NEW: One State Hopes to Entice Disney as Tensions in Florida Rise
With ongoing pressures in Florida, one state hopes to attract Disney's attention. What do you think of their offer?
Tensions in Florida
The past year has been turbulent between the state of Florida and The Walt Disney Company. The problem began when Florida passed the Parental Rights in Education Law in 2022. Disney's then CEO, Bob Chapek, denounced the bill which started an avalanche of problems between Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, and the Walt Disney Company.
The tension between the company and the state continued worsen as state Republicans repealed the Reedy Creek Improvement Act of 1967. Essentially, the law states that Disney is its own governing body in the two cities and land within Orange and Osceola counties.
At a recent press conference, DeSantis shared that he is planning to announce even more measures against Disney World. The first was his plans to void the contract between the Central Florida Tourism Oversight Board (previously Reedy Creek Improvement District) and Disney World regarding Disney's development rights for many, many years. Now, everything will be passed through the State Legislature.
Bob Iger Speaks Out
During a shareholder meeting, Bob Iger stated that although The Walt Disney Company did not handle the response to the Parental Rights in Education Law in the best way, he does feel that DeSantis is punishing the Walt Disney Company for practicing free speech.
Iger went on to share why the state of Florida needs the Walt Disney Company in their state. He shared statistics including the number of jobs that Disney provides, the number of domestic and international guests that visit Walt Disney World every year, and also their plans to invest in growing Walt Disney World in the near future.
This may not have made an impression on Governor DeSantis, but it did catch the attention of other state representatives.
Mickey's Freedon Restoration Act
Today, North Carolina State Representative Senator Michael Garrett introduced a bill called "Mickey's Freedom Restoration Act." This bill addresses a quote from Disney CEO during the above-mentioned shareholder meeting. Iger called the actions taken by the state government of Florida "anti-business".
The Senator Whereas, some state governments have recently begun to prioritize "culture war" politics over economic development; and Whereas, North Carolina has proven to be a stable and vibrant environment for businesses, both large and small, to flourish; and Whereas, the state government of North Carolina and its elected leaders from both political parties have prioritized economic development for the benefit of its citizens; and Whereas, North Carolina seeks to further strengthen its tourism and entertainment industries by welcoming businesses considering relocation; and Whereas, Bob Iger, the chief executive officer of the Walt Disney Company, called actions taken by the state government of Florida "anti-business," on April 3, 2023[.]
The bill establishes the 11-member North Carolina Family Amusement Park Study Commission, with the purpose "to develop strategies that encourage family amusement parks (family parks) to locate in tier one counties" by the following strategies:
- Studying and consulting major family parks outside of the State to determine (i) the amount of interest among family parks to expand into the State, (ii) the priorities of family parks when considering an expansion into a new state, and (iii) any other information relevant to developing a plan that recruits family parks and encourages them to expand into the State.
- Coordinating with relevant State and local governments and agencies, including the Department of Commerce, the Department of Transportation, and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, to develop strategic economic incentive plans designed to encourage family parks to expand or relocate into the State.
You can check out a full outline of this bill here:
It is true that Disney is not likely to relocate the entire Walt Disney World Resort to the Tarheel State, but it is an interesting development. If Disney continues to feel pressure from Florida, could they take funds once planned to expand Walt Disney World in favor of creating business in a more "business-minded" state?
Today, North Carolina State Representative, Senator Michael Garrett introduced a bill called "Mickey's Freedom Restoration Act."
What do you think of this new bill by the state of North Carolina? Do you think Disney may expand in different locations if they continue to feel pressure from the state of Florida? Do you think Governor DeSantis is "anti-business" as Iger claims? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
Entirely agree!
Obviously you drank Fox Noise & Lies and DeSatan 's Coolaid. View from the mountain states, DeSatan is an immature ignoramus trying to dumb down Florida's citizens and enact laws that are going to bite him soon. He'll never be president of U.S. His mind is too small. As for Disney, yes!! Make your footprint smaller in Florida an spread out to other states. ❤️ North Carolina and Colorado have welcomed you. Time for something new !
I guest the Flordia governor want to make Flordia not a fun places to go. All that Disney has done for Flordia job and a lot of people visiting Florida and going to other places to spent money for other businesses. I would love Disney to move to New Jersey and give a
Great Adventure a run for there money but I know Jersey winter weather is not Disney weather but we have had nice winters. North Carolina not bad that not to far from jersey
He wants to destroy all of FL.
I feel all the years Disney has been in Florida the governor should not be as hostel as he is with them. Look what Disney has done for Florida jobs and all the people that come visit Disney and does other visit in Florida I would love to see Disney come to New Jersey and compete with Great Adventure Jersey not a warm winter area
You sound like a typical snowflake Donny.
