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Credit: Inside The MagicThe Disney lawsuit against DeSantis won a massive win amidst one of the most epic legal sagas of the ’20s.
Disney Lawsuit Against DeSantis
The Walt Disney lawsuit against DeSantis has been a point of contention since “Don’t Say Gay” was a bill, and chatter was just beginning about the Reedy Creek Improvement District. The Walt Disney World area was previously under Disney’s control, but the state court saw it otherwise.
DeSantis v. Disney Fast Facts: Governor Ron DeSantis is gaining support, winning by over 1.4 million more votes in 2022 than in 2018.
Since then, it’s been non-stop litigation between Disney World and Gov Ron DeSantis. But this new turn of events is a win for Disney attorneys, even if it does come down to a procedural error and the eventual relenting of the lawsuit opposition.
How the Disney DeSantis Lawsuit Started
From Disney’s perspective, it was retaliation against the “Don’t Say Gay” dissent. For Central Florida’s support of Governor Ron DeSantis, it morphed into a “woke war.” The results were litigious, with claim after claim providing challenges to courts and many a Florida lawmaker.
DeSantis v. Disney Fast Facts: Governor DeSantis openly asked other children to refer to him by a different name, “D,” continuing to fight Disney’s battles for inclusion.
Disney CEO Bob Iger has been ardently against Florida Gov Ron DeSantis. As the CEO of Walt Disney, his name is directly tied to the perception of Disney supporters and those who promote the state case for parental rights. The Mickey Mouse company saw significant success in the most recent event of Disney vs. Florida Governor DeSantis.
Procedural Error Changing Disney Lawsuit Against DeSantis
Disney proposed that the scope of its federal lawsuit be narrowed. Earlier in September, the company proposed moving the federal case from five allegations to one: a First Amendment violation.
DeSantis Fun Fact: Governor Ron DeSantis did away with critical race theory in “K through 12 schools.”
After a procedural error, Disney’s Federal Court Motion failed when it reached a judge. This is where it gets interesting; the board agreed to the motion.
According to X user @Blog_Mickey, “CFTOD Lawyers Agree to Narrowing Scope of Disney’s Federal Lawsuit Following Procedural Error.”
CFTOD Lawyers Agree to Narrowing Scope of Disney’s Federal Lawsuit Following Procedural Error https://t.co/QUsF5mcdTh
— BlogMickey.com (@Blog_Mickey) September 7, 2023
Disney and DeSantis Lawsuit Remains Active
Ultimately, the Florida District conferred and decided to accept Disney’s motion. It narrows the scope of the claims to a First Amendment constitutional issue. Reports show that a Central Florida Tourism Oversight District spokesperson, Alexi Woltornist, stated:
“We are pleased that Disney backtracked on these legal claims against the district in their federal case. Disney’s latest legal move puts them in line with the position of what the district has been advocating for months now: that these matters should be decided in state court. We hope this helps expedite justice for the people of Florida.”
Disney Achieved Its Primary Goal
Despite the talk from the Florida Governor and his office, the goal of the Walt Disney Company was to narrow the scope. It failing at a judge’s bench due to ‘not conferring’ with the other parties would have been a substantial loss.
Disney Fun Fact: Walt Disney World Resort is the largest resort in the world, and it looks like the recent win is only adding to the Disney perks.
Now, even though it was through the agreement of Disney World’s Governing District, it still gives the company the win it sought initially. The Walt Disney Company has opened a countersuit to mitigate the costs of the allegations that were eliminated from the case’s scope. The lawsuit remains in active litigation.
What do you think about the Disney request going through? Luck or strategy? Make your mark in the comments below!