A new video uploaded to the Disney Parks TikTok offers viewers an exclusive POV of the new TRON attraction, set to open on April 4, 2023.
TRON Lightcycle / Run, one of the fastest rollercoasters offered at any Disney Park, allows theme park Guests to “speed across a world with no horizons in a high-stakes race based on the Disney sci-fi film TRON: Legacy (2010).” In the TRON franchise, real-life individuals visit a futuristic virtual reality known as the Grid, host to “users” playing for Team Blue against the computer’s nefarious Team Orange within competitive simulations.
POV videos are popular online at the moment, intended to bring viewers into the creator’s point of view, immersing them in a virtual experience. In the TRON POV, viewers experience the new racing coaster attraction as if they are on their very own lightcycle inside TRON’s world until the “feed” seems to glitch, cutting out a large majority of the experience and skipping straight to the end.
The video formats its caption like a computer transmission message, similar to those found within the Grid:
>◎//: Welcome programs. TRON preview testing has begun. 404 error detected in footage. Enter the Grid on 04/04/23 🥏
Of course, Cast Members have already experienced the new roller coaster during Company previews, with many enjoying the new ride.
However, the new attraction’s experience has not satisfied all preview riders, leaving Disney fans worried that the long wait was not worth it. In fact, within the comments, a TikTok user named Christopher asks, “is that it?,” noting that he thought the ride experience would be longer.
In typical Disney fashion, the Company brand remains “in character” regarding all things TRON, going the extra mile in the replies to keep up the immersive element: “Error 404 detected, footage missing. Remaining footage unrecoverable and in person simulation required for footage retrieval.”
Of course, the “in-person simulation” mentioned is telling Guests that they won’t be able to fully enjoy the new ride via screens, ride-through videos, or other forms of virtual content, which is ironic given the storyline of TRON. Even so, Walt Disney World as a whole seems to be moving towards prioritizing Guest Experience over visitors who film theme park content, with fans wondering if TRON Lightcycle / Run itself implemented its locker system to prevent the use of cameras and cellphones.
You can watch the video for yourself below to get a taste of what Guests will experience when TRON Lightcycle / Run opens at Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland at the Walt Disney World Resort:
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and if you’ll be celebrating at Disney Parks, you’ll find no shortage of special treats available for a limited time.
Love is in the air – and treats will soon be in your stomachs – because Valentine’s Day is nearly here. The Disney chefs and mixologists are concocting love potions of their own this year with delicious flavors that will awaken your heart and taste buds.
Both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort are about to take you to cloud nine with the sweet and savory sips and eats being served up as Feb. 14 draws near. Embrace the season of love with delights like the wildly adorable Zebra Mousse Cake at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, the can’t-miss Beauty and the Beast Cake at Disney Springs, and, of course, the beautifully delicious Sweetheart Sundae at Disney California Adventure park.
I think it’s finally time to fall in love with flavor. Grab your loved ones, friends, or simply treat yourself with the Valentine’s Day goodies in this Disney Eats Foodie Guide!
