Disney & California’s Wild Ride: Governor Newsom Promotes DisneylandForward
Governor Gavin Newsom has become vocally supportive of Disney as a whole, and Disneyland Resort in particular. This post details the latest sharp turn in the wild ride that is the relationship between California and the Walt Disney Company, plus our commentary about why this is good news and caused us to become optimistic about DisneylandForward.
For starters, this is quite the twist that no one would’ve seen coming 3 years ago. At that time, Governor Newsom was becoming increasingly adversarial, which resulted in the California parks being closed for 412 days (and reopening with stringent rules). Bob Iger resigned from the state’s recovery task force as a result of the fallout and the company put out press releases that openly expressed frustrations and animosity towards the state.
That’s as contrasted with the few months that Walt Disney World has shuttered (and even that was not fully attributable to the state–they could’ve opened about a month earlier had they so desired). Disney, other theme park operators, and even the City of Anaheim were all vocally critical of the ongoing closure at that time, and its purported rationale, inconsistency, and lack of proper justification. This is not to relitigate that closure, but rather, provide context. If you’re interested in reading more about that conflict at the time, read Disneyland’s Wild Reopening Ride, which covers the first six months of the saga.
This week following his attendance of the first-ever Disneyland After Dark Pride Nite, Governor Newsom met with Disney CEO Bob Iger, Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro, and Disneyland officials about DisneylandForward. This isn’t the first time Newsom has weighed in on the proposal, as he called DisneylandForward “great news for the city of Anaheim” just last month.
Newsom’s comments came in response to an economic study from Cal State Fullerton finding that in 2018, Disneyland Resort had a total economic impact of $8.5 billion in Southern California. This was thanks to its 78,299 employees and the millions of Disneyland visitors who stayed in the area and made purchases from local businesses. Disneyland Resort generated $509.6 million in state and local taxes during fiscal year 2018; that was up 50% as compared to 2013–the first full year after Cars Land opened.
Cal State Fullerton economists estimated that for every $1 billion Disney invests into Disneyland Resort, more than 4,000 jobs and $1.1 billion in economic output would be generated during the four-year construction period. Following construction, that investment would generate an annual $253 million in economic output, $15 million in tax revenue, and 2,292 jobs.
For example, a 400-room Disney-themed hotel could generate $4 million during construction and $9 million annually in transient occupancy tax once it’s open. Hotels are a huge driver of tax revenue for Anaheim; the city currently has 152 hotels, only 3 of which are Disney-owned. Anaheim charges a nightly 15% bed tax, and collected approximately $170 million in occupancy taxes last year, which it used to hire new police officers and firefighters, fix roads, and build public parks.
DisneylandForward’s proposals coming to fruition would supposedly generate more than $20 million in tax revenue that would go directly to the State of California. Disneyland Resort is a major driver for California’s tourism industry, which itself is integral to the state’s economy. Travel spending increased to $134.4 billion last year, supported 1.09 million jobs, and generated $11.9 billion in state and local tax revenue.
Newsom previously praised Disney’s decision to cancel its Lake Nona, Florida creative campus–thus keeping Imagineers and other high-paying roles in Southern California. According to Fox Los Angeles reporter Elex Michaelson, Gavin Newsom told him that he’s been “pushing Iger to make additional investments in California.”
That certainly makes sense given his recent statements and actions; Disney announcing a big investment in Southern California would be a political win for Newsom. While the ultimate approval for DisneylandForward lies with Anaheim, Newsom can and is putting his thumb on the scale. Moreover, Newsom can offer certain concessions and benefits at the state level; a move that it would behoove him to make to bolster his image as being more pro-business.
In addition to Newsom’s comments, California.gov also published a press release celebrating Pride Nite and “highlighting Disneyland Resort’s investments in Anaheim.” Both the headline and substance read like a puff piece that Disney itself would release; not only are Pride Nite and the positives of DisneylandForward highlighted, but so too is the Disney Aspire program, Disney’s groundbreaking education program.
In the past, we’ve been skeptical of DisneylandForward. Our criticism has been that DisneylandForward is not a third gate at Disneyland Resort or even a commitment to build anything. Although an oversimplification, DisneylandForward is better viewed as a zoning proposal.
