how is this Disney drama playing out where you live?

I'm in a Disney fanatic family with my sister and middle daughter leading the fan club, so it's a hot topic amongst family. DeSantis is floating his fascist platform to score points for when he throws his hat in the ring for 2024 which could happen in the next few weeks. Disney's social media posts get loads of comments along the lines of "Go Woke, Go Broke" and/or "Groomers". These are the voters he's hoping will split off from Trump and follow him.

There is no other state that's got the open land and climate to set Disneyworld in, so Disney needs to play a long game and I'm sure they are, to outlast and outsmart DeSantis. One would think it would dawn on Florida voters, even GOP voters, that to punish Disney is to punish them as well.

That's my not so hot take, but why am I craving Dole Whip with a shot of rum in it right now?

Fox News was on at the mechanic's shop this morning and there was some idiot from the DeSantis administration talking about it. First of all, he sounded like Jimmy Joe Earl the used car salesman. They are not hiring the best and the brightest in that administration. And he was spouting off nonsense that Bob Eiger is facing the music and needs to bow down and get right with DeSantis because he's going to lose big time. Then he said something nonsensical about how Disney is going to have to pay all of its own bills for once and something else about DeSantis taking care of the firemen.

On some level, it makes me chuckle to think that DeSantis thinks the State of Florida will ultimately prevail against this corporation. Does he really believe the state legislature has the power to void legal contracts entered into by private entities and that any court is going to uphold that type of legislation? I am absolutely certain that the legions of attorneys Disney will bring to this fight if it gets that far will crush whoever the state has to litigate this.

The only local friend I've seen comment about it is a libertarian who claims he is independent but curiously only ever criticizes liberals/Democrats. He posted something about Pride Day at Disney and said "burn it down."

Florida must not have more pressing problems because its governor seems hellbent on escalating this culture war.

It’s the conservatives, not the liberals, who were yelling time and time again that “Corporations are people” and as such, have First Amendment rights. The problem with pols like DeSantis is they like it only when a corp shares their values. If Mickey likes gay people and DEI, and wants to spend money repealing DeSantis’ Parental Rights in Education Act, it really is none of DeSantis’ business to interfere. It’s up to the people to decide for themselves whether they agree with Disney (and thus continue to patronize the business) or DeSantis (and thus continue to vote for him).

If Mickey outfoxed DeSantis, well…that’s his own damned fault. He was the one who was using his office to supposedly kill Reedy Creek. (That is, until someone probably pulled him aside and told him what a stupid idea it was because Florida taxpayers will end up holding the bag on $1B in bond debt.)

Ended up renaming the district and installing his chosen board. What was he expecting Disney would do? Roll over? While he was trying to outdo Trump in the Demagoguery Department, the Mouse was busy laying the trap. So he has his board, but one whose powers have been effectively nullified by Disney.

The intelligent thing to do is to just let it go.

Based on the amendment legislators added to SB1604 this morning, it's not just DeSantis who believes that the state can void legal contracts ex post facto.

I don't know if they actually believe they can win.  Given the "We're going to do this!  No, now we're doing this! Forget that, now it's THIS!" actions their taking, I'm guessing they aren't getting satisfactory answers from their lawyers. But they know that if they don't keep up the pretense of a fight, the base will revolt.  Like Trump after the 2020 election, and Kari Lake's shenanigans in AZ now... you only truly lose if you stop fighting.  So the fight has to go on until the money runs out.

I can think of many more pressing problems in the state that are being ignored while our governor tries to out-Trump Trump...it's sickening

ME!      


DisneyWorld has been in Florida since before DeSantis was born and will outlast him. I feel confident that they have the best lawyers and strategists their money can buy. And, even better, it appears that they silently accept and follow their advice. I personally think that by not engaging in a surface fight with DeSantis in the press and social media will serve them well. 

I know very little about it. I've seen a few headlines but that is about all. From what little I know it seems like another example of the DeSantis "Reality" Show where he creates some drama that he thinks will lead him to be the last survivor of the Republican primary. In actuality he is picking fights and creating policies that don't help the majority of people with the types of problems that are really important to them.

I went to Disney a lot in high school and college because I had family who lived about an hour from Orlando. Since then I've been to one Disney property one time and that was about 25 years ago. I doubt I will ever go back. I know one family who with a young child who is in Florida now and they are going to Universal. We never even considered taking DH's grandchildren there when they came to visit. Too far, too commercial, too expensive compared to other vacations. So I don't know anyone talking about anything Disney. And unfortunately, the Trump signs still stand here.

Okay, now I understand his wife's wardrobe. Makes me roll my eyes.