DeSantis now controls Disney World

[cattledogkisses]

And appointed five of his henchmen to oversee it.   (Tangential @ mentions in article.)

www.npr.org/2023/03/06/1160997679/disney-board-desantis-ziegler-peri-garcia-special-district

In writing, the new board will end Disney's long practice of taxing itself to develop on the 25,000 unincorporated acres sandwiched between Osceola and Orange counties. It'll oversee services like sewage treatment and maintain the local roads, as well as decide how much Disney will pay for those services.

But in effect, DeSantis said last week, the board will also serve as a moral arbiter.

"When you lose your way, you gotta have people that are going to tell you the truth," the governor said. "All these board members very much would like to see the type of entertainment that all families can appreciate."

The new quasi-government board may not be able to have a say in Disney content — say, which characters the company creates or what's included in its next movie script. But it can decide when and how its biggest theme park can build critical projects.

[mrsukyankee]

[Velar Fricative]

All this because of that new Princess and the Frog ride. I'd laugh if this weren't so real and fascist.

ETA: And of course Don't Say Gay. My mind went to Space Mountain first since I'm still baffled by the people who think it's a travesty to get rid of it. 

[sonrisa]

@

Are they going to use it as their home base for the kidnapped transkids? (And no, autocorrect, I don't mean "grandkids")

[noodleoo]

I didn't need another reason to avoid DW, but this will do it anyway.

[wawa]

LOL, pro business party! fucking fascists.

[wesleycrusher]

Mar 7, 2023 13:23:51 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

All this because of that new Princess and the Frog ride. I'd laugh if this weren't so real and fascist.I

I thought it was because Chapek (former CEO) came out with a statement against the Don't Say Gay bill.

[abs]

Mar 7, 2023 14:26:03 GMT -5 wesleycrusher said:

Mar 7, 2023 13:23:51 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

All this because of that new Princess and the Frog ride. I'd laugh if this weren't so real and fascist.I

I thought it was because Chapek (former CEO) came out with a statement against the Don't Say Gay bill.

Yep. That’s what started it. Disney issued a statement against DeSantis and his feelings for hurt. Boom, here we are. But sure party of more freedoms. Sure. Reason a million why DeSabtis terrifies me:

[ggirl]

Mar 7, 2023 14:26:03 GMT -5 wesleycrusher said:

Mar 7, 2023 13:23:51 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

All this because of that new Princess and the Frog ride. I'd laugh if this weren't so real and fascist.I

I thought it was because Chapek (former CEO) came out with a statement against the Don't Say Gay bill.

It is

Also the board already existed. He replaced the people on it and changed the name. People are talking about how Disney will “pay its fair share of taxes” but in reality he didn’t do anything of the sort about that. He just put his henchmen in the board


Note. I am not minimizing that’ he’s a fascist dictator. I’m talking about the spin republicans are putting down here that now Disney will pay for taxes and such. No they won’t.

I sort of hope Disney sues them but legally I have no idea if they could.

The villages ALSO has a special district that didn’t have this happen so I feel there could be some legal argument.

[hermione]

I wish more than anything Disney would be like, "Cool. We out." I know it will never but happen but a girl can dream.

[ECB]

Mar 7, 2023 14:36:10 GMT -5 hermione said:

I wish more than anything Disney would be like, "Cool. We out." I know it will never but happen but a girl can dream.

I thought this the other day!  Just up and leave.  Take down anything specific to Disney and whatever has a copywrite, then go.  

This would devastate all the people who work there, which I wouldn't want to see.  But to leave it all in Desantis's hands.... would love to see that. 

[Bad Dingo]

Mar 7, 2023 14:36:10 GMT -5 hermione said:

I wish more than anything Disney would be like, "Cool. We out." I know it will never but happen but a girl can dream.

I know it'd never happen but I REALLY wish it would. 


People need to stop visiting FL, stop spending their money there and supporting a fascist wannabe dictator and all of his minions.

[Velar Fricative]

Mar 7, 2023 14:26:03 GMT -5 wesleycrusher said:

Mar 7, 2023 13:23:51 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

All this because of that new Princess and the Frog ride. I'd laugh if this weren't so real and fascist.I

I thought it was because Chapek (former CEO) came out with a statement against the Don't Say Gay bill.

