Welcome to DisneyBizJournal.com - News, Analysis and Reviews of the Disney Entertainment Business!

Brought to fans, investors, entrepreneurs, executives, teachers, professors, and students by columnist, economist, novelist, reviewer, podcaster, business reporter and speaker Ray Keating

Friday, April 29, 2022

Oyster Beignet Po’ Boy Excels at Port Orleans – French Quarter

 by Ray Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 29, 2022

 

I’ve had a strange relationship with New Orleans. I had the privilege to speak at two events there over the years, but I’ve never been a big enthusiast of the city. However, I do love the excellent food and the jazz, and the hotels are quite nice … which, well, might make me an enthusiast for New Orleans.

 

Anyway, while I work out my personal issues with New Orleans, I do give a clear-headed thumbs up to Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter. I love the décor and feel of the place. 



And then there’s my first visit to Scat Cat’s Club – Lounge. This is a bar with specialty cocktails and tantalizing appetizers. Live jazz can be heard on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

 

Unfortunately, I wasn’t there at the right time for live jazz, but I did have the Oyster Beignet Po’ Boy. Make no mistake, while listed as an appetizer, this is a meal, and an excellent one at that. It offers fried oysters with lettuce, tomato, pickles and Cajun remoulade, all on – now get this – a Mickey-shaped Beignet.

 

The Mickey Beignet was soft and sweet, and the oyster was outstanding – crunchy, tender, and nicely seasoned. This sandwich is one of the best I’ve had on Disney property, and it makes any visit to the Port Orleans – French Quarter worthwhile.

 

For good measure, the homemade chips were thick and quite tasty.



Now, I just have to return to Scat Cat’s Club – Lounge either on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night to have this sandwich, once more, while some live jazz takes the stage. Good food, hopefully good music, and a nice hotel – very New Orleans. See, me and the Big Easy, we’re workin’ it out.

 

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Two great ways to pre-order Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel, which is Ray’s sixteenth work of fiction, and the first in the Alliance of Saint Michael series. Signed paperbacks at 

https://raykeatingonline.com/products/cathedral and/or the Kindle edition at 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WYW2Q2V

 

Two great ways to order Ray Keating’s new nonfiction book – The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks at https://raykeatingonline.com/products/weeklyeconomist and/or the Kindle edition at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WKN81RG.

 

Get more out of the rest of 2022 with The Disney Planner 2022: The TO DO List Solution! It combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement and fun for Disney fans, including those who love Mickey, Marvel, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pixar, princesses and more. Also, “The Disney Planner 2022: The TO DO List Solution” comes with a handy spiral binding for easy use. It’s on sale and shipping is always free!

 

Get all of Ray Keating Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries in paperback and for the Kindle at Amazon.com and signed books at www.RayKeatingOnline.com.

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of DisneyFree Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

 

Thursday, April 28, 2022

Breaking News! Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party to Return for 2022!

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 28, 2022

 

As part of this week’s “Halfway to Halloween” Celebration, Disney World today (April 28) announced the return of the much-loved “Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party,” a unique after-hours, separately ticketed event that has been among the missing since COVID descended on the land.  Last year, Disney filled the gap at Magic Kingdom with the After Hours Boo Bash party, a similar-but-not-quite-the same evening of treats and special activities.



Tickets for Not-So-Scary go on sale May 18, 2022, for 37 dates from August 12 through October 31, with the party running from 7 pm until midnight (though ticket holders are usually permitted into the park several hours earlier at 4:00 pm).  Disney World Resort Hotel guests can jump in even earlier, beginning May 12th.

 

Ticket prices range from $109 to $199, dependent on dates. Discounts of $10 are available on select dates for Annual Pass holders and Disney Vacation Club members.

