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

pdude81

Well-Known Member
On the topic of whether Disney could have avoided this, I don’t really think so completely. They could have handled it better but ultimately this is the new norm for our society. Companies are being forced to “take a side” more and more and often they are faced with a decision of you are either with us or against us. This happens from both sides. People say they want Disney and other corporations to focus on business and ignore social issues but shouldn’t that go both ways? Why can’t their customers ignore their social positions and focus on whether they entertain them? I don’t agree with some of the political positions Chic-Fil-A has taken, but damn they make a good chicken sandwich. People need to get over it and most actually do when it comes to action even if they claim to be highly offended online. Remember too that at the end of the day Disney had no influence or bearing on whether the original law they opposed passed or was overturned so the “great harm” they caused is highly overstated.
I expect they could have joined with other companies to state opposition to the bill and then more or less wash their hands of it. Botching the PR and then going so far as to publicly state you're pulling all political donations in FL makes it such a big story that the Governor felt the need to have a show of force.

I agree with the majority of your post, but this one was an own goal by Chapek/Morrell.
 

EPCOT-O.G.

Well-Known Member
Lightyear was still the second highest grossing animated film of 2022. 2nd to Minions which is a major franchise, which was also succeeding on its own without people defecting from Disney. It surpassed many animated movies from other studios. Lightyear also wasn’t highly rated by critics who aren’t judging it based on political message or content. Got a 74% on rotten tomatoes from critics. Toy Story 4 got 97% from critics. Big drop in quality there.

Again, this isn’t about my personal opinion one way or the other. The masses do not “vote with their wallet” nearly as much as people think. It’s just the way it is.
That’s simply wrong. The three highest grossing 2022 animated releases were Minions, Puss in Boots, and The Bad Guys, all Universal films
 

celluloid

Well-Known Member
Lightyear was still the second highest grossing animated film of 2022. 2nd to Minions which is a major franchise, which was also succeeding on its own without people defecting from Disney. It surpassed many animated movies from other studios. Lightyear also wasn’t highly rated by critics who aren’t judging it based on political message or content. Got a 74% on rotten tomatoes from critics. Toy Story 4 got 97% from critics. Big drop in quality there.

Again, this isn’t about my personal opinion one way or the other. The masses do not “vote with their wallet” nearly as much as people think. It’s just the way it is.
Make that third. Puss and Boots just stomped it.

That gap between Minions and Light-year is also over hundreds of Millions in revenue. The critics have not often hurt major releases.l to the general public. You bet the politics hurt it big time.

Also third by a large Margin as Puss n Boots: Last Wish is going to surpass it by a large Margin.

You can't say politics had nothing to do with Light-years lackluster reception and Strange World's less.
than meh results. I mean you could, but it would be delusional.

If you look at history some great events and shifts were people speaking with their money.

Civil.Rights and the reason the movement existed because horrible prejudices existed. They changed not because of the law, the horrible prejudices were completely legal. It was people choosing not to support businesses of prejudice practices that lead change to government, not the other way around. This is historical fact. Not saying that is what is happening here, but historically, it does work and happen. No loyalty is invincible to it.
 

celluloid

Well-Known Member
Really? Um, no. It had a not great first weekend but it's creeping up on $2B and is the highest grossing film in the pandemic era.
You took one part of my post and seem.tk think I stated something I did not I never said Avatar Bombed. I said it did not perform to their expectations.
It won't touch the first.
It also won't likely top Top Gun's domestic run. I never said it was a bomb but Disney did not want it to be hundreds of Millions less than the first's run. Also, it had no same sex political message within it. Whether it is a problem for us here or not, it did not have that in it that the other films were popularly criticized for.
 
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celluloid

Well-Known Member
It’s not wrong, it’s domestic.
Even domestically it still puts Lightyear performing at 3rd place, with some large gaps in the millions to hundred millions. Both of their releases had no animated or family competition released near it. Pathetic levels for them.

Again, a competitor movie studio beat all of their animated features with their animated features. They were once the king of Animation features, kind of their legacy cinematically. Both of which their releases had press about their choices relating to hot topics people were aware of.

