Disenchantment by Geoff Carter « The Pen in Hand Blog

Artwork by Michael DiMilo

By Geoff Carter

Disney World, the mother of all family theme parks, is based just outside of Orlando, Florida. Its component pieces, EPCOT, The Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, span over 27,000 acres—about 43 square miles—and rake in huge profits—over twenty-seven billion dollars in 2022 alone. It is one big cash cow. Knowing this, it seems surprising that the State of Florida recently passed a law stripping Disney of its privileged status as a corporate entity and handing control of its operations over to the state.

In 1967, when it was considering basing Disney World in Florida, the state offered the company control over all municipal and local services as part of The Reedy Creek Improvement District. Disney was also granted oversight over services like taxation, and emergency services. It was also given special tax status and exemptions from a number of state regulations. In fact, the granting of this special status was instrumental in Disney’s decision to settle in Florida. It was a pretty sweet deal. Now however, because Mickey has incurred the wrath of the powers that be in the Sunshine State, the Disneyland municipality has been taken away from the company is now under the control of a hand-picked board.

The new Florida law was heavily supported by Governor Ron DeSantis and was widely seen as retaliation for Disney CEO Bob Chapek stating that he would support the repeal of the Parental Rights in Education Act—or the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, a law—wholeheartedly endorsed by DeSantis—that restricts, or eliminates, classroom instruction dealing with gender identity or sexual orientation in the primary grades. Mr. Chapek only took this moral stand after his employees complained bitterly and hundreds of protestors showed up at Disney headquarters.

Now, instead of having autonomy over its own tax base and services, the vast theme park’s operation will be overseen by a five-member board, composed mostly of handpicked DeSantis supporters. It’s as if Maleficent has taken over the Magic Kingdom. As the governor seeks to force his narrow and whitewashed vision of America into every classroom and living room in the country, he is in effect, harpooning one of the biggest contributors to his state’s economy.

The delicious irony here is that in his effort to supposedly restore and preserve what he calls family values, Governor DeSantis has taken on probably the greatest family cultural influence this country has ever seen. Generations have grown up watching vintage Disney classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Pinocchio, to say nothing of viewing dozens of television classics on The Wonderful World of Disney. Recent generations were weaned on The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Tarzan, Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, and The Princess and the Frog. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Everybody knows Disney. Everybody loves Disney.

Of course, the Disney product, message, and sensibility is intrinsically linked to inclusiveness. It is a magical place where a forsaken princess can be saved by seven dwarves (little people), or where a mermaid changes her body to be with the person she loves, or another princess forced into seclusion because of a hideously destructive power is embraced—and saved—by the love of her sister. It’s also a place where a hideously deformed hunchback is rescued from the clutches of a regressive and sinister bishop (who bears a remarkable resemblance to Mike Pence) by a group of marginalized citizens, the Gypsies, who are viciously hunted down and oppressed by that same demonic religious zealot.

Governor DeSantis, in his effort to save Florida and the nation from standardized high school curriculum, has said, “We reject this woke ideology…We will never surrender to the woke mob. Florida is where woke goes to die.” (Newsweek). Of course, in his mind, the “woke” ideology is awareness of the effects that racism, sexism, and discrimination has had on our society. It is the process by which Americans examine how its institutional processes and structures are intrinsically racist. And sexist. And xenophobic. And—apparently Disneyphobic.

Republican lawmakers backing DeSantis decried Disney’s decision to oppose the “don’t say Gay” bill. As quoted in an NPR article, “Republican Rep. Jackie Toledo said, ‘Shamefully, Disney betrayed us,; adding that the company had been “perverted by a woke mob of liberal extremists.”’ DeSantis himself said, “This state is governed by the interests of the people of the state of Florida. It is not based on the demands of California corporate executives.” (NPR)

So, DeSantis’ righteously zealous attack on Disney, whose products have nearly always extolled the virtues of inclusivism, mirrored the governor’s attack—under the guise of preserving America—on America itself.

Some of these extremist Republicans are rapidly becoming the ur-villains of American culture. They are as greedy as Cruella de Ville or Jafar, as power-hungry as Scar or Ursula, as malignant as Frollo or Maleficent, and as bitterly vengeful and the Evil Queen in Snow White or the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland.

Of course, comparing the complexities and intricacies of real-life politicians to the animated villains of children’s movies is hardly realistic—isn’t it? Nearly every Disney villain has notoriously clueless sidekicks. Ursula had Flotsam and Jetsam, two less-than-bright eels, Hades relied on two phenomenally dumb demons, Pain and Panic, and Scar enlisted Shenzai, Banzai, and Ed, three distinctly mercenary hyenas to further his evil agenda. It would probably be a stretch to compare some of our esteemed Republicans to these Disney stooges. Or would it?

According to an article in Forbes , one of Ron DeSantis’ appointees to the Disney board is Ron Peri, who has stated that he believes estrogen in drinking water turns men gay. That sounds like something Pain or Panic might say. He also appointed Bridget Ziegler, co-founder of the conservative group Moms for Liberty, which has been attempting to ban books across the country. That sounds like something one of Frollo’s henchmen might do.

As amusing as comparing some of Governor DeSantis’ allies to evil Disney henchmen might be, the seriousness of this mini corporate coup cannot be ignored. While the Disney corporation had enjoyed a sweetheart deal with the state of Florida for decades, the fact that one small group of lawmakers can compel one of the most powerful companies in the country to bend to its will is frightening.

What’s the next step? Will showings of Mulan be banned because its hero is a cross dresser? Will the scene in which Timon distracts a herd of ravenous hyenas by dancing in drag be cut from the film? How will Governor DeSantis and his ilk reconcile their own draconian views of social norms with the beloved paradigms of love, understanding, and acceptance espoused by many Disney films?

We need to be careful. After all, Mickey Mouse is Black, and Donald Duck never wears pants.