EN - News

Everything You Need To Know About The Disney Vs. DeSantis Feud & How It Could Affect You

Disney is not 'woke' enough for Florida’s Government.

There's an ongoing battle of territory happening right now between Walt Disney World and Florida's government, and this could mean big changes are coming for those who live in the area as well as visitors.

Let us break down the topic that's been making headlines for the past couple of weeks.

In the 1960s, Walt Disney World wanted to build "The Most Magical Place On Earth" in a secluded area in Orange County and Osceola County that was far away from resources and services, like power and waterlines, that could help it run as it does today.

So, in 1967 Florida's government helped them create a special taxing district called the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

That means Disney governed itself starting so it could run as its own city.

Only those who live in the district had to pay municipality taxes to fund the theme park to keep it running, not those in surrounding counties, like Orange and Osceola.

In March 2022, Florida passed the "Don't Say Gay" bill that prevents public schools to discuss sexual orientation and gender identity.

DeSantis hoped its long-time confidant would back the government's decision, but the park did just the opposite, and Disney started to push back.

Cue the beginning of the feud.

DeSantis continues to call the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity "woke ideology," and he doubled down on his views in an interview with Fox News.

"Look, there’s policy disputes, and that’s fine, but when you're trying to impose a woke ideology on our state, we view that as a significant threat," DeSantis said.

In retaliation, the governor passed a bill this month that would eliminate all special districts that were created before 1968.

Yes, that's one year after Disney's district was formed, and by the closeness of his response in the timeline, we might gather that this was an intentional attack on Disney.

"If Disney wants to pick a fight, they chose the wrong guy. As governor, I was elected to put the people of Florida first, and I will not allow a woke corporation based in California to run our state," DeSantis wrote in a fundraising email.

This would go into effect at the start of June 2023, meaning the surrounding counties will probably be taxed to keep up with the park's maintenance. That could be a difference of $1 billion dollars of liability money borrowed for Reedy Creek.

Recently, Narcity posted an unrelated story about affordable hotels to book in Disney, and users used this Instagram post to share their thoughts on what's currently going on and how they feel about the situation.

Instagram users comment their thoughts on Disney and DeSantis' feud. Instagram users comment their thoughts on Disney and DeSantis' feud.@narcityusa | Instagram

One user thinks that Disney itself will have to raise their rates for their hotels, which makes a visit to Disney way more expensive than the prices listed now.

Other followers on Instagram are saying they are canceling their trips altogether, and we could assume it stems from the current feud between the park and the government.

Florida may have to step in and find a way to relieve taxpayers if the money they are taxed raises dramatically.

It can be safe to say that Disney will most likely fight this notion, and we'll be staying on top of the "woke" battle between the two powerhouses.