Even More Employees Quit Over DeSantis’ “Incompetency” in Disney World

The state of Florida has lost quite a few valuable employees following the “incompetent” takeover of a certain Walt Disney World property.

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Over the last year, the relationship between the state of Florida and The Walt Disney Company has been put to the test and has possibly been damaged beyond repair. The two worked in harmony for decades, with Florida offering Disney special access and privileges in exchange for bringing in millions upon millions of dollars in tourism experiences for the state. Disney was so crucial for Florida that, for decades, it operated under a special ruling that allowed it to act as its own form of government.

This was called the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID), and both Florida and Disney greatly benefited from this symbiotic relationship. However, this all came crashing down in 2023.

Following months of legal and political threats, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had his wish granted, and Disney was stripped of all control of its Reedy Creek Improvement District. These actions can be traced back to early 2022 when The Walt Disney Company called out Florida and Gov. Ron DeSantis for introducing the highly controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill. As a result, Disney had inadvertently entered a culture war that they would not be able to escape. Gov. DeSantis, along with dozens of other Republicans, blasted Disney for siding with “woke” ideology.

Gov. DeSantis made it his primary goal to strip Disney of all special rulings and privileges, citing that it was unfair. As we stated earlier, DeSantis had his wish granted, with the state of Florida eventually overtaking the RCID. A new board was formed, which is called the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) and the members were appointed by Gov. DeSantis himself.

However, things are not going all that smoothly, with morale reportedly at an all-time low.

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According to CBS, over 40 employees have now exited the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District since it was taken over in February of 2023. In total, there are about 370 employees working at the CFTOD,  raising concerns that decades of institutional knowledge are departing with them, along with a reputation for a well-run government.

Inside the Magic reported on a few employees exiting the company earlier this year, but this issue is far from just a trend, with the district losing roughly 10% of its entire workforce in recent months.

“When I first joined the District, I found an organization that strived to be the very best at serving our community, sought the very best employees, and valued those employees above all else,” stated a former manager with three years of experience. “I find myself leaving a completely different District. A District that prioritizes politics above all else and will gladly sacrifice its employees, its community, and its work if there’s an opportunity to score political points.”

Many former employees claimed the district is “no longer functional.”

“You now see fake smiles and I am sure that a lot of employees are somewhat scared to say what they actually feel because of retaliation,” said another former employee.

Disney’s former RCID allowed the company to operate of (mostly) its own volition, employing its own workers, including first responders and crucial city workers.

“I am truly saddened that I am leaving the District because there are great people here who do great work,” said another former employee who had four years of experience. “I hope they can continue to do the work that has made us the Magic Behind the Magic.” Some even blasted DeSantis’ takeover of the district as “incompetent” and “toxic.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis, as well as the state of Florida, was sued by The Walt Disney Company as a result of the state takeover of RCID. These lawsuits will undoubtedly drag on for some time, so only time will tell how these play out.

What do you think about this story? Do you agree with Gov. Ron DeSantis?

This post originally appeared on Inside the Magic.