If you’ve been in tune with Disney World news in the past few months, then you probably know about the Reedy Creek Improvement District saga.
©WFTV 9
For many years, Disney World has had its own government, known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID), but in 2022 after a feud with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the governor made a move to dissolve the district. Since then, we’ve been watching to see what comes next for Disney, and now we’ve got an update.
Following the dissolution of the RCID, the plan is for Disney World to be more directly controlled by the local government when it comes to taxes, permits, regulations, and infrastructure. Now, Governor DeSantis has announced his specific plans to seek a legislative change.
©Fox10 News | Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
On the Osceola County website, a “Reedy Creek Improvement District Notice” has been posted from the governor, notifying the public of “intent to seek legislation before the Florida Legislature, during a regular, extended, or special session, of an act relating to the Reedy Creek Improvement District, Orange and Osceola Counties.”
The note goes into detail about the exact things that DeSantis would like to have changed, some of which are pretty substantial shifts for Disney.
Magic Kingdom
First of all, the primary goal for DeSantis is to increase “state oversight, accountability, and transparency of the District” while also “revising the selection process, membership qualifications, and compensation for the governing body of the District.” That means there will be a new board of people in charge of governing Disney World’s district, and Disney will have to go through that governing body for any steps they take that require local government approval.
©Spectrum News 13
DeSantis also made sure to note that the issue of taxes and debts would be addressed with this new legislation, stating that the goal is to ensure “debts and bond obligations held by the District remain with the District and are not transferred to other governments by retaining the District’s authority related to indebtedness and taxation.”
Reedy Creek Trash Cans
The legislation will revise authority when it comes to local permitting and regulation, as well as revise the regulatory framework and structure. DeSantis also intends to review the district’s remaining powers and revise “exceptions to general law and certain special acts.”
Other big orders of business will include describing the district boundaries and name, as well as setting a date on which these policies will go into effect.
EPCOT
On Monday, January 9th, it was revealed that Reedy Creek firefighters back this plan, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Tim Stromsnes, the communications director of the Reedy Creek Professional Firefighters Local 2217, said, “Anything has got to be better than what we currently have.”
Reedy Creek Fire Trucks ©Wesh
We’ll be waiting to hear the results of this legislative session and we’ll bring you any updates. It seems as though some of these changes could make a big difference in the way that Disney World operates, especially when it comes to things like taxes, debt, and new projects.
Stay tuned to DFB for any more updates about the RCID dissolution and whatever comes next for Disney World.
Click Here to Read the Last Update on the Dissolution of Reedy Creek!
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Blatant political revenge. He’s a small man with a large ego.
So a new district will be started because he knows that orange and osceola counties/taxpayers can’t absorb the billion debt and bond obligations held by the current district. Seems like this is the only way to stop property taxes from exploding in those two counties. Only difference is that he is appointing additional members to the board of the current district? Disney already pays their share of taxes. They pay property taxes on the land they own just like you an me. They pay an additional tax in millions to the current district for infrastructure upkeep….roads, bridges, water lines, sewer. EMS support also.
I am curious what options Disney has at their disposal? Obviously, they aren’t going to leave Florida, despite the fact Texas offered a very favorable plan to move Disney. Can they fight this legally
It sounds like from the excerpts you included here is that FL, i.e., the Governor, maybe legislature, will appoint the governing participants of what is now the Reddy Creek Improvement District. This new entity will have no interest in substantially influencing Disney’s operations or shifting funding burdens to other FL authorities. Bottom line, what is now the RCID will be run by FL appointees as opposed to the current Disney employees.
Still waiting for my Disney 2023 guide book . Ordered and paid on my visa a couple months ago. Our trip is in February and soon it will be useless to use. Please let me know when it’s supposed to come out and When I will be receiving it! .
Hi! Please email the DFB Guide support team at [email protected] and they should be able to answer any questions you have about a release date.