In essence, the pitch is to give the company more autonomy over development, and then they might use that freedom to expand the parks. Examples of expansion options–but not specific plans–are contained in the DisneylandForward promotional materials. Those are purposefully meant to excite fans with concept art from Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea (concept art below) and other ambitious projects from the international parks–but those are just examples.
The differences now are two-fold. First, there’s has been a sea change at the Walt Disney Company. When the initial DisneylandForward proposal was released, the company was drowning in debt, laser-focused on streaming services, and expressed zero appetite in theme park investments.
DisneylandForward was, pretty transparently, an opportunistic attempt to capitalize on favorable public sentiment following the closure. The goal wasn’t to build anything, it was to give Disney carte blanche for future development without meaningful checks by Anaheim or other stakeholders.
Although debt remains worrying and that plus streaming presents a near-term impediment to theme park investment, there is an obvious and actual desire to invest billions in theme parks. Disneyland President Ken Potrock has repeatedly stated during community meetings that the company plans on investing billions of dollars just in Disneyland.
Disney CEO Bob Iger and Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro repeatedly touting ambitious plans for the future, bullishness on parks, and desire for capacity-expanding additions. We discussed all of this in great length in Bob Iger Wants Big Expansions at Walt Disney World & Disneyland.
Our reason for taking all of these statements at face value instead of being skeptical or cynical is simple: Wall Street investors and analysts have soured on streaming and want to see more spent on theme parks. With that as the catalyst, Disney is going to invest significantly in the parks as soon as possible. (This isn’t a change under the new Iger regime, either; it was set in motion towards the end of Chapek’s tenure.)
Bob Iger already revealed that an Avatar Experience Is Coming to Disneyland. He has since made multiple media appearances and mentioned this, while declining to provide additional details about the substance and nature of this. At this point, what that “experience” will entail or where it’ll be located is anyone’s guess. It could be as small as a walk-through or as ambitious as Pandora – World of Avatar. No one knows.
What’s already been announced plus whatever this Avatar experience is plus the land freed up by DisneylandForward could result in a development boom that easily surpasses the overhaul of Disney California Adventure. Although I’m still highly skeptical that this would mean Fantasy Springs at Disneyland Resort, that amount of investment seems plausible.
The other reason for our about-face on DisneylandForward is because of the changing political climate in California. Thate state publishing what amounts to pro-Disney propaganda is something that never would’ve happened 3 years ago. It also wouldn’t have happened pretty much any time in the decade before that.
For those who don’t recall, the company’s last attempt at a development boom at Disneyland Resort, meant to ride the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge wave of growth, stalled after facing staunch opposition from the city. This included the Eastern Gateway proposal, which was ultimately abandoned after local businesses challenged it under the terms of the Disneyland Resort Specific Plan.
In addition to abandoning the Eastern Gateway, Disneyland also proposed and abandoned a luxury hotel project to replace part of Downtown Disney (concept art above). That one was killed by the city itself, and a morass of political disputes did significant damage to Anaheim’s and Disney’s 60+ year relationship at that time.
All of that has changed since. Anaheim has elected new leadership, which is far more friendly to Disneyland. Then there’s the aforementioned turn of Governor Newsom. This alone would be huge. Historically, development hasn’t always been easy in California, so having the weight of city and state leaders championing development in Disneyland is a really big deal.
This presents a golden window of opportunity to accomplish aggressive expansion plans without as much red tape and with the blessing of, and even assistance from, the state of California. That coupled with the sincere statements of Iger, D’Amaro, and Potrock about theme park expansion plans, it’s easier to be more optimistic about DisneylandForward. The difference between now and a couple years ago when it was announced is that now, there’s some there there.
There’s also the practical reality that the Walt Disney Company is not going to be in a financial position to build everything everywhere all at once. In the near to medium term, tough decisions are going to be made about expansion, and picking and choosing projects at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. There will be winners and losers, that that aforementioned window of opportunity with California–coupled with the ongoing standoff in Florida–potentially makes it easier to justify prioritizing Disneyland expansion.