People spoke with their wallets to some degree. Both domestically and internationally.
 
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Quinnmac000

Well-Known Member
There have been rumblings that Disney's own surveys have seen a legitimate political blowback against the company from the 60+ age group, similar to how the right criticizes most of Hollywood. That's also an age group that is more conservative than the rest of the company and it's not as important of a demo as families with small children.
Also catering to a demographic that is essentially not going to be around the longest is more detrimental than investing in demographics that will love Disney for the rest of their life which is a better ROI. Kids who become Disney adults is more a money maker especially in terms of labor and the disney college program than pleasing the villages demographics.
 

Quinnmac000

Well-Known Member
Make that third. Puss and Boots just stomped it.

That gap between Minions and Light-year is also over hundreds of Millions in revenue. The critics have not often hurt major releases.l to the general public. You bet the politics hurt it big time.

Also third by a large Margin as Puss n Boots: Last Wish is going to surpass it by a large Margin.

You can't say politics had nothing to do with Light-years lackluster reception and Strange World's less.
than meh results. I mean you could, but it would be delusional.

If you look at history some great events and shifts were people speaking with their money.

Civil.Rights and the reason the movement existed because horrible prejudices existed. They changed not because of the law, the horrible prejudices were completely legal. It was people choosing not to support businesses of prejudice practices that lead change to government, not the other way around. This is historical fact. Not saying that is what is happening here, but historically, it does work and happen. No loyalty is invincible to it.
The interesting thing is a lot of dreamworks properties have LGBTQIA+ characters especially on television not to forget even Illuminations with the Minions gets away with characters in drag (all the minions are male, who kiss each other, occasionally where women's clothing and don't need women to reproduce). But because Comcast/Universal doesn't make it a big fanfare, no one says anything.
 

LSLS

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure how the "Wait out Desantis" approach works. So, they accept the loss of their district, and then taxes increase like 25% in those two counties until a new governor comes in? I can't think they accept a district they have no say on in hopes they can dissolve it and put a new one in a few years later.
 

celluloid

Well-Known Member
The interesting thing is a lot of dreamworks properties have LGBTQIA+ characters especially on television not to forget even Illuminations with the Minions gets away with characters in drag (all the minions are male, who kiss each other, occasionally where women's clothing and don't need women to reproduce). But because Comcast/Universal doesn't make it a big fanfare, no one says anything.

They make it comedy and bits, not plot points.
 

Surferboy567

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure how the "Wait out Desantis" approach works. So, they accept the loss of their district, and then taxes increase like 25% in those two counties until a new governor comes in? I can't think they accept a district they have no say on in hopes they can dissolve it and put a new one in a few years later.
They also have no way of knowing when there is a new governor, they would be willing to help Disney.

I’ve said it plenty of times, they need to fight this. As others have said, they likely will. Not sure what they are waiting for though.
 

ParentsOf4

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure how the "Wait out Desantis" approach works. So, they accept the loss of their district, and then taxes increase like 25% in those two counties until a new governor comes in? I can't think they accept a district they have no say on in hopes they can dissolve it and put a new one in a few years later.
I'm not sure how the "Wait out Desantis" approach works. So, they accept the loss of their district, and then taxes increase like 25% in those two counties until a new governor comes in? I can't think they accept a district they have no say on in hopes they can dissolve it and put a new one in a few years later.
Taxes are not going to increase in the two counties.

Instead, a new special district will be created to replace the old district. The new district will inherit the debt of the old district.

If this survives legal challenges, then the major difference is that the board will be appointed by the governor instead of being made up by people with close ties to Disney.

Once the current administration goes away, I expect Disney to seek a change to the district’s charter so that residents or landowners appoint the board. With a new governor who is not politicizing this for his presidential campaign, I expect the change to sail through the state’s legislature in a few years.

The whole thing is a farce - it’s all for show. And it’s a clear infringement on Disney’s First Amendment rights.
 

