NEWS: Disney Lawsuit Against DeSantis Dismissed by Federal Judge

We’ve been following the back and forth between Disney and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for a while now.

Reedy Creek Building (now Central Florida Tourism Oversight District)

When DeSantis took over Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District in Central Florida, a new board was hired to oversee the district. Since then, there have been battles over a variety of issues related to the area that includes Disney World — to the point where both sides filed lawsuits. Now, we’ve got an important update about the ongoing legal battle.

The Walt Disney Company’s lawsuit accusing DeSantis of political retaliation against the company has been officially dismissed by a federal judge.

On Wednesday, January 31st, US District Judge Allen Winsorin granted DeSantis’ motion to dismiss the suit. This move is a setback for Disney, which was hoping to gain back some of the control that DeSantis and the board took when the Florida property became the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD).

Disney originally sued DeSantis back in April 2023 after the CFTOD board voted to void land-use contracts signed by the company. In the suit, Disney claimed DeSantis was engaging in a campaign of retaliation against the company for speaking out against the Parental Rights in Education Bill, known commonly as the “Don’t Say Gay” Bill. Disney said that the governor’s actions violated the company’s right to free speech.

Cinderella Castle

According to NBC, a Disney spokesperson released a statement following the ruling:

“This is an important case with serious implications for the rule of law, and it will not end here. If left unchallenged, this would set a dangerous precedent and give license to states to weaponize their official powers to punish the expression of political viewpoints they disagree with. We are determined to press forward with our case.”

Winsor’s ruling does not affect a parallel state lawsuit between Disney and DeSantis allies, which is ongoing. We’ll make sure to keep you updated if anything changes with that secondary legal battle.

Stay tuned to AllEars for the latest news.