Florida faces all sorts of obstacles in its bid to strip Disney World of its self-governing status. Disney's Florida theme parks have long enjoyed the status of a special purpose district, allowed to operate as its own city. Since 1967, this special purpose district—known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District—meant that The Walt Disney Co. had governmental control over the lands in and around its Florida theme parks, an area now encompassing around 25,000 acres. When the district was created, "the land was little more than uninhabited pasture and swamp," notes CNN. "With the special purpose district, Disney took over responsibility for providing municipal services like power, water, roads and fire protection—but were also freed from dealing with legal red tape or paying taxes for services that benefited the broader public."
But after criticizing a Florida bill aimed at discussions of LGBTQ issues in schools, and saying the company would pause political donations in Florida as a result, Disney earned the wrath of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Republican lawmakers. Earlier this month, they retaliated by eliminating the Reedy Creek Improvement District, effective June 1, 2023.
