If you’ve been following Disney news over the past few years, you probably remember the absolutely WILD situation that went down between Disney and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis back in 2023. It was everywhere. Headlines, social media, think pieces about what it all meant for Disney World’s future. The whole thing started when Disney’s then-CEO Bob Chapek spoke out against Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, which critics were calling the “Don’t Say Gay” law, and things escalated FAST.
DeSantis and Florida Republicans basically said “if Disney wants to get political, we can play that game too” and completely restructured the special government district that oversees Disney World’s infrastructure. What used to be called Reedy Creek Improvement District, which Disney basically controlled for decades, got renamed the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and the governor got the power to appoint board members instead of Disney picking them per Florida Politics.
Now DeSantis has just appointed two more people to that board: a banker named Matt Ravenscroft and a lawyer named David Woods. And while this might seem like just another political appointment that doesn’t really matter to your Disney vacation, it’s actually kind of a big deal in terms of how Disney World operates behind the scenes.
Who Are These New Board Members?
Matt Ravenscroft is currently an Executive Vice President and Director at Sunrise Bank in Orlando. Before that, he held senior VP positions at Old Florida Bank, United Heritage Bank, and Citrus Bank. Basically, he’s a Central Florida banking guy with deep roots in the region. He got his bachelor’s degree from UCF, so he’s definitely familiar with the Orlando area and how things work here.
David Woods is an attorney who runs Woods & Woods, P.A., focusing on real estate, wills, trusts, and estates. He went to Florida State for undergrad (communication and media studies) and got his law degree from St. Thomas University. The real estate background is probably the most relevant part here since the district deals with a lot of property and development issues.
Both appointments have to be confirmed by the Florida Senate before they officially join the board, but that’s generally considered a formality at this point.
What Does This Board Actually Do?
Here’s the thing most Disney World guests don’t realize: there’s an entire government entity that handles all the behind-the-scenes stuff that makes Disney World function. We’re talking about roads, water treatment, building permits, fire departments, emergency services, all that unglamorous infrastructure stuff that you never think about when you’re waiting in line for Space Mountain.
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District oversees all of that. When someone gets hurt at the parks, it’s this district’s emergency services that respond. When Disney wants to build a new hotel or attraction, this board has to approve the permits. When the roads need maintenance or the water systems need upgrades, this district handles it.
For decades, Disney essentially controlled its own governing board through the old Reedy Creek structure. They could basically approve their own projects, manage their own infrastructure, and operate with a level of autonomy that other theme parks in Florida didn’t have. That’s what DeSantis and Republicans argued was unfair when they restructured everything in 2023.
The 2023 Drama Explained
The whole conflict started pretty simply. Bob Chapek, who was Disney’s CEO at the time, reluctantly spoke out against Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act. He didn’t want to at first, but employees and public pressure basically forced his hand. Once he did speak out, Florida Republicans were NOT happy.
What happened next was basically the political equivalent of “you want to mess with us, we’ll mess with you right back.” The Florida Legislature passed a law giving DeSantis the power to appoint members to Disney’s governing board, effectively taking control away from Disney and putting it in the hands of the state government.
Disney tried some last-minute legal maneuvering to keep control, which made things even MORE dramatic for a while. But eventually, the dust settled, the district got restructured, and DeSantis started appointing board members.
The whole thing was HUGE news for months. Everyone had opinions. Disney fans were upset. DeSantis supporters were celebrating. Business analysts were trying to figure out what it all meant for Disney’s operations and investments in Florida.
Where Things Stand Now
These days, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District is run by Stephanie Kopelousos, who used to work as DeSantis’ Senior Advisor and Director of Legislative Affairs. She handles the day-to-day operations while the board sets policy and approves major decisions.
The good news is that the intense public fighting has calmed down a LOT since 2023. You don’t see headlines about Disney vs. DeSantis every other day anymore. The relationship seems to have stabilized into something more functional and less combative.
In fact, DeSantis actually appointed Disney World President Jeff Vahle to a University of Central Florida Board of Trustees position last year, which a lot of people saw as an olive branch suggesting the worst of the conflict is over.
The district keeps doing its job overseeing infrastructure and emergency services, Disney keeps building new attractions and running the parks, and for the most part, things have returned to something resembling normal operations.
Does This Actually Affect Your Disney Vacation?
Honestly? Probably not in any way you’d notice during a typical park visit.
The theme parks still operate the same way. The rides still work. The restaurants still serve food. The characters still meet guests. All the stuff you actually care about when you’re on vacation continues functioning regardless of who’s sitting on this government board.
But here’s where it COULD matter in the long term: this board has approval power over Disney’s major development projects. Want to build a new theme park? This board has to sign off on permits. Planning a massive resort expansion? This board reviews those plans. Need infrastructure upgrades to support new attractions? This board is involved in those decisions.
So while you won’t see immediate impacts during your next Disney trip, the board’s priorities and how they approach Disney’s development plans could influence what gets built, how quickly projects get approved, and how Disney operates in Florida for years to come.
The shift from Disney controlling its own board to having state-appointed members represents a fundamental change in how Disney World relates to government oversight, even if those changes happen behind the scenes in ways most guests never see or think about.
The Bigger Question Nobody’s Really Answering
What this whole situation really comes down to is a question that people still don’t agree on: Should Disney World have special treatment compared to other theme parks? Should any major corporation have that much control over its own government oversight?
Disney argues that the old Reedy Creek structure allowed them to move quickly on projects, maintain high standards, and invest billions in Florida without getting bogged down in typical government bureaucracy. They point out that this arrangement has worked for decades and helped make Disney World the economic powerhouse it is today.
DeSantis and Republicans argue that giving one company that much special treatment isn’t fair to other businesses and isn’t appropriate government practice. They say Disney should have to work within the same governmental structures as everyone else.
Who’s right? That probably depends on your political perspective and how you feel about corporate influence on government. And we’re not here to tell you what to think about that.
What we CAN tell you is that these new board appointments are part of an ongoing situation that fundamentally changed how Disney World operates within Florida’s governmental structure. Whether those changes end up being good or bad for Disney World’s future is something we’ll probably only be able to judge years from now when we see how development and operations actually play out under this new system.
Your Take?
What do you think about this whole Disney World governance situation? Do you care about who sits on the board overseeing infrastructure, or does it all feel like political noise that doesn’t touch your actual vacation experience? And for those of you who’ve been following this story since the 2023 drama, do you think the relationship between Disney and Florida government has actually improved, or are we just in a quiet period before more conflict?
Drop your thoughts in the comments. And if you’re planning a Disney World trip soon, let us know if any of this governance stuff factors into your planning decisions at all, or if you’re just focused on getting those dining reservations and Lightning Lanes sorted out like a normal person.
