A new board appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is set to take control of Walt Disney World’s special taxing district, raising concerns about the entertainment giant’s “woke agenda.” While the board of supervisors’ authority does not explicitly extend to directing Disney’s content, Governor DeSantis has been a vocal critic of the company’s perceived progressive stance.
The legislation creating the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which oversees municipal services and development in the special district that includes Walt Disney World resort, was passed in February, giving DeSantis effective control over the board. The move was seen by many as retaliation for Disney’s criticism of the Parental Rights in Education Act, a law that restricts classroom instruction of gender and sexual orientation.
Disney’s former CEO, Bob Chapek, publicly voiced disappointment with the measure, which led DeSantis to call the company out for using its economic might to advance a political agenda. DeSantis has stated that his aim is to make Florida “the state where woke goes to die.”
One of the five supervisors appointed to the oversight board, Bridget Ziegler, is a self-described parental rights advocate who helped pave the way for the Parental Rights in Education Act. She has previously criticized Disney for its perceived progressive stance, including asking a local high school to cover a logo of the school’s Native American mascot to march on Main Street.
Governor DeSantis has hinted at his cultural concerns, criticizing Disney for allegedly injecting “a lot of sexuality into the programming for young kids.” While the board’s powers are limited to overseeing municipal services, its members’ appointment has raised concerns about their potential influence on the entertainment giant’s content.
Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney parks, has expressed hope that “the new board will share our commitment to helping the local economy continue to flourish and support the ongoing growth of the resort and Florida’s tourism industry.” However, many are watching closely to see if the new board’s influence extends beyond the operational minutiae and into Disney’s content.
As the board meets for the first time, the question remains: will the new board spell the end of Disney’s “woke agenda” or simply cause tensions to rise between the entertainment giant and the state of Florida?