What Feud? DeSantis and Disney Have Moved on as He Appoints a Company Exec to a Government Position

More than a year after their feud ended, it really does now appear that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and The Walt Disney Company have officially put the bad blood behind them and moved on with the business of business in Central Florida. DeSantis appeared to have cemented that relationship yesterday when he appointed one of Disney’s highest-ranking officials in the state to a government office.

Yesterday, DeSantis appointed Jeff Vahle, President of the Walt Disney World Resort, as a trustee at the University of Central Florida (UCF). In the role, Vahle will have considerable influence over the school’s policies and hiring.

DeSantis has used his appointive power to attempt to reshape Florida’s colleges and universities. He took over the entire board at liberal Rollins College and replaced it with conservative membership that has reshaped the college’s curriculum.

At the University of Florida, one of the best public universities in America, DeSantis’ Board cut all diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and all staff members associated with DEI programs. It also cut Women’s Studies, World Language, and Religion programs, forcing many tenured professors to leave the university.

Vahle currently serves on the Board of Trustees at Rollins College, his alma mater, where he received a master’s degree in business administration. He has served as the President of Disney World since 2020.

The feud between DeSantis and Disney started in 2022, when former Disney CEO Bob Chapek spoke out against the state’s Parental Rights in Education Act, known by its critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. DeSantis used Disney’s opposition to the law to strip it of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the Board that had governed the property since it opened, and replaced it with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

After millions spent on legal battles, the feud ended in a draw in 2024, with Disney announcing that it would spend billions in the state to expand the Walt Disney World Resort. DeSantis appointed former legislative aide Stephanie Kopelousos as the District’s administrator. Kopelousos had worked closely with Disney when she worked in the governor’s office.

For its part, Disney has started its spending spree in the state, adding new lands to Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios, bringing billions in construction revenue to Central Florida. With this latest appointment, it appears DeSantis has also forgotten about the bad blood between the two sides and moved on to making money on tourism in Central Florida.

What do you think of DeSantis appointing a Disney executive to a government position after their feud? Let us know in the comments.