This year’s dates include: 


• August: 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30

• September: 2, 5, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30

• October: 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31

 

Returning as part of the festivities will be the Headless Horseman’s ride down Main Street, the “Boo-to-You” parade with its haunting music and spooky outfits for characters, and the Sanderson Sisters’ Hocus Pocus “Villain Spelltacular” on the hub stage. Dress in your best Halloween costume (Disney guidelines apply), and trick-or-treat at the treat stops for as much candy as your treat bag can handle. Oh, and the Cadaver Dans will be back with their especially “dapper” outfits and “dead pan” humor. Finish off your party night with the Not-So-Spooky Spectacular fireworks and projections show at the castle.

 

In addition to the entertainment, there will be limited edition, available-only-at-the-party seasonal treats, and the PhotoPass photographers will have special party shots available (Our family’s pic from the last 2019 party is still hanging on our refrigerator!  They are guaranteed fun moments.) A commemorative keepsake print will be available for take home as part of the 50th anniversary celebration. New 3D photo backdrops will also provide a tie-in for the 50th anniversary.

 

(Note to guests visiting Disney this Fall: If you are coming to Disney World during that time frame, be sure to check the event dates, even if you are not planning on attending the party. The Magic Kingdom closes early to regular park guests on party days, so you don’t want to cut your Magic Kingdom day short by visiting the park on a Halloween party date. Choose a different park for that day!  Yes, that is the voice of experience sharing with you!)

 

_______________

 

Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

6 Big Reasons Why the DeSantis Attack on Disney is a Disturbing and Costly Political Mess

 by Ray Keating

Commentary/Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 27, 2022

 

Hold on a minute. I’m confused. I thought Republicans were against debt relief. For good measure, I was under the impression that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, was less than thrilled with the Walt Disney Company.

 

But if that’s all true, then why have DeSantis and Florida Republican state legislators at least opened the door to massive debt relief for Disney, as well as a possible big tax cut for the House of Mouse? Hmmm, does this mean that DeSantis secretly loves Disney?

 

Well, let’s not get carried away. 



In reality, what DeSantis has done is lash out at the Walt Disney Company in the hopes of stirring up and ingratiating himself with parts of the Republican Party base. However, being governor of the third largest state in the nation means – or should mean – that you don’t irresponsibly treat businesses, residents and the Florida economy as your personal political playthings. But then again, DeSantis is trying to position himself as the next Donald Trump, so…



As a quick reminder, DeSantis and Disney disagreed on Florida’s House Bill 1557. And yes, it was incredibly dumb for Disney to stake out ground on this issue when it has nothing to do with its business. But Disney CEO Bob Chapek caved to some vocal activists in his company, and the result has been a mess for the company. (See DisneyBizJournal’s previous analyses on this herehere and here.) 

 

However, even if one disagrees with Disney’s decision on this – which I strongly do, by the way – that doesn’t in turn mean that one should support the charge led by DeSantis to use legislation to punish a company that he disagrees with on an issue. Nonetheless, that’s exactly what DeSantis along with Republicans in the Florida state legislature did when passing legislation that will dissolve Walt Disney World’s Reedy Creek Improvement District as of June 1, 2023.

 

Reedy Creek was created in 1967 and allowed Disney to effectively self-govern the 25,000 acres the company purchased to create Walt Disney World. That means that Disney, through the District, controls essential services like infrastructure, electricity, water, sewage, zoning, solid waste and recycling, building codes and approvals, and a fire department. It’s a unique set up pertaining to a unique situation. Reedy Creek covers two towns, Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, with about 50 residents today who own the land and actually elect their own mayors and city councils. These residents obviously are Disney employees.



So, let’s review the rather lengthy list of problems with this egregious act by DeSantis and GOP state legislators.

 

First, government punishing a company for the stance it takes on a political issue flies directly in the face of the First Amendment. You know: “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech…” Indeed, this act is a deeply disturbing act by government that should outrage everyone, including all of those Republicans who used to talk about how much they loved freedom and abhorred big, abusive government.