Of course. My mind just went going to the most recent dumb shit that happened there re: Space Mountain.

[Velar Fricative]

Mar 7, 2023 14:36:10 GMT -5 hermione said:

I wish more than anything Disney would be like, "Cool. We out." I know it will never but happen but a girl can dream.

They should. That land won't be sustainable forever thanks to climate change anyway.

[Deleted]

If I didn't have elderly parents - one of whom can't travel - that live in Florida, I wouldn't step foot there again. My Fox news loving father always asks why we visit Disneyland instead of Disneyworld for fall break and I tell him travel time. That's a big part - door to door in like three hours compared to half a day or more to get to Florida. But the bigger issue and one I can't talk about with him because he just doesn't see my perspective is DeSantis and how horrible the state has become to everyone who isn't rich, straight and white.

[seeyalater52]

Mar 7, 2023 14:31:28 GMT -5 abs said:

Mar 7, 2023 14:26:03 GMT -5 wesleycrusher said:

I thought it was because Chapek (former CEO) came out with a statement against the Don't Say Gay bill.

Yep. That’s what started it. Disney issued a statement against DeSantis and his feelings for hurt. Boom, here we are. But sure party of more freedoms. Sure. Reason a million why DeSabtis terrifies me:

Yup. Ironically the Disney response to Don’t Say Gay 1.0 (2.0 that was just proposed is far far worse) was pretty medium and came way late in the process after they got blowback for not speaking out about it initially.

DeSantis also said recently that he was going to use this board to force Disney to change the content in their programming (related to LGBTQ representation.) Fun times.

[ggirl]

Mar 7, 2023 15:00:08 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

Mar 7, 2023 14:31:28 GMT -5 abs said:

Yep. That’s what started it. Disney issued a statement against DeSantis and his feelings for hurt. Boom, here we are. But sure party of more freedoms. Sure. Reason a million why DeSabtis terrifies me:

Yup. Ironically the Disney response to Don’t Say Gay 1.0 (2.0 that was just proposed is far far worse) was pretty medium and came way late in the process after they got blowback for not speaking out about it initially.

DeSantis also said recently that he was going to use this board to force Disney to change the content in their programming (related to LGBTQ representation.) Fun times.

I know he’s said this and I’m sure he will try to find a way but I honestly don’t know if he can. The board has nothing to do with their programming. It’s literally for the land Disney is on. It allows Disney to provide their own fire dept, sewage system, etc. and it allows them to assess taxes to people who do live on the land that is owned. It’s desantis continuing to say stuff to rile up his base who eats it up.


I realize you probably know all this but it gets me so heated because living down here I feel like I’m screaming into the void sometimes.

[sent]

Mar 7, 2023 15:00:08 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

DeSantis also said recently that he was going to use this board to force Disney to change the content in their programming (related to LGBTQ representation.) Fun times.

I just looked up and saw that Disney is headquartered in California. A lot the content they have on TV and movies is not represented in the parks anyways so it seems like Disney could sidestep this issue for now. Not that any of this is the right way to approach things, and of course I don't put it past the FL governor to claim he has powers that he clearly doesn't have. 

ETA - I see ggirl was posting a similar message. Like there is an episode of Doc McStuffins where there are 2 moms. Does DeSantis now think he can force Disney to get rid of Doc McStuffins from the parks? She's probably on her way out of the parks anyways if she's not already gone because she is on Disney Jr. and they tend to have the newer Disney Jr. show characters in the parks.

[pixy0stix]

As I said in the other thread, I don't care either way from a Disney point of view. I do care that people are cheering on DeSantis' bid for dictatorship.

I keep reading different things re: FL taking over Disney and who it will cost. Just from my experience with local government taking over private communities... it *always* costs the government money long term even if the community front ends some of the costs.

[ggirl]

Mar 7, 2023 15:15:40 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

As I said in the other thread, I don't care either way from a Disney point of view. I do care that people are cheering on DeSantis' bid for dictatorship.

