Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Plans to Toll Guest Roads & Raise Hotel Taxes at Walt Disney World

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Via wdwnt.com

The dispute between Walt Disney World and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis seems to be escalating once again, as he issued multiple threats on the resort in a new statement.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, U.S. February 24, 2022. REUTERS/Octavio Jones/File Photo

Politico reports that in a speech delivered at Hillsdale College, a conservative liberal arts college in Michigan, DeSantis said “They are not superior to the people of Florida. So come hell or high water we’re going to make sure that policy of Florida carries the day. And so they can keep trying to do things. But ultimately we’re going to win on every single issue involving Disney I can tell you that.”

DeSantis also promised to double down on his efforts to punish Disney through methods both in the Legislature and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight Board. Notably, he promised to hike Disney’s hotel taxes and institute tolls on the roads around Walt Disney World Resort property now administered by the CFTOB, among others.

In a separate speech hosted by the Midland County Republican Party in Michigan, the governor said “Disney tried to pull a fast one on the way out the door. That story’s not over yet. Buckle up. There’s more coming down the pike.”

DeSantis v. Disney: Part II

While tensions cooled between the governor and Disney as last year came to a close, the spark reignited once again earlier this year when Disney passed several laws which restricted the power of his newly-appointed Central Florida Tourism Oversight Board, designed to replace the Reedy Creek Improvement District. The new board was designed as retaliation for Disney’s outspoken response to a bill last year which restricted educators from teaching any LGBTQ+-related concepts to students.

Through the final meeting of the Reedy Creek Improvement District’s board, which was controlled by Disney, the board passed a number of restrictive covenants which handed most of the District’s power to Disney for a period of at least thirty years, but also lasting until after the death of the final living descendant of King Charles III.

The move shocked DeSantis and his board, who expressed disbelief at Disney’s actions and retained multiple law firms to fight the agreement in court. At the time, the Executive Office of the Governor reached out to WDWNT with this statement from Communications Director Taryn Fenske:

“The Executive Office of the Governor is aware of Disney’s last-ditch efforts to execute contracts just before ratifying the new law that transfers rights and authorities from the former Reedy Creek Improvement District to Disney. An initial review suggests these agreements may have significant legal infirmities that would render the contracts void as a matter of law. We are pleased the new Governor-appointed board retained multiple financial and legal firms to conduct audits and investigate Disney’s past behavior.”

Disney responded with their own statement:

“All agreements signed between Disney and the District were appropriate, and were discussed and approved in open, noticed public forums in compliance with Florida Government in the Sunshine law.”

Earlier this month at Disney’s annual shareholder meeting, CEO Bob Iger accused Gov. DeSantis of punishing Disney for exercising their right to free speech. “We love the state of Florida,” he said, citing the company’s various investments in the community over the years and saying he respected and appreciated what the state has done for Disney in the past. “Any action that thwarts these efforts simply to retaliate is anti-business and anti-Florida.”

DeSantis Launches Investigation Into Disney

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Uncategorized

Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced today that he has officially ordered an investigation into Disney over recent developments regarding the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

Walt Disney World has been locked in a heated legal, political, and social battle with Republican Florida governor Ron DeSantis after the company spoke out against the Parental Rights law. DeSantis and his supporters have retaliated by passing legislation to dissolve Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, a privilege held by the company since 1967 that allowed it to treat Walt Disney World as a self-governing area. In its stead, DeSantis appointed a handpicked board now called The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

However, the new board made national headlines last week when it discovered a strange clause in the previous board’s last Development Agreement. The clause severely limits or eliminates most of the new board’s power with a “royal lives” clause; a common clause in UK contracts (but less common in the United States) that defines the contract’s terms to expire “21 years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, King of England…” The clause also says that the Declaration will terminate “as of the date that none of [Walt Disney Parks & Resorts] owns any real property within 10 miles of the RCID properties.”

Upon discovery, the board immediately spoke out against Disney, with one member stating: “It’s a subversion of the will of the voters and the Legislature and the governor. It completely circumvents the authority of this board to govern.” It should be noted that the Development Agreement, and all other agreements, were discussed in public meetings before the Florida House voted to sign power to DeSantis. Disney released its own response:

“All agreements signed between Disney and the district were appropriate and were discussed and approved in open, noticed public forums in compliance with Florida’s Government in the Sunshine law.”

