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Credit: @ShowcaseWishesGov. DeSantis is cracking jokes.
The battle between Disney and Gov. DeSantis dates back all the way to early 2020, when The Walt Disney Company, which was then under the guidance of former CEO Bob Chapek, decided to publicly denounce FLoirida’s highly controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill. For years, Disney had stayed relatively silent when it came to political and social issues, with Bob Iger striving to maintain a neutral stance. However, calls grew exponentially for Disney to make a stand, which it ultimately did.
Now, The Walt Disney Company is paying the price, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stripping away benefits from Disney one by one. DeSantis originally threatened to strip Walt Disney World of its Reedy Creek Improvement District. This special district allowed the Orlando, Florida, resort to act as its own form of government, essentially allowing Disney World to become its own little city. DeSantis wanted to end these special privileges as soon as possible, and in early 2023, his wishes came true.
The former district was overtaken by Florida and given a new name, now called the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD). Disney no longer controls the district that Walt Disney World resides in, and while the long-term effects of this change are still determined, it will certainly slow things down for “The Most Magical Place on Earth.”
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The Walt Disney Company did not back down without a fight however, with Disney suing DeSantis and the state of Florida not once, but twice. Disney was hit with a lawsuit as well, as an attempt by DeSantis to strike down the original lawsuit pressed against him. Other conservative lawmakers threw in their hats as well, with some threatening to remove other protections and special privileges that Disney had enjoyed inside its theme parks, like no-fly zones.
Threats didn’t stop at just the actual land that Walt Disney World resides on, with Gov. DeSantis also teasing raising taxes, changing how the Monorail works, and even contemplating building a new Florida state prison right next to Walt Disney World.
In a recently shared video, Gov. DeSantis makes a comment regarding Disneyland in California, joking about the amount of power Disney has.
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Gov. DeSantis was speaking at a GOP event, which was coincidentally located in Anaheim, California, the exact city where “The Happiest Place on Earth” can be found.
“I’m a little close to Disneyland,” said DeSantis. “I didn’t know if they’d let me come to the…it’s okay it’s okay.” DeSantis was obviously joking and making light of the current situation between him, the state of Florida, and Walt Disney World.
Only tie will tell what becomes of this ongoing battle between DeSantis and Disney, but it has certainly made for one of the most controversial and tumultuous years that The Walt Disney Company has ever seen.
What are your thoughts about this story? What do you think of Gov. Ron DeSantis?