As I write these phrases, after years of ready, Common Orlando Resort’s latest theme park, Epic Universe, is lastly opening to the general public. It’s an enormous day for followers of theme parks and the state of Florida, as a result of it is the primary new main theme park in many years. Final evening, Common threw itself a well-deserved bash, and a number of huge names turned out, together with one whose historical past with theme parks hasn’t all the time been the most effective.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was readily available for final evening’s Grand Opening Celebration at Epic Universe. Points of interest Journal snapped him and his entourage getting into the park.
We simply handed by Florida @GovRonDeSantis and his entourage on the Epic Universe grand opening get together. pic.twitter.com/sgPCODIRbyMight 21, 2025
The arrival of the governor at a serious occasion in his state wouldn’t essentially be that noteworthy, have been it not for the historical past that Ron DeSantis has with Common’s main theme park competitor, Walt Disney World. The resort and the governor spent a few years concerned in a big battle over the Florida Particular District that incorporates Walt Disney World.
Disney World’s Battle With Ron DeSantis
Underneath Disney’s earlier CEO, the corporate got here out towards a Florida invoice, dubbed “Don’t Say Homosexual” by detractors. In response, DeSantis moved to have the Reedy Creek Enchancment District eradicated. The district was created particularly for Disney World to provide the resort the management that Walt Disney wanted to construct his deliberate metropolis of the longer term, Epcot.
Ultimately, the Reedy Creek Enchancment District was changed with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, and its board, slightly than being made up of landowners contained in the district, was appointed by the governor. A flood of lawsuits filed by and towards Walt Disney World adopted.
Ultimately, the varied lawsuits have been dropped, and it seems that Disney World and DeSantis have reached some form of cease-fire settlement that a minimum of seems to be making all people joyful. Nonetheless, one wonders how excited the Governor can be if this have been a brand new Disney park being opened.
Ron DeSantis Praises Epic Universe
The governor’s battle with particular districts was restricted to the Home of Mouse, and if something, Common benefited by receiving extra public assist from the Governor’s workplace. That included a video DeSantis posted from Epic Universe speaking about how nice the park shall be for households in addition to the state of Florida as an entire.
Epic Universe is formally open beginning tomorrow. Was nice to tour the park and see firsthand how the imaginative and prescient has turn into a actuality.The children will find it irresistible! pic.twitter.com/R52WfFx0UzMight 21, 2025
Whereas Disney received’t have something fairly as huge as a model new theme park opening in Florida anytime quickly, it’s working with a UAE-based firm to construct one in Abu Dhabi, it will likely be opening a number of new theme park lands over the following few years.
By then, Florida could have a brand new governor. Whether or not they’re an even bigger fan of Walt Disney World or Common Orlando Resort could also be an attention-grabbing query.