Just about one year ago, The Walt Disney Company and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis got into one heck of a heated battle. The trouble started when the governor announced the controversial Parental Rights in Education Bill. Disney CEO Bob Chapek eventually spoke out against the bill and said that Disney would work to see the legislation overturned. From there, things only got worse and culminated in the Governor signing a bill dissolving the Reedy Creek Improvement Act. The act allowed Disney to act as its own government in the Sunshine State.
After DeSantis officially signed the legislation dissolving the Reedy Creek Improvement District, Disney remained unusually quiet. They have only said that they will work together to keep things magical for Guests. Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro also stated that he hoped the new board — now called the Central Tourism Oversight Committee — saw the value in what Disney had created. Many were surprised that Disney wasn’t fighting harder to keep control of Reedy Creek. But it looks like; although they were quiet, they were furiously working behind the scenes.
Not long before the new board took over, Reedy Creek officials signed several land deals. Those deals are now a point of contention between Disney and the Oversight Committee. The issue? Some of the land deals are good for decades and say that they cannot be changed, no matter what a future board might decide. The Oversight Committee is even looking into legal action that it can take against Disney for making these deals knowing that they were soon going to lose control.
Now, one hilarious line in one of Disney’s agreements is coming to light. According to a report from WFTV9 — a local Orlando news station — the Tourism Oversight Committee has discovered that one of the land parcel agreements will only end 21 years after the death of the youngest current descendant of King Charles. Yes, you read that correctly.
Particular focus was paid to one section that board members said locked in development rights of a particular parcel until 21 years after the death of the youngest current descendant of King Charles, or until Disney abandons the resort.
“We gave governmental control to Disney,” Brian Aungst summarized.
Other board members were harsher in their assessment.
Board members are also upset that they have very little control over the area with these new agreements that were signed.
According to the new board members, who are now known as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight board, and their attorneys, Disney is allowed the maximum possible density and building heights inside Walt Disney World. Other property owners will need Disney’s permission to expand within the district, and they and Reedy Creek leaders will need to seek Disney’s approval if they made any aesthetic changes to their properties within the district.
At this time, the new board hasn’t come out with all the changes they want to make to the area formerly known as Reedy Creek. However, they have said that they want to get rid of the names Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake and come up with a new name.
Governor DeSantis, who hand-picked the new board members, has also insinuated that, should Disney continue to produce “controversial” content, the board may tighten the purse strings on Disney’s Florida projects.
