What Disney World's New Lawsuit Against Central Florida Means

Walt Disney World has filed a new lawsuit against the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) for withholding public records.

The Disney Park in Orlando, Florida is claiming that the CFTDO failed to comply with Florida’s public records law for unjustified delay and failure to produce records, failure to retain records, and failure to retrieve records.

Walt Disney World claims that the CFTDO has withheld a document they asked for seven months ago.

In September 2023, four months after Disney requested the records, the company threatened to file more lawsuits against CFTOD if they continued to fail to comply, and they are keeping their word.

According to reports, the new lawsuit filed by Walt Disney World, "The CFTOD has prevented Disney from discovering the actions of its government through public records requests, in violation of Florida law."

In the lawsuit, the company is asking an Orange County circuit court judge to set an “immediate” hearing to prove that the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District is "unlawfully withholding public records and order the agency to immediately provide Disney with all outstanding requested records."

This is the third lawsuit Disney has filed against the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

Walt Disney World specifically claims that the district "did not provide any text messages or voicemails on private devices from board members."

For one example, Disney states that board chairman Martin Garcia refused to turn over such any text messages or voicemails, except to outside attorneys hired by the board. Others, however, have “self-selected” which documents to submit.

“CFTOD’s failure to provide access to its records guaranteed by Florida law appears to stem from pressure put on CFTOD employees due to numerous departures since the installation of the district’s new board of supervisors, appointed to replace the outgoing board of CFTOD’s predecessor, the Reedy Creek Improvement District,” Disney claimed in the lawsuit. “On the public records front, this has led to delays, inadequate preservation, storage and production of public records, and improper and unsupported claims of privilege and exemption from disclosure.”

This latest lawsuit is just another element of the ongoing battle between Disney and the state, which began after Walt Disney World spoke out against Governor Ron DeSantis's new Florida's Parental Rights in Education law, known more commonly as the “Don’t Say Gay” law.

The new law bans the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity from grades kindergarten through third grade.

“Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law," The Walt Disney Company said in a statement at the time the law passed. "Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that."

Disney added, "We are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country.”