To that point, the basis for Governor Newsom’s about-face is fairly transparent: it’s political posturing. Newsom has positioned himself as a foil to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and has soft launched his own campaign for the White House at some future point to be determined. The two home-state governors where Disney does business have become central figures in the culture wars, almost reflexively opposing one another on every issue. This is not a value judgment about either or both of those politicians. It is what it is.
In any case, the Walt Disney Company has become a “victim” of this dynamic in Florida and, by extension, a beneficiary of it in California. Florida digs in deeper for the DeSantis vs. Disney legal battle, with that governor-turned-presidential candidate reportedly rebuffing Bob Iger’s requests for a meeting. And why would DeSantis want to meet? Taking on Disney is simply good politics for him, proving popular with and providing red meat for the base during his presidential campaign.
Conversely, being the pro-Disney candidate is now good politics for the Governor of California. Consequently, Newsom has donned metaphorical Mickey ears and embraced the House of Mouse. In addition to championing DisneylandForward, he attended Pride Nite and promoted the event on his social media channels. (Not that it needed promotion–it’s the rare Disneyland After Dark to totally sell out for the season before the first event occurred.)
Newsom also said that California attracts talent and ideas that drive economic growth “make us a hotspot for world-leading companies like Disney to grow & prosper.” Based on all of this, it’s pretty clear that Newsom is now willing to play ball with the Walt Disney Company in order to score some political points of his own.
Ultimately, the latest sharp turn in the wild ride between Disney and California is great to see and Newsom’s ulterior motives don’t much matter. The end result is the same whether this is sincere or a political stunt, and is a positive development for Disney. With that said, there are undoubtedly and understandably some fans who are still bitter about the 412 day closure and think Disney should hold a grudge.
We vehemently disagree. Business leaders should have the memories of goldfish. From Disney’s perspective, playing nicely and reconciling with Gavin Newsom after the relationship became strained in 2020 and into early 2021 is the smart move. It puts advancing business interests ahead of grievances, which is the right thing for shareholders and fans. It’s not personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business.
Oh, and for the political partisans out there, all of this is hardly new or unique. Bob Iger has met with a range of different politicians, from Xi Jinping to Emmanuel Macron to Shinzo Abe (above). Doing business with the first name on that list was a mistake, but what’s done is done–there’s no unringing that bell.
Additionally, Iger has participated in a number of committees and has undoubtedly had countless closed door meetings with other politicians to further the interests of Disney. It’s safe to assume that list includes all governors of California and Florida between 2005 and 2020, too.
Speaking of Florida…turnabout is fair play, so to speak. The same sentiment expressed here will be true in the not too distant future in the Sunshine State. Walt Disney World is not going anywhere, and will outlast any politicians and corporate executives. Sooner or later, the company and the state will set aside their differences and work together.
No matter which side “wins” in the current standoff there, the interests of Florida and Disney are ultimately aligned. Just like what we’re seeing now in California, it behooves both the company and the state to move past the past conflicts and work together towards mutually advantageous ends. We will likewise be applauding the inevitable photo op between whoever is the CEO of Disney and whoever is the governor of Florida in 3 years when the current unpleasantness is put in the rearview mirror.
Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and many other SoCal cities!
Your Thoughts
What’s your take on Bob Iger and Josh D’Amaro meeting with Governor Newsom about DisneylandForward? Think the company should seize on his about-face towards Disney and take advantage of this window of opportunity? Hope that a few years from now, the strained relationship between Florida and Disney is similarly repaired? Or do you think that Disney leaders should hold self-defeating grudges that undermine their own interests? Agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions?
Regardless of your perspective, please keep the comments civil. This is not the place for politically-charged arguing, antagonism, personal attacks, or perpetuating pointless culture wars. There’s a way to tactfully convey points touching on politics and social issues without being disrespectful or disparaging. Without regard for viewpoint, we will delete comments that cross the line, are lacking in decorum or don’t attempt to thoughtfully contribute to the conversation. If you wish to rudely shout your anger into the internet abyss or troll for controversy, that’s why Facebook was invented.
