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Instead of Disney characters with balloons and friendly waves, families witnessed a gaggle of white supremacists waving Nazi flags and megaphones on Saturday at the intersection of Hotel Plaza Boulevard and Apopka Vineland Road.
In a news-breaking scene marked by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s banners, the country saw a stark contrast between the “Most Magical Place on Earth” sign behind the crowd of Nazi demonstrators. Shouting “white power” and touting swastika flags, the group supporting the 2024 DeSantis presidential campaign caused a scene near the family vacation destination.
This display comes slightly over a year after the last Nazi protest emerged at the same spot near Walt Disney World property with demonstrators descending on Disney Parks. In the day since the protest, thousands have shared their reactions to the white supremacists’ presence near the Park.
On Twitter, Rep. Anna V. Eskamani shared her reaction from her account @AnnaForFlorida with a video capturing the scene:
Nazis outside of Walt Disney World right now — absolutely disgusting.
Nazis outside of Walt Disney World right now — absolutely disgusting. pic.twitter.com/WeXtRi3OSL
— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani 🔨 (@AnnaForFlorida) June 10, 2023
The author of Fight Like a Mother, @shannonrwatts, shared an image from @lmgause of the graphic signage the protestors upheld during the demonstration:
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
Disney’s Political Disputes
While political tensions rage between Disney and DeSantis after Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek spoke out against Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act (the “Don’t Say Gay” bill), some speculate the Disney/DeSantis dispute has fueled this protest.
When DeSantis initiated dismantling the Reedy Creek board that Disney uses to manage its property, Disney clapped back with a lawsuit claiming DeSantis leveraged legal power to infringe on its freedom of speech.
With the graphic language and hateful signage used in the Saturday protest, many claim it overstepped a free speech threshold to a criminally-offensive display. Although DeSantis has yet to comment on the rally at the time of writing, a family member from his legal opponent made a stern statement.
Disney’s Response to the Demonstration
Since Walt Disney’s passing on December 15, 1966, many have speculated how he would perceive his legacy’s impact on the world he left behind. Recent years have introduced a political firestorm to the Walt Disney Company on a level never seen in his time, and it’s difficult to imagine exactly how he would respond if he could witness current events.
But with a statement from his granddaughter, Abigail Disney let the world in on how Walt Disney would respond to Saturday’s display. On Sunday night, Disney took to Twitter to share her thoughts on the weekend’s protest, stating:
My grandfather is spinning in his grave.
My grandfather is spinning in his grave. https://t.co/Qb5lV9ChbF
— Abigail Disney (@abigaildisney) June 12, 2023
In a few words, she shared an immense disappointment in the footage from the protest. It’s worth noting that DeSantis has tried to distance himself from hate groups in the past, and Disney does not condone this behavior on or near its property.
While many share Abigail Disney’s sentiment on the matter, it begs the question: how does Disney move forward?
