Disney heir says her grandfather is 'spinning in his grave'

Disney heiress says her grandfather is ‘spinning in his grave’ as video emerges of Nazi flags being waved outside Orlando park

• Disney heir Abigail Disney said her grandfather is ‘spinning in his grave’ as video emerged of Nazi flags being waved outside Disney World
• They also carried signs featuring Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ face and had a ‘DeSantis 2024 Make America Florida’ flag
• Police say the protestors outside the Florida theme park dissipated after about two hours with no arrests

Disney heiress Abigail Disney said her grandfather is ‘spinning in his grave’ as video emerged of Nazi flags being waved outside Florida’s Disney World.

The videos posted to Twitter by a Florida state representative showed about 15 protesters waving the Nazi flag and saying ‘Go back to Mexico.’

Others seemed to be marching with signs featuring Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s face, the n-word and homophobic slurs mid-day Saturday.

A ‘DeSantis 2024 Make America Florida’ flag was also planted in the ground nearby.

The Republican governor is seeking to limit Disney World’s power in Orlando. 

On Sunday, Abigail Disney posted to social media her response to the protestors saying, ‘My grandfather is spinning in his grave.’

Her grandfather, Roy, founded the eponymously named company with his brother, Walt. 

Abigail Disney, the heir to the Disney empire, said her grandfather is ‘spinning in his grave’ as video emerged of Nazi flags being waved outside Florida’s Disney World

People were seen Saturday waving Nazi flags outside the main entrance to Disney World

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to the demonstration, which dissipated after about two hours with no arrests

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to the demonstration, which dissipated after about two hours with no arrests. Two counter-protesters also showed up. 

‘We are aware of these groups that aim to agitate and incite people with anti-Semitic symbols and slurs,’ it said in a statement. ‘They are also aware of the law.

‘The Orange County Sheriff’s Office deplores hate speech in any form, but people have the First Amendment right to demonstrate,’ it continued. 

‘And while what these groups do is revolting and condemned in the strongest way by the Sheriff and the Sheriff’s Office, they did not on Saturday, to our knowledge, commit a criminal act.’

Still, the demonstration drew ire from local residents, with Lisa Gause telling USA Today she and her son were stopped at a red light when they saw the group and took a photo.

‘Good lord, what is this world coming to? What is Florida — what is America coming to?’ she asked. ‘We don’t want this going on.’ 

Anna Eskamani, who represents parts of the Orlando region in the Florida House of Representatives, also called the display ‘absolutely disgusting’ on Twitter.

‘It’s absolutely disgusting to see what has become a common presence of Nazis in Florida, and even more disturbing when they are holding signs and flags that signal support for people like Gov. DeSantis,’ she told USA Today.

‘Every person, regardless of political ideology, should condemn this,’ Eskamani continued. ‘Florida is a state built on diversity, and we will always stand against bigotry and hate.’

The Florida Holocaust Museum also issued a statement, saying, ‘It’s a sad day for humanity when even Disney World — the “happiest place on earth” — is not immune to blatant antisemitism.’

‘Displays of Nazi imagery are repugnant, and this demonstration was clearly meant to offend and provoke,’ it continued. ‘No family should be confronted with threatening symbols of hate, least of all on vacation.’

It is unclear which group and party the protestors back. 

DailyMail.com has reached out to DeSantis’ campaign, his office and Disney World for comment. 

Walt Disney founded Disney Brothers studio in 1923. For years, rumors have circulated that he may have been anti-Semitic

Walt founded the company with his brother, Roy, pictured left in 1951

Roy’s granddaughter Abigail spoke out against the protesters who demonstrated outside Disney World

Roy O. Disney – Abigail’s grandfather – founded Disney Brothers studios in 1923 with his younger brother, Walt. Roy served as the company’s first CEO. 

After Walt’s death, Roy helped oversee the construction of the Florida theme park.  

For years, rumors have been circulating that Walt Disney — the founder of Disney Brothers Studios, which has since become the major entertainment conglomerate known as Disney Studios — was anti-Semitic because of stereotypes found in early cartoons. 

But a 2015 documentary dismissed those claims, with several people who knew the man saying they never believed he was anti-Semitic.

Richard Sherman, a composer who worked on Mary Poppins, said the claim is ‘absolutely preposterous.’

He noted that he and his brother, Robert, the children of Jewish immigrants, were treated like sons by Disney.

Historian and social critic Neal Gabler, author of An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood, also said he exhaustively researched the man.

‘I found no evidence other than the casual anti-Semitism’ that was common to non-Jews in the 20th century, he said. 

Ron DeSantis and Disney have been at loggerheads since last year

Families are pictured here enjoying a day at Walt Disney World in Orlando in April

More recently, the entertainment giant has been at war with the Florida Governor since it decided, under pressure from employees, to speak out against the state’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill last year, which bans the discussion of homosexuality of LGBTQ issues in schools among younger children.

DeSantis has revoked Disney’s special tax status – known as the Reedy Creek oversight district – as a result, and imposed his own board of governors with the power to close down rides at their theme parks.

He has also threatened to build a prison or a competing theme park next door.

In response, Disney sued DeSantis and Florida’s Tourism Oversight Board for stripping its control over Reedy Creek.

The company accused the Republican governor of ‘weaponizing’ his power to inflict political punishment. 

But Disney has taken a significant reputational hit since the feud began — with the entertainment conglomerate ranked the fifth most polarizing brand of 100 in a new poll.

Analysts surveyed 16,310 Americans between March 13-28 to ask their views on the top brands in the United States.

While Disney’s popularity rose with Democrats, it plummeted among Republicans.

Among Democrats, the Reputational Quotient – calculated by asking people to rate factors such as vision and leadership, financial performance, social responsibility and workplace environment – jumped to 80.3 out of 100, from 72.5 a year before.

Among Republicans, the Reputational Quotient fell 14 points from 75, down to 61.

The sharply diverging assessment meant that Disney was the fifth most polarizing brand of 100, as measured by the gap between the assessments of Republican and Democratic respondents.

Disney’s overall score was 70.9 out of a possible 100 – down from 73.4 in 2022.

‘The lesson here is that when you divide you subtract,’ said Harris Poll CEO John Gerzema.

‘When you divide audiences, you’re ultimately going to be subtracting customers for your business.’

Asked if they were feeling more positive about the company than a year ago, 44 percent of Democrats but only 21 percent of Republicans said they were.

Almost half – 42 percent – of Republicans said their feelings about Disney grew more negative over the past year, compared with 12 percent of Democrats.

More than a third of Republicans, 35 percent, said Disney has become less authentic and more divisive – an assessment shared by only 19 percent of Democrats.

Asked whether the company was family-orientated, 63 percent of Democrats said yes, but only 46 percent of Republicans agreed.

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