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

[Stripes]

The business strategy they've adopted, in terms of premium pricing for their offerings and perceived lower value, has led to increasing numbers of guests balking at visiting. This has had an impact to Disney's bottom line many times more than anything the Gov or the State could do to them. Disney does have a huge impact on the Florida Economy, but their GREED is going to be the primary driver that negativly affects not only themselves, but dependent businesses.

Didn’t Disney’s Fiscal Year 2023 have the highest ever park revenue?

Disney chases money, not necessarily more people. Customers+Prices=Money.

 

[monothingie]

Didn’t Disney’s Fiscal Year 2023 have the highest ever park revenue?

Disney chases money, not necessarily more people. Customers+Prices=Money.

Look closer at the Q Reports and the performance of Florida Parks and get back to me.

 

[Lilofan]

A study was needed??????
This is like commissioning a study on the positive impact our atmosphere has on the earth!

Looking like job security for a few.

 

[Isamar]

Does anyone know whether the parking garages have been staffed by district employees until now? The materials I’ve managed to skim so far make me think they the district does have 43+staff who do what what they’re contracting out to Lanier. The attached emails talk about Lanier possibly hiring them, but likely at a lower wage (and probably lesser benefits?). The cover sheet for the agenda item is silent on this issue.

Also, is it usual practice to have two separate sets of staffing to monitor garages with free parking? It seems to me that security staff could perform both sets of functions, but maybe this is the way it’s usually done??

And while I’m tossing out random garage questions, I wonder if any of these contractors have seen these special contracts?

 

[Brian]

Does anyone know whether the parking garages have been staffed by district employees until now? The materials I’ve managed to skim so far make me think they the district does have 43+staff who do what what they’re contracting out to Lanier. The attached emails talk about Lanier possibly hiring them, but likely at a lower wage (and probably lesser benefits?). The cover sheet for the agenda item is silent on this issue.

Also, is it usual practice to have two separate sets of staffing to monitor garages with free parking? It seems to me that security staff could perform both sets of functions, but maybe this is the way it’s usually done??

And while I’m tossing out random garage questions, I wonder if any of these contractors have seen these special contracts?

Yes, they were staffed by district employees.

 

[Isamar]

Yes, they were staffed by district employees.

Seems like the details relating to the imminent layoffs of those employees should be properly laid out in the materials, along with a cost comparison and any other rationales for contracting out.

 

[Isamar]

Do we know what this will be heard in court? Has a date been provided?

The current pre-trial motions or the final dispositions?
The federal case is in the middle of Motions to Dismiss filed by the state & district defendants, which seem to be fully briefed. I can’t remember whether the judge has the option to rule based on the written briefs or schedule a day for oral argument, but I assume we’ll hear something soon either way. Whatever happens, this case won’t end anytime soon.
The state case is in the middle of the district’s Motion for Summary Judement, now scheduled for mid March because the district is dragging its feet re. discovery while simultaneously arguing that the case needs to be resolved urgently.

 

[flynnibus]

Also, is it usual practice to have two separate sets of staffing to monitor garages with free parking? It seems to me that security staff could perform both sets of functions, but maybe this is the way it’s usually done??

one contract is basically for facilities... much akin to a attendant/janitor/grounds keeper whose responsibility is to just keep an eye on the physical plant, report issues, and just be a public facing POC. Real basic ... unskilled labor. The district (or other contractors) would be responsible for addressing issues noted by these attendants.

The second contract is for Security. That is a position with much higher requirements for staff and different responsibilities. You see the contract's labor rates are much higher vs the cost of the facilities contractor. (25.50/32.10). The security contract is also for district properties besides the garages... while the facilities contract is only for the garages.

 

[flynnibus]

Yes, they were staffed by district employees.

You saying that because you know it... or because you think so?

The new budget doesn't show a reduction of staff to be replaced by these contracts.

The district setup a whole new Department for this year 'Security & Emergency Management' where they are housing these expenses.. where they call out their plan for this 2.2 million in outside contracting expenses -

And they also call out in the same presentation the transfer of 2.3 million of outside contracting services from the Facilities Dept to the new Security & EM department. And in prior years the Facilities Group only had 15 operating staff (non-management) total.

