Disney’s federal lawsuit against Florida consented to halt

Disney has been granted a two-month pause in a federal lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his appointments to Walt Disney World's governing district.

After the two parties struck a resolution on unrelated litigation in state court, an appellate judge on Monday granted Disney's request for a two-month pause in a federal lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his appointments to Walt Disney World's governing district. The settlement agreement reached last month involving two Florida lawsuits between Disney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which DeSantis appointed, served as the impetus for Disney's appeal made to the federal appellate court last Friday. DeSantis assumed control of the theme park's governing board, and the district and the business started suing each other in state court over future plans for Disney World's development.

Disney consented to halt the related federal lawsuit — which is being appealed — as part of the deal in order to work with the DeSantis appointees to negotiate a new development agreement. Disney enthusiasts governed the district for fifty years, providing municipal services like planning, mosquito control, and firefighting. The DeSantis appointees took office last year, and Disney's deadline for providing an opening brief to the federal Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has been rescheduled for mid-June.

Following Disney's objection to Florida's so-called Don't Say Gay statute, DeSantis took over the district from Disney supporters, sparking nearly two years of litigation that was put on hold by the settlement agreement.