A bill to CHANGE Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) has nearly been passed by the Florida legislature.

The current RCID essentially allowed Disney World to function as its own government for over 50 years. But following Disney’s disagreement with Ron DeSantis over Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Bill (commonly called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill), the District was set to be dissolved in June of 2023. A new bill was introduced recently that would keep RCID in place but rename the district and significantly change Disney’s level of control. Now, the president of Walt Disney World has something to say about it.

The bill addressing RCID changes already passed in the Florida House of Representatives but as of February 10th, it has passed within the Florida Senate as well. It passed with a vote of 26 yeas and 9 nays. The next step will be for the bill to go to Governor DeSantis’s desk, and most expect the governor to sign it quickly.

Scott Gustin posted on Twitter that Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle issued a statement following the bill’s passage in the Senate. Vahle’s statement reads:

“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.”

Disney has not revealed whether they intend to challenge the bill, although Vahle indicated previously that Disney was watching the progress of the bill very carefully. He stated before that “Disney works under a number of different models and jurisdictions around the world, and regardless of the outcome, we remain committed to providing the highest quality experience for the millions of guests who visit each year.”

If the bill is signed by the governor, it will take effect immediately. There are parts of the bill that allow for a transition period. A Senate analysis of the Bill notes “The bill provides that the terms of all current members of the district’s board end as of the effective date of the bill, but allows those members to continue to serve until a successor in office is appointed and qualified.” So the Board members could stick around for a bit but likely would be replaced soon.

Here are some of the changes that the Bill would enact:

• rename the district to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District
• change the Board of Supervisors selection process — instead of being selected by the landowners (Disney is the majority landowner in the District), the board members will be selected by the Governor and confirmed by the senate
• strip the District of some powers (like the power it had to potentially create a nuclear power plant)
• place certain requirements on the district (mainly reporting requirements)

We’ll continue to watch for more updates on this situation, so stay tuned to DFB for all the latest news.

Click here to find out what other Florida lawmakers think of this bill.

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The post NEWS: Disney Responds to Looming Reedy Creek District Changes first appeared on the disney food blog.