‘Disney Defenders’ Demand the Return of Reedy Creek

In February 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis officially dissolved the Reedy Creek Improvement District — a district created for Disney in 1967. The Reedy Creek Improvement District allowed Walt Disney World Resort to essentially operate as its own government. Disney had its own first responders, its own electrical grid, and was responsible for its own road repairs.

The dissolution of Reedy Creek was the culmination of a nearly year-long battle between DeSantis and the Mouse House. It began when ex-Disney CEO Bob Chapek spoke out against Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Bill, which was championed by DeSantis. Also called the “Don’t Say Gay Bill”, the legislation was decried by critics as an attack on the LGBTQ+ community.

After the dissolution of Reedy Creek, DeSantis created his own board to run the district and personally picked the people to run it. None of the people he picked for the board had any experience working in the theme park industry. The district is now called the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

Related: DeSantis Claims “We Won the Battle Against Disney”

Since the CFTOD took over, there have been near-constant issues, including Disney filing a lawsuit against the board. Dozens of employees have also resigned, calling the board “non-functioning”. While originally having first responders on their side, firefighters have since turned against them after the board voted to revoke their job perks and, instead, give them $1,000 stipends, which they still have not received.

And now, a group called “Disney Defenders” is handing out pink slips to the board’s members.

Related: DeSantis’ Disney Board Forced to Cancel Contract After Possible Ethics Violations

Last Wednesday, the group attended the CFTOD’s public meeting. During that meeting, the leader of Disney Defenders, Chris Wills, said that the group was collecting signatures to remove the CFTOD and reinstate Reedy Creek. He further stated that they were also collecting signatures to make sure the board could no longer retaliate against Disney for political reasons.

The group released a statement before the meeting, accusing the board of “chaos and corruption.” Below is the complete statement:

Florida – November 14, 2023 – As Florida voters seek to undo the damage being done by Governor DeSantis to our state, including his actions of political retaliation against the Walt Disney World Resort, it has become increasingly clear that the board members he put in place to control Disney World by replacing Reedy Creek with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, have brought nothing but corruption and chaos to an area of the state that has historically been one of the best run for over half a century, while it was under the control of Reedy Creek.  With bipartisan support from across the entire state, the political action committee Disney Defenders will be providing pink slip notifications of pending termination to DeSantis’ board members at the November 15th Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board Meeting.  The notice pending termination will ensure that they are fully aware that their services will soon no longer be required, once the Disney Defenders proposed constitutional amendment to restore Reedy Creek is approved.  Among the evidence that will be cited as justification for their termination with cause, will be the following stipulations:

-DeSantis’ Board Members took action to defund the police that provide public safety for the over 20 million visitors to the Walt Disney World Resort.

-DeSantis’ Board Members have angered the district’s employees by canceling many of the benefits they have received for many years as employees.

-DeSantis’ Board Members made those from diverse backgrounds feel unwelcome by ending the district’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

-DeSantis’ Board Members have caused dozens of former Reedy Creek employees to resign from the district, due to low morale caused by the chaos the board has created.

-DeSantis’ Board Members approved a budget that reduced the funding for road maintenance, which everyone who previously visited Reedy Creek knows were among the best-maintained roads in the whole world.

-DeSantis’ Board Members allowed a firm connected to DeSantis’ chosen district administrator to be awarded a no-bid contract, which was not corrected until the media covered the clear act of corruption.

-DeSantis’ Board Members have demonstrated a complete lack of experience and have been shown to be completely unqualified for the positions they were given for political purposes.

Furthermore, the notice we will provide will advise the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board Members to govern themselves accordingly, as the Disney Defenders political action committee will take all steps necessary to ensure that the chaos and corruption that have defined the eight-month term served by DeSantis’ Board Members, comes to an end as quickly as possible.

Florida voters can help ensure that DeSantis’ Board Members are unable to continue their destruction of Walt Disney’s dream by signing the Disney Defenders constitutional amendment petition to restore Reedy Creek at www.DisneyDefenders.com  Each of DeSantis’ Board Members will also be provided copies of the petitions, and encouraged to join in signing the petitions to help end DeSantis’ era of chaos and corruption in Central Florida, which is clearly in the best interest of the district and is their civic duty to the public.   

The CFTOD has filed a motion to dismiss Disney’s lawsuit. Disney has accused the board of Breach of Contract, violations of the Florida Constitution, and more.

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District is not the only lawsuit Disney is embroiled in. Disney is also suing Governor DeSantis for violation of the company’s First Amendment right to free speech. Originally, Disney was also suing DeSantis for breach of contract, but amended the lawsuit to just focus on the First Amendment violations.

DeSantis has told Disney to drop the lawsuit because he has “moved on”, but Disney appears to be ready to take the matter as far as it can go. Disney CEO Bob Iger has repeatedly accused the governor of retaliating against the company. While DeSantis has acted as though the lawsuit doesn’t bother him, he has been unable to escape it while on the road for his presidential campaign.

Would you like to see Reedy Creek come back? Let us know in the comments!