Tom,
I was reading an article in the Guardian, and saw that they quoted you and this blog post. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jul/11/disney-ron-desantis-florida-california-theme-parks
thought you’d be interested! I definitely had a moment of “hey, I read that website” lol
“Or do you think that Disney leaders should hold self-defeating grudges that undermine their own interests? ”
LOL!!!
cause newsom knows whats right whilst 1/3 his state is living in tents and 70% of the stores are closing not to mention the other 1/2 are addicted to hard drugs its like making a deal with devil now
California definitely has serious issues with homelessness, retail closures, crime, and drug abuse–but it’s not even remotely that bad, not even in San Francisco. Don’t believe all the sensationalism online or on cable news.
That math is…special.
I don’t know what the correct numbers or percentages are but the last time I was in CA (2019) I was HORRIFIED by people living in tents on the streets. I even saw the fire department arrive to put out a blaze that had started under an overpass where poor unfortunate souls were “camping”. The mere fact that even ONE human being is living in a tent on concrete shames every single living person on this planet. If it were just one store forced to close, thus depriving a local community of needed services, because of lawlessness our society would need to question how our actions contributed to this failure. To think what’s going on is not as bad as it seems is to miss the point that it should not be happening at all.
Oh you must be absolutely wonderful at the Thanksgiving table. If you’re concerned about issues please keep the fever dream sensationalism to yourself. Tom makes an incredible effort to research and provide accurate numbers with all of his reporting and your kind of post is a disservice to his hard work.
Albury, my friend, you miss the point.
This is not about Tom or numbers this is about us.
Your use of fever dreams is spot on because a fever dream is a situation that is bad enough to be likened more to a dream than reality and yet homelessness, crime and drug abuse is real not a dream. If it were a dream it would be a nightmare. One in which we wake up to find our worst fears are true.
As one who gave up a lucrative life to actively work to help the poor and change these situations I don’t see this as an admonishment or a disservice to the great work Tom does but a reminder, to us all, that human misery can not be quantified.
Tom is a good person and I know he didn’t mean it to come out the way it did. I think he would have been better served to have written,
California definitely has serious issues with homelessness, retail closures, crime, and drug abuse– all serious problems that every country in the world are dealing with. That said, those numbers are not close to being accurate and even if they were they have no relevance in this discussion regarding Disney doing what’s in Disney’s best interest. Let us not lose sight that Disney’s business is making the world a better place.
PS YOU are welcome to join us at the Thanksgiving table. You’ll be surprised how much fun we have. Only one rule, don’t talk with your mouth full.
Disney is only a victim of itself after Chapek chose to get mixed up in what’s taught to children in Florida schools.
California is the pits right now and the sooner Newsome is out the better the state will be. People are leaving in droves and Florida’s population is growing every day.
Gavin Newsom is no hero to Disney or anyone else in the state of California.
California’s biggest issue, without question, is the housing shortage. That’s almost certainly the biggest cause of people leaving the state, and is a major issue. It also kind of undercuts some of the biggest criticism about the state:
“Nobody wants to live there now, it’s too expensive/crowded.”
“ accomplish aggressive expansion plans without as much red state”
Typo, or Freudian slip :-)?
Interesting article; thank you.
LOL!
The really sad thing is that I proofread that at least three times while shuffling around some text, and never caught it.
Of course Newsome is going to pretend to care about Disney, because Desantis has not. Newsome wants to look good for the cameras in hopes that people will view him as the new lord and savior that he thinks he is. And of course one of his biggest doners Iger ( whom don’t give a hoot about Disney, just lining his own pockets, as most of these people could never be able to create a love and following like Disney on their own, with their own merit they are all greedy soulless individual’s living off of and destroying the legacy of others) is going to be there to swindle more money out of the gobernment, because lord knows, they cannot create anything of worth beside shows so chock full of one-sided activist views, that no one cares to watch them. Am I wrong? How’s the mermaid doing? where are all the people that it was supposed to be for at? The only people that care are the shill hacks paid to defend their garbage. Yes, thousands upon thousands of istaphobes out there huh. Man I wish I could lose that much money, and still be able to keep a job. And mind you I am not a fan of gobernemt, and that incudes Desantis, I despise government involvement in business one way or the other, they only do it when he think it will benefit the individual, however I wonder how the articles would be written, how Desantis and Newsome would react, if the wind blew the other way, had Disney dipped its toes into red waters instead? Of course, we know the answer don’t we, as we are all only to support the self-righteousness ideology of the one-sided view of what diversity means, lest be called vile names, and that does not matter who ya are. Keep chasing that demographic that will never be satisfied, ever. Keep ignoring the fans and watch how movies like Mario will be a money maker while you churn out the garbage you are churning out. People liked Coco, Moana, and Soul, all of which told stories of life, people of all walks liked this place, now look at it. They only have themselves to blame.