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resorts
Available at Various Resorts (Available through Feb. 28; mobile order available)
My (Plant-based) Sweetheart Chocolate cupcake with a love-ly swirl of vanilla buttercream and sprinkles (New) (Plant-based Item) (Wheat/ Gluten Friendly); Available at the following:
World Premiere Food Court at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
Intermission Food Court at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
End Zone Food Court at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
Landscape of Flavors at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
Centertown Market at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Spyglass Grill at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
Riverside Mill Food Court at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
Everything POP Shopping & Dining at Disney’s Pop Century Resort
Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, and Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
World Premiere Food Court, Intermission Food Court, and End Zone Food Court(Available through Feb. 14; mobile order available)
Be My Valentine Sweet Treat Bag: Sugar cookies with house-made vanilla and raspberry marshmallows (New)
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Boma – Flavors of Africa (Available Feb. 10 through 14)
Zebra Domes: The classic Amarula mousse and white chocolate dessert with the addition of a pink stripe
Jiko – The Cooking Place (Available Feb. 13 and 14 only)
Wild About Mousse: Madagascan milk chocolate mousse, pistachio sponge, marinated citrus, and candied almonds (New)
The Mara (Available Feb. 10 through 14; mobile order available)
Zebra Mousse Cake: Amarula mousse cake inspired by the flavors of the iconic Zebra Domes (New)
Sanaa (Available Feb. 13 and 14 only)
Bananas For Mousse: Banana cake, peanut butter mousse, banana jam, banana cream, candied almonds, and caramel (New)
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and Disney’s Pop Century Resort
Landscape of Flavors and Everything POP Shopping & Dining (Available through Feb. 14; mobile order available)
Chocolate Lover’s Delight: Chocolate cupcake with hazelnut filling, chocolate hazelnut buttercream, white chocolate heart décor, and sprinkles (New)
Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Beach Club Marketplace (Available through Feb. 14; mobile order available)
Sweets For My Sweet: Layers of cream cheese mousse, strawberry filling, vanilla cake, and a crispy strawberry vanilla base with glaçage and white chocolate décor (New)
Beaches & Cream Soda Shop (Available through Feb. 28)
Strawberry Minnie Milkshake: Strawberry milkshake with strawberry purée, red sprinkles, and a Minnie Mouse vanilla cupcake (New)
Disney’s BoardWalk
BoardWalk Deli (Available through Feb. 14)
Strawberry Cheesecake Brownie: Strawberry cheesecake with chocolate cream and pink crisp pearls on a fudgy brownie (New)
Flying Fish (Available Feb. 14 only)
Cocoa Breach: Vanilla custard, chocolate bavarois, and feuilletine crunch with a heart-shaped overlay
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Centertown Market (Available through Feb. 14; mobile order available)
Dessert Bites: Mini brownies, white chocolate-dipped strawberry, and raspberry ganache-filled tart with buttercream (New)
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
California Grill (Available Feb. 14 only)
Valrhona Ganache Torte: Whipped vanilla panna cotta, chocolate soil, strawberry gel, raspberry ganache macaron, and a chocolate-covered strawberry (New)
Contempo Café (Available Feb. 10 through 14; mobile order available)
Chocolate-covered Strawberry Cake: Chocolate cake filled with strawberry jam topped with strawberry buttercream and ganache
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Barcelona Lounge (Available through Feb. 14)
Passion Éclair: Choux pastry filled with a tart passion fruit ganache and topped with swirls of strawberry ganache, crisp white chocolate pearls, and chocolate hearts (New)
Three Bridges Bar and Grill at Villa del Lago (Available Feb. 10 through 14)
Guava Cheesecake: Guava and lime cheesecake on a coconut lime crust with strawberry variations and sugared puff pastry hearts (New)
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Gasparilla Island Grill (Available through Feb. 14; mobile order available)
Almond Cheesecake Heart: Heart-shaped almond cheesecake with chocolate sponge cake enrobed in dark chocolate (New)
Disney’s Old Key West Resort and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
Good’s Food to Go and The Artist’s Palette (Available through Feb. 14; mobile order available)
Love Letter Cupcake: Chocolate cupcake, strawberry pastry cream, chocolate mousse, and buttercream
Disney’s Riviera Resort
Le Petit Café (Available Feb. 10 through 14)
Valentine’s Day Chocolate Box with a raspberry macaron, hazelnut praline truffles, and Riviera brownie
Topolino’s Terrace (Available Feb. 10 through 14)
Cupid’s Plated Dessert: Amaretto mousse, fruits rouge reduction, dark chocolate crumble, and raspberry sorbet (New)
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Kona Island (Available Feb. 9 through 14)
Stitch and Angel Date Night: The ‘perfect pair’ of vanilla cupcakes – one with chocolate and peanut butter mousse filling and the other with peanut butter mousse and jelly filling (New)
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter and Riverside
Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory and Riverside Mill Food Court (Available through Feb. 14; mobile order available)
