15As Florida Governor Ron DeSantis continues passing oppressive laws and waging war on The Walt Disney Company for speaking out against the Parental Rights In Education Act (“Don’t Say Gay”), many non-white and LGBTQIA+ Americans fear visiting Walt Disney World Resort.
This month saw the passing of an anti-migrant immigration act and a law that forbids transgender adults from receiving gender-affirming care, highly restricts drag shows, and forces people to use the bathroom that matches their assigned sex at birth. Another allows Florida to take custody of children undergoing or at risk of receiving gender-affirming care.
On Thursday, Disney Parks fans spoke on Reddit about how these conservative laws will impact future visits to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney Springs. Many planned to stick to Disneyland Resort in the near future, whether because they feared for their children’s safety or didn’t want to give tax dollars to the state.
“With everything that Ron DeSantis is doing in a political war with Disney and also the recent abandonment of several projects due to the restrictions now placed on migrant workers. I am afraid this is going to have a huge impact on our vacation,” said u/BAC05. “…If that’s the case, I’m probably heading to Disneyland.”
“Can’t see myself every going back as things are now,” u/BranWafr wrote. “My oldest is trans and they are scared to go there. They are sad they never got to go to Disney World, but they are literally afraid to set foot in Florida.”
Others took a less radical approach, still planning to visit Walt Disney World Resort but not stepping off-property.
“I can’t promise you won’t run into some random jack*ss, but the vast majority of people who go to Disney are trying to ‘get away’ from the real world for a while, that includes politics,” u/BowTie1989 advised. “With that said, if you DO come across a troublesome Guest, Disney has no qualms about kicking them out FAST. I’d bet my bottom dollar you’ll have a great time.”
“I am a queer trans woman who lives within 20 miles of the parks and goes often. I’ve never had an issue on Disney property,” echoed u/Keep_Flying. “I definitely stick to less crowded bathrooms (inside restaurants, near shows but not when they let out, etc) because they give me anxiety as is, let alone the Florida problems but I’ve never had any issues at the parks. Nearby area is fairly liberal by Florida standards too, Orlando is mostly safe. Florida has me terrified right now but Disney is still my happy place.”
Is your family comfortable visiting Walt Disney World Resort? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments.
Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on personal Disney Parks Guest experiences. No two Guest experiences are alike, and this article does not necessarily align with Inside the Magic’s personal views on Disney Park operations.