There’s been a new development in the political controversy involving Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Walt Disney Company.
When Florida passed the Parental Rights in Education bill (commonly called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill), Disney responded by saying they condemned the legislation and would support those working to repeal it. In retaliation, DeSantis and other Florida lawmakers have threatened to repeal the Reedy Creek Improvement Act, which basically allows Disney to operate with its own county government. Some analysts have predicted that the act would not actually be repealed, but a new development suggests it’s a possibility.
On April 20th, 2022, The Republican-controlled Florida Senate voted to dissolve Disney World’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, according to the Orlando Sentinel. This action took place during a special session of the Legislature, during which session the Senate also approved “a congressional redistricting map that eliminates two Black districts and tilts the balance of the delegation more Republican.”
DeSantis added the discussion and vote on dissolving the Reedy Creek Improvement District to the session less than an hour before it began. He also added an item to the agenda to eliminate special protections that Disney gets from the Big Tech law from 2021.
The Senate voted to dissolve Reedy Creek with a vote of 23 to 16. Only one Republican Senator voted against the action. The Senate also voted to eliminate Disney’s protection from the Big Tech law with a 24 to 15 vote.
Next, the bills will be discussed in the Florida House of Representatives, and representatives will vote. We’ll continue to watch for developments in this story, so keep following AllEars for more of the latest Disney news.
What would repealing the Reedy Creek Act mean for Disney World?
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This is a reminder to corporations that they should focus on serving their Shareholders and Customers, not on a political agenda. Whenever a corporation takes sides on a controversial political issue they inevitably alienate a portion of their customer base and incur the wrath of one party or the other. There’s no reason for a corporation to take sides on a political issue that has nothing to do with their business interest. Individuals should be the ones expressing their opinions on these topics, not corporations that are owned by, employ, and serve individuals with a broad spectrum of opinions.
Disney is now seeing the very predictable outcome of ignoring this basic rule of business.
Why does anyone care about the politics of a brand they patronize?…I don’t care what the politics are of the people who work at my favorite peanut butter maker, I don’t care what the politics are at the manufacturer of my favorite dog food, i dont care about the politics of my delivery drivers. Thank you Governor and legislature for sticking it to Disney. AND ps, this is coming from a dvc owner with 46 years left. I would gladly let my membership value turn to dust if it means florida elected representatives showing disney that this is a government of the majoritys will, not the will of the states most important employer.
Wow, Disney really stepped in it this time! Maybe they will now focus on making their product better and not meddle in political affairs. Lets see how they like being under Orange County’s thumb!
This is great news! Love our governor!!