Dessert Bites: Mini brownies, white chocolate-dipped strawberry, and raspberry ganache-filled tart with buttercream (New)
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Roaring Fork (Available Feb. 10 through 14; mobile order available)
Love Bug Marshmallow: Strawberry marshmallow with a ganache center on a graham cracker cookie (New)
Honey Bee Mousse: White chocolate Earl Grey mousse with honey-lemon gelée center on almond cake (New) (Wheat/Gluten Friendly)
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
The Market at Ale & Compass (Available through Feb. 14; mobile order available)
Sweets For My Sweet: Layers of cream cheese mousse, strawberry filling, vanilla cake, and a crispy strawberry vanilla base with glaçage and white chocolate décor (New)
Disney Springs
Amorette’s Patisserie (Available Feb. 10 through 14)
Valentine’s Entremet: Champagne strawberry mousse, strawberry pate de fruit, vanilla chiffon, and dark chocolate crunch (New)
Beauty and the Beast Cake: Almond chiffon, cherry jam, cream cheese filling, red wine dark chocolate mousse, white chocolate pretzels, and red wine simple syrup (New)
Raspberry Éclair: Raspberry panna cotta, raspberry jam, lemon curd, and raspberry crispies (New)
Strawberry Cheesecake: New York cheesecake, strawberry crunch, fresh strawberries, and meringue kisses (New)
Little Love Strawberries: Strawberries dipped in ruby chocolate, white chocolate, and strawberry chocolate (New)
The Ganachery
Sparkling Strawberry Square (Available through Feb. 14)
Valentine Marshmallow Pop (Available through Feb. 14)
Sweetheart Minnie Mouse Pinata (Available through Feb. 28)
Strawberry S’more (New) (Available through Feb. 14)
Sprinkles (Available through Feb. 19)
Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cupcake + Layer Cake: Chocolate chip-studded Belgian dark chocolate cake topped with luscious raspberry frosting
Heartthrob Red Velvet: Red velvet cake topped with cream cheese frosting finished with our exclusive blend from Fancy Sprinkles
I Love You Box: Four red velvet, four vanilla, and four raspberry chocolate chip cupcakes
XOXO Box: Three dark chocolate, three red velvet, three vanilla, and three raspberry chocolate chip cupcakes
Swirls on the Water (Available through Feb. 28)
Rosa Regale DOLE Whip Float: Rosa Regale Sparkling Red Wine, DOLE Whip strawberry, and a chocolate covered strawberry
Valentine’s Day Red Velvet Cone: Chocolate soft-served swirled with DOLE Whip strawberry served in a red velvet cone and topped with a chocolate-covered shortbread cookie (New)
Vivoli Il Gelato (Available through Feb. 28)
The Love Potion: Float with vanilla gelato, Fanta Strawberry, and whipped cream
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Tiffins Restaurant (Available Feb. 14 only)
Chocolate Raspberry Martini and Flourless Cake Duo: Chocolate and raspberry martini served with a flourless chocolate cake, white chocolate cremeux, and raspberry pearls (New) (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)
EPCOT
Connections Café (Available Feb. 14 only)
Chocolate Liege Waffle (New)
Le Cellier (Available Feb. 14 only)
Chateaubriand for Two: 16-oz Chateaubriand with crab mac & cheese, grilled jumbo asparagus, béarnaise sauce and au poivre sauce
Valentine’s Day Dessert: Valrhona dark chocolate mousse, strawberry cake, strawberry gelato, and raspberry meringue
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The Hollywood Brown Derby (Available Feb. 10 through 14)
Red Velvet White Chocolate Mousse: Red velvet white chocolate mousse atop a chocolate cookie
The Trolley Car Café (Available Feb. 10 through 14)
Red Velvet Whoopie Pie: Red velvet cake filled with cream cheese buttercream topped with strawberry buttercream
Disneyland Resort
Disneyland Park
Red Rose Taverne (Available through Feb. 28; mobile order available)
Love Stuff: Red shortbread cookie, red velvet cake, raspberry, cookies and cream mousse, and heart sprinkles
Stage Door Café (Available through Feb. 28; mobile order available)
Chocolate-Strawberry Funnel Cake: Funnel cake with chocolate drizzle, brownie crumbles, diced strawberries, and whipped topping (New)
Outdoor Carts in Frontierland(Available through Feb. 28)
Strawberry Cheesecake Pretzel: Strawberry & Graham Cracker-dusted Cream Cheese Pretzel
Strawberry Dipping Sauce
Strawberry Cookies & Crème Churro: Strawberry and Butter Cookie-dusted Churro with Vanilla Buttercream Drizzle and Strawberry Cookie Topping
Disney California Adventure Park
Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream (Available Feb. 10 through 14; mobile order available)
Sweetheart Sundae: Chocolate and strawberry ice cream topped with strawberry sauce, whipped cream, a chocolate-dipped strawberry, and valentine sprinkles served in a chocolate waffle cup (New)
Valentine’s Sprinkles (New)
Lamplight Lounge and Lamplight Lounge – Boardwalk Dining (Available Feb. 10 through 14)
A Toast to Love Flight: Three miniature cocktails featuring a spicy cocktail, a bitter cocktail, and a sweet cocktail
The Flame: Bacardi Raspberry Rum, peach schnapps, mango purée, raspberry purée, lime juice, Sprite, and firewater bitters with a chile-lime rim
The Ex: Absolut Citron Vodka, spicy bitters, blackberries, lemonade, agave nectar, and lemon juice
The Love That Lasts a Lifetime: Bacardi Raspberry Rum, St. George, orgeat, raspberry purée, pineapple juice and Sprite
Trolley Treats (Available through Feb. 16)
Oswald Apple: Green Granny Smith apple dipped in chocolate and enrobed in dark chocolate with two long cereal treat ears dipped in dark chocolate and embellished with white and red chocolate.
