Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at Walt Disney World signs bill to end Disney's self-governing status signaling the end of Reedy Creek

Feb 27, 2023 in "The Walt Disney Company"

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Ron DeSantis at Reedy Creek Improvement District

Posted: Monday February 27, 2023 10:00am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is in Disney's own backyard at Walt Disney World to bring sweeping changes to Disney's self-governing status and Reedy Creek Improvement District.

Ron DeSantis at Reedy Creek Improvement District

The bill that DeSantis has signed today replaces the governing body's board with five members appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. In addition, the Reedy Creek Improvement District will be renamed "Central Florida Tourism Oversight District." Disney will be responsible for paying hundreds of millions in outstanding Reedy Creek debt.

Reedy Creek Improvement District HQ near Disney Springs

The creation of the Reedy Creek Improvement District in 1967 allowed Disney the luxury of establishing its own independent government that handles many aspects of the Walt Disney World property, including emergency services, infrastructure, and construction permitting.

Ron DeSantis at Reedy Creek Improvement District

The action by DeSantis comes in retaliation to Disney's public opposition to the Parental Bill of Right law, which took place under ex-Disney CEO Bob Chapek. Speaking today, DeSantis said that Disney's opposition to the Parents Bill of Rights bill was a "mild annoyance," but that the state of Florida will no longer be "joined at the hip with one California-based company."

Today's press conference, held at Reedy Creek Fire Station 4 near Disney Springs, featured chosen speakers to rant against Disney in a political rally-style atmosphere. Topics included vaccination misinformation, Disney's mask requirements, park reservations, and Disney's support of LGBTQIA+.

In signing the bill, DeSantis said, "the corporate kingdom finally came to an end." Following the signing, the Governor said he wants "Disney to be what Walt envisioned."

You can watch the press conference below.

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JoeCamel1 day ago

Saved them a bunch of cash

Chi841 day ago

The State was happy with the way things were. For many, many years.

mikejs781 day ago

My gut says that beginning in 2027 there will be legislation that slowly picks away at CFTOD and gradually returns control to Disney. It won't happen all at once - but I bet it will happen.

Chi841 day ago

There's a battle being lost, but it's not really a PR battle and it only tangentially involves Disney.

mkt1 day ago

You’re right that there wasn’t a massive public rally to defend Disney. At least not in the way we often see with political figures or causes. But that doesn’t mean they lost the PR battle. It just means they played it differently. They didn’t need cheering crowds. They let the state’s actions speak for themselves. The Lake Nona cancellation - whether intentional or not - ended up being the loudest statement. Thousands of high-paying jobs. Gone. Local business groups noticed. Real estate noticed. Economists noticed. That stuck. Meanwhile, the “win” Florida claimed was largely symbolic - swapping one board for another - while Disney kept building, kept expanding, and retained the infrastructure and bond authority they needed. The machine never stopped. And let’s not forget: the only only people visibly waving flags on the property line during this entire episode? They were on the state’s side, and those flags bore symbols we all agree have no place in a civilized society. So no - Disney didn’t lose the PR war. They just didn’t fight it with soundbites. They let time and economic impact do the talking.

flynnibus1 day ago

Who came to defend Disney? Who lined up to call out DeSantis' action? Who lined up to point out the cabel action in the Legislature? Who used Disney as an example of what can happen? I'm not talking about who wrote stories to cover the news.. I'm talking about who put their name on the line to call out the injustice that was happening? How many people did you hear regurgitating the false propoganda about taxes? How many people did you hear thinking this RCID thing was some long running scam that was time to go? I'm talking about who the gen pop saw as in the wrong... most did not flock to defend Disney... they saw it as some corporate scam that finally was being taken down.. Disney was pretty much the target of the most direct, blatant, outright cheered political driven retribution I can think of in any recent memory... and the gen pop thinks DeSantis was eliminating corporate benefits and DEI non-sense. That's the PR battle Disney lost.

Prince-11 day ago

Oh Ronnie didn't need Disney's help to accomplish that. He was never going to be president.

MR.Dis1 day ago

Disney won in one respect, this incident totally destroyed a certain Govenors hope of ever being seen as Presidential material.

mkt1 day ago

That’s a fair framing if you’re evaluating from a strictly structural standpoint Yes, Disney no longer controls the board, and yes, they negotiated toward a new normal rather than scorched-earth resistance. But to say they “lost the PR battle”? I strongly disagree. Florida came off as punitive, erratic, and willing to jeopardize thousands of high-paying jobs over a political tantrum. The Lake Nona cancellation - whether coincidental or not - felt like fallout, and perception did the heavy lifting. That loss is now linked to the state’s actions. No press release needed. Florida is viewed as having cost the region several thousand high earners, along with their housing demand, business growth, and tax revenue. That’s not just bad optics. That’s third-world-level policy sabotage. Meanwhile, Disney kept building. The board that was supposed to rein them in greenlit a $17B expansion. Bond authority stayed. Infrastructure control stayed. Functionally, nothing stopped. Sure, the expansion brings jobs. But they're mostly tourism and hospitality roles. These aren't six-figure white collar transfers — they're hourly park positions. Florida traded a long-term white-collar boom for a short-term PR win and a few more popcorn carts. That’s not a victory. That’s a downgrade. If anything, Disney let Florida win the headline, then quietly walked away with the outcome. That’s not “dealing with the devil.” That’s knowing when to let the devil shake his fist at a cloud while you pour the foundation for your next park expansion.

LAKid531 day ago

Precisely

UNCgolf1 day ago

Indeed. And while I wish Disney had fought to the end, that was never likely. Publicly traded corporations just don't really operate that way. For example, I've represented corporate clients who had a good chance of prevailing against the government in regulatory investigations, but they would have spent more on the fight than they spent on the settlement -- so they settled. There's always going to be a cost/benefit analysis (which often involves more than just the potential legal fees) regardless of whether they think they're right. Incidentally, this is one of the reasons Harvard is more likely to fight to the end in their current litigation (although that's certainly not guaranteed). They don't have to worry about shareholders, although they do have some other outside concerns.

mkt1 day ago

I’m not saying the federal case was a slam dunk - just that it existed as leverage. Whether or not Disney would’ve won, the filing let them signal "We’re not done here" and gave them a legal foothold to keep the conversation going on their terms. Especially if the next version landed in front of a more sympathetic judge. Did Florida technically get what it wanted? Sure - RCID was dissolved, and they got to appoint their own board. But functionally, Disney’s still operating almost exactly as before. The board isn’t pushing back. Permits are gliding through. That’s billions in infrastructure and expansion moving forward without friction. So if we’re scoring this on optics, Florida "won." But if we’re scoring on actual outcomes? Disney never really stopped. I’d call that a check, not a checkmate.

Chi841 day ago

We don’t know what would have happened if Disney hadn’t settled. But government bullying definitely had its day.

flynnibus1 day ago

Well because there was a distinct pivot in Disney's approach to the entire story here.. and it coincided with the change in CEO. And some people are painting Disney of 2022 the same as the Disney of 2024 as if there is a continuity there.. when there is a very stark CHANGE that happened.. so being explicit in what was behind that change matters. The comment refers to accepting CFTOD as it is and how it's managed, and the policies that drive it vs what existed prior. We can see even now, how almost overnight the CFTOD can go from "friendly" to combative... and flip again almost as quickly. That's the new world world they have accepted. Disney was the party impacted - it is on Disney to fight that fight if anyone were to file suit to contest it. Others can't do it from the outside...