Omg. unfortunately I'm a native of Florida back in the days when people would wave to you and now they just shoot birds at you.And F U. All I know is that Florida is totally out of control it's nuts from northern border all the way down to key West I can rest assured when I leave here I'm getting wherever I go I'm going to bring a baby alligator and start over you can have this crazy State now.
You're absolutely right
Disney should build additional parks in other states, just so they aren't beholden to any state .
Betting that they wont downsize is ignorant. Airlines, hotels, everything in Orlando and surrounding areas will be affected by the loss of Disney, along with the guaranteed tax revenue.
I mean there's 1,200 Publix stores and 1 Florida Disney World, so...
Be realistic, they ain't moving away. They're not going to toll or abandon what they have built in Florida. They're stuck and just have to live with not having the benefits provided to them, that should had been gone years ago.
Agree with you.
That is the key here. Ron is pushing his agenda with no grounds for negotiation. That is not governing, that is dictatorship. If he was a governor and a leader, he would have offered a path to resolution. That is his problem, he relishes the war. We of Florida do not.
exactly, why should disney get special treatment just because disney thinks they are to big to fail. The disney fan boys are always going to cry for disney no matter what they do. im glad this is all coming to a head. should of happened years ago.
As a normall cast memeber I made 12 an hour. Engineers are a tiny part of the cast. We make up the majority. Bad management bad pay
Well, he can't run for a 3rd consecutive term without changing state constitutional laws.
Disney sucks anyways and is overpriced on one Floridian that would not care if they disappeared from the state we have plenty of other things to do that are more affordable for families
This wasn't a problem until the GOP made it a problem. No one was forcing LGBTQ agendas on any small children. In some cases and usually with older children - they were being EDUCATED on the fact that their are people in this world different from you! No one is saying that your kids have to be gay, but you can't ignore that they exist and you can't crap all over their opinions and freedoms because of some twisted and unfounded FEAR you personally have!
Well said Lisa D, well said.
Are you a naturally born moron, or is it through following your Governor, Ron DeSatan. If Disney left due to your Fascist governor, why would any other company want to come to Florida and be subjected to the ideology of a madman.
If DeSantis can't get along with Mickey Mouse, how can he get along with foreign countries?
Just asking...
1 billion in tax revenue at the expense of every business in central Florida. The don't want the feet or the dollars of any visitor to touch non Disney property. 1 billion in tax revenue on 87.2 billion. That's a sweet deal while hurting anyone who tries to make a living around them. No thanks. My family stopped patronizing them years before their social engineering was quite so blatant. I vote with my wallet and my feet. I hope they move to NC and do the same thing there. Good riddance!
Haven't they also donated 80 acres of land for housing, pour $$$$ into local communities. The governor says its what the people want well there is more people other than the governors office. No one knows what WDW agreed to over 50 yrs ago nobody has cares they have employed thousands and brought millions of $$ into this state I'm sure there's more important things like crime to work on. And all those that think WDW is trying to indoctrinate their kids well they didn't get you did they? For goodness sake use your own mind really people.
The Governor senators etc were elected to serve ALL of the people of Florida. Disenfranchising certain groups and companies because of the pressure of a loud minority does not help all Floridians.
He can only serve eight years consecutively in a twelve year period. He's serving his second term now. So, explain to us how he's going to run again next election?
The fact you don't know this simple fact means you are full of it on anything you say because your source of information didn't even educate you on something as simple as term limits and what term DeSantis is governing in.
RIGHT ON LISA.... this governor is a nightmare. He's like a dictator. I hate the way he governs our state. It is definitely an ego thing... what happened to free speech, free choice. He is a total control freak.
Freedom of speech has nothing to do with educating my children on how to think. That is the issue here. That Disney wants to wave its money in the governor's face to incite; I am 100% behind governor desantis stance. Leave children alone!!! I already have to screen every Disney movie now just to make sure it's not using psychology to change my kids minds. If that's the plan then "no" no way, no how. We Americans are better than that.
Amen to that.
Yes we allow free speech. Companies need to shut up and promote their product, stay out of politics as well as celebrities and sports figures. Who cares what they think?
I imagine that the people who go to Disney when it’s 38 degrees in FL wouldn’t have a problem doing it in NC. Yes, it gets that cold here.
I love our Florida Governor. I want him to complete his term and then run for USA PRESIDENT. HE is so intelligent, an attorney, served in the military and works hard every day with common sense and love of Floridians, to make us the best we can be in Fla!!!!
Bring it on!,
“Single site employer” as the article clearly states, Disney is the biggest by far
Then we’ll have Disney Water Land
They said that 50 years ago too.