Downtown Disney District
Ballast Point Brewing Co. (Available Feb. 14 only)
Tres Leches Rose Water Cake: Rose-milk-soaked shortcake topped with candied rose petal (New)
Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes (Available Feb. 10 through 14)
Red Velvet Cake Shake: A red velvet cake batter shake with vanilla frosted rim with red and white sprinkles topped with a slice of red velvet cake, whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, and a cherry
California Churro (Available through Feb. 19)
Chocolate-covered Strawberry Churro: Churro rolled in strawberry sugar, drizzled with chocolate
Catal Restaurant
Valentine’s Day Pre-Fix Menu: Lobster Bisque followed by choice of Jumbo Scallops or Pork Belly Cassoulet as your main entrée and finished off with a sweet choice of Chocolate Mousse Cake or Cheesecake for dessert (New) (Available Feb. 14 only)
Scarlett Kiss: Raspberry rum, lemon juice, simple, lemonade, soda water, fresh berries, and a splash of raspberry purée (New) (Available through Feb. 28)
Kayla’s Cake (Available through Feb. 14)
Valentine’s Day Gift Box: Six pre-selected macaron flavors of rose champagne, raspberry chocolate, strawberry cheesecake, red velvet, sea salt caramel, and Belgian dark chocolate
Naples Ristorante e Bar (Available Feb. 11 through 14)
Two Enchanted Centuria Martini: Tequila blanco, chilled espresso, Irish cream, and vanilla syrup topped with an edible flower and served with a special Valentine’s tiramisu dessert to share (New)
Tortilla Jo’s (Available Feb. 11 through 14)
Two Amor-ita Margaritas: Tequila, raspberry liqueur, organic margarita mix, and muddled raspberries served with a raspberry cheesecake to share (New)
Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen
Reef & Beef: Grilled jumbo shrimp and braised short ribs with creamy grits, green tomato chow-chow, and chili garlic butter sauce (Available Feb. 14 only)
Chocolate Strawberry Martini: Strawberry vodka and chocolate liqueur (Available Feb. 6 through 19)
Sprinkles (Available through Feb. 19)
Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cupcake + Layer Cake: Chocolate chip-studded Belgian dark chocolate cake topped with luscious raspberry frosting
Heartthrob Red Velvet: Red velvet cake topped with cream cheese frosting finished with our exclusive blend from Fancy Sprinkles
I Love You Box: Four red velvet, four vanilla, and four raspberry chocolate chip cupcakes
XOXO Box: Three dark chocolate, three red velvet, three vanilla, and three raspberry chocolate chip cupcakes
Uva Bar & Cafe (Available through Feb. 28)
Scarlett Kiss: Raspberry rum, lemon juice, simple, lemonade, soda water, fresh berries, and a splash of raspberry purée (New)
Wetzel’s Pretzels (Available through Feb. 28)
Choco Churro Bitz and Frozen Horchata Bundle: Cin-A-Bitz drizzled with dulce de leche and Ghirardelli chocolate sauce paired with frozen horchata topped with cinnamon (New)
Hotels of Disneyland Resort
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
GCH Craftsman Bar (Available through Feb. 26)
California Crush Cocktail: Crown Royal Regal Apple Whiskey, strawberry purée, lemon, and agave served with a mint sprig and strawberry heart garnish
Tuxedo Strawberry Cocktail: Bacardi Raspberry Rum, dark crème de cacao, strawberry purée, and half & half served “up” in a chocolate-coated martini glass with strawberry garnish
Love’s Lantern Cocktail: Skyy Citrus Vodka, Chambord, and lime garnished with edible flowers and a glow cube
Craftsman Grill (Available through Feb. 21; mobile order available)
Valentine’s Day Donuts
Valentine’s Day Cupcake
GCH Holiday Cart (Available through Feb. 26)
Heart-shaped Linzer Cookie
Mickey-shaped Valentine Cookie
Valentine Macarons
Assorted Cookie Box
Chocolate-dipped Strawberries
Valentine Crisped Rice Treat: Dark and white chocolate-dipped crisped rice treat
Waffle Shot available with choice of milk, low-fat milk, chocolate milk or strawberry
Hearthstone Lounge (Available Feb. 10 through 20)
