DeSantis’ plans to regulate the Walt Disney World Resort are finally taking shape.

According to a new report from News 6, the Florida Department of Transportation’s Structures Maintenance Office has begun a state inspection of the Monorail within Walt Disney World. This inspection comes months after the tumultuous fallout between The Walt Disney Company and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, with the two being locked in a seemingly eternal political battle as a result of the state takeover of Disney property.
Disney has reportedly provided FDOT with safety materials, such as manuals and other documentation, to aid in the inspections. FDOT plans to conduct an inspection of Walt Disney World every two years.
As we said, this is a direct result of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ takeover of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, a district located in Florida that Disney used to control and operate itself. This district encompassed the Walt Disney World Resort, allowing the amusement park destination to act as its own form of government. The state of Florida took control of this district in 2023, with DeSantis hand-picking new board members and giving the district a new name, among other changes. The district is now called the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
We knew these new regulations were coming to Disney World’s Monorail, thanks to a report last year. DeSantis signed bill HB 1305 into law back in May of 2023, allowing the state of Florida to inspect various properties and structures within Walt Disney World.

However, The Walt Disney Company is not backing down without a fight, filing lawsuits against both Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state of Florida, citing multiple violations, including a violation of the company’s freedom of speech.
The bill went into effect officially on July 1, 2023, and requires that the Monorail be suspended during safety inspections. The Monorail is one of the most popular and crucial aspects of the resort, meaning these inspections will certainly cause a lot of problems for guests and cast members.
The Monorail takes guests to and from both EPCOT and Magic Kingdom theme parks, as well as various hotels across the Walt Disney World Resort, like Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Guests can find a Monorail at the original Disneyland Resort in California as well.
What are your thoughts on this story? Do you use the Monorail often?