Disney needs to just stick to the business of entertaining and nothing else. Stay out of politics. That's what got Disney in this predicament in the first place. Good look in North Carolina. Remember people come to Florida on their winter and spring breaks. It can still get cold in NC. So who's going to want to walk through main st when it's 38° in NC
Disney needs to just conduct the business of entertaining and stay out of politics. Ron was setting an example of Disney. Companies need to just conduct their own business and shut up about anything else.
Disney paid $0 taxes? You need to stop watching Fox and NewsMax and stay out of the conspiracy chat rooms. They pay over 1 billion dollars a year in taxes. In addition they are the largest SINGLE SITE employer in the state. These FACTS are easy to look up since Disney is a publicly traded company. Jeez
Agree 100%
Treat Disney like Universal and Sea World. They get away from.having ride inspections like fairs do and people have died on Disney rides and Disney just throws money at them to keep quiet. Disney isn't all of Florida and the mess of traffic and construction around Four Corners isn't getting better. Someone needs to take responsibility for this. Polk County drug their feet for years and just kept approving new subdivisions now we are overwhelmed. Everything suffers water, garbage, trash, sewage emergency services because the county in its infinite wisdom didn't raise impact fees until lately. Disney needs to not be given preferred status. North Carolina doesn't want them, they think they do until you explain what it's done to traffic and Orlando. DeSantis is only looking out for Florida and Iger is only looking out for Disney. Time someone looks out for the residents of Florida
Iger has offered, Ron has not responded. Probably too busy pushing his book.
But Disney wasn't meddling, just using their free speech. Desantis is punishing them for having a different opinion than him
It seems like Disney is being punished because they spoke out against the changes. America allows freedom of speech this is what makes America great!
I completely agree with you.
Everyone is isolating the Disney issue. Let's look at the big picture here. Desantis is a civil servant and should be representing the people that have elected him. Instead he is acting like a dictator and using his platform to bully everyone while using his time in office dealing with his own personal issues. Taking books out of schools, threatening to build prisons. Lets not forget forcing children into a possibly deadly building with no mask on etc. Reminiscent of a young Hitler.
Jews Watch out !!!!
Exactly! Thank you!!
It's the tourism and Florida State recognition. Desantis has shown he is inexperienced to deal with foreign country politics or with our allies.
But people from other states and other countries don't come to Florida to go to Publix
Soon the Governor will have a secret about him released. Moreover he will not win even in the next governor race
Besides, in 50 years FLA will all be under water anyway.
So you wouldn't mind if WDW moved to Mayberry? There, you can actually go outside in the summer and not get heat stroke.
Perfect comment. Thank you!!! All of our politicians and news people need to do this,’ too.
DeSantis = Fascist. As a native Floridian, I'm disgusted when this governor has audacity to say he's standing up for Floridians. Then clean our water, start making developers pay impact fees, do something to mitigate insurance crisis and let go of your effing ego regarding Disney outsmarting you. Reedy Creek was NOT established to 'help' Disney out...it was established because there was NOTHING, no infrastructure, where Disney bought land and wanted to start building....so Reedy Creek district was created to give them the control and RESPONSIBILITY to create that infrastructure. Dismantling Reedy Creek means those residents now have to foot tax bills to support/maintain roads, fire dept., etc. This governor does not actually care about Florida or Floridians. If he did, he'd stop 'solving' made up problems and try to solve the real ones. But he doesn't; he's using our state and his governorship to promote his presendential bid. Never had my vote in the first place.
Disney is not the states largest employer,Publix is the states largest private employer with over two hundred thousand associates, and I am one of those associates
SeaWorld, Universal and Legoland are only there because of Disney. Do some research before you post.
Then who is Florida's largest employer?
Bob get your history lessons and perhaps go to Disney university so Mickey Mouse can explain to you that Disney got those breaks because they brought many jobs and development to the swamps . Orlando exists and is successful because Disney accepted the tax breaks and took a massive risk to build a park where otherwise alligators, orange trees and mosquitoes. Instead of being so negative you should be celebrating that you have such a strong economic driver in your backyard allowing you to have a low tax comfortable life!
Anyone with common sense knows that Disney isn't moving anywhere. They're too heavily invested in FL and they get MANY tax breaks and special considerations.
They just can't pick up & move when they have 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, 32 hotels on their property and land the size of San Francisco that has taken them over 50 years to build and develop.
EXACTLY!
Disney isn't FL's largest employer
Exactly .
Sorry, Desantis is acting like a spoiled child trying to prove something. He has targeted Disney for speaking against that law that not everyone in FL even agrees with. Disney does pay taxes and contributes a lot of money for FL and all of sudden their district is a problem. Come on, anyone can see what’s going on.