LSLS

Well-Known Member
Taxes are not going to increase in the two counties.

Instead, a new special district will be created to replace the old district. The new district will inherit the debt of the old district.

If this survives legal challenges, then the major difference is that the board will be appointed by the governor instead of being made up by people with close ties to Disney.

Once the current administration goes away, I expect Disney to seek a change to the district’s charter so that residents or landowners appoint the board. With a new governor who is not politicizing this, I expect the change to sail through the state’s legislature in a few years.

The whole thing is a farce - it’s all for show. And it’s a clear infringement on Disney’s First Amendment rights.
Assuming Disney approves the new district. I'm pretty sure I've seen it cited here multiple times that the district must be approved by the people in that district. What happens if Disney and the people they let live there just go "Nope, we don't approve a district with the Governor's appointed people."
 

JohnD

Well-Known Member
Well the debate when they passed the bill to dissolve RCID was certainly robust and well thought out :banghead::banghead::banghead:

You do realize that every corporation in America has taken positions on political issues, right? Why do people keep acting as if Disney is alone in doing this. The only difference in this case was a politician saw a way to benefit by attacking it….not for the benefit of anyone who actually lives in FL but for his own career goals and to line his pockets with political donations.
You're right there was no debate in special session. They had just passed the congressional district bills and members were demonstrating on the floor and wouldn't stop. After the clerk read the special district bill a third time, the speaker attempted to open it up for debate but the members were still demonstrating. He warned that if they continued they were going straight to a vote on the remainder of the bills. They continued demonstrating so the votes were called, done, and the special session went sine die.

As for Disney, not only did they take a position they threatened (politically, mind you) the state with future action. I mean, you're going to threaten the state that granted you the special district with unique powers? Seriously? Okay. . .
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
As for Disney, not only did they take a position they threatened (politically, mind you) the state with future action. I mean, you're going to threaten the state that granted you the special district with unique powers? Seriously? Okay. . .
That is perfectly legal. That’s free speech. That’s participatory government. Everyone and every group is allowed to publicly challenge legislation and work for legislative change (what you grossly mischaracterize as a threat). That’s exactly what the system is supposed to be.
 

JohnD

Well-Known Member
Disney didn‘t threaten the state. Come on man. Did Chapek attempt to overthrow the Government, did they call for a state civil war? If a company saying publicly that they plan to oppose a bill or even oppose a specific politician is threatening the state then almost every company in America is guilty. When GM or Ford opposes a climate control bill and publicly says they will support an opposition candidate to the sitting Governor who supports the bill is that threatening the state? How about a power company or an investment bank or a tech company? It’s happening every day in every industry. This has been blown up by one man to advance his agenda and a group of people have accepted that this is somehow unique.
Perhaps you missed where I typed "politically, mind you".

"“Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law. Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that. We are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country.”

That is threatening direct action against the State of Florida. It is their "goal" to see that the law is repealed and struck down? WTH?
 

GoofGoof

Premium Member
Assuming Disney approves the new district. I'm pretty sure I've seen it cited here multiple times that the district must be approved by the people in that district. What happens if Disney and the people they let live there just go "Nope, we don't approve a district with the Governor's appointed people."
That gets back to the real question at hand. There is no legal way to do it. They can legally dissolve the special district but cannot legally create a new one without representation unless they get approval from the landowners. Seems like the plan is to not release a plan and then try to jam something through last minute (just like the first bill to dissolve). Then RCID and Disney will have to fight in court to block the plan and/or re-establish the district. If they announce a plan now it will give them time to block before it happens.

On that note, think about the precedent being set. Someone brought up the Villages earlier and there are other developments in FL that are similar just smaller scale. So now imagine the courts decide that the Governor can do this. That he can arbitrarily replace an elected board with one he appoints and that board can assess taxes to landowners and decide how the funds are spent. Any special district setup as a homeowners association is at risk. Enough residents back the other party and the Gov takes over their district, the board of cronies raises their taxes and gives contracts to provide services to “friends of the program” at inflated prices.
 
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