Doesn't look like they were performing these same tasks with District employees, but instead had outside sourcing and the budget for that has been transfered to the new department.

I haven't gone back far enough, but I'd wager those outside services before probably were contracted to Disney.

 

[Batman'sParents]

Seems like the details relating to the imminent layoffs of those employees should be properly laid out in the materials, along with a cost comparison and any other rationales for contracting out.

Wouldn't there be a WARN notice on Florida's unemployment page if this was happening?

 

[flynnibus]

Seems like the details relating to the imminent layoffs of those employees should be properly laid out in the materials, along with a cost comparison and any other rationales for contracting out.

There isn't a reduction of staff in the budget where these contracts were accounted for.

This just looks like the District trying to take more things out of the hands of Disney and do it themselves. Remember, District owns the garages, but Disney was operating them before. Sounds like the new sherrif is taking the money spent out of the hands of Disney and putting it to other vendors... just like they were doing in other parts of the budget like getting off Disney's communications network.

 

[CircusPeanuts]

There isn't a reduction of staff in the budget where these contracts were accounted for.

This just looks like the District trying to take more things out of the hands of Disney and do it themselves. Remember, District owns the garages, but Disney was operating them before. Sounds like the new sherrif is taking the money spent out of the hands of Disney and putting it to other vendors... just like they were doing in other parts of the budget like getting off Disney's communications network.

WDW did not and has not ever operated the garages. They have always been operated by the district with subcontractors for security and facilities/cleaning work. Disney has the security screening operating in space leased from the District, but can not go outside of that space.

 

[flynnibus]

WDW did not and has not ever operated the garages. They have always been operated by the district with subcontractors for security and facilities/cleaning work.

So it's just chance that the contracts are up for renewal this fall at this same time?

 

[Isamar]

After some googling I think RCID did contract out the garage staffing. (I found a guy on LinkedIn that says he’s the parking manager for “contracted employees”.)

 

[lazyboy97o]

You saying that because you know it... or because you think so?

The new budget doesn't show a reduction of staff to be replaced by these contracts.

The district setup a whole new Department for this year 'Security & Emergency Management' where they are housing these expenses.. where they call out their plan for this 2.2 million in outside contracting expenses -

And they also call out in the same presentation the transfer of 2.3 million of outside contracting services from the Facilities Dept to the new Security & EM department. And in prior years the Facilities Group only had 15 operating staff (non-management) total.

Doesn't look like they were performing these same tasks with District employees, but instead had outside sourcing and the budget for that has been transfered to the new department.

I haven't gone back far enough, but I'd wager those outside services before probably were contracted to Disney.

I don’t know the specifics of their duties, but there are people in the garages who wear Reedy Creek Improvement District shirts and name badges. There’s usually one or two near the entry portals (escalators and elevators) down into Disney Springs.

 

[afterabme]

So with the new company coming in, does that increase or decrease the chances of valet parking returning to springs? Or is it a misnomer at this point?

 

[CircusPeanuts]

So it's just chance that the contracts are up for renewal this fall at this same time?

The subcontractors in the garage have changed a few times since opening - not sure of the lengths of contracts, etc.

 

[CircusPeanuts]

So with the new company coming in, does that increase or decrease the chances of valet parking returning to springs? Or is it a misnomer at this point?

Valet was always on WDW property at DS and operated by the 3rd party company that does it at the resorts. Valet going away had nothing to do with the RCID debacle.

 

[Stripes]

Look closer at the Q Reports and the performance of Florida Parks and get back to me.

It wasn’t very long ago that the Florida parks were also doing incredibly well. There’s been a slight decrease but still doing well over 20% more business than pre-Covid. Furthermore, tourism tax dollars across Central Florida are down, suggesting that the softening demand is certainly not attributable to Disney.

 

[tissandtully]

It wasn’t very long ago that the Florida parks were also doing incredibly well. There’s been a slight decrease but still doing well over 20% more business than pre-Covid. Furthermore, tourism tax dollars across Central Florida are down, suggesting that the softening demand is certainly not attributable to Disney.

stop ruining their narrative!