I keep reading different things re: FL taking over Disney and who it will cost. Just from my experience with local government taking over private communities... it *always* costs the government money long term even if the community front ends some of the costs.

Yes. It will cost Florida. Not Disney, has been my takeaway. But that’s also why he didn’t just dissolve the special district. The counties that Disney’s land is on would have been responsible for the debt that Disney currently has for that land. That’s why they have that special district.. They are basically a county within a county. They could tax them selves and then put that money right back into the land. And they still can. That hasn’t changed. Desantis isn’t that dumb to take that away. The board with his new henchmen will basically now oversee that.

I do wonder though. Where the boards finalloyalties will lie in the end..desantis or Disney. The mouse has a lot of opportunities for people to make big money.

[ggirl]

Meanwhile. Spring break in Florida is about to be a disaster because the Gulf Coast is riddled with red tide. But sure. Desantis focuses on disney.

[Wallflower]

Mar 7, 2023 15:13:45 GMT -5 sent said:

Mar 7, 2023 15:00:08 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

DeSantis also said recently that he was going to use this board to force Disney to change the content in their programming (related to LGBTQ representation.) Fun times.

I just looked up and saw that Disney is headquartered in California. A lot the content they have on TV and movies is not represented in the parks anyways so it seems like Disney could sidestep this issue for now. Not that any of this is the right way to approach things, and of course I don't put it past the FL governor to claim he has powers that he clearly doesn't have. 

ETA - I see ggirl was posting a similar message. Like there is an episode of Doc McStuffins where there are 2 moms. Does DeSantis now think he can force Disney to get rid of Doc McStuffins from the parks? She's probably on her way out of the parks anyways if she's not already gone because she is on Disney Jr. and they tend to have the newer Disney Jr. show characters in the parks.

I think it's more about leveraging power over the special area to control wider elements of Disney. Disney goes to the board because they need permission from it to do something with that FL land and the board slaps back with, "we won't approve this project unless you get rid of that libtard crap in the gift shop. Or stop airing XYZ show. Or add a good, strong, white male character to XYZ show." Whatever they think they can get away with, given the size of the FL project that Disney wants.

[Velar Fricative]

Mar 7, 2023 15:31:05 GMT -5 Wallflower said:

Mar 7, 2023 15:13:45 GMT -5 sent said:

I just looked up and saw that Disney is headquartered in California. A lot the content they have on TV and movies is not represented in the parks anyways so it seems like Disney could sidestep this issue for now. Not that any of this is the right way to approach things, and of course I don't put it past the FL governor to claim he has powers that he clearly doesn't have. 

ETA - I see ggirl was posting a similar message. Like there is an episode of Doc McStuffins where there are 2 moms. Does DeSantis now think he can force Disney to get rid of Doc McStuffins from the parks? She's probably on her way out of the parks anyways if she's not already gone because she is on Disney Jr. and they tend to have the newer Disney Jr. show characters in the parks.

I think it's more about leveraging power over the special area to control wider elements of Disney. Disney goes to the board because they need permission from it to do something with that FL land and the board slaps back with, "we won't approve this project unless you get rid of that libtard crap in the gift shop. Or stop airing XYZ show. Or add a good, strong, white male character to XYZ show." Whatever they think they can get away with, given the size of the FL project that Disney wants.

Also, if the approval for closing Space Mountain had to go through these people, they'd be like "GTFOH with your woke nonsense, the racist stuff stays." 

ETA: Omg it's Splash Mountain, my bad!

[ggirl]

Mar 7, 2023 15:39:52 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Mar 7, 2023 15:31:05 GMT -5 Wallflower said:

I think it's more about leveraging power over the special area to control wider elements of Disney. Disney goes to the board because they need permission from it to do something with that FL land and the board slaps back with, "we won't approve this project unless you get rid of that libtard crap in the gift shop. Or stop airing XYZ show. Or add a good, strong, white male character to XYZ show." Whatever they think they can get away with, given the size of the FL project that Disney wants.

Also, if the approval for closing Space Mountain had to go through these people, they'd be like "GTFOH with your woke nonsense, the racist stuff stays." 