While speaking at a book signing in Smyrna, Georgia last week, DeSantis commented on the situation, ominously stating “There’s a lot of little back-and-forths going on now with the state taking control, but rest assured, you know, you ain’t seen nothing yet.” Today, in a letter to Chief Inspector General Melinda Miguel, the Governor ordered an investigation into any possible “legal or ethical violations” by the previous Reedy Creek Board.

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District argues that the previously made agreements are unlawful and should not have been allowed. Ron Peri, one of the new Board Members, stated that the agreements have stripped the board of all of its power and “made Disney the government”.

It should be known that the members of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District originally passed and signed this agreement in a public forum with no comment.

How King Charles III Helped Disney Sidestep DeSantis

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Uncategorized

In a shocking legal move, Disney’s lawyers have gone Game of Thrones on Ron DeSantis’ new board – and it looks like a royal clause will hold up in court.

Walt Disney World has been locked in a heated legal, political, and social battle with Republican Florida governor Ron DeSantis after the company spoke out against the Parental Rights in Education Act. DeSantis and the Florida Legislature passed legislation to dissolve Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, a privilege held by the company since 1967 that allowed it to treat Walt Disney World as a self-governing area. This allowed them easier access to things like firefighter and paramedic response in the Parks, as well as greater ease for building and land permits.

DeSantis appointed a hand-selected board to take over, now known as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. The board officially took over last month, but news recently broke that its lawyers have discovered a bizarre clause in the Development Agreement signed by the previous Reedy Creek board that severely limits or entirely eliminates the power of the new board.

In the Agreement, which was signed on February 8, 2023, there are several terms that are defined to expire “21 years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, King of England…” The clause also says that the Declaration will terminate “as of the date that none of [Walt Disney Parks & Resorts] owns any real property within 10 miles of the RCID properties.”

This means that the terms of the previous agreement are valid for at least 21 years, if not much longer, and while it does not cover every inch of the RCID, it covers a significant amount. This renders the new board’s power extremely limited until then.

A screenshot from the Reedy Creek Improvement District Development Agreement

The clause is what’s known as a “royal lives clause,” and is usually set for the lifetime plus 21 years after the death of the current reigning British monarch. While these are somewhat common in contracts in the United Kingdom, it’s rare to see them in the United States. While Presidents’ lives clauses have appeared in American contracts, it seems as though Disney’s lawyers opted for Charles III for political purposes. Royal lives are chosen because of their presumed longevity through affluence and the relative ease of calculating the lifetimes of their descendants.

“We’re going to have to deal with it and correct it,” board member Brian Aungst said of the last-minute agreements on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. “It’s a subversion of the will of the voters and the legislature and the governor. It completely circumvents the authority of this board to govern.”

While this is an extremely bizarre move, it’s unlikely Disney’s lawyers would have used it unless it would hold up in court. The constraints also forbid the board from using the “Disney” name or any of its characters.

Disney World Confirms Plans For Fifth Park

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Via InsideTheMagic.net

Walt Disney World Resort made international headlines yesterday when documents revealed that the Central Florida Disney Park essentially made its Reedy Creek Improvement District powerless for decades before handing it over to Governor Ron DeSantis’s hand-picked committee. The Walt Disney Company used a “royal lives clause” to enact strict covenants on the new Central Florida Tourism Oversight District that rendered it practically useless until “21 years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, King of England….”

Much to the excitement of Disney Parks fans, the filing also revealed that Walt Disney World Resort locked in permission to build a fifth “Major Theme Park” for “Mixed Use Entertainment:”

Of course, this does not guarantee that Walt Disney World Resort will build a fifth Theme Park. The Central Florida Disney Park is busy with updates to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It is likely just covering itself if it decides to build a fifth Park.

The Walt Disney Company could see legal action from Gov. DeSantis, the state of Florida, and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District governing board. “This essentially makes Disney the government,” board member Ron Peri told The Orlando Sentinel. “This board loses, for practical purposes, the majority of its ability to do anything beyond maintain the roads and maintain basic infrastructure.”

family taking a photo at disney world after hours

n a prepared statement, Disney said everything was done legally before transferring Reedy Creek to the State of Florida: “All agreements signed between Disney and the district were appropriate and were discussed and approved in open, noticed public forums in compliance with Florida’s Government in the Sunshine law.”