The Takeover and Its Aftermath
In retaliation for Disney’s opposition to the law, DeSantis took over the governing district of the Disney parks through legislation passed by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature and appointed a new board of supervisors. This greatly disrupted the Disney World business, as the governing district is utilized to conduct business matters for the sprawling theme parks that consist of 25,000 acres.
Disney sued DeSantis and his appointees, claiming the company’s free speech rights were violated for speaking out against the legislation. However, a federal judge dismissed that lawsuit in January and the dispute has been ongoing.