Disney and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will end their two-year legal feud via a settlement agreement approved Wednesday.
As part of the settlement agreement (discussed at the 39 minute mark in the above video), Disney and the DeSantis-controlled Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which oversees the land Disney sits on, will drop all lawsuits against each other in the state of Florida.
"We are pleased to put an end to all litigation pending in state court in Florida between Disney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District," Walt Disney World Resort president Jeff Vahle said in a statement. "This agreement opens a new chapter of constructive engagement with the new leadership of the district and serves the interests of all parties by enabling significant continued investment and the creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs and economic opportunity in the state."
The battle between Disney and DeSantis began in 2022 when then-CEO Bob Chapek voiced opposition to Florida's so-called "Don't Say Gay" law. DeSantis, in turn, called the company "woke" and took action to dissolve the taxing district that governs the area where the Walt Disney World Resort sits.
DeSantis took control of Disney's Reedy Creek Improvement District and renamed it the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. The governor is responsible for naming the board that oversees the district.
A handful of lawsuits followed, including Disney suing DeSantis, claiming its free speech was violated, as well as lawsuits filed by both Disney and the oversight district in Florida.
During a meeting Wednesday, the district unanimously approved a settlement agreement with Disney.