The Walt Disney Company has made headlines over the past few months, many times due to the Company’s clash with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis regarding Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Bill (what critics call the “Don’t Say Gay” bill).
From the “Don’t Say Gay” bill to the repeal of Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, many things have changed surrounding Disney’s interactions with those governing the State of Florida. And now another thing is changing regarding Disney and Florida when it comes to the movement of certain offices there.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, amid Disney’s disputes with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the Company has decided to delay their plans to move about 2,000 jobs from California to Orlando. We first reported about this big relocation back in July of 2021.
At that point, it had been announced that Disney would be building a new campus in the Lake Nona community in Orlando, which would become home to more than 2,000 Cast Members, Imagineers, and employees. Most of the employees set to be relocated would be those working in the Parks, Experiences, and Products division.
In July of 2021, Josh D’Amaro (Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products) shared that the move would take place during the next 18 months. A Disney representative had previously told the Orlando Sentinel that the offices could start operating in December of 2022.
Now, it seems those plans have changed. The Orlando Sentinel notes that the move has now been delayed for more than 3 years.
Jacquee Wahler, a Disney spokeswoman, shared that the expected opening date of Disney’s Lake Nona campus has been moved to 2026 to “give people more time” and better fit the new offices’ construction timeline. According to the Sentinel, Wahler didn’t comment as to whether the conflict between Disney and DeSantis on the recent political issues had contributed to the delay.
The office of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also has not issued a comment to the Orlando Sentinel on the matter.
Disney is set to receive some serious tax breaks — to the tune of over $570 million — by moving these jobs to Lake Nona. Disney is also set to invest up to $864 million to build their new campus in Lake Nona.
According to the Sentinel, Disney employees were informed on a rolling basis if their jobs would be moved and they then had 3 months to decide whether or not to move.
Some are hoping that the movement of these jobs to Orlando and Disney’s development of the new campus will be beneficial, opening up new jobs to local graduates in theme park industries and attracting more talent to the Orlando area.
So it seems Disney has not canceled their movement to Lake Nona, but has delayed it at this time. This is, of course, a developing situation and things are subject to change. We’ll continue to look for more updates and let you know what we find.
Looking for more details about Disney’s clash with Florida government over the “Don’t Say Gay” bill? Click here. Click here to learn more about the situation with Reedy Creek Improvement District. And you can learn about some other ways Disney may be impacted by changes from legislators by seeing what some have said about Disney’s no-fly zones, and reading about a bill introduced about copyright protections that greatly benefit Disney (as well as other corporations).
We’ll keep checking for updates about Disney’s move to Lake Nona and other updates from the Company. Stay tuned for the latest news.
That’s fine!! The employees can wait and pay high taxes in California. We are opening Sun Seeker very soon, hiring many employees too. Disney made the decision for their employees not anyone in Florida. It’s their business, has nothing to do with us. How is that going to change the current Florida location? Park still open
Couldn’t pay me enough to relocate to FL. I’ll be surprised if they wind up moving those CA employees to FL; better off hiring people who live there already. At least they know what they’re in for living there. Just my humble opinion (I don’t live in either CA or FL).
Hopefully they cancel the move all together as most Disney employees in California don’t want to relocate to Florida. Sure taxes and the cost of living is higher, but wages are much higher in California compared to Florida.
If only they would locate Disney World out of Florida to a less closed minded prejudice state that is stuck in the past like most of Florida is (especially little man DeSantis and all his minions). But Disney has invested too much money in central Florida, so they will be stuck there for a very long time. But even the way Florida is, Disney will always make money there and that is all that matters to them. Maybe someday Florida will change for the better, but that will probably never happen.
I suspect that the tanking stock price, inflation driving up the oat of the move are mostly to blame.
What comes around goes around! DeSantis and Florida Republicans will also feel this when it’s time for campaign contributions.
Despite conflicting reasoning between The Orlando Sentinel and Disney, this is a good move. I wouldn’t give Florida one more dollar of investment or tax revenue until the political climate improves, which it won’t with DeSantis. The staff likely prefers to remain in California anyway.
We don’t want anyone coming from CA who is going to try to change our politics here. We ran away from CA ten years ago and like FL just the way it is now.
First, I wish people would stop calling the bill that. It’s grossly misleading. Second, GOOD. We don’t need more people moving down here.
Perhaps the State may take notice that Disney may be “replying” to the governor-who-would-run-all and modify, or better, toss the bill that will raise taxes on many Disney employees and neighbors. Perhaps the State may get wise. Perhaps…Perhaps…
Moving to Florida would be hard to adapt to the time change. It’s 1865 there now.