DeSantis Drops Long-Time Member From Disney District

A major change has occurred in Orlando, Florida.

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Earlier this year, Disney lost control of its Reedy Creek Improvement District after a long and tumultuous battle with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. This clash started after The Walt Disney Company, then led by CEO Bob Chapek, publicly denounced Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

This angered Gov. DeSantis and other conservative politicians, with many calling out Disney and threatening legal action against the company.

As a result, the state of Florida eventually overtook the entire operation, with a new board formed to oversee it. The new district was renamed the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD).

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Now, another new development has occurred. According to the Orlando Sentinel, special advisor John Classe has now ceased all work with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

Classe worked as an administrator of the Reedy Creek Improvement District for nearly ten years and was asked to stay and help organize the somewhat messy transition between Disney’s control and the state of Florida’s.

Classe’s final day was on Monday, according to Alexei Woltornist, a district spokesman. In a statement provided to the Sentinel, the Florida board clarified the situation:

“Mr. Classe was offered a consulting contract … to assist with the transition to the new leadership,” he said in an email. “That transition is now complete. The district thanks him for his service.”

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The relationship between Disney and the state of Florida is certainly strained at the moment, and only time will tell if the two can reconcile their issues.

Currently, both parties have filed lawsuits against one another in regard to the state takeover of Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, with The Walt Disney Company citing a first-amendment violation.

Stay tuned here at Inside the Magic for future updates!