The legal battle between Walt Disney World, the Governor of Florida and its own Oversight Board, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, continues. Disney World recently filed a counter lawsuit in state court against the CFTOD, which is now added to the suit Disney itself filed in federal court against the district and Governor Ron DeSantis. But apparently the House of Mouse wasn’t done yet, as it recently sent the board a bill for $2.5 million in discounts given to the Board’s employees.
According to the AP, The CFTOD has filed a complaint with the state Inspector General over what it calls “unethical benefits and perks.” Previously, employees of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the oversight board that was created in the 1960s to oversee Walt Disney World, were given discounts and deals at Disney World, similar to the deals that are given to Cast Members that work directly for Disney World. The District then paid Disney World for the discounts used. The new board, installed by Governor Ron DeSantis, apparently just got the bill, and it seems they were unaware of the situation before now
A TImeline Of The Legal Battle Between Disney Word and Ron deSantis
On its face, the annual pass deal looks to be a pretty standard employee perk, like getting free or discounted food when you work at a restaurant. The different employees of the district, from Emergency Services personnel to firefighters to trash pickup, work in an area that covers Walt Disney World, so it’s maybe a nice thing to do to give the employees the ability to take advantage of the theme parks they serve. Several businesses in central Florida that aren’t directly tied to Disney World offer similar deals to their employees.
Alongside the letter to the Inspector General, WDW Magic reports that an email was sent to CFTOD employees informing them that the Annual Passholder perk was ending. In its place, employees are being given a stipend that is apparently designed to give them more flexibility, as only about 50% of employees actually used the AP perk.
Earlier this year, the Florida legislature passed a law that transformed the previous board into the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and gave the Governor the ability to name the board members. It was just one of a number of new laws that are currently at the heart of multiple lawsuits.
Disney claims it is being retaliated against following the company’s vocal opposition to a Florida law. In addition to the old special district being changed, Disney World is now subject to a new transportation law that is so specific in its language that the only thing it impacts is the Disney World monorail. We'll keep you apprised as more updates regarding this legal messiness trickle in.
