When traveling to Walt Disney World Resort, many guests think about the things they will see and do. Some can’t wait to watch the nightly fireworks, ride attractions like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and dine at incredible eateries like Steakhouse 71. They pull into the Resort and expect nothing but magic. What they don’t expect is to see Nazi flags flying and hear people shouting “Seig Heil.”
Sadly, that is exactly what some guests got.
On September 2, while hundreds of guests traveled through Disney’s gates to celebrate the long weekend, a group of neo-Nazis set up shop outside the entrance, right under Mickey Mouse’s smiling face.
RIGHT NOW IN #disneyworld neo nazis and white supremacists #racism #florida my kids saw this.
https://twitter.com/elREALguille/status/1697996949880783352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1697996949880783352%7Ctwgr%5E486cc06808a1da2e5b674ce939e0a351bb416277%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwdwnt.com%2F2023%2F09%2Fphotos-video-nazis-protest-outside-wdw%2F
DeSantis Continues to Keep Quiet
Over the past year or so, Florida has become a hotbed for the Nazi movement. Florida has always been considered a more conservative and red state, but it is now becoming a state known for its extremism. Governor DeSantis has repeatedly said that the Sunshine State is a place “where woke goes to die,” and his more devout supporters are taking that to heart.
As seen in the video above, the neo-Nazi protestors outside The Most Magical Place on Earth were proudly waving a DeSantis 2024 banner next to their swastikas. And, just like before, DeSantis hasn’t said a word. He has posted on X — formerly Twitter — pictures of himself hugging hurricane victims, but has not denounced the disgusting spectacle in Orlando.
Sad to say, DeSantis’ silence is not a big surprise.
The last time there were Nazis protesting outside of Walt Disney World, it took DeSantis weeks to address the issue. And, when he did, he didn’t immediately condemn their actions. Instead, he blamed the media, calling the demonstrations a “farce”. He even insinuated that it may have been a setup to associate him with Nazis, and he asked why the neo-Nazis were wearing masks.
His statement did not go over well, and he received a lot of backlash. He was even called the “Grand Wizard” of Florida during the annual Tony Awards.
Of course, that has a simple answer. In the past, those who have attended Nazi rallies have been called out on social media. Because they weren’t wearing masks, their identities were made public. Some were arrested and many lost their jobs. By wearing masks at these rallies, they can keep their identity a secret and not risk losing employment or ending up with their name spread across the headlines.
This Is Not the First Time
Unfortunately, this is not the first time — and will probably not be the last time — that white supremacists with hateful views set up camp outside of Walt Disney World Resort. Earlier this summer, neo-Nazis stood outside the entrance to the Resort. Both times, the groups were waving large Nazi flags with swastikas on them, alongside DeSantis 2024 flags.
Two dozen white supremacists are outside the main Disney World entrance in Orlando right now, marching with signs featuring Gov DeSantis’s face, swastikas, the n-word and homophobic slurs.
This is the 2023 Republican Party.
Two dozen white supremacists are outside the main Disney World entrance in Orlando right now, marching with signs featuring Gov DeSantis’s face, swastikas, the n-word and homophobic slurs.
This is the 2023 Republican Party. pic.twitter.com/ISh5dkDGYe
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) June 10, 2023
More Nazis Around Florida
Lake Buena Vista and the Orlando area — which is heavily Democratic — is not the only area in Florida dealing with proud Nazis marching and spreading their hatred. In Altamonte Springs — which is about 25 miles from Walt Disney World — a group of white supremacists marched down the street, waving their Nazi flags.
Video of the march was shared on X — formerly Twitter — by Florida Representative Anna Eskamani.
Nazis in Altamonte Springs at Cranes Roost Park screaming “we are every where” — absolutely disgusting stuff and another example of the far right extremism growing in FL.
https://twitter.com/AnnaForFlorida/status/1698065815826772326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1698065815826772326%7Ctwgr%5Eb5284dd15a1f773a5602c182193d5b12f9a2fb72%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fiframe.nbcnews.com%2F6hFYguX%3F_showcaption%3Dtrueapp%3D1
Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) got a closeup of the march, with many of the men covering their faces, so they could spread their hate without being identified.
“White power” chants from members of the ‘Blood Tribe’ and ‘Goyim Defense League’, out holding flags with swastikas in Altamonte Springs, Florida this afternoon
https://twitter.com/BGOnTheScene/status/1698085020173283400
Altamonte Springs wasn’t the only place seeing neo-Nazis walking in the streets. Orlando also saw a gathering, with some of the marchers shouting disgusting phrases like “Jews get the rope”. One man was even so brazen as to call a woman a “tranny Jew” while saying that his fellow neo-Nazis preferred Ron DeSantis to Donald Trump.
CW: Racism/language VIDEO THREAD: Today the avowed Nazi “Blood Tribe” and “Goyim Defense League” marched in Orlando, chanting “Jews will not replace us” and “Jews get the rope.”
“All heil the Führer,” one would call, and the crowd would respond “Heil Hitler!”
2) As the Nazis rallied in Orlando, pro-Trump personality
@LauraLoomer
showed up and was immediately yelled at by the group, who called her “Laura Jewmer” and “tranny Jew.”“We’re not voting Trump, Laura!” they said before sarcastically joking that they prefer DeSantis.
https://twitter.com/FordFischer/status/1698127782436290702?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1698127782436290702%7Ctwgr%5E106006169a5e9838a04904351742ac63a263718f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rollingstone.com%2Fpolitics%2Fpolitics-news%2Fneo-nazis-florida-march-1234817532%2F
As the hatred in Florida continues to spread and the governor remains silent, many groups are warning people not to travel there. Both the NAACP and the LGBTQ+ alliance have issued travel warnings for Florida. They have said that the state is not safe for minorities or members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Post-COVID saw a huge boost in people traveling to Florida. However, that has slowed down and the Florida tourism industry is seeing a definite decline as things get more extreme. Even Disney CEO Bob Iger has admitted that Walt Disney World saw a decline in visitors in the past quarter.