Disney issues statement in response to court case dismissal against Ron DeSantis and CFTOD and vows to 'press forward'

Jan 31, 2024 in "Reedy Creek Improvement District"

Posted: Wednesday January 31, 2024 3:05om ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Following today's significant legal development in which a U.S. District Court in Florida dismissed a lawsuit filed by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and other state officials, Disney says that it is "determined to press forward with our case."

In a statement released following the court case's dismissal, a Disney spokesperson told WDWMAGIC:

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.

Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Chairman Martin Garcia released the following statement:

I'm delighted that this lawsuit, which was nothing more than a distraction, is now behind us. Our board and the district will now continue to make the appropriate changes to operate and function as an independent government agency to promote transparency and accountability while bringing more prosperity to more people in Florida.

Team Disney Orlando

Earlier this afternoon, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida dismissed the lawsuit filed by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and other officials. The lawsuit challenged legislative changes that stripped Disney of its control over the Reedy Creek Improvement District, now the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD), alleging that these changes were retaliatory and violated Disney's First Amendment rights. The court ruled that Disney lacked standing to sue the Governor and the Secretary of Florida’s Department of Commerce and dismissed Disney's claims against the CFTOD board members on the merits, stating that a facially constitutional statute cannot be challenged based on alleged unconstitutional motives of lawmakers.

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DCBaker6 hours ago

Here's the full packet: https://www.oversightdistrict.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/3-28-25-BOS-Agenda-packet.pdf Item 7.4 on the Sunshine Corridor PD&E Study:

Dr.GrantSeeker1 day ago

Oof, 2031 is a long ways away! Wonder how long it will actually take if and when they start it. Edit: thanks Len!

castlecake2.02 days ago

lentesta2 days ago

AFAIK the road budget is still in place. IIRC it was a tie-in of Western Way to the east side of property. ETA: Yep. Look at Exhibit D in this doc from the CFTOD boaerd meeting on 2024-06-05.

LAKid532 days ago

What more can be done?

Dr.GrantSeeker2 days ago

I remember RCID approving a bunch of infrastructure work for Western Way and the BV Drive intersection right before they became CFTOD. Do we still know if these improvements are going to happen and when? @lentesta I’m tagging you because i vaguely remember you talking about this a year ago-ish, which is how I learned about it in the first place. Unless my memory is totally wrong (which it could be) so I apologize in advance if you never mentioned these improvements!

LAKid532 days ago

Have you met OC Planning? Their middle name is urban sprawl....

LAKid532 days ago

It is. I laugh everytime I'm GPSed through property on the way back from MCO. And I think the same on the way home from Port Canaveral. I'd rather make a larger loop around than drive Osceola Parkway to LBV Drive to Western Way to Hartzog.

lazyboy97o2 days ago

And instead of real solutions people just double down on the causes of traffic.

castlecake2.02 days ago

The blessing of size lead to urban sprawl on property, the very thing Walt’s EPCOT was trying to fix. One solution could be trying to implement public transit to get Cast living nearby to work, but Orlando’s transit is terrible, and the sprawl across property makes it hard to make an efficient system for moving people. Now with the sprawl surrounding the property, Disney roads are becoming the shortcuts. The isolated feel of entire resort is quickly disappearing.

LAKid532 days ago

State Road 535 (Avalon Road) North from the intersection at Hartzog is now wall to wall apartment complexes up to New Independence. I had to make a detour to get out of Waterleigh due to road resurfacing and the same is going south. The roads in Horizons West currently can't handle the traffic resulting from the increase in developments. Yeah, it's nice that 429 North of the toll before the Turnpike had been widened, but it's a hot mess in the AM & PM up to that spot. The amount of construction since I bought 2.5 years ago is insane. Don't know HOW they'll widen Western Way once you leave property because there's not much space to add another lane under the 429 overpass. Flamingo Crossings area is growing. And the roads can't handle the traffic.

LuvtheGoof2 days ago

Western Way was really bad around 5:30 yesterday. And then a few idiots on the turnpike going north decided to have a 4 car pile up, blocking both lanes in the construction area, and our normal 2 - 2 1/2 hour trip took almost 4 hours last night!

LAKid533 days ago

My GPS sends me THROUGH property on the way back from MCO. But South on 429 to get there.

LAKid533 days ago

Avalon is bad in the mornings & evenings. Now imagine adding a 1400 unit housing project on Hartzog just before the curve to the intersection with Avalon. Which was just widened up to Schofield.