CEO Bob Iger Would ‘Be Glad’ To Meet with Florida Governor DeSantis Over Walt Disney World Feud

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

Via wdwnt.com

The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger was named one of Time’s most influential people of 2023 and sat down for an interview with the magazine. During the interview, Time asked Iger about Disney’s ongoing feud with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, sparked by Disney’s denouncement of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill last year.

Time asked Iger, “Did you checkmate Ron DeSantis?” referencing the recent reveal that the Reedy Creek Improvement District had, just before DeSantis’ board took over, passed a number of restrictive covenants which handed most of the District’s power to Disney for a period of at least thirty years.

“Disney World opened just over 50 years ago,” Iger said. “It was the vision and the dream of Walt Disney, probably the most ambitious thing he ever did—turning swampland in Central Florida into a business that employs over 75,000 people, that is visited by tens of millions of people every year, that is a major tourist destination in the United States, and for the state of Florida, that creates huge value for our company and its employees, and for the state of Florida itself. Our sole goal in Florida is to continue creating that value for all those constituencies. All we want is a relationship with the state that enables us to continue to do that. We have the wherewithal and we have the desire to continue to invest there to grow that business so that we can hire more people so that we can increase our attendance, and so that we can basically increase more value for the Walt Disney Company and for the state of Florida. It’s that simple.”

Time continued, “Usually, you’re very much a let’s-sit-down-and-get-past-our differences guy, and much less a let’s-go-to-the-mattresses guy. Is there no trying to meet with the governor?”

“I do not view this as a going-to-mattresses situation for us,” Iger said. “If the governor of Florida wants to meet with me to discuss all of this, of course, I would be glad to do that. You know, I’m one that typically has respected our elected officials and the responsibility that they have, and there would be no reason why I wouldn’t do that.”

210520 ron desantis jm 2326

Earlier this month at Disney’s annual shareholder meeting, Iger accused Gov. DeSantis of punishing Disney for exercising their right to free speech. “We love the state of Florida,” he said, citing the company’s various investments in the community over the years and saying he respected and appreciated what the state has done for Disney in the past. “Any action that thwarts these efforts simply to retaliate is anti-business and anti-Florida.”

Reedy Creek’s final moves shocked DeSantis and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board, who expressed disbelief at Disney’s actions and retained multiple law firms to fight the agreement in court. DeSantis ordered a criminal investigation into Disney and the old board.

DeSantis also promised to double down on his efforts to punish Disney through methods both in the Legislature and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight Board. Notably, he promised to hike Disney’s hotel taxes and institute tolls on the roads around Walt Disney World Resort property now administered by the CFTOB.

DeSantis Launches Investigation Into Disney

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Uncategorized

Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced today that he has officially ordered an investigation into Disney over recent developments regarding the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

Walt Disney World has been locked in a heated legal, political, and social battle with Republican Florida governor Ron DeSantis after the company spoke out against the Parental Rights law. DeSantis and his supporters have retaliated by passing legislation to dissolve Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, a privilege held by the company since 1967 that allowed it to treat Walt Disney World as a self-governing area. In its stead, DeSantis appointed a handpicked board now called The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

However, the new board made national headlines last week when it discovered a strange clause in the previous board’s last Development Agreement. The clause severely limits or eliminates most of the new board’s power with a “royal lives” clause; a common clause in UK contracts (but less common in the United States) that defines the contract’s terms to expire “21 years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, King of England…” The clause also says that the Declaration will terminate “as of the date that none of [Walt Disney Parks & Resorts] owns any real property within 10 miles of the RCID properties.”

Upon discovery, the board immediately spoke out against Disney, with one member stating: “It’s a subversion of the will of the voters and the Legislature and the governor. It completely circumvents the authority of this board to govern.” It should be noted that the Development Agreement, and all other agreements, were discussed in public meetings before the Florida House voted to sign power to DeSantis. Disney released its own response:

“All agreements signed between Disney and the district were appropriate and were discussed and approved in open, noticed public forums in compliance with Florida’s Government in the Sunshine law.”

While speaking at a book signing in Smyrna, Georgia last week, DeSantis commented on the situation, ominously stating “There’s a lot of little back-and-forths going on now with the state taking control, but rest assured, you know, you ain’t seen nothing yet.” Today, in a letter to Chief Inspector General Melinda Miguel, the Governor ordered an investigation into any possible “legal or ethical violations” by the previous Reedy Creek Board.

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District argues that the previously made agreements are unlawful and should not have been allowed. Ron Peri, one of the new Board Members, stated that the agreements have stripped the board of all of its power and “made Disney the government”.

It should be known that the members of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District originally passed and signed this agreement in a public forum with no comment.

How King Charles III Helped Disney Sidestep DeSantis

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Uncategorized

In a shocking legal move, Disney’s lawyers have gone Game of Thrones on Ron DeSantis’ new board – and it looks like a royal clause will hold up in court.

