Disney Annual Shareholder Meeting Brings 'Moana' Updates And Iger Takes Shot At DeSantis

TV & Film

Apr 5

Walt Disney World Resort has been open for just over 50 years, bringing magic and wonder to kids, their families, and adult fans alike. Walt Disney once said “Disneyland… will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world,” and that remains true, more than he could imagine. The 2023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders occurred on April 3rd, giving updates and answering shareholder questions. Their projects at all parks around the world have been booming, from a Tron-themed attraction in Orlando to a Zootopia experience in Shanghai.

The production studios have kept busy as well. A Moana-inspired addition to Epcot will be incorporated to finish off that area’s revamp. The “Journey of Water” will be an interactive experience to teach guests the important role of water in the world. The film is also getting a live-action adaptation! Bob Iger invited Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, who voiced Maui in the film, to talk about the announcement, a bit of what’s to come, and how much the story means to him and his family in connection to their Pacific Islander history.

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After a specific question regarding the possibilities of a tax increase from one of the shareholders, Iger took a moment to put the overall issues the company has been facing with the state of Florida into perspective. He clarified that “companies have the right to freedom of speech just as individuals do,” and that when the company took a specific position on an issue, “the governor got very angry.”

The governor, from Iger’s perspective, “seems like he’s decided to retaliate against” the company, citing the extreme control measure attempt put into place as an example. These moves were “in effect to seek to punish a company for its exercise of a constitutional right.” Disney World brings in millions of guests to the state, creates thousands of direct and indirect jobs, and is one of the largest taxpayers for the state of Florida. Iger ended the comments with the following statement:

“Any action that thwarts those efforts simply to retaliate for a position the company took sounds not just anti-business, but it sounds anti-Florida.”

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