LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Walt Disney World Resort’s iconic monorail system will be inspected by the Florida Department of Transportation beginning July 1st.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed transportation bill HB1305 in May, stripping the company of the power to inspect the system that has been on the tracks since the Magic Kingdom Park opened in 1971.
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In an amendment to a license plate reader bill, SB1250, lawmakers said monorail systems in special districts that cross county lines would be subject to state inspections. The rule would only apply to Disney’s monorail.
Walt Disney World’s transportation is one of the most iconic aspects of the resort, including its 15 miles of monorail.
For 52 years it has operated with only a half-dozen incidents. The most notable being a crash in 2009 that killed a 21-year-old driver.
Disney and DeSantis have been engaged in a tug-of-war for more than a year that has engulfed the governor in criticism as he prepares to launch an expected presidential bid in the coming weeks.
The fight began last year after Disney, beset by significant pressure both internally and externally, publicly opposed a state law that bans classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades, a policy critics call “Don’t Say Gay.”
As punishment, DeSantis took over Disney World’s self-governing district, the Reedy Creek Board, through legislation passed by Florida lawmakers, SB1604, and appointed a new board of supervisors that would oversee municipal services for the sprawling theme parks and hotels. But before the new board came in, the company made agreements with members of the previous oversight board that stripped the new supervisors of their authority when it comes to design and construction.
The legislation will also take effect on July 1st.