I have a sort of insane conspiracy about all this. Disney has said they are not going to fight in court. Which makes me think some sort of back door deals were done. Desantis knew he couldn’t get rid of the special district. But needed to do something for his base. So he replaces the board and says now Disney answers to us. And in a few weeks everyone moves on and forgets and his base uses it as a bragging point. But will anything change? Disney hasn’t started political donations yet. Something t to keep an eye on

[sent]

Mar 7, 2023 15:39:52 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Mar 7, 2023 15:31:05 GMT -5 Wallflower said:

I think it's more about leveraging power over the special area to control wider elements of Disney. Disney goes to the board because they need permission from it to do something with that FL land and the board slaps back with, "we won't approve this project unless you get rid of that libtard crap in the gift shop. Or stop airing XYZ show. Or add a good, strong, white male character to XYZ show." Whatever they think they can get away with, given the size of the FL project that Disney wants.

Also, if the approval for closing Space Mountain had to go through these people, they'd be like "GTFOH with your woke nonsense, the racist stuff stays." 

I think you mean Splash Mountain?

Regardless, I'm sure Disney has an army of lawyers on payroll so I'm going to sit on Disney's side here that they will fight the crazy and not bow to them. 

[estrellita]

I wish so much they could just pick everything up and move. I love Disney and WDW and I'm glad we went this year before this happened. I keep trying to figure out how to say I'm so frustrated with these extremists taking over everything without sounding like a broken record but.. this is seriously frustrating. The mental gymnastics people do to justify this and not see the absolute stupidity behind it hurts my brain. I'm so tired of the "stick it to the libs" attitude. They're not solving ANYTHING or helping anyone in any way. Same goes for everything else going on. I'm so so tired of it.

[Velar Fricative]

Mar 7, 2023 15:47:19 GMT -5 sent said:

Mar 7, 2023 15:39:52 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Also, if the approval for closing Space Mountain had to go through these people, they'd be like "GTFOH with your woke nonsense, the racist stuff stays." 

I think you mean Splash Mountain?

Regardless, I'm sure Disney has an army of lawyers on payroll so I'm going to sit on Disney's side here that they will fight the crazy and not bow to them. 

Omg yes. Can you tell I've never been to Disney?

[formerlyak]

Mar 7, 2023 15:39:52 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Mar 7, 2023 15:31:05 GMT -5 Wallflower said:

I think it's more about leveraging power over the special area to control wider elements of Disney. Disney goes to the board because they need permission from it to do something with that FL land and the board slaps back with, "we won't approve this project unless you get rid of that libtard crap in the gift shop. Or stop airing XYZ show. Or add a good, strong, white male character to XYZ show." Whatever they think they can get away with, given the size of the FL project that Disney wants.

Also, if the approval for closing Space Mountain had to go through these people, they'd be like "GTFOH with your woke nonsense, the racist stuff stays." 

ETA: Omg it's Splash Mountain, my bad!

I kept reading it as Space Mountain as well and was thinking “what’s going on with Space Mountain?”

[cattledogkisses]

Mar 7, 2023 16:03:20 GMT -5 formerlyak said:

Mar 7, 2023 15:39:52 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Also, if the approval for closing Space Mountain had to go through these people, they'd be like "GTFOH with your woke nonsense, the racist stuff stays." 

ETA: Omg it's Splash Mountain, my bad!

I kept reading it as Space Mountain as well and was thinking “what’s going on with Space Mountain?”

Same, haha.  It's been well over a decade since the last time I was at Disney, so I was trying to remember if there was something controversial about Space Mountain and thinking, "Isn't the ride mostly in the dark, or am I remembering it wrong?"

[sent]

Mar 7, 2023 16:03:20 GMT -5 formerlyak said:

Mar 7, 2023 15:39:52 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Also, if the approval for closing Space Mountain had to go through these people, they'd be like "GTFOH with your woke nonsense, the racist stuff stays." 

ETA: Omg it's Splash Mountain, my bad!

I kept reading it as Space Mountain as well and was thinking “what’s going on with Space Mountain?”

LOL same, like I had missed some new big update and/or drama.