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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Walt Disney World and a special tax district are once again making headlines, but this time, it’s with a new cast member: England’s King Charles III.
In a quiet move that’s enchanting the internet, the former Reedy Creek Development board signed its power back to Disney before leaving office, a binding declaration that doesn’t expire until England’s monarchy dies out.
That means the five DeSantis allies who pledged to reign in one of Florida’s largest employers lack the ability to do much of anything, at least until they take legal action.
Here’s a look at what’s going on and what could come next. First, a quick refresher on the Disney-DeSantis feud
Things started heating up back in 2020, when Disney enacted COVID-19 masking measures and, later, vaccine mandates. Tensions reached a tipping point when Disney sided against Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, known by its critics as the Don’t Say Gay bill.
Last month, in a move widely seen as retaliation, DeSantis signed a bill that took control of a special tax zone encompassing Walt Disney World. The Reedy Creek Development District has allowed Disney to operate and expand with a lot of autonomy for the last 50 years.
The governor gave it a new name, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, and appointed five of his allies to the board, including a prominent parents’ rights activist, a Christian nationalist and a lawyer who donated $50,000 to his campaign.
On paper, the new board would supervise municipal services and development for the land around Disney World. In practice, DeSantis said, the board would also serve as a moral arbiter for a company that had lost its way.
One of the board members told NPR in early March that its first step would be conducting a sweeping financial and legal audit into Disney’s behavior. But, unbeknownst to the governor, Disney had already cut the board’s powers
The newly appointed board was sitting for its second official meeting on Wednesday when it announced it had made a discovery: It might not be able to carry out the agenda it planned.
Nineteen days before DeSantis signed the final bill, the former board had signed agreements with Disney essentially stripping the board of power and handing that power back to Disney.