Walt Disney World has been locked in a heated legal, political, and social battle with Republican Florida governor Ron DeSantis after the company spoke out against the Parental Rights in Education Act. DeSantis and the Florida Legislature passed legislation to dissolve Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, a privilege held by the company since 1967 that allowed it to treat Walt Disney World as a self-governing area. This allowed them easier access to things like firefighter and paramedic response in the Parks, as well as greater ease for building and land permits.

DeSantis appointed a hand-selected board to take over, now known as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. The board officially took over last month, but news recently broke that its lawyers have discovered a bizarre clause in the Development Agreement signed by the previous Reedy Creek board that severely limits or entirely eliminates the power of the new board.

In the Agreement, which was signed on February 8, 2023, there are several terms that are defined to expire “21 years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, King of England…” The clause also says that the Declaration will terminate “as of the date that none of [Walt Disney Parks & Resorts] owns any real property within 10 miles of the RCID properties.”

This means that the terms of the previous agreement are valid for at least 21 years, if not much longer, and while it does not cover every inch of the RCID, it covers a significant amount. This renders the new board’s power extremely limited until then.

A screenshot from the Reedy Creek Improvement District Development Agreement

The clause is what’s known as a “royal lives clause,” and is usually set for the lifetime plus 21 years after the death of the current reigning British monarch. While these are somewhat common in contracts in the United Kingdom, it’s rare to see them in the United States. While Presidents’ lives clauses have appeared in American contracts, it seems as though Disney’s lawyers opted for Charles III for political purposes. Royal lives are chosen because of their presumed longevity through affluence and the relative ease of calculating the lifetimes of their descendants.

“We’re going to have to deal with it and correct it,” board member Brian Aungst said of the last-minute agreements on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. “It’s a subversion of the will of the voters and the legislature and the governor. It completely circumvents the authority of this board to govern.”

While this is an extremely bizarre move, it’s unlikely Disney’s lawyers would have used it unless it would hold up in court. The constraints also forbid the board from using the “Disney” name or any of its characters.

Florida Governor Suspends All COVID Orders While Disney Reminds Guests To Maintain Guidelines

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Yesterday was a big day for the state of Florida as the Governor announced he is suspending all COVID orders as of July 1. Disney was quick to send out a push notification to Walt Disney World guests that they are currently maintaining their health and safety guidelines.

As shared by OrlandoSentinel: “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspending all local COVID-19 emergency orders by executive order on Monday (5/3), while signing a law that restricts what both governors and mayors can do during pandemics. ‘I think that’s the evidence-based thing to do,’ DeSantis said at a news conference in St. Petersburg. ‘I think folks that are saying they need to be policing people at this point, if you’re saying that, then you’re really saying you don’t believe in the vaccines.’”

OrlandoSentinel goes on to share: “The bill, which takes effect on July 1, would also ban businesses from requiring so-called “vaccination passports,” putting into law DeSantis’s executive order from last month. The law forbids businesses from requiring proof of vaccination against COVID for entrance.”

WDWNT reported that on the heels of that announcement Walt Disney World sent out a push notification to Walt Disney World guests via the My Disney Experience app that stated: “Important Information: We are aware of the state of Florida’s plans announce today to modify COVID-19 guidelines. We will evaluate this latest guidance and maintain our current health and safety measures at this time, including face covering requirements. We will continue to make thoughtful adjustments to our policy. As COVID-19 vaccines become available, we encourage people to get vaccinated.”

Florida Moves Into Phase 3 Reopening; No Restrictions on Restaurant & Bar Capacity

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Dining, Disney Parks, Disney Resorts

HUGE NEWS for Florida last week! Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order September 25, removing all remaining restrictions on businesses because of COVID-19. Bars and restaurants are no longer required to operate at less than full capacity effective immediately.

As shared by OrlandoSentinel: “We are today moving into what we initially called phase 3,” DeSantis said during a press conference in St. Petersburg. “And what that’ll mean for the restaurants is there will not be limitations from the state of Florida.” “We’re also saying in the state of Florida everybody has a right to work,” he added. “(Local governments) can do reasonable regulations but they can’t just say no.”

There are four major provisions of the order:

  • It removes all remaining state-level restrictions on businesses, including on bars and restaurants, which were capped at 75% capacity in Phase 3 of DeSantis’ original reopening plan.
  • It provides a general right to work and to operate a business. Local governments can limit and regulate businesses, but won’t be able to close businesses because of coronavirus concerns.
  • Local governments won’t be able to prevent restaurants from operating at below 50% capacity. Under previous orders, local governments could go further than state-level restrictions, and counties in South Florida kept restaurants and bars closed after the state allowed them to reopen. Also, cities and counties won’t be able to impose any restrictions without an economic and health justification.
  • Cities and counties can’t collect on any outstanding fines they issued as part of their pandemic response. The order, though, doesn’t compel local governments to refund anyone who has already paid a fine.