“Disney Is a Joke” — DeSantis Threatens Increased Tolls, Taxes for Disney World Visitors

[Disney4me]

Following the revelations that the Reedy Creek Improvement District Board targeted by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has transferred most of its powers to Disney, the governor has vowed to investigate the action, and said, “We’re not going to let [the Reedy Creek board move] happen.”

Disney World

Now, DeSantis has revealed his plans for further action against Disney World and what he describes as its efforts to “dodge Florida law.”

In a speech last night at Hillsdale College in Michigan, the potential 2024 Presidential candidate revealed that he wants to raise tolls and hotel taxes that will affect Disney World visitors.

“Disney is a joke,” DeSantis said in the Thursday evening appearance. “Under no circumstances should the state of Florida be subsidizing woke activism by allowing them to have their own government.”

DeSantis made his latest remarks about Disney on April 6th at Hillsdale College.

“The media is acting like somehow they pulled one over on the state,” DeSantis continued. “Suffice it to say, the Legislature is going to void anything Disney did on the way out the door.”

The new comments from DeSantis come after the improvement district board that had been controlled by Disney signed the agreement with the company that transferred most of its powers — just before a new board controlled by DeSantis took over. 

Main Street Train Station in Disney World

“Now that [Disney] re-opened the issue, we’re going to look at things like taxes on the hotels … tolls on the roads … developing some of the property the district owns,” DeSantis said Thursday night.

The disagreements between DeSantis and Disney started last spring, when Disney spoke out against the Florida Parental Rights Act, a law that critics dubbed the “don’t say gay” bill. Disney was largely quiet during the run-up to the takeover of Reedy Creek by the new board, prompting some political analysts to wonder why the company was not pursuing legal action. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at Hillsdale College on April 6th, 2023.

“I guess they decided they would lean into their strength – and the Legislature gave Disney many months to figure out a response,” University of Central Florida Political Science Professor Aubrey Jewett said in an interview with DFB. Nearly a year elapsed between the Legislature’s act that would have dissolved the Reedy Creek District, and its action on the new plan that would keep the board in place under a different name and with a board appointed by the Florida governor.

Disney CEO Bob Iger has not commented publicly about the 11th-hour agreement between Reedy Creek and Disney. But at the company’s annual shareholder meeting last week, Iger said he thought Disney was right to speak out against the bill. 

©Disney

“It seems like (DeSantis) has decided to retaliate against us. In effect, it seems, to punish a company for exercising a constitutional right,” Iger said. He went on to call Florida’s actions “anti-business” and “anti-Florida.”

But DeSantis continues to insist that Disney will not remain in control of the district it has had for more than 50 years. “They are not superior to the people of Florida,” DeSantis said.

Keep following DFB for the latest on the discord between DeSantis and Disney.

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The post "Disney Is a Joke" -- DeSantis Threatens Increased Tolls, Taxes for Disney World Visitors first appeared on the disney food blog.

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