Even if you’ve been deep inside Space Mountain for the past few weeks, you might have heard the intense rumblings emanating from the feud between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and The Walt Disney Co, which the governor has blasted as a “woke corporation.”
Then again, you probably didn’t pay it much attention, just like the thousands of others queued ear-to-ear for Magic Kingdom fireworks on a Friday night, or waiting to meet a Disney princess, or trying to get a required park reservation at The Most Magical Place on Earth.
The iconic company’s four Orlando-area theme parks are teeming with guests. Additionally, vacationers board Disney Cruise Line’s two largest cruise ships — the Dream and the Fantasy — for sailings from Port Canaveral a total of three times a week.
“Disney is very much loved by people in this country. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, the Seven Dwarfs and Cinderella are all part of Disney lore,” said Abraham Pizam, the founding dean of Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
“Disney has permeated our culture. It is an entertainment giant. If I were in the shoes of Disney, I would not be worried.”
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The rumble in a nutshell: This week, the Florida Legislature voted to repeal the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the governing structure for Disney’s Florida properties (which has about $1 billion of municipal bond debt), a move viewed as punishment against Disney for speaking out against the “Parental Rights in Education Act.”
The law limits instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation in grades K-3. Critics said that law, which has been derided as the “Don’t Say Gay bill” is hostile to LGBTQ+ youth and exposes school districts to lawsuits.
Disney CEO Bob Chapek said the media giant was pausing political contributions in the state and working to overturn the law.
“If Disney wants to pick a fight, they chose the wrong guy,” DeSantis said in a fundraising email.
The measure to strip Disney of its self-governing power was introduced in the Florida House by Brevard County Republican lawmaker Randy Fine. The change would take effect in June 2023.
The political battle has prompted considerable social media chatter on both sides — but it doesn’t appear to be impacting the Disney magic, judging by attendance.
Take as an example: Even if you’re a passholder with the top-tier annual pass and no blackout dates, reservations can be hard to come by. As of Wednesday, the last week of April had limited openings, and so did spots in May and early June.
And that’s also amid some non-political grumbling by consumers over ticket prices being higher than pre-COVID, and a halt on new passes that some in Florida complained favor visitors from out of state over residents and passholders.
Any financial impact from the Legislature’s action would likely come later, and be felt by local taxpayers and the company as Disney must navigate new rules to add attractions.
In discussing the political battle, for now, “I don’t see it changing guests’ habits,” said Scott Sanders, founder and operator of the Disney Cruise Line Blog — which is not affiliated with Disney.
Sanders — a Walt Disney World annual passholder who visits the theme parks with his family several times a month — doesn’t see any evidence that people are staying away from the parks. From…
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