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

[tissandtully]

Which taxpayers are you worried about?

The only ones impacted are the ones that are within the district boundary and hence pay taxes to the district. No other FL taxpayers are impacted.

Those within the district have every right to think this is a waste. In a functional government/taxing authority they would have some feedback and control mechanism, even if it was only a blunt vote in new leadership in the next election. In the new CFTOD structure, there is no voting, they have no feedback control. The new board that sets the spending is not responsible back to those being taxed in any way. They can spend whatever they want. Including paying the administrator 400K a year if they want.

I think many DVC owners would like a word. Including myself.

 

[mmascari]

They never were legalized employees of Disney but we all know where the money was coming from that supported RCID. So if you say that one group, Disney or not, is not allowed to give that particular perk to RCID than that will surely leach out to the WDW/Disney employee pool. And even beyond to any employer in the state that offers no cost perks to employee's. It is much bigger than just CFTOD.

This is lazy reporting or talking points. The nuance and structures that defined (and still define) the relationship between Disney and RCID aren't just some vague thing to be ignored. Calling RCID employees the same as Disney employees is factually wrong. Those legal structures clearly define them as different things. No matter how many times some politician says Disney and RCID are the same thing, it is simply not true.

There's no leaching our or expansion of what an employer can give an employee here. Because district employees are NOT Disney employees, no matter how many times someone tries to say they are the same. Much like the Mayor or Miami is not a McDonald's employee despite the fact that there are McDonald's in Miami that pay taxes. (At least, I assume there are McDonald's in Miami.)

The legal and financial structures that create the District separate from Disney aren't some smoke and mirrors, they provide a strict definition of the entities.

And for the sake of more clarity I will happily say that I know that the Employees of RCID were not employees of Disney. As long as we are playing Ostridge here and burying our heads in the sand, they are completely separate and Disney NEVER had any influence over the management of RCID.

Disney obviously had lots of influence over prior management. The board was an elected group and Disney had the majority of votes, hence they could vote to pick whomever they wanted. In any next election, they could vote in someone new. They obviously picked people that wanted to work together for a combined vision instead of people who were antagonistic towards them. That's not burying your head, that's the factual legal structure. Pretending Disney and the District were the same is just fantasy.

Even though in the business world so many companies have subsidiaries that are legally formed as independent but you can believe the Papa is watching over them closely.

The District has never been a subsidiary of Disney. Not even close.

I wonder, if you worked for Costco would you have to pay the membership fee to buy something from there. Would that be charged or considered a gift? How about if you worked for a Car Rental Company and part of the perk program was a large discount to rent a car for yourself or a family member? A gift?

Because those are employees of Costco and the Car Rental Company. If you want to complete this analogy, it would be Costco giving free memberships directly to the building and health inspectors, and only the ones that work for the agency that covers them instead of all inspectors everywhere. If the inspection departments wanted to buy Costco memberships for all of their employees, that would be completely different. Even though, in both scenarios inspectors received free to them memberships. They are not the same.

Clearly, you don't really believe that the District employees are not Disney employees. If you cannot believe that well defined fact, what's the point. Might as well create any imaginary scenario, they'll all be just as valid.

 

[mmascari]

I think many DVC owners would like a word. Including myself.

Did you get to vote before?

Or, were you just as captured into a tax structure with no input both before and now?

Certainly valid to be upset that the new guy seems to be actively hostile and wasteful vs the old guy. But, it's not like you had any say before is it? Presumably, you knew this prior to purchasing DVC and bought in anyway.

 

[LAKid53]

I think many DVC owners would like a word. Including myself.

The taxes rolled into your annual dues are your pro rata share of OC property taxes.

 

[LAKid53]

I'm sorry if I misunderstood. I thought that this whole thing if pushed far enough would encompass all of the group on what essentially is Disney property. Lets not be children and not believe that RCID was formed and governed by the company that they were established to support, WDW and no one else. They never were legalized employees of Disney but we all know where the money was coming from that supported RCID. So if you say that one group, Disney or not, is not allowed to give that particular perk to RCID than that will surely leach out to the WDW/Disney employee pool. And even beyond to any employer in the state that offers no cost perks to employee's. It is much bigger than just CFTOD.

And for the sake of more clarity I will happily say that I know that the Employees of RCID were not employees of Disney. As long as we are playing Ostridge here and burying our heads in the sand, they are completely separate and Disney NEVER had any influence over the management of RCID. Even though in the business world so many companies have subsidiaries that are legally formed as independent but you can believe the Papa is watching over them closely.

Clearly you don't understand that RCID, now OCTOD, is a SEPARATE AND DISTINCT legal entity from The Walt Disney Corporation. As defined BY and created UNDER Florida Statutes. Florida statutes didn't create TWDC or WDW. So stop the "RCID and Disney are one and the same" nonsense. Because they aren't and never were.

