Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle releases a statement on the apparent demise of Reedy Creek Improvement District

Feb 10, 2023 in "The Walt Disney Company"

Posted: Friday February 10, 2023 3:39pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Following this week's votes in the Florida State House and Senate, the bill to make fundamental changes to the Reedy Creek Improvement District appears to now be a certainty.

Created in 1967, Reedy Creek Improvement District allowed Disney the luxury of establishing its own independent government

Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle has just released a statement that appears to concede defeat and accept that the proposed changes will come into effect.

"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."

-Jeff Vahle, President, Walt Disney World.

The bill that has passed moves to replace the governing body's board with five members appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. In addition, the Reedy Creek Improvement District would be renamed "Central Florida Tourism Oversight District."

The final step for the bill is for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to sign it into law, which at this point would appear to be a certainty.

The creation of the Reedy Creek Improvement District in 1967 allowed Disney the luxury of establishing its own independent government that handles many aspects of the Walt Disney World property, including emergency services, infrastructure, and construction permitting.

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Disstevefan1Apr 29, 2026

I think King better describers the power TWDC has in central Florida in my opinion.

GimpYancIentApr 29, 2026

King? No. More a Celebrity, an "A" lister.

Mr. SullivanApr 29, 2026

I don’t know, things are going pretty well here at the moment

DranthApr 28, 2026

It certainly doesn't work here in the US with how our system is setup, but in democracies that have say a parliamentary system where you have lots of small parties that are forced to compromise and work together to win control/pass laws/etc. it can work pretty well.

Disstevefan1Apr 28, 2026

Disney will do what Disney will do. They are free to cancel, scope cut, pause, delay projects or slow walk projects through fiscal quarter after fiscal quarter with no explanation. Disney is King in central Florida. They will never lose that power.

co10064Apr 28, 2026

It’s obvious that the gap in the parks’ development cycle was multi-faceted: • Lingering consequences from COVID • Prioritizing making streaming profitable • Shake ups in WDI • Change in CEO/ousting of Bob Chapek • Conflicts and uncertainty with the new district Not saying anything that went down with the district takeover was right, but I truly believe we’d still have seen a development gap without it.

Nevermore525Apr 28, 2026

Yep, which is what the re-formed district wanted to be until they realized they were hamstrung from doing so.

peter11435Apr 28, 2026

A hostile district would have been problematic for the DAK and DHS projects as well.

Tha RealestApr 28, 2026

I never said anyone lied under oath. The OP mentioned the RCID brouhaha was to blame for “WDW not adding more attractions” (not just MK). Not “penny pinching,” or a CEO shakeup, or COVID. Here’s their quote: All this reveals that all those 'annoyed' by WDW not adding more attractions during that time period should turn their annoyance at the governor's attack on the RCID which put expansions on hold, rather than railing on Disney's supposed penny-pinching. His statement was not limited to MK, or an MK expansion. My responses to him and you addressed this comment on those terms. I’ve offered plenty of examples of other parks where old attractions were cancelled pre-RCID, or where “remodel” occurred in other parks which wouldn’t have needed the extensive water credits you mentioned.

OG RunnerApr 28, 2026

To think some people say you can't read sarcasm.:D

LAKid53Apr 28, 2026

👍🏻 Because the LAST thing a company wants when suing the government is for your executives to commit perjury.

StripesApr 28, 2026

To be clear, even though they have zero reason to lie at all, you’re saying that Disney executives lied under oath about delaying the Magic Kingdom project due to the uncertainty caused by the CFTOD board? And your basis for this assertion is that they cut the budget for one project and therefore must have cancelled another entirely separate project with completely different financial justifications? Okay…

Disney AnalystApr 27, 2026

Parties debate, talk, and work together to table legislation that appeases all sides through compromise. Yes, some legislation may not get passed if they can’t agree, and sometimes the impasse becomes big enough to force an election. But that’s actually the point. Nothing rammed through unilaterally, no sweeping changes that get reversed the moment power shifts.