Disney, oversight district agree to 5th major park, 2 minor parks, 14,000 more hotel rooms, more

The years-long battle between the Walt Disney Company and the Gov. Ron DeSantis administration may soon be at an end.

Disney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District have come to an agreement that clears the way for more development for the theme park resort, WFTV reported.

The five-member board that was appointed by DeSantis voted Wednesday morning to give the primary approval for the expansion plan, The Associated Press reported. A second vote that gives final permission is scheduled for next week.

The entertainment company had been in a legal battle with the district for nearly two years after the governor had taken control of the former Reedy Creek Improvement District. over the Parental Rights in Education Acts that critics of the law had dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. They settled in March which ended the lawsuits each side had filed.

The parental rights bill, which was passed in 2022, does not allow school lessons discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in elementary schools, the AP reported.

Disney opposed the law and after the company spoke out the state legislature did away with Reedy Creek and replaced it with the oversight district. Reedy Creek existed for more than 50 years, controlling infrastructure and services such as a fire department, much like a local government.

“We are heading towards a brand new day, and I’m excited about where this is going,” said Charbel Barakat, vice chair of the district’s board. “I only wish we could have gotten here sooner.”

The plan once fully adopted will allow for the construction of a fifth gate, two more minor parks, 14,000 more hotel rooms and more retail and restaurant locations, adding more visitors to the parks and WFTV reported.

Currently, the resort has nearly 40,000 rooms, but the expansion will increase them to more than 53,000 rooms.

The expansion is said to add thousands of jobs to the state’s largest single-site employer if Disney completes the plan.

The agreement is for the next 15 years, the AP reported.

Disney will donate up to 100 acres of property for infrastructure projects that the oversight district controls and half of the projects that Disney undertakes will have to be awarded to Florida-based companies. Disney will also be required to spend at least $10 million on affordable housing in the Sunshine State, the AP reported.

Earlier this year Disney announced plans to expand the parks as part as a $60 billion investment in its theme parks, CNN reported in April. The company teased one project as “Beyond Big Thunder” referring to a roller coaster in the Magic Kingdom park.

Last year the company also spoke about a revamp of parts of the Animal Kingdom park as part of the “Blue Sky” presentation at the annual D23 event, Deadline reported. The Dinosaur, U.S.A. portion is expected to be rethemed to “tropical Americas” with rides or experiences themed to “Encanto” and the “Indiana Jones” saga.

The company’s newest ride, “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” is in previews and is slated to open on June 28. It also recently introduced a limited-time drone show at Disney Springs.

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