News Reedy Creek Improvement District and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District

[MisterPenguin]

The Villages' special districts don't serve a Fortune 500 company generating billions in revenue each year. They serve the needs of ordinary individual Floridians.

Nobody can honestly make the argument that RCID doesn't exist to serve the needs of Disney.

Of course it was created for the needs of Disney, because there wasn't the infrastructure available in the Orange County area swamplands to service such a giant business.

Walt bought enough land so that WDW could be, in effect, its own town. Remember, The Florida Project was not about the MK (in Walt's mind), but about building a futuristic, ideal planned community: EPCOT.

The idea was that the whole of the land would be EPCOT (with a nearby amusement park called The Magic Kingdom).

And by having their own, in effect, town; Disney didn't have the headaches they had in Anaheim where town neighbors complained about the noise of fireworks. And if Disney didn't comply, they would stack the town council and force WDW to comply by statute.

Today's situation is different than back then, but, for as large as WDW is, its useful for them to manage their own governmental services through the RCID.

 

[Tamandua]

This is not true.

It is absolutely true. Targeted legislation goes both ways.

 

[The Mom]

Again, stay on topic. Reedy Creek. Not what led up to this, and not how it will have an impact on elections, etc. Just how will it impact WDW, The Disney corporation, the adjacent counties, the state and it's residents, the guests, and the Disney employees.

And please treat other posters with courtesy- even if you think they don't deserve it!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

The special privileges don't include exemptions from safety standards. You seem to think the only options are "exempt from safety standards" or "no benefits from RCID." That's such a logically flawed argument that I don't even think you actually believe it.

I never claimed they were exempt from safety standards!

Someone made an analogy of Chick-fil-a and I extended THEIR analogy by applying health and safety standards to Chick-fil-a as an example of special treatment. I never made any claim that the particular type of special treatment Disney receives is exemption from safety standards.

Disney gets special treatment, period. I believe that's wrong.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I never claimed they were exempt from safety standards!

Someone made an analogy of Chick-fil-a and I extended THEIR analogy by applying health and safety standards to Chick-fil-a as an example of special treatment. I never made any claim that the particular type of special treatment Disney receives is exemption from safety standards.

Disney gets special treatment, period. I believe that's wrong.

It’s special treatment you think others should have and that they largely do have in Central Florida. Disney’s special treatment is getting to develop their land as they desire. Universal isn’t presenting Epic Universe and the south campus hotels at public meetings.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Alright Reedy Creek, what say you? I can’t imagine they’ll stay silent much longer.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

There is no contradiction, you’ve just decided that lack of taxations be lack of regulation are the only possible benefits. Where Disney benefits is in control. They still have to follow state law and regulations. The only local regulations they don’t follow are zoning, which is a moot issue because Orange County already has a zoning classification that would let Disney do as they please, just like Universal and SeaWorld.

Cool, then it sounds like Disney won't be especially harmed if RCID is dissolved so everyone should stop complaining about it.

 

[castlecake2.0]

I never claimed they were exempt from safety standards!

Someone made an analogy of Chick-fil-a and I extended THEIR analogy by applying health and safety standards to Chick-fil-a as an example of special treatment. I never made any claim that the particular type of special treatment Disney receives is exemption from safety standards.

Disney gets special treatment, period. I believe that's wrong.

So what about the the other 1,839 special districts in this state the Governor seems to not care about?

 

[MisterPenguin]

Ok, how will this affect any of us? As of right now I'm having a difficult time figuring that out.
And as much as I love you all on this site I find it pretty disheartening that this thread has just become another echo chamber for both sides with self professed experts giving their opinions as facts without really stating how this affects Disney's guests.

If the RCID were to be dissolved, almost all guests wouldn't notice a difference.

 

[jericho]

What government regulations? Why was Florida fine with it up until now? This is pure government overreach.

This agreement allowed Disney to function as its own government at Walt Disney World. RCID is a multi-purpose district that regulates business codes, land use and environmental protection, and provides essential public services (like fire protection, flood control, waste collection and environmental protection) to the area that is considered Walt Disney World property.

It essentially makes Disney World its own county, meaning that all the things you’d expect your county to provide to you as a homeowner, RCID provides to Disney itself. It also gives Disney a lot of freedom to do what they want on the property, with the ability to zone the way they want…do things the way they want and even build a nuclear power plant if they want,

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Alright Reedy Creek, what say you? I can’t imagine they’ll stay silent much longer.

Well everyone knows that reedy creek doesn’t have a voice by design…tough to try to flip that

 

[MisterPenguin]

It exempts WDW from oversight that the other Orlando parks are subject to.

RCID's oversight with building codes is stricter than the state's.

County, state, and federal oversight laws still apply to WDW. RCID is not a "Get Out of Oversight Free" card.

 

[flynnibus]

It’s not

It sure is. It limits who has a say in the issues. It doesn't mean its ONLY RCID in everything - but in a lot of situations it limits who regulates the decisions.

Land use and zoning are HUGE topics - Disney doesn't have to worry about politicans placating to NIMBY folks, etc. Or the lack of having to do all kinds of proffers to get a zoning change approved, etc.

Then of course the idea of how things are funded.

Lots of advantages - Immunity? no, advantage. Hell yes.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Central Florida Tourism Oversight District - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[durangojim]

But it’s not happening anyway

I remember hearing that a lot on the evening of 11/8/16 from so called experts as well. It’s amazing how people are certain things can’t happen until they do.

 

[jericho]

I’m amazed when anyone thinks that Disney builds are like a circus carnival quality…

As if being sued for construction malfeasance is something their lawyers would ever tolerate?

The point isn't that Disney is dangerous. The point is why should Disney be given different status than Universal, Sea World etc.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Well everyone knows that reedy creek doesn’t have a voice by design…tough to try to flip that

That’s why I’m curious how this will proceed, who will be the face of the fight?

 

[flynnibus]

RCID's oversight with building codes is stricter than the state's.

County, state, and federal oversight laws still apply to WDW. RCID is not a "Get Out of Oversight Free" card.

But it does change who the overseers are in a lot of categories and decisions.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

If the RCID were to be dissolved, almost all guests wouldn't notice a difference.

In order for that to be correct, you would have to assume that all Disney employees are happy working there/living in Orlando…

So I guess I don’t have to ask if you’ve ever owned a name tag, right??

 

[KrzyKtty]

From the CNBC article posted above, it says this, "Florida law dictates that special districts created by the legislature can only be dissolved with a majority vote of the district’s landowners. For Reedy Creek, that’s the Walt Disney Company."

So even though it looks like it has passed and will be signed, it's probably not going anywhere? So I think the RCID might be safe because aren't the only people that live in the district Disney employees?