JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Disney will postpone moving 2,000 employees to Orlando from the park’s California campus until 2026, company officials said.
While some of the workers have already moved to Florida, company officials told The Wrap they now plan to provide “flexibility to those relocating” because a new Orlando campus will not be completed for four more years.
Workers had initially been expected to arrive by early 2023.
According to media reports, at least Disney workers in California opposed the move to Florida, citing new laws and programs passed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-dominated legislature.
The Wrap reported that a critical Disney creative team called on the company to stop the move due to Florida’s new sex education law banning elementary school teachers from discussing LGBTQ issues with students below the fourth grade.
Critics of the legislation, signed into law in March by Mr. DeSantis, call it the “Don’t say gay” bill.
Disney employs 60,000 workers at its campus in Orlando.
Mr. DeSantis recently signed a law revoking Disney’s independent tax district, which had provided the park autonomy and tax breaks for 50 years.
The move came after Disney officials publicly opposed the DeSantis education bill and announced they would work to repeal it.
Disney officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Washington Times.
Disney announced in 2021 it would build a new campus on 60 acres located 20 miles east of Disney World and relocate 2,000 California employees who work in digital technology, finance and product development.
• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.
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