Sparkling Fire: Ketel One Vodka, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Champagne, lemon juice, and raspberry gum syrup garnished with a raspberry and a dried rose petal (New)
Disneyland Hotel
Coffee House (Available Feb. 10 through 20; mobile order available)
Sablé Heart Cookie with Raspberry Filling
Red Velvet Cupcake
Iced Raspberry Mocha
Raspberry Mocha
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar (Available Feb. 10 through 20)
Sablé Heart Cookie with Raspberry Filling
Red Velvet Cupcake
Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts’ Nite (SOLD OUT)
If you’re attending one of the sold-out Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts’ Nite events at Disneyland park, there are special flavors bringing the love too! Both you and your stomach will fall in love with treats like the Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake at Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafeor the tasty Croque Monsieur Sandwich at Red Rose Taverne. As you make your way throughout the evening, stop by Hungry Bear Restaurant to try the Tres Leches Mini Funnel Cakes. For a sweet end to your evening, treat yourself to the Strawberry Shortcake Sundae available at Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor.
Disney Parks could be close to a total ban on all Influencers after a video of an incident involving a Guest and contraband materials went viral online.
Since Walt Disney opened Disneyland Park in 1955, Guests have enjoyed documenting their visits to the Disney Parks using personal cameras. As a result, Disney even began to provide designated photo locations sponsored by camera retailers like Kodak and offer professional PhotoPass photographers for select photo ops and character meet-and-greets.
However, with the rise of cellphone cameras, Go-Pro filming equipment, and social media platforms, souvenir mementos have become a mass market ripe for content creation. In fact, Disney “influencers” have developed a niche of curated content, building their brands by visiting Disneyland and the Walt Disney World Resort.
For example, YouTube is rife with ride-through videos filmed by Guests while onboard an attraction and Disney fans have devoted their lives and wallets to capturing the newest and exciting takes for Instagram and TikTok accounts. In particular, a recent incident went viral after one Guest broke Disney Park safety regulations to smuggle in contraband materials for a “perfect shot.”
A video of the Guest posted to TikTok by @thenostalgiclatino gained worldwide attention after fans noticed she had snuck illegal fireworks into the theme park. In the video, you can see the Guest standing before Sleeping Beauty Castle during the Disney 100 Anniversary Celebration at the Disneyland Resort, which celebrates one hundred years of the Walt Disney Company:
The influencer holds what appears to be a cake styled after Mickey Mouse’s signature red trousers, complete with a lit sparkler on top in lieu of a candle. People stare as the Guest, wearing a matching red dress, white boots, and Minnie Mouse ears poses before the Castle until a Disney Cast Member approaches the scene, gesturing for the Guest to stop blocking the walkway and put out the active firework.
Moreover, you can hear the Guest Relations Cast Member (in plaid) tell the offending Guest, “You have to put that out, and I’m going to get security.” Of course, the open flame poses a safety risk to Disney Park Guests and violates Disneyland Resort rules, which prohibit “fireworks or other similarly explosive and/or flammable objects, smoke machines or fog machines.”
Although no one has identified the so-called Disney Influencer yet, plenty more Park personalities would have been easily recognizable to many Disney lovers active in fan spaces online were they to pull a similar stunt. However, as this Guest was likely escorted from the Park at best and banned for life at worst, we don’t recommend their methods to garner online fame.
