Disney Readies Pride Nite Party as DeSantis Fumes

The House of Mouse refuses to back down, preparing to hoist the rainbow flag at the OG amusement park Disneyland in California, even as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to show his true colors, threatening to build a prison near the company's Disney World park in the Sunshine State.

Disneyland posted the news of its upcoming first Pride Night celebrations, which the company describes as an "after-hours event celebrating Pride during an unforgettable evening" taking place June 13 and 15.

"Disneyland Park will host the first ever Disneyland After Dark: Pride Nite during a separately ticketed evening event," the company detailed. "Guests can enjoy special after-hours park access to shorter attraction wait times, special entertainment, Character experiences, photo opportunities and much more!"

The Pride Nite evenings will include dance parties, a "Pride Cavalcade" of costumed Disney characters "danc[ing] along the parade route," and more.

The out and proud events were announced even as DeSantis continued to lob threats and frame his attacks on one of Florida's largest employers in pugilistic language, promising a "one-two punch" from Florida lawmakers in response to the company thwarting the Republican governor going back on a half-century-old agreement between the state and the park that gave Disney control over the district in which its park is located.

But after the government takeover of the board overseeing the property, the five hand-picked new board members discovered that the previous board had set up extensive agreements with the company that allowed Disney to retain a great deal of control.

DeSantis raged at the move, calling it "a legal fiction where they negotiated with themselves to give themselves self-governing status," the New York Post recalled.

"That's in direct defiance of the will of the people of Florida," DeSantis declared, although the people of Florida had not voted on the actions the state lawmakers took against the entertainment conglomerate.

The feud between DeSantis and Disney has its roots in the company's public criticism of Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law, which purports to ban discussion of LGBTQ+ topics in classrooms through third grade, but which is so broadly worded that equality advocates warn it chills speech at all grades. A proposed expansion of the law would solidify that ban, specifically extending it through eighth grade.

That's when DeSantis – whose own wedding took place at Disney World in 2009 – went on the attack, using the power of the state government to punish the company. The battle has only begun, if DeSantis' latest threats are to be believed.

The BBC reported that Florida's Republican-led state legislature is "preparing new legislation to strip Disney of other perks," with DeSantis "calling the state's approach a 'one-two punch.'"

"One of the proposals is to make amusement park rides in special districts, like Disney's, ineligible for an existing exemption granted to amusement parks from state safety inspections," the BBC detailed.

"Mr DeSantis said he also expected the district, under its new governing board, to explore development on land in the district that is not owned by Disney, floating the idea of a state park, other amusement rides or a prison," the BBC article continued.

"'Who knows? I just think the possibilities are endless,' he said smiling broadly."

Meanwhile, in California, the Disneyland Pride Nite celebrations are slated to commence at 9 p.m. on June 13 and 15 and continue until 1 a.m. Tickets cost $139 each.

"The ticket to this event also includes admission to Disneyland Park 3 hours before the party begins," Disneyland's announcement said. "Parking fees are not included in the ticket price."