If you’ve been following along with the situation between Disney and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, then you know that a LOT has happened in the past year.
Magic Kingdom
After Disney spoke out against the Parental Rights in Education Bill (also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill), DeSantis took steps to dissolve the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which is the governing body that oversees Disney World directly. After a long battle back and forth, the district has been renamed and new regulations have been outlined going forward…including a changing of the board members.
Previously, Disney appointed the board members directly for the Reedy Creek Improvement District, but now those board members will be selected by Governor DeSantis and approved by the senate. According to the Orlando Sentinel, DeSantis has selected five nominees.
DeSantis signing the new bill
Martin Garcia, a Tampa lawyer, is who DeSantis wants serve as the chairman of the board. In the past, Garcia has donated $260,000 to political campaigns in Florida, including $53,000 to DeSantis and $25,000 to the Republican Party of Florida through his Pinehill Capital Partners investment firm.
©WFTV 9
Bridget Ziegler, a Sarasota County School Board member, is also among the picks to be on the board. Ziegler is the wife of Christian Ziegler, the newly elected chairman of the Republican Party of Florida and the co-founder of Moms for Liberty. Also on the list is Ron Peri, CEO of The Gathering USA ministry and a resident of Windermere.
Rounding out the list of five are two more attorneys, Seminole County attorney Michael A. Sasso and Brian Aungst Jr., an attorney from Clearwater. Sasso is president of the Orlando chapter of the Federalist Society and Aungst serves on the Sixth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission.
Reedy Creek Trash Cans
There has been some controversy about these selections, with DeSantis’s rivals speaking out against the choices for the board, calling the selections “unqualified” and “alarming.” One of the rules for board members is that they cannot have worked in the theme park industry in the past three years. DeSantis has claimed that the board members will “draw on a variety of experiences in law, business, and local government. We haven’t yet seen reports of these board members being approved by the senate, but we’ll be on the lookout for that next.
We’re interested to see how this new board affects decisions made for Disney World going forward. We’ll make sure to keep you updated with any more information as it’s announced.
Why Disney Might NOT Fight the Death of Reedy Creek — Click Here
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
Don’t Miss Out on Any Disney Fun!
Order Your Copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today!
With more than 900 pages, the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We’ve done the research for you, so you’ll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family’s needs!
You’ll get a Reference Guide, a 101 Plan, and a Printables and Resources Guide! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis; and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you’ll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet.
Click here to order your copy of the 2023 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2023 to save 25% off the cover price today!
Use code WDW2023 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today!
Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. 
The post Governor Ron DeSantis Names NEW Board Members for Disney World District first appeared on the disney food blog.