Disney Steps Up To Fund Florida After DeSantis Defunds Entire State

Disney World is going to end up funding $15 million worth of Florida public programs because Governor Ron DeSantis decided to throw his weight around and defund the entire state over a “sexual festival” that “does all these things.”

Ron DeSantis returned to Florida after the collapse of his presidential campaign and has been signing literally dozens of legislative bills into law, including ones penalizing releasing a single balloon, preventing cities from making sure workers get adequate breaks and water, halting the development of lab-grown meat that doesn’t line the pockets of his cattle ranching donors, and, of course, murdering black bears because the movie Cocaine Bear (2023) struck a nerve with politicians.

In the midst of authorizing these many new laws, Governor DeSantis also abruptly canceled all public funding for arts programs in Florida. Last month, DeSantis approved a new state budget and vetoed a colossal $32 million in funding for museums, galleries, zoos, orchestras, festivals, and culturally beneficial organizations of all kinds. A representative for the governor gave a non-statement about the historical defunding, saying:

“The governor views every bill and appropriation that comes across his desk and uses his authority under Florida Constitution to make veto decisions that are in the best interest of the state of Florida.”

Related: Disney Quietly Relocates Operations from Florida, Putting DeSantis Alliance in Jeopardy

As one might expect, this caused an immense outcry from Florida communities, which was only stoked further when DeSantis claimed that he had defunded the Florida Children’s Museum because the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival was the recipient of taxpayer money and that it was a “sexual festival.” To quote:

“You have your tax dollars being given in grants to things like the Fringe Festival, which is like a sexual festival where they’re doing all this stuff…It’s like, how many of you think your tax dollars should go to fund that? Not very many people would do that.”

For the record, Tampa International Fringe Festival founder Trish Parry has responded that no taxpayer funds go to the artists themselves (regardless of the content of their shows, but are used to fund the festival itself.

She says, “It’s so unfortunate that people potentially heard it referred to as a sex festival. Fringe festivals are an excellent gateway to the performing arts because it’s really cool, modern, edgy work that people can get behind more easily without having a heavy institutional theater background.”

The massive defunding of public art in Florida is causing a backlash against DeSantis, and, as always, Disney World has gotten mixed up in things.

The Orange County Board of County Commissioners held a meeting this week (per WFTV9) and discussed the “State of the Arts” across the county, which is where the majority of the Walt Disney World Resort, the biggest tourist destination in the world and a massive cog in the economic machinery of Florida, is located.

Orange County’s Arts and Cultural Affairs office says that the funds vetoed by DeSantis would have supported more than 600 arts and culture organizations across Florida, with close to $2 million going to 49 organizations in its county alone. In response to the statewide defunding, the county’s upcoming budget will include $15 in funding to go to 40 different local arts and culture groups.

Related: Disney World Offers New Exclusive Daycare In Wake Of Ron DeSantis Ban

Orange County’s Tourist Development Tax, which the local government describes as “revenue generated by a 6-percent tax on hotel stays and other short-term rentals that are less than six months in duration,” will pay for this arts funding.

In short, one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world will use its hotel tax to pay for the art that DeSantis wants abolished, and, given the immense popularity and economic power of Disney, Walt Disney World will pay the bulk of that.

Disney World received over 17 million visitors in 2022, which is not even back to pre-COVID levels yet. The vast majority of those visitors pay for hotel lodgings during their stays; Magic Kingdom boasts more than 25 official hotels for Guests and that doesn’t include tourists staying at non-Disney hotels while still spending money there. Suffice it to say, the majority of the Tourist Development Tax unquestionably comes courtesy of Disney.

Even if Ron DeSantis doesn’t think the arts matter, Orange County does. Arts & Cultural Affairs Administrator Vicki Landon says:

“We recognize that [the arts] is an economic driver and is the source of so much of our creative working economy. You might see reduced performance elements, you might see shorter runs of shows, smaller dance ensembles … and some organizations are cutting their programs entirely. Orange County’s commitment to the arts is unwavering and it’s strong and it’s growing.”

What do you think of DeSantis’ arts veto?