In an interview with Orlando Business Journal, Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro mentioned the takeover of Reedy Creek Improvement District by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in addition to plans for Walt Disney World enlargement. This submit shares what he needed to say, plus our commentary about the way forward for Walt Disney World and its oversight.
Let’s begin with a fast recap of what’s occurred since we final coated the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) saga. State lawmakers handed a invoice that renamed the Reedy Creek Improvement District, whereas sustaining the particular district’s taxing advantages and most of its distinctive authorities (with some exceptions). The key change was that the Governor of Florida would appoint the district’s board.
Governor DeSantis thereafter signed the invoice into legislation, and appointed members to the newly-dubbed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. At a press convention, DeSantis introduced his 5 appointees, all of whom are political donors or loyalists, whereas additionally proclaiming that there’s a “new sheriff in town” and promising “accountability” for Disney. Among many different issues, he claimed that the board members would make sure that Walt Disney World will probably be “what Walt envisioned,” and gave examples of limits his appointees may impose and the way future Disney content material may very well be formed.
In response, Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle issued an announcement that appeared to deescalate and additional again down from any future battle over the Reedy Creek Improvement District.
“For more than 50 years, the Reedy Creek Improvement District has operated at the highest standards, and we appreciate all that the District has done to help our destination grow and become one of the largest economic contributors and employers in the state. We are focused on the future and are ready to work within this new framework, and we will continue to innovate, inspire and bring joy to the millions of guests who come to Florida to visit Walt Disney World each year,” learn Vahle’s assertion.
In his interview with OBJ, Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro struck an identical tone: “The reality is we work with different people around the world at our different theme parks. So we know how to work with different people. For all those reasons, I have to look at the situation of where we are going — I believe in where we are going — and I hope the board sees the same.”
“If that new board understands the value that gets created here and how it positively impacts the Central Florida community, I think they will be aligned with our vision and will carry on the Reedy Creek soul that’s been in place,” he stated.
D’Amaro additionally informed OBJ that Walt Disney World nonetheless embraces the variations on the earth and welcomes all types of holiday makers, no matter their political backgrounds or different beliefs. To that time, he added: “Will there be noise on the outside? Will there be different points of view that we may not like? Sure…[but] we are not going to get distracted.”
Shortly after publication of that piece, Disney launched a clean-up quote from D’Amaro that was a tad extra concise and clearer in Disney’s collaborative intentions with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District:
“The Reedy Creek Improvement District created and maintained the highest standards for the infrastructure for the Walt Disney World Resort. We are hopeful the new Central Florida Tourism Oversight District will continue this excellent work and the new board will share our commitment to helping the local economy continue to flourish and support the ongoing growth of the resort and Florida’s tourism industry.”
I’m going to dispense with the RCID changeover commentary shortly earlier than turning to expansions. First, as a result of it’s fairly clear that Walt Disney World isn’t going to problem this, which means the Reedy Creek saga is successfully over. So lengthy as high-profile company reps ship deferential and measured quotes (possible why D’Amaro issued a ‘clean-up’ assertion after the OBJ piece and why Iger hasn’t stated a single phrase), this may lastly fizzle out.
Second, as a result of that is frankly not how I anticipated this to play out. Although it’s not what was initially promised by the state, it’s nonetheless fairly shut. Moreover, it’s removed from the compromise that was rumored earlier this 12 months that might’ve been a mutually-beneficial final result for either side. Make no mistake about it, this can be a loss for Disney, and one which poses a future legal responsibility.
The cause Disney isn’t urgent this additional or difficult it in court docket, both instantly or by way of a proxy with standing, possible has extra to do with politics and optics than the legislation. It’s hardly a secret that DeSantis has presidential aspirations–he’s principally already soft-launched his run as a guide tour.
Disney difficult this in court docket solely prolongs the battle, and makes the corporate a punching bag throughout a high-profile run for the White House. It’s protected to imagine they don’t need that sort of consideration or scrutiny, a lot much less to be the general public “foe” of a future president.
Whether Disney would win in court docket is nearly immaterial. The firm’s calculus is clearly that it’s extra damaging to proceed the battle than it’s to threat being topic to the whims of political appointees. For Disney, it’s a matter of selecting the least-bad possibility and hoping they picked correctly, each within the quick and long-term.
In an surroundings of rational actors, Disney can be appropriate. The pursuits of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and Walt Disney World can be aligned, as each would need to promote tourism and develop the native financial system. However, that’s a reasonably daring assumption within the precise present surroundings, although. I definitely can’t fault them for the choice, however right here’s hoping they made the proper name.