I don’t think there’s much point fixating on or relitigating COVID, as most minds are made up and I cannot imagine that will change; nevertheless, I found this to be an interesting recent study in the Lancet that attempted to assess outcomes across all U.S. states: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00461-0/fulltext
It would be smart of Disney to prioritize investment in California over Florida given the political and human rights situations. Yes they have Universal nipping at their heels in Orlando but realistically they cannot build anything in the near future to directly compete with Epic Universe. They’re in a holding pattern anyway – DeSantis’s reign may come to an end eventually but that won’t alter the political leanings of the majority of people in his state who voted yes to his policy positions. He might even be replaced by someone even more extreme. IMO, improbable though it may be, Disney should look into a third site in the US, in an inclusive, business-friendly state where they’re not likely to run into the same problems as they have in FL.
I don’t think it’s pragmatic to make business decisions based on the political leanings of a state–be it California, Florida, or a third option. All of that can and will change over the course of decades, and Disney is playing the long game.
I also think that what’s happening in Florida right now is unique and a perfect storm resulting from the governor wanting to raise his political profile in advance of a presidential run. That’s not going to be the dynamic for the next governor. (Also, the majority of people voting for a candidate is not the same as them supporting each individual policy position of that person.)
Well, I think the biggest reason for a pause on investment should be the political retaliation by DeSantis against Disney. But even looking at the longer term, a majority of Floridians voted for DeSantis, perhaps not on individual policy positions, but he had drawn attention to enough of his more extreme positions that should have constituted a red line to voters. That it did not, suggests the same voters would vote for future politicians espousing similar views. That’s not really an attractive state to do business in, and especially not for minorities to visit. A couple of civil rights organizations have already issued warnings about traveling to FL, and the situation can only get worse since DeSantis can (and does) claim “landslide” support for his policies. Right now, they’re burning through excess demand from “revenge travel”, and I’m sure they can sustain the current volume, but can they really grow substantially? DeSantis supporters are hardly likely to visit WDW, and people from out of state will think twice about stepping foot in FL.
Addendum to above:
Therefore, Newsom has not had an “about face” with regards to Disney (or Sea World, or the San Diego Zoo, or Legoland, or any other very popular California tourist destination). He was acting in the best interests of public health and isn’t that what we want elected officials to do? To protect the public, especially the most vulnerable among us? Couching this as some sort of vendetta against Disney (which of course was protecting its own interests and wanting to reopen as they have a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders) feels like a misread of the situation.
And since DisneylandForward would be beneficial to SoCal and bring in new jobs as well as tourist income, of course Newsom is for it!
I think people are looking at Florida and reading the same cult of personality politics into California, when the simple truth is in CA, the world is operating as it should with elected officials opposing measures that would hurt the public good, but supporting measures that benefit the public good, while businesses are acting on behalf of their shareholders as they should.
And yes, Disneyl
Absolutely no surprise. This is political posturing by Disney at its finest, deciding to pander to one political party in the supercharged times in which we live. Disney felt compelled to alienate half of our country, knowing full well about the anger and resentment their actions and decisions would cause many fans of Disney. Iger, Chapek, etc are not the victims here by any means. Honestly, I hope they stay as a political advocate for the left. It makes it much easier in the decision to never spend any more of my hard earned money on Disney.
How is this an example of political pandering by Disney? It would seem to me that it’s pandering by a politician to Disney, and the company using that to its advantage…which is exactly what any savvy business would do.
You can dislike how Disney has handled things in Florida and think they should avoid alienating the public while also thinking that they should seize on opportunities and play their cards as best as they can. Disney has lobbied and courted political favor for decades–literally since Walt.
