Florida Governor Ron DeSantis moves to nullify Disney's last-minute deal with outgoing Reedy Creek to protect its Walt Disney World interests

Apr 17, 2023 in "Reedy Creek Improvement District"

Gallery / 3 Photos
Reedy Creek Improvement District overview

Posted: Monday April 17, 2023 1:05pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is continuing his retaliatory action against Disney by announcing today that Florida lawmakers will advance a bill to formally nullify Disney's February agreement with the outgoing Reedy Creek Improvement District that rendered the new DeSantis-appointed board powerless for decades to come.

DeSantis was joined by Wilton Simpson, Florida's Commissioner of Agriculture, at a press event at the Reedy Creek Improvement District HQ just steps away from Disney Springs.

Reedy Creek Improvement District overview

In addition to move towards nullifying the latest agreements created between Disney and Reedy Creek Improvement District, DeSantis said that Walt Disney World will be subject to state-ran ride inspections, including the monorail system. Notably, DeSantis said that he expects this to only apply to Disney due to it being located within a special district, and will not impact Universal Orlando or Sea World.

The large Central Florida theme parks, including Disney and Universal, currently do their own ride inspections, largely because the ride systems are highly specialized, and the state does not have personnel able to carry out the work.

DeSantis also again spoke about imposing higher taxes on Walt Disney World, recovering Reedy Creek debt from Disney more quickly, and even developing a state prison or other amusement park on Reedy Creek land. DeSantis threatened last week to impose tolls on Walt Disney World roads, but seemed to step away from that idea today due to its impact to Florida residents.

The new Central Florida Tourism Oversight board will meet again on Wednesday to discuss its next steps against Disney.

The Florida Governor's dispute with Disney initially began with Disney's public opposition to his Parental Right Bill, and has intensified in recent weeks as Disney appears to have out-smarted the Florida Governor in his attempts to seize effective control of the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

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DCBaker9 hours ago

Here's the full packet: https://www.oversightdistrict.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/3-28-25-BOS-Agenda-packet.pdf Item 7.4 on the Sunshine Corridor PD&E Study:

Dr.GrantSeeker2 days ago

Oof, 2031 is a long ways away! Wonder how long it will actually take if and when they start it. Edit: thanks Len!

castlecake2.02 days ago

lentesta2 days ago

AFAIK the road budget is still in place. IIRC it was a tie-in of Western Way to the east side of property. ETA: Yep. Look at Exhibit D in this doc from the CFTOD boaerd meeting on 2024-06-05.

LAKid532 days ago

What more can be done?

Dr.GrantSeeker2 days ago

I remember RCID approving a bunch of infrastructure work for Western Way and the BV Drive intersection right before they became CFTOD. Do we still know if these improvements are going to happen and when? @lentesta I’m tagging you because i vaguely remember you talking about this a year ago-ish, which is how I learned about it in the first place. Unless my memory is totally wrong (which it could be) so I apologize in advance if you never mentioned these improvements!

LAKid532 days ago

Have you met OC Planning? Their middle name is urban sprawl....

LAKid532 days ago

It is. I laugh everytime I'm GPSed through property on the way back from MCO. And I think the same on the way home from Port Canaveral. I'd rather make a larger loop around than drive Osceola Parkway to LBV Drive to Western Way to Hartzog.

lazyboy97o2 days ago

And instead of real solutions people just double down on the causes of traffic.

castlecake2.02 days ago

The blessing of size lead to urban sprawl on property, the very thing Walt’s EPCOT was trying to fix. One solution could be trying to implement public transit to get Cast living nearby to work, but Orlando’s transit is terrible, and the sprawl across property makes it hard to make an efficient system for moving people. Now with the sprawl surrounding the property, Disney roads are becoming the shortcuts. The isolated feel of entire resort is quickly disappearing.

LAKid532 days ago

State Road 535 (Avalon Road) North from the intersection at Hartzog is now wall to wall apartment complexes up to New Independence. I had to make a detour to get out of Waterleigh due to road resurfacing and the same is going south. The roads in Horizons West currently can't handle the traffic resulting from the increase in developments. Yeah, it's nice that 429 North of the toll before the Turnpike had been widened, but it's a hot mess in the AM & PM up to that spot. The amount of construction since I bought 2.5 years ago is insane. Don't know HOW they'll widen Western Way once you leave property because there's not much space to add another lane under the 429 overpass. Flamingo Crossings area is growing. And the roads can't handle the traffic.

LuvtheGoof2 days ago

Western Way was really bad around 5:30 yesterday. And then a few idiots on the turnpike going north decided to have a 4 car pile up, blocking both lanes in the construction area, and our normal 2 - 2 1/2 hour trip took almost 4 hours last night!

LAKid533 days ago

My GPS sends me THROUGH property on the way back from MCO. But South on 429 to get there.

LAKid533 days ago

Avalon is bad in the mornings & evenings. Now imagine adding a 1400 unit housing project on Hartzog just before the curve to the intersection with Avalon. Which was just widened up to Schofield.