What company or companies would be able to replace. Just curious
And take their one billion in taxes with them to another state. Plus lose the states largest employer. That's some smart thinking there.
Do those people saying “Disney does pay taxes” know that Disney pays around a BILLION dollars in taxes to the state and local governments? And that they employ 75,000 people in Florida? If you think that’s 75,000 “low paying” jobs, you’re either ignorant or delusional. Those aren’t 75,000 selling ice cream or sweeping Mainstreet. (Personally, I made $90/hr contracting as an engineer for Disney)
DeSantis is the bully here. He’s behaving no different than a playground bully who picks on someone because their beliefs (ie religion, dress etc) are different from their own.
As a teacher for 50 years I can honestly say the similarities are striking. He has also lost my vote. This country does not need a child in the White House.
Good, get Disney out of here. The jobs they provide are garbage low paying jobs and they've had their own set of rules for 50 + years. If they vacate I guarantee another company or multiple companies will fill that void.
As a Florida resident, I think DeSantis is pro DeSantis. If that requires anti-business tactics that's what he'll do.
I believe Disney saw a wrong being committed against civil rights and rightfully said something in defense of their customers and society. DeSatin is a petulant child in the mold of Trump trying to one up each other in being disgusting along with Greg Abbott. Also JW is only concerned with his stock dividends but leans towards anti gay.or would pick a side.
Family values is what Disney has always promoted. Disney has stayed in top by constantly adapting to the changing social and cultural norms. Family values has been politicized heavily recently with one party trying to lock the definition to an ideal of family values from over 50 years ago and the other party is trying to push the definition forward to fast for large swaths of the population to handle. Remember Chapel for all his faults was responding to his own employees.
That is how capitalism is supposed to work in a free society. DeSantis is not supposed to use his position to target a specific company for there freedom of speech, however he has done that now with multiple companies.
If the people of Florida think Disney was doing something horrible they could boycott. The bud light situation shows that. DeSantis thought he would get some major political points by cowering a huge Corporation but he forgets that Disney is a multinational corporation that operates several parks in different countries and is able to adapt to different laws and processes. And so far everything he has proposed would affect the people of Osceola and Orange counties much more negatively than the corporation itself.
Disney is not likely to walk away for m FL because of the huge investments already made but if they did DeSantis's political career would end instantly. If he didn't take aim at Disney this would have been a blip headline and no one would be talking about it anymore
. Good one! Beautiful Florida where millions of people vacation every year and tons of other tourist attraction businesses like SeaWorld and Universal, and Florida is going to miss Disney's $0 tax dollars? You keep believing the lies buddy!
I love the comments on here acting like Desantis is acting unfairly to Disney. All he's doing is making them be treated just like every other business in the state, including Sea World, Universal, etc. That includes actually paying taxes and abiding by all state regulations that everyone else has to follow. Reedy Creek rules were established to help Disney get started. There is no reason why they need special privileges that no one else in the state gets now, and if you think otherwise you are just another ignorant pawn of the extreme left who believes every lie they tell.
Disney should teach Florida the ultimate lesson here and leave. It would devastate Florida and teach Mr DeSantis a lesson
It is Desantis that is taking vengeance (or acting like a child). “Maybe we could build a jail near Disney”. Give me a break. With all the $ Disney brings to Florida, you work out in private not like a child trying to get attention.
When companies delve into politics (whichever side they choose), they are going to alienate half the country. I'm a huge Disney fan (or I obviously would not be reading these posts), and as a stockholder I think Disney should stick to entertainment and stay out of politics. DeSantis and Iger keep trying to one-up each other. It's crazy.
Desantis wants to be a dictator. Disney has been in Florida for many years and provided jobs and millions of dollars in tourist revenue. Desantis is totally wrong and needs to grow up. If he runs for president, it is clear that if he won, all of us would suffer.
How is Disney acting lile a child? As a business they said what they believe in. DeSantis is doing this as a personal revenge because he does not another opinions. DeSantis lost my vote.
*** Business Leader Michael Garrett..
Yup agree both should just have sat down and I ended out traffic was gone and Eiger and both the governor should’ve just sat down and got this settled instead of doing what they’re doing completely agree.
LMAO yea pack up the castle and move it to NC LOL
Disney started this by meddling in state politics. And Florida is definitely not antibusiness. We went there several times during covid shutdowns and business was booming everywhere. However, it's time to put an end to this nonsense. Both DeSantis and Iger are making fools of themselves and acting like children. Both should be above this kind of behavior. How about sitting down and working out their differences...like grown, mature adults? Set an example for others to follow!