmee, Florida on the outskirts of Disney, it is easy to quickly find the suffering.

Motels are full of unemployed hospitality workers.

“It is penny pinching all the time. If we can’t afford to come up with $1,000 for the month, then we have to pay even more by the week. So it makes it even more of a struggle,” said Daniel Rodriguez.

Rodriguez lives in a Kissimmee motel with his wife.

Pre-pandemic he says he was making $200 a day driving Uber. Now, he makes less than $50 a day.

His wife, Sarah lost her job as a baker near Disney and now she works at a fast food restaurant.

“It is a lot of work for not enough money at all,” said Sarah Rodriguez.

In the same motel, the Justiano family is also struggling to get by. Santos Justiano and his wife, two children, and newborn are all sharing one motel room.

She lost her job as a restaurant server and his job power washing trucks is not enough to pay rent.

“We don’t have anywhere else to go, so this is our only choice,” said Justiano.

Like most of the others staying in the motel, the Justianos got evicted and ended up in living in one room. Their situation is especially complicated because Santos’ wife has COVID-19.

“She had a c-section and she has COVID right now. We are worried about her being in the room, but we have no other choice,” said Santos Justiano.

Down the street from the motel, Alisha Hines works in a gas station. She lost her job at a restaurant when the coronavirus hit. Hines also lives in a motel.

“I try to treat the customers here like when I was waitressing,” Hines said.

She said she is happy to have a job, but is barely making it.

“I get paid on Friday and by Saturday I’m broke,” said Hines.

There are also jobless people who can’t even afford the motels.

Outside the Kissimmee Walmart after dark, cars with people sleeping inside appear.

Barbie Austria, who runs the non-profit Kissimmee Poinciana Homeless Outreach, says the homeless situation in the area is 70% worse since COVID-19 hit.

“Right now I am doing an event at the Travel Lodge East. Last I checked, they had only one tourist. Everyone there was families. Every room was occupied by families,” said Austria.

Walt Disney World has laid off and furloughed thousands of workers.

Disneyland in California has been shutdown since March, which has an impact on Disney World in Orlando.

“I think California should re-open to help us here because if that is what it is reflecting off…the losses there. I’m torn between safety measures. But again, I always chose to help a family over my safety,” said Austria.

For more information on Kissimmee Poinciana Homeless Outreach, click here.