I pay Orange County property taxes. Does that mean I'm kinda a county commissioner, county employee or any other individual who receives monies from my taxes?

The former laws governing the District allowed property owners to vote for members of the Board of Supervisors. As it is for many other special districts. I get to vote for members of supervisory environmental boards in the water management district in which I have registered to vote.

 

[LAKid53]

So do you think that if Disney stopped giving that out that they pay enough that employees can afford to actually go there for fun. Those numbers are quite impressive when you figure that they probably go often which they wouldn't if they had to pay those prices. Besides the way it worked was the same as what an AP would cost and in the grand scheme of thing that wouldn't amount to a hill of beans by the time Disney got through with the accounting for it.

They are Florida residents. Nothing prohibits them from purchasing a discounted FL resident AP.

 

[lazyboy97o]

now OCTOD

CFTOD. Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

 

[LAKid53]

I'm sorry if I misunderstood. I thought that this whole thing if pushed far enough would encompass all of the group on what essentially is Disney property. Lets not be children and not believe that RCID was formed and governed by the company that they were established to support, WDW and no one else. They never were legalized employees of Disney but we all know where the money was coming from that supported RCID. So if you say that one group, Disney or not, is not allowed to give that particular perk to RCID than that will surely leach out to the WDW/Disney employee pool. And even beyond to any employer in the state that offers no cost perks to employee's. It is much bigger than just CFTOD.

And for the sake of more clarity I will happily say that I know that the Employees of RCID were not employees of Disney. As long as we are playing Ostridge here and burying our heads in the sand, they are completely separate and Disney NEVER had any influence over the management of RCID. Even though in the business world so many companies have subsidiaries that are legally formed as independent but you can believe the Papa is watching over them closely.

The Florida Legislature created Reedy Creek Improvement District, at the request of TWDC. You'd be surprised the number of special districts created at the request of developers or other non-government entities.

 

[LAKid53]

CFTOD. Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

Whatever....

 

[DisneyFanatic12]

CFTOD. Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

I wish they would have just kept it as RCID. I know that now the governor can say that RCID doesn’t exist anymore (and he would only be able to say it changed if they kept the name), but RCID makes much more sense for the district than CFTOD. OR, I guess you could make the district somehow encompass all theme parks in Central Florida. THEN it would make sense as the CFTOD.

 

[LAKid53]

So do you think that if Disney stopped giving that out that they pay enough that employees can afford to actually go there for fun. Those numbers are quite impressive when you figure that they probably go often which they wouldn't if they had to pay those prices. Besides the way it worked was the same as what an AP would cost and in the grand scheme of thing that wouldn't amount to a hill of beans by the time Disney got through with the accounting for it.

1. Disney doesn't "give them out". RCID paid for them. Read the invoice posted earlier in the thread.
2. Disney does not directly pay CFTOD employees. Any more than I write the paychecks of members of the Orange County commission.

 

[LAKid53]

I wish they would have just kept it as RCID. I know that now the governor can say that RCID doesn’t exist anymore (and he would only be able to say it changed if they kept the name), but RCID makes much more sense for the district than CFTOD. OR, I guess you could make the district somehow encompass all theme parks in Central Florida. THEN it would make sense as the CFTOD.

But, but that was DISNEY'S name.

Yeah, CFTOD makes about as much sense, given that only 1 theme park is included in the District, as asking how many bricks are in Cinderella Castle.

 

[LAKid53]

From what my Mom would tell me regarding her co-workers, the majority of CMs do not regularly use their admission benefits. The ones that do are predominantly people who came through the college program, or people who were Disney fans before they started working at Disney. Some of these people would be able to justify the purchase of an AP, especially if their spouse had a good salary, but most probably wouldn't. For those that don't know, for regular WDW CMs your benefit for signing in other people is only good for 16 days a year. It's if you have a certain job or 15 years of service you are upgraded to the Silver pass which is unlimited, subject to blockout dates. When my Mom was blue not silver, they paid for my Dad to have an AP, but that was a unicorn among her co-workers.

Of the CMs who don't regularly use them, a large chunk of them never go at all (see the CFTOD mentioning 50%, never using them) and a smaller chunk who go when the grandkids, nieces and nephews, etc. are visiting, and they are very excited that they are able to do this for them. There is also a group in which the employee has kids and does use them, but I would guess this is a smaller group than existed in the 70s, 80s, 90s. Disney has replaced these types of people with people earlier in their careers (no kids), older people who are doing Disney as a second career (kids have grown up), International workers (whose kids may be on an island or different continent) or outsourced that job. In the higher salary jobs, maybe some would pay on their own, but I would guess the majority would not buy admissions. Maybe for somebody's birthday.