Moving alongside, Josh D’Amaro additionally mentioned future development at Walt Disney World throughout his interview. “Tron is spectacular, and adding something of this size and scope to the most visited theme park in the world is pretty ambitious and incredible. You see the guests walking off that experience … the look on their faces — and it adds to the whole experience we offer here. But there’s no end.”
“Tron is the tip of the iceberg of what’s coming,” D’Amaro teased. “We are just getting started.”
Normally, we’d write this off as typical posturing throughout the advertising push for a brand new attraction. After all, what else is Josh D’Amaro presupposed to say? “Walt Disney World is now completed. Now that TRON Lightcycle Run is finished, there is no unused imagination left in the world. SO WE’RE DONE, FOOLS.”
Mic drop that that may be, I can not think about D’Amaro saying something like that. So after all he’s going to speak up the long run, hyping particular tasks like Moana’s Journey of Water and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. With that, it is smart that he teases that extra is to return, whereas making odd iceberg references, as a result of these are famously recognized for fruitful completion of formidable plans, and by no means for sinking ships!
In this case, although, I believe there’s extra to D’Amaro’s tease. You may recall that recently-returned CEO Bob Iger ended the final earnings name by saying that he’s “very, very bullish” about the way forward for Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
Iger additional clarified what he meant by this, particularly: “We have learned that when we invest in increasing capacity, with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge being a good example of that and Pandora a great example of that, we can grow our business.” Iger indicated that in case you have a look at the outcomes when Pandora – The World of Avatar was inbuilt Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the year-to-year development numbers by way of the quantity of people that visited had been “stunning.”
He went on to deduce that Disney goes to convey Avatar to Disneyland for a similar cause, and that he was investigating different such alternatives. “I talked to Josh D’Amaro about that this morning. Carefully look at all the great franchises of the company, and see where we can invest in them in the parks to increase capacity, while preserving guest satisfaction.”
We mentioned all of this in nice size in Bob Iger Wants Big Expansions at Walt Disney World & Disneyland. All of that commentary nonetheless holds true, and is strengthened by this and different statements from Josh D’Amaro. Most notably, it’s in keeping with D’Amaro’s D23 Expo presentation, throughout which he mentioned early idea explorations for Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. This included a substitute for Dinoland USA at Animal Kingdom, and potential enlargement alternatives together with a Zootopia Metropolis and Moana Mini-Land.
It additionally included a daring proposal for Magic Kingdom development, albeit with shaky specifics–that portion was far more ‘blue sky’ in what it may entail. That presentation checked out Magic Kingdom Expansion Possibilities “Beyond Big Thunder” and showcased doable Coco, Encanto & Villains lands. While there was preliminary pleasure amongst followers, that shortly soured. The constructive sentiment gave method for skepticism about these doable plans, particularly in mild of Disney’s not-so-stellar monitor document in constructing issues that had been “firmly” confirmed at previous D23 Expos.
Ultimately, our view is that Josh D’Amaro’s teaser isn’t typical advertising bluster, neither is Bob Iger’s bullishness on huge enlargement at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Obviously, actions converse louder than phrases, and it may be laborious to take these claims at face worth given the entire scaled again plans, cancelled tasks, and the truth that it took what number of years to clone a brief curler coaster in an empty warehouse. That’s truthful.
Less truthful are claims that the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District will trigger the corporate to cease building at Walt Disney World or stop investments in Florida. While not difficult the RCID state takeover could come again to chunk Disney, there are completely no indicators that they view it as an obstacle to present or future plans. If they did, they’d battle it. At current, Disney nonetheless has plans to relocate Walt Disney Imagineering’s core artistic campus to Lake Nona, and it’s possible that future unveiled later this 12 months–doubtlessly at Destination D23.
There’s additionally the fact that Walt Disney World continues to outperform, and traders have begun to take discover of its success. This coupled with Wall Street souring on streaming means Disney could lastly begin to guess greater on its theme park enterprise. In mild of that, we may be standing on the precipice of the subsequent huge improvement cycle that may as soon as once more begin at Animal Kingdom (similar to the final one!) and play out on this similar style with main new additions to every park coming on-line between 2026 and 2031.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What is your response to Josh D’Amaro calling TRON Lightcycle Run the “tip of the iceberg of what’s coming” or saying that Disney is simply getting began on park enlargement at Walt Disney World and Disneyland? Any ideas on the naming of Reedy Creek Improvement District and the governor appointing its board? Keep the feedback civil, as this isn’t the place for politically-charged arguing, antagonism, private assaults, or perpetuating pointless tradition wars. While this matter is inherently political, we are going to delete feedback that quantity to little greater than vapid political cheerleading. Respectfully debating the change is completely superb, however don’t assault others or troll for controversy. That’s why Facebook was invented.