• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win
FinanceDisney

A Disney creative director is suing the company for forcing him to sell his childhood home in California and move to Florida—then move back West into a smaller house

Eleanor Pringle
By
Eleanor Pringle
Eleanor Pringle
Senior Reporter, Economics and Markets
Down Arrow Button Icon
Eleanor Pringle
By
Eleanor Pringle
Eleanor Pringle
Senior Reporter, Economics and Markets
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 20, 2024, 11:14 AM ET
A vendor sells balloons along Main Street in front of Cinderella's Castle as the sun sets at the Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World on May 31, 2024, in Orlando, Florida.
Two Disney employees are suing the Walt Disney Co. after they were relocated to Florida from California—and back again. Gary Hershorn—Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

In December 2022, George Fong, a creative director at Disney, sold his beloved childhood home in Los Angeles and moved to Florida—sleeping in a hotel until his home in Orlando was ready.

Fong had moved across the country—leaving the state where his family had lived for generations—for work reasons. In a lawsuit filed with the Superior Court of California, Fong noted that in July 2021 the Walt Disney Co. informed him and around 250 other employees their roles—as part of the Disney park, experiences, and products team—were being relocated to the new Lake Nona campus in Florida.

However, less than six months after selling the home he had inherited, Fong claims he and his peers were told the Lake Nona project had been canceled and they would have to move back to California if they wanted to keep their roles.

That left Fong with a seemingly unsellable home: He listed it and then pulled it from the market after a month, given the lack of offers, before ultimately selling it around three months later.

The story is similar for Maria De La Cruz, who works for Disney as vice president of product design. In May 2022, De La Cruz sold her home in Altadena, Calif., and relocated with her family to Florida. She is also now also in the process of moving back West to work in the company’s Glendale offices.

The pair have launched the suit—and hope other plaintiffs will join them—seeking unspecified damages from their employer. The allegations against Disney include intentional misrepresentation, concealment, negligent misrepresentation, and solicitation of employee by misrepresentation.

Disney did not immediately respond to Fortune’s request for comment.

Disney’s Lake Nona saga was the result of an amalgamation of issues. The $1 billion project was announced by former CEO Bob Chapek and—per the suit—would be packed with “collaborative workspaces, large group gathering spaces, extensive amenities, and efficient transport options.”

On top of that, according to the suit seen by Fortune, Disney advertised Orlando’s affordable housing market, good schools, and lifestyle amenities.

However, in 2022, Chapek left the $185 billion company and stalwart Bob Iger returned to the corner office. Iger inherited a row with Ron DeSantis, which led to the takeover of the theme park resort’s government by the Florida governor. And on top of the fierce battle with the politician was, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic.

So, in May 2023, Disney announced it had scrapped the plan. Per Reuters, Disney parks chief Josh D’Amaro told staff: “Given the considerable changes that have occurred since the announcement of this project, including new leadership and changing business conditions, we have decided not to move forward with construction of the campus.

“This was not an easy decision to make, but I believe it is the right one.”

Less desirable homes

The consequences of the decision, Fong and De La Cruz say, is not only upheaval, but also the fact that the homes they have now bought back in California are of a worse quality.

According to the suit, Fong purchased a property in April with “significantly less square footage than his previous Los Angeles home,” adding, “apart from Mr. Fong, other similarly situated individuals have been forced to purchase or rent less desirable housing upon their return to California.”

On top of house prices rising in California, mortgage rates had also continued to balloon between the summer of 2022 and a year later. Per the St. Louis Fed, at the start of June 2022, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate in the U.S. was 5.09%. Almost exactly a year later, that figure had risen to 6.79%.

While the damages sought by the plaintiffs—represented by attorneys Jason S. Lohr and Roberto G. Ripamonti of San Francisco–based Lohr Ripamonti & Segarich LLP—are not made clear in the claim, it seems Fong has already been disappointed by the offers Disney has made thus far.

The lawsuit adds Fong met with managers at Disney to discuss his relocation and the damages he would incur as a result (house prices in Lake Nona rose when Disney announced its campus, then dropped significantly when the company announced its cancellation), but was “extremely disappointed” with the offer made. Despite his outrage, the suit adds, Fong and De La Cruz both returned to California because they “recognized that [their] job security and ability to perform [their] role were dependent upon [their] return.”

Lohr and Ripamonti did not immediately respond to Fortune’s request for comment.

About the Author
Eleanor Pringle
By Eleanor PringleSenior Reporter, Economics and Markets
LinkedIn icon

Eleanor Pringle is an award-winning senior reporter at Fortune covering news, the economy, and personal finance. Eleanor previously worked as a business correspondent and news editor in regional news in the U.K. She completed her journalism training with the Press Association after earning a degree from the University of East Anglia.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Current refi mortgage rates report for July 2, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current refi mortgage rates report for July 2, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJuly 2, 2026
1 hour ago
Mortgage rates today, July 2, 2026
Personal Financemortgages
Mortgage rates today, July 2, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJuly 2, 2026
1 hour ago
Current ARM mortgage rates report for July 2, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current ARM mortgage rates report for July 2, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJuly 2, 2026
1 hour ago
hegseth
Startups & VentureVenture Capital
The defense tech boom has become a bubble—or it will be soon
By Allie GarfinkleJuly 2, 2026
1 hour ago
Emily Blunt is worth $80 million and just pocketed $15 million for her latest film—but she once wanted to be a Spanish translator for the UN
SuccessCareers
Emily Blunt is worth $80 million and just pocketed $15 million for her latest film—but she once wanted to be a Spanish translator for the UN
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 2, 2026
1 hour ago
Trump’s 927-page disclosure is just a normal Tuesday for direct indexing and crypto wealth managers
InvestingDonald Trump
Trump’s 927-page disclosure is just a normal Tuesday for direct indexing and crypto wealth managers
By Catherina GioinoJuly 1, 2026
10 hours ago

Most Popular

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
Big Tech
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
7 days ago
The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win
Newsletters
The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win
By Diane BradyJuly 1, 2026
23 hours ago
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 1, 2026
19 hours ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
5 days ago
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
Success
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
By Sydney LakeJune 29, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.