The DeSantis and Disney feud is far from over, and now the Florida government and the National Guard themselves have weighed in on reports that forces have been ordered by Governor DeSantis to block all entrances into Walt Disney World Resort.
The Sunshine State is currently a battleground. Governor Ron DeSantis continues to wage his politically and culturally charged war against Disney CEO Bob Iger and his most popular theme park Resort, Walt Disney World (Orlando, Central Florida).
The fight began last year after the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate passed a bill, HB 1557, and sent it to DeSantis' desk in March last year. HB 1557, the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act - or as it became known worldwide, the Don't Say Gay bill - came under fire for its contents which police discussions in the classrooms regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. It came into law in July 2022.
Former CEO Bob Chapek vocally condemned the Don't Say Gay bill after a furor erupted across the States and from Disney's own LGBTQIAP+ Cast Members and their allies. Chapek said that Disney had aimed to work behind the scenes to unknot the bill, but as it headed to the desk of DeSantis, the House of Mouse made the bold decision to speak out publically.
This, of course, did not go down well with the Governor and most of the Florida Legislature.
Related: Gov. DeSantis Makes Activity Illegal In Disney World
And thus began a political war waged on the homefront. DeSantis retaliated to Disney's comments by targeting the historic Reedy Creek Improvement District - Disney's own self-governing area akin to a county government that has been active since it was passed in 1967 by the State of Florida. After renaming the Reedy Creek Improvement District the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and hand-picking its five right-wing board members (all of which could not have been in the theme park industry for the last three years), Disney essentially voided the new board's power over the special district with a clause referencing King Charles III - more here.
Just recently, Disney decided to sue the Governor for his apparent vendetta against the company for speaking out, to which DeSantis responded. Now, the two behemoths stand poised to do battle for many more weeks with more government retaliation expected. But, the one-time frontrunner for the Republican Party's Presidential candidate for 2024 is seemingly breaking party opinion, with former President Donald Trump even weighing in on the issue.
Now, as neither party looks to back down, reports have circulated that DeSantis has ordered the National Guard to block all the entrances to Walt Disney World Resort and its four theme parks, Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom, as well as its two Disney water parks, and multiple Resort hotels.
The report comes from Mouse Trap News, which claims that the "National Guard has been deployed to block all entrances to Walt Disney World property." It went on to say that the entrances to Disney World will now act like US border checkpoints, with all Guests needing to go through the National Guard first before they can make their breakfast reservation or see Cinderella Castle.
Of course, Mouse Trap News is a satirical site, meaning anything they report is not, in fact, actually true. But, after the escalating war between DeSantis and Disney, this is something that is topical and top of mind. So much so that Associated Press reached out to the National Guard and DeSantis' office for comment. Both Nahaku McFadden of the National Guard and Jeremy Redfern, the Governor's deputy press secretary, denied the claims of forces being deployed at Disney World. According to the Associated Press, McFadden wrote, "There are no requests for the National Guard to support any missions to Disney World from Governor DeSantis."
Related: FBI Officially Intervened In Disney's Moving "Plans," New State Home Blocked With Federal Charges
Support has been vocal on both sides of the battle, with many backing Disney's freedom of speech and others condemning the entertainment giant's actions for being too "woke." DeSantis spoke out against Disney's apparent "woke" ideals, saying Florida is the place "woke" goes to die.
Do you think the DeSantis and Disney battle will come to an end soon? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!
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