Ron DeSantis Appoints Disney World President Jeff Vahle to the University of Central Florida Board of Trustees
18 months after Walt Disney and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis amicably settled their dispute, Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle has been appointed to the University of Central Florida Board of Trustees.
Before we get into the latest news, however, we need to discuss how we got here.
Image: Disney
The Disney-DeSantis Fued
As a quick recap, Disney filed a lawsuit against Governor DeSantis and his allies over the dissolution of the Reedy Creek Improvement District. In federal court, Disney argued that DeSantis eliminated Reedy Creek and replaced it with the CFTOD in retaliation for the company’s opposition to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law.
While Disney ultimately lost its First Amendment case, the company vowed to appeal the decision.
Photo: Maria Tamo/Getty Images
At the same time, in state court, the CFTOD filed suit against Disney over a series of last-minute binding agreements the company made with Reedy Creek during the final days of the special district’s existence. Disney countersued the DeSantis-aligned district, claiming that the CFTOD failed to uphold its obligations and honor those agreements.
Return to Normalcy
After a series of public spats, cooler heads eventually prevailed, and Disney accepted the new hierarchy in Florida in exchange for the CFTOD’s approval of a $17 billion Walt Disney World Development plan.
Photo: CFTOD
“Walt Disney World is inextricably intertwined with the fabric of the state of Florida,” CFTOD board member Brian Aungst Jr. told the Orlando Sentinel at the time. “The success of Walt Disney World is the success of Central Florida and vice versa. This agreement provides us a lasting, sustainable and prosperous future.”
Since Disney and DeSantis reached a detente, they have continued to work together.
Ron DeSantis
By and large, it has been business as usual in Florida.
A Sign of the Changing Times
In yet another indication that DeSantis and Disney are on better terms, the Florida Governor has appointed Jeff Vahle to the University of Central Florida Board of Trustees.
Photo: Jeff Vahle on Instagram
On face value, the nomination should not be surprising. Vahle is not only the President of Walt Disney World, but also a member of the Rollins College Board of Trustees and the Florida Council of 100.
Additionally, he previously served as a member of the Give Kids the World Board of Directors.
Photo: Getty Images
Two years ago, however, the idea that DeSantis would appoint a high-level Disney executive to any position would have been unthinkable.
Vahle’s appointment, then, is in many ways symbolic of how far things have come in Florida.
Photo: Disney