Tom, “Happy Father’s Day Daddy”, is 100 % correct. Disney is merely taking advantage of what is beneficially being offered to it. They are neither siding with left or right but with themselves.
California had fewer deaths per capita from COVID than did Florida, and that’s with DeSantis cooking the numbers which we know about thanks to whistleblowers.
Government officials are supposed to work in the public interest. I’m positive people would rather have more time with their loved ones who might urge wise be dead or incapacitated thanks to the pandemic than go to a theme park. Newsom is popular in California because unlike other certain other governors, he has the interests of the general public at the center of his policies.
As someone who used to work in politics, I have to disagree with “Taking on Disney is simply good politics for him, proving popular with and providing red meat for the base during his presidential campaign.” Recent polling shows the opposite. It actually amazed me because even the Republicans were polling against DeSantis’ attack on Disney (that’s nationally, not in Florida. FL Republicans support the governor). Independents are also not in line with DeSantis’ attack on Disney, and he can’t win the general election without Independents’ support. I think when 2024 rolls around, this will come back to haunt him. He will use it to entice voters, but his opponents (in both the primary and general) will use it against him. And he can’t win with only the support of the far right.
Do you have any recent polling to back that up?
The last thing I saw was this roundup by NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-bets-big-disney-feud-rcna82734
…and this internal polling from the DeSantis camp: https://themessenger.com/politics/inside-the-secret-desantis-donor-briefing-exclusive
I very much want you to be correct, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. With that said, I do think this issue will be a loser when it comes time (if it comes time) for the general election, so there will need to be a pivot or dropping of the issue by then.
I hope you are right. DeSantis is an opportunistic extremist. He may have been in the right when he was battling against Disney for interfering with school policies. But, he has taken his revenge to the extreme by dissolving Reedy Creek Improvement District and replacing the board members. He looks foolish when he suggests building prisons near WDW. He thinks he is improving his chances of running for president by behaving this way. It may help him in Florida, but the rest of the country is not so easily fooled. Let’s just hope he is voted out of office in Florida soon.
Compare CA Covid death rates (and infection rates) to other populous srates. Newsome was never anti-Disney, he was pro-human life over money. Political motivations aside, he did an excellent job keeping more of his citizens alive compared to other governors, who always put economic interests above all else. DeSantis, by contrast, is currently just motivated by his own personal political motivations, as there is no logical reason for him to attack his state’s third largest employer (with higher wages than the first two) other than to score political points. Ironically, if recent polls are to be believed, support for Disney has remained steady while support for DeSantis have lowered even among Republicans as there are still many Republicans that believe government should interfere with business as little as possible.
Yes, the contrast between California and Florida regarding Disney is being driven by political expediency, but it is also vastly illustrative of the massive changes in long-held GOP business policy driven by the culture war.
In the past state-level politicians of both parties had a huge incentive to collaborate on business policy. Presenting a united policy front creates a more stable and attractive long term investment potential. This has now been abandoned in Florida in favor of the short term national political aspirations of its governor.
At first Florida’s attacks on Disney attempted to paint the company as a radical entity outside of the mainstream. But the war against business expanded so that “unacceptable behavior” now includes the mere acknowledgement of the existence of minorities. Any company that even espouses fairness in hiring practices is under attack, which is baffling because not only is that the law, but it includes the vast majority of corporations in the United States.
The result is Disney is not alone. Being lumped in with such iconic brands as Target, Anheuser-Busch, Chick Fil-A, and Cracker Barrel shows that Disney is simply a standard US corporation espousing mainstream views in the best interests of their customers and employees.
Thus the Newson/DeSantis feud is a proxy for the upcoming election, pitting mainstream pro-business public policy welcoming to customers and employees of all kinds against a future where businesses are free to set out “No Blacks or Gays” signs.
You had me up to the last paragraph.
Nobody, no election, is for a future where business’ are free to put out “no blacks, no gays” signs.
I don’t even know why you threw in “no blacks” as this group (of which some of my family are members of) are not a part of the “culture wars”. I know you mean well but I think this extrapolation is a bit hysterical. I don’t mean funny hysterical, I’m not laughing at you.
