Disney has announced that they are delaying the relocation of around 2,000 California-based workers in its parks, experiences and products division to Florida until 2026.
Disney says the decision stems from their desire to provide “flexibility” for those workers.
Disney in July 2021 said it planned to move some 2,000 employees to central Florida to take advantage of some $570 million in tax breaks. The Florida move was expected to conclude by the end of 2022 or early 2023.
The campus in Lake Nona, Florida will be home to some of Disney’s corporate operations as well as its Imagineering department — the research and development arm of the company that is responsible for creating and designing the company’s theme parks and attractions.
In a statement, Disney spokesperson Jacquee Wahler said that though “a growing number of employees” whose roles will ultimately be based at a campus in the Lake Nona region in Orlando have already made the move, “we also want to continue to provide flexibility to those relocating, especially given the anticipated completion date of the campus is now in 2026.” Wahler added: “Therefore, where possible, we are aligning the relocation period with the campus completion.”
Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Division Josh D’Amaro said the move was “Florida’s business-friendly climate.” In the interim, Disney and its CEO Bob Chapek have sparred with Florida Government officials after Disney came out publicly against the state’s parental rights law. The law bans instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.