 

Second, the U.S. Constitution also prohibits bills of attainder (Article I, Section 9, Clause 3). That is, legislative acts cannot be used to punish a particular individual or entity. As explained in the case United States v. Lovett, legislative acts are prohibited that “no matter what their form … apply either to named individuals or to easily ascertainable members of a group in such a way as to inflict punishment on them without a judicial trial…” Again, I remember when Republicans at least spoke about the need for separation of powers. Of course, the response is that this bill covers a few other districts created before 1968 as well. That, of course, is a farce, as the intent has been made clear by the governor and state lawmakers that this legislation is meant to punish Disney.



Third, contracts matter, but the law dissolving the Reedy Creek District ignores the binding contract that the state has with holders of Reedy Creek bonds. As explained in an analysis at Bloomberg Law:

 

In authorizing Reedy Creek to issue bonds, the Florida legislature included a remarkable statement—included in Reedy Creek’s bond offerings—regarding its own promise to bondholders: “The State of Florida pledges to the holders of any bonds issued under this Act that it will not limit or alter the rights of the District to own, acquire, construct, reconstruct, improve, maintain, operate or furnish the projects or to levy and collect the taxes, assessments, rentals, rates, fees, tolls, fares and other charges provided for herein … until all such bonds together with interest thereon, and all costs and expenses in connection with any action or proceeding by or on behalf of such holders, are fully met and discharged.”

 

As noted later in the Bloomberg piece:

 

By dissolving Reedy Creek, the legislature essentially rewrote the promises made in the district’s bond offerings. Instead of bonds backed by a special district with the power to levy up to 30 mills in taxes, the property tax bonds will be backed jointly by two governments that can only generate a maximum of 10 mills in taxes. Instead of a unified utility system with special powers to charge various fees, supported by special taxing powers, utility revenue bonds will be jointly managed by two counties subject to additional taxing and spending restrictions.

      Both the U.S. and Florida constitutions place strict limitations on the government’s ability to impair its own contracts. Under the U.S. Constitution, a state can only impair an existing contract if the impairment is reasonable and necessary to serve an important government purpose. As early as 1866, the U.S. Supreme Court held that once a local government issues a bond based on an authorized taxing power, the state is contract-bound and cannot eliminate the taxing power supporting the bond. The Florida Constitution provides even greater protection from impairment of contracts.

 

Fourth, this bondholder language points to a host of problems regarding bonds and taxes. As the Bloomberg piece, as well as other analyses, points out, “The bill dissolving Reedy Creek doesn’t say what should happen to these debts, but another statute does: By default, the local general-purpose government—the county—assumes the district’s debt, along with all of its assets. This means that theoretically, Orange and Osceola counties will inherit upward of $1 billion in bond debt.” Other reports put the amount of Reedy Creek debt higher.

 

Indeed, among the unknowns is the distinct possibility of hitting taxpayers in two local counties with big tax increases. 

 

Disney already pays both sales and property taxes to localities, such as counties and school districts. In fact, CNBC reported, “Public records show Disney is the largest taxpayer in central Florida, paying over $280 million in property taxes to the counties between 2015 and 2020.” Also, as noted, Disney effectively pays taxes to itself with the Reedy Creek District, with Reedy Creek collecting $164 million annually from Disney to pay for services like road maintenance, utilities, fire protection, and so on.

 

GOP state lawmakers claim that Reedy Creek taxes will get shifted to the counties. But Disney taxes itself at a much higher property tax rate than is allowed by the state constitution. In fact, three times higher, as noted above. So, if Reedy Creek were dissolved, a massive amount of costs would be shifted to the counties, but Disney would pay less than it is now in taxes. CNBC noted:

 

Tax experts say that in order for the counties to collect additional revenue from Disney to pay the bond debt, the counties would have to create a new special tax district of their own. Even if they created a new special “Disney” tax district, the tax rate would be capped below that of the current district rate, leaving Orange and Osceola counties with Reedy Creek’s debt service but with less revenue to pay it off.

 

For good measure, government has little ability to control costs, so the bill to local taxpayers promises to be rather substantial, though, again, no formal analysis has been done at this point.