If similar behavior continues to inconvenience other Park-goers and Disney Cast Members, a full-out ban on live streaming, filming, and personal photography devices could go into effect soon.
Splash Mountain has closed at Magic Kingdom, and work is underway to transform the attraction into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Disney has revealed new storyline details for the upcoming attraction that is set to open in late 2024.
From a Disney Cast Member;
At a young age, Tiana developed a deep passion for cooking, and began to dream of one day owning her own business. Her father, James, taught her that good food brings folks together. One of the most exciting parts of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is that we’re going to see where Tiana’s life has taken her following the success of Tiana’s Palace, a restaurant she had dreamed of owning and worked so hard to make come true.
Walt Disney Imagineering is creating an original, next chapter story for Tiana. Within the attraction queue, guests will discover that she continues to grow her business with Tiana’s Foods – an employee-owned cooperative. Combining her talents with those of the local community, Tiana has transformed an aging salt mine and built a beloved brand.
The endeavor began when Tiana purchased the salt mine and the area surrounding the large salt dome it operated from. With the help of her mother Eudora, Naveen, Louis and fellow owners of the cooperative, Tiana revived the old salt mine and the surrounding land, growing a wide array of vegetables, herbs and spices for her recipes.
This multi-faceted enterprise has turned the aging salt mine into a space that has come alive. Complete with a boutique farm and both a working and teaching kitchen, Tiana’s Foods is where Tiana and her colleagues create all sorts of new products that they are bringing to the world, including a line of original hot sauces.
Tiana wants to give a big thanks to her family and friends and the entire community for all the support they’ve given her by throwing an amazing party during Mardi Gras season. When it turns out there’s been a bit of a mix–up with the party preparations, Tiana invites us to meet her at Tiana’s Foods to help with the missing ingredient for the party.
When we arrive, we may see that Tiana spruced up the company’s facilities with vibrant art from local artists. Food for the party is being prepared and beignets are being loaded into crates for the celebration. All kinds of preparations are underway for the journey into the bayou with Tiana, along with new and familiar friends from the animated film.
Picking up where that story left off, Tiana continues bringing people together with Tiana’s Foods, another treasured meeting place to spend time together and celebrate a diverse community. Tiana is also working with cooperative members to teach gardening and cooking to children of all ages, and inspiring other women to run successful businesses as the brand grows nationwide.
Governor Ron DeSantis has been at war with Disney ever since then CEO Bob Chapek spoke out against the Parental Rights in Education Act (dubbed the “don’t say gay bill ” by critics) early last year. Despite warnings from DeSantis against Disney getting involved, Chapek even went so far as to say the company would overturn the law.
In a retaliatory act, DeSantis made good on his promise that Disney would regret involvement and declared that Disney’s special tax district, Reedy Creek would be dissolved. The date given for the dissolution was originally June 2023, but it looks like it may happen sooner rather than later.
A bill is currently being written to overturn Disney’s special status and DeSantis says he expects the matter to be addressed in a special session of the legislature next week.
“We’re not going to have a corporation controlling its own government,” DeSantis said at a news conference in Tallahassee. “That’s going to be reverted to the state. I’d rather it be the local [governments], but I don’t think that they’re prepared for it. So the state is going to have a board to run it.”
This is in line with previous statements from the Governor’s office that stated an intention for state control over Disney property. A spokesperson previously said, “The corporate kingdom has come to an end. Under the proposed legislation, Disney will no longer control its own government, will live under the same laws as everyone else, will be responsible for their outstanding debts, and will pay their fair share of taxes.” It seems that they meant what they said.
In an interview this week, DeSantis reiterated much of what he has been saying all along, saying, “make sure that there are no special legal privileges and that they’re abiding by the same laws. That will be in the bill. And then making sure they’re paying their fair share of taxes and paying the debt.”
DeSantis insists this will not raise taxes on citizens and will not increase costs. Currently Disney pays for all of Reedy Creek’s upkeep and maintenance related costs (such as Fire Services, and its 911 call center). When the new law dissolves the special district, the state will be one responsible for those costs, unless as DeSantis hinted above there are provisions made for Disney to continue paying for these services themselves, which would likely result in a legal dispute.