The current culture war is pretty much centered on sexuality. Again, of which my family, as I believe most families, have a member or two with a stake in the outcome.
I think it’s pretty clear the current culture war is against all minorities. The well-publicized criticism against Chick-Fil-A for example, was simply because they are hiring a diversity, equity, and inclusion human resources position, which covers a variety of people, not just LGBTQ. There are currently bills pending in around 20 conservative states to outlaw diversity programs in any public institution or agency, which again covers a range of people.
There is also evidence that the culture war contains a concerted effort to establish the rights of businesses to exclude customers and employees first on sexual orientation and then on race. The pending Supreme Court case 303 Creative LLC strives to establish the right to refuse service based on first amendment claims. If one has a first amendment right to refuse to provide services for a gay couple based on sincerely held religious beliefs, they would also have the right to deny service to a mixed-race couple or anyone at all.
Hi Michael and thank you for your thoughtful reply explaining what and why you hold the positions you do. I obviously have a different view. One that I think is glass half full. Having been an activist in the 60’s and on I see too many positive changes. Not saying everything is perfect and we no longer need to be vigilant. In fact there are forces at work to undo the positives and set us back.
I think the problem that’s pretty clear is that the politicians, media and thier friends in the 1 % would have us think that we are at each other’s throats. I assure you, sane clear thinking people are not. I know you sincerely believe in what you are saying and I know there are many who feel the way you do but I can’t extrapolate to the same conclusions. You and I fight for the same things but we worry differently.
By the way Happy Fathers Day to you.
Let’s be real. Florida is running a surplus of revenue and can take on Disney while Cali just went from a 28 billion dollar surplus to a 32 billion dollar deficit. Gov. Newsome needs all the money he can get. But your right Disney fans should be happier that the people in charge realize their bread and butter are the parks. So at least they are going to put more investment into what’s keeps them solvent.
Of course that’s going to be spun as political (because everything is), but so much of California’s budget is dependent upon capital gains–the state’s fortunes rise and fall with the stock market. (I don’t think Newsom’s critics would claim he was doing a great job when he had the huge surplus–he was a beneficiary of circumstance. Now, the opposite is true.)
To each their own, but I think Newsom’s “change of heart” has more to do with his own future political prospects. As someone who just wants what’s best for Disney and fans, my response to that is a big “so what?” I think Disney should seize upon every opportunity to advance its interests, and work with U.S. politicians of all stripes to make that happen.
Perhaps, though, FL has a surplus of revenue because of the money Disney brings into the state. Disney is Florida’s largest employer. It also brings in substantial revenue to other businesses, like construction companies, nearby restaurants, hotels, retail establishments, car rentals, ride-sharing companies, airlines, and even the other theme parks. They also donate millions to Florida charities. Disney, of course, won’t pack up and move, but if they did, Florida would be hurting.
Is there a date that the proposal is set to be voted on by Anaheim? Like will we know a set time if Disneyland wins the right to do what they want with that land?
Having just completed my first trip to Disneyland I am very eager to go back and excited for more development there! Like when will that avengers ride be built?
To my knowledge, Anaheim is waiting on the environmental impact report to come out, which is the necessary next step (but a non-factor in this particular proposal). After that, it’s expected that City Council will vote on the project in early 2024.
Local goodwill towards Disney is still pretty strong–much better than when the luxury hotel and Eastern Gateway were proposed–and there isn’t really a vocal opposition to DisneylandForward (aside from normal NIMBY grousing that comes with any project). I’d expect DisneylandForward to pass.
Of course, a lot could change between now and then–there’s a special election in September about a $25/hour minimum wage for hospitality industry workers. I can’t imagine Disney coming out publicly against that (they’ll oppose it via proxies), but if that’s still something to keep an eye on. If that goes anywhere, it has the potential to derail DisneylandForward.
Personally, I don’t expect the Avengers King Thanos multiverse ride to be built. That was a hasty Chapek announcement, and I suspect sentiment has shifted on that again with Iger being back. Could be totally wrong, but it hasn’t been mentioned at all since he returned–Avatar seems to be the priority instead.
Oh man! I feel like avengers campus needs another ride! But thanks for the detail on the project vote.