Ron DeSantis Disney Update as Orlando Judge Poised to Make Key Ruling

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Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property insurance market, local and national politics. She has previously extensively covered U.S. and European politics. Giulia joined Newsweek in 2022 from CGTN Europe and had previously worked at the European Central Bank. She is a graduate in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Politics and International Relations from Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy. She speaks English, Italian, and a little French and Spanish. You can get in touch with Giulia by emailing: g.carbonaro@newsweek.com.

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Less than 24 hours after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he had "moved on" from his legal battle with Disney, the board he appointed and put in charge of the land of Walt Disney World Resort asked a state judge to rule in their favor against the entertainment giant.

Speaking on CNBC's Last Call on Tuesday, DeSantis said that Disney should drop its federal lawsuit against the state and accept the decision of his appointed board to strip the company of control over its Florida resort, which had been a special tax district for over 50 years.

Disney said the change to their status in Florida—which was decided by the governor in April and which became official on June 1—was made in retaliation to the company's condemnation of DeSantis' so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill, a sweeping legislation introduced in Florida last year that bans topics related to gender identity and sexual orientation from being discussed in the state schools from kindergarten through the third grade.

Ron DeSantis
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis carries his daughter Madison at the Iowa State Fair, on August 12, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. DeSantis said Florida has "moved on" from its feud with Disney. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Disney's decision to speak out against the law sparked a feud with the Republican governor which developed into an ongoing legal battle over the land that includes the company's famed amusement park in Florida.

After stripping Disney of control over the district formerly known as the Reedy Creek Improvement, now the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, a Board of Supervisors nominated by DeSantis was put in charge.

Newsweek reached out to DeSantis' spokesperson and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District via email for comment on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the 2024 presidential candidate said the state has "moved on" from fighting Disney and it was time for the state and the company to "move forward." He added that he's not "anti-Disney"—so much so that he and his wife got married at Walt Disney World.

Florida board
L-R: Central Florida Tourism Oversight District's Daniel Langley, Charbel Barakat, and Martin Garcia meeting on June 21, 2023, in Reedy Creek, Florida. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appointed the board following the state's takeover of Disney's... Joe Raedle/Getty Images

"It's not like we're opposed," he told Last Call host Brian Sullivan. "I mean, we've appreciated working with them over the years, but I would just say, go back to what you did well. I think it's going to be the right business decision and all that."

But on the same day, the DeSantis-appointed board that now oversees Walt Disney World filed a request for a state judge to rule without trial in their case against Disney as the company tries to oppose the takeover, the Associated Press reported.

While the board of DeSantis appointees was given control over the district formerly controlled by Disney, they now argue that Disney wrongly limited their authority by making agreements with Disney-friendly predecessors over design and construction at Disney World.

According to the board members' request, the judge should issue a summary judgment that would rule in their favor on five of the nine counts in their case.

While the governor is not a party in this state court case, the move seems to suggest that while DeSantis—who's now busy with his campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential primary as well as his gubernatorial duties—said he's moved on, his appointees are far from dropping the fight against Disney.

Disney has filed two lawsuits against Florida, including a federal lawsuit saying DeSantis violated its right to free speech.

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About the writer

Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property insurance market, local and national politics. She has previously extensively covered U.S. and European politics. Giulia joined Newsweek in 2022 from CGTN Europe and had previously worked at the European Central Bank. She is a graduate in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Politics and International Relations from Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy. She speaks English, Italian, and a little French and Spanish. You can get in touch with Giulia by emailing: g.carbonaro@newsweek.com.

Writers Page

Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property ... Read more