Newly released court records reveal how the conflict between Disney and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis played out behind the scenes. Reporter Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics obtained depositions that reveal what truly was at stake for the company.
Contrary to what many assumed, Disney executives said little about DeSantis, First Amendment concerns, or LGBTQ+ issues during their testimonies. Their primary concern was protecting the future development of Walt Disney World‘s unused land.
At the center of those concerns was a planned expansion of Magic Kingdom; the largest in the park’s history, which includes Villains Land and several new attractions. Fearing they could lose development authority if DeSantis appointed new oversight board members, Disney quietly paused the project and brought in John McGowan, Chief Counsel of Walt Disney World Resort’s legal department, to lead their response.
McGowan acknowledged in his deposition that he devised the strategy to protect Disney’s interests. Within weeks in January 2023, the company drafted a development agreement designed to lock in Disney’s land rights before the Governor could install a new board. McGowan intentionally kept his name off the documents, aware that the optics could be used against the company politically.
Also kept in the dark publicly was Holtzman Vogel, a law firm with strong Republican ties that worked on the agreement. According to McGowan, the firm feared DeSantis would retaliate by pulling their work if their involvement became known.
Disney Imagineering’s Master Planner Executive Todd Rimmer explained the reasoning in his own deposition: “The uncertainty of what a new board might choose to do with land development regulations and the comprehensive plan gave the company uncertainty in whether they could proceed with development in a timely fashion, and so a development agreement would lock in those development options.”
The agreement would have also given Disney the ability to sell land at fair market value to fund necessary public infrastructure, while preventing seizure through eminent domain. Ironically, Ray Treadwell, Chief Deputy General Counsel in DeSantis’ office, reportedly knew about Disney’s plans the entire time.
Beyond Magic Kingdom
Other projects were also stalled, including solar farm development and a road construction project World Drive Phase III: a $175 million project to widen a two-lane road near the Grand Floridian and Polynesian resorts to four lanes. This ground to a halt after the newly-appointed board refused to issue the municipal bonds required to fund it. DeSantis appointee Brian Aungst Jr. reportedly believed his role was to dismantle the governing district altogether.
As of April 2026, the project remains unfinished, with construction equipment still visible near the Grand Floridian.
“The project has come to a halt,” McGowan testified. “If it had not ceased, World Drive Phase III would likely be completed by now.”
The Aftermath
Disney has since settled its legal disputes with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD), the governing body that replaced Reedy Creek. The company says development is now “moving full speed ahead with the support of” CFTOD, with “more projects underway at Walt Disney World than at any other point in our history.” DeSantis is in his final year as governor, and all of his original board appointees have since been replaced.
Read the full report from Florida Politics here.