You know that Defunctland video about Fastpass+ usage. I'd guess it would mirror Main Entrance Pass usage fairly well too. A small group that is hitting that pass for all it's worth, a middle group that uses what Disney expects (maybe a few days in a row when family visits, and a few single days for things like Epcot event or new ride, for a total like 5-7 days), but the largest group doesn't use it at all. The largest group willing to purchase for fun, are in the smallest group overall, so wouldn't tip the scale.

So that's a long way of saying: No. Most CMs would not pay for fun.

But if you want to see some impressive math... I used APs to make the math smaller. Another way you could look at is, using the blue pass 16 separate 1-day park hoppers. A spouse could bring in 3 guests, and the employee could self-admit for a total of 5 people. 5 people x 16 x $184-$247 = $14,720-$19,720. Lesson: If you are ever fortunate to have access to a Main Entrance Pass, USE IT!

CMs aren't CFTOD employees or vice versa.

 

[LAKid53]

I wonder, if you worked for Costco would you have to pay the membership fee to buy something from there. Would that be charged or considered a gift? How about if you worked for a Car Rental Company and part of the perk program was a large discount to rent a car for yourself or a family member? A gift?

No, you'd get the discount provided to employees.

 

[LAKid53]

GIFT?? When you start a job and your employer offers you a Health Insurance that they partially pay for, is that a gift or a benefit? How about vacation time and sick time spelled out in you job summary, is that a gift of a benefit? What about the matching fund payment for Social Security, is that a gift or a benefit? How about matching funds or more for your contributions to a 401K, is that a gift or a benefit. How about for those that get mileage reimbursements when you provide your vehicle, is that a gift or a benefit? Even if you carried beer bottles up from the basement to the bar and they let you come in when you were off duty with no cover charge, gift or benefit?

Disney park workers no matter what department have always looked at the fact that they could get admission to a park and for a large number of people that was the primary reason that they wanted to work there. It certainly wasn't making them rich. Admission to a theme park is not an expense for Disney, it is a lack of income, but is an expense that doesn't exist for most of the people that already work there. For them it is just a reward they cannot afford for dealing with the increasingly butt hole resembling populace and state government.

No, those are benefits. As defined by law.

Seriously, stop.

 

[LAKid53]

Only if everyone in Florida was anxiously wanting to pay income (compensation) tax on whatever additional "perk" they got. Vacation and sick time are taxable but it is an expense that is attached to company "compensating" employees for them not being there and not contributing to the operation during that time. I see a major, major can of worms that if not overturned is going to mean a whole lot of expense to the public, especially of Florida.

No, they are NOT. The ONLY time vacation and sick leave would be taxable is if upon termination, the former employee is paid for unused accrued time.

And then it is taxed at a different rate than wages.

 

[LAKid53]

This site is clearly on the campaign trail against RDS- their prerogative, but I come to this site to see news about the happiest place on earth. If I want political mud slinging (and I’m a very political person) I’ll stick with X. I guess I need to give in and delete this because this is NOT Disney news

 

[LAKid53]

Perhaps not, but I still think Disney could (should?) create a discount program for them and it wouldn't violate any kind of legal, benefit s policies or ethics programs. Many companies offer these for specific sectors of employment including government, teachers, first responders, residents, etc.

There is one. It's called a Florida Resident AP.

 

[LAKid53]

I had two kids that went thru the DCP, and I did their taxes. I went back and looked at their W2s and there wasn't any special benefits noted on them that would account for it. I assume it's just a non-taxable perk/benefit that's given to their employees.

It is.

I apologize if you are the moderator of this forum because I have no complaint with you. This forum is what it is and I generally stay off it because I have no desire to hear this stuff. I understand it’s concerning but I have zero dogs in this race and there is enough negativity on the news coming from all sides. I wasn’t complaining about the forum. I was complaining about the app. WDWMAGIC is an app where I go for cheerful Disney headlines, and I’m not getting that. In the last two days, 6 out of 12 headlines have concerned the CFTOD. I feel that whoever is organizing the app should strongly consider a separate space for these headlines. However, I’ve obviously wandered into a discussion where my voice is not wanted so I will happily exit.

There are literally millions of us that do have a vested interest in this, as property owners in both counties.

 

[GrumpyFan]

There is one. It's called a Florida Resident AP.

Not the same.
Other parks have both a discounted Florida Resident pass, but also a discount for First Responders. Universal has a 30% discount, SeaWorld has free days for First Responders, Legoland offers 25% off, Busch Gardens has discounts up to 50%. Disney does not have anything that I could find honoring First Responders.