Disney Headlines for May 6th, 2023
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to sell houses in the Golden Oak neighborhood?
We’ll talk about this fascinating subject, plus the endless Disney/Florida feud, in the latest batch of Disney Headlines.
Let’s Talk about Central Florida Real Estate
We’ll start with the upbeat Headline for this week. Curbed recently published an article about a day in the life of a married couple who sells real estate.
Specifically, this couple sells million-dollar homes in the Central Florida area. And yes! The Golden Oak neighborhood is among this group.
The husband-and-wife team recounts some fascinating insights and anecdotes about the exploding Central Florida market.
During the pandemic, many individuals decided that they would work from home (WFH) for the rest of their careers.
This career decision empowered them to live wherein they wanted. Understandably, many chose the Most Magical Place on Earth as their home base.
Similarly, many wealthy workaholics suddenly discovered the fringe benefits of WFH. They could skip the drives to work and delegate more effectively.
Many of these folks targeted Golden Oak homes. Notably, one of the realtors mentions that most Golden Oak clients are Republicans.
The recent dustup between Disney and the Republican legislature hasn’t impinged on the fandom of these potential homeowners.
Instead, the agents note that some would-be buyers have passed on Golden Oak homes they felt weren’t Disney enough!
Here’s a hilarious example:
“Anyway, the home I’m showing her today is beautiful but, uh-oh, no hidden Mickeys.
I tell her, “You can add those after you buy it! Create your own hidden Mickeys!”
She says, “Nope, it just doesn’t seem like a Disney house!” What can I do? It’s simply not “Disney enough” for her.”
Now that’s a Disney fan right there! This person doesn’t blink at spending millions of dollars for a home close to Magic Kingdom.
If the place lacks the proper number of Hidden Mickeys, she ain’t buying it, though! Respect.
You Can’t Sue Me If I Sue You First!
Sadly, that header summarizes the point we’ve reached in the senseless ongoing drama between The Walt Disney Company and the state of Florida.
Last week, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) voted to nullify Disney’s legally binding agreement with the former Reedy Creek Improvement District.
Within minutes of that vote, Disney filed a lawsuit in federal court. It specifically named the board members of the CFTOD in the filing.
The board had anticipated this move and previously declared it would raise taxes for Reedy Creek residents and businesses to pay for this lawsuit.
Disney pays for 88 percent of those taxes, forcing the company to foot the bill for a lawsuit against it. However, local businesses pay for the other 12 percent of those taxes.
Suffice to say that these folks aren’t in love with what’s happening here. Let’s watch the one person the CFTOD allowed to speak at its May 1st meeting:
The only public comment during today's meeting was from a Disney Vacation Club owner who is upset about increased taxes.
"I was for DeSantis until he started this stupid war." pic.twitter.com/Q4DNijDqBW
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) May 1, 2023
That’s someone who claims they had been a former Ron DeSantis supporter. This Disney Vacation Club member indicates DeSantis has lost his vote.
Moreover, the person added this comment: “You guys are terrible, and I honestly think you should resign.”
I don’t care where you stand on this topic. You gotta admit that’s hysterical.
The Optics of This Legal Battle
For its part, the CFTOD board obviously expected its first weeks as members to go differently.
As Yahoo! points out, board member Ron Peri complained about his treatment in the media.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, Peri “lamented how the board has been portrayed in the news media, saying he has been mocked by the comedian Stephen Colbert and others.”
Peri added that some have taken the matter too far, claiming “I have gotten hate mail every day…I’ve gotten phone calls of people who are just so angry.”
For his part, DeSantis spoke extemporaneously for four minutes on Monday.
Scott Gustin transcribed the speech:
During an event earlier today, Gov. DeSantis was asked for his reaction to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board announcing it will sue Disney in state court. He talked for over 4 minutes – here's his full answer: pic.twitter.com/aIFDrh7JuI
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) May 1, 2023
I’ll rely on the esteemed Tom Bricker to add a counterpoint here.
“However, “should the state get in a costly legal battle with its biggest employer and tourism engine, y/n?” was not a question on Florida’s midterm election ballot.”
Well argued, Tom. The crux of the governor’s argument centers on the 2020 election results.
If DeSantis is so confident that the people agree with him, why is Peri saying he’s getting hate mail?
Also, why is a (former?) DeSantis supporter attending this board meeting to speak out against the Disney dust-up and call for the board to resign?
The reality here is that Disney is winning the optics battle, which is the most vital aspect to DeSantis as he plans to announce his Presidential campaign this month.
Why Is the CFTOD Suing?
You may consider this lawsuit as a retaliatory move, and you’re partially correct.
The CFTOD board members envisioned a scenario wherein they wielded tremendous influence over a diminished Disney leadership team.
Instead, they’ve learned a hard lesson about Disney’s legal expertise. The finest law firms in the world defend the Mouse in court frequently.
When you choose to sue Disney you should expect a protracted legal battle.
However, DeSantis is thinking about the shorter term as he runs for President. He merely needs a legal win to reclaim the high ground here.
Conveniently, various retirements and reassignments in Florida’s judicial system have allowed the governor to appoint 91 different judges.
Not coincidentally, Disney sued in federal court, where it appears to hold strong legal footing.
Meanwhile, the CFTOD has gone judge-searching in Florida to identify courts most favorable to DeSantis.
The federal court obviously overrides the state court, which means Disney is well-positioned to win in the long run.
In the short term, you shouldn’t be surprised to read future Headlines about DeSantis and the CFTOD winning early rulings.
Those determinations will likely occur in state court. Also, DeSantis and his team will pressure the courts to rule quickly to claim such Headlines.
Afterward, DeSantis can claim that he has taken the fight to Disney and is winning, independent of the long-term legal status of the case.
In the unlikely event that DeSantis and the CFTOD cannot win a quick verdict in Florida from a judge who is probably a DeSantis appointee, well, this battle should quickly.
As the matter stands, Republican officials in and out of Florida are quietly calling for DeSantis and Disney to negotiate some compromise.
These politicians fear that the optics of the Disney legal battle are hurting the entire party’s chances in 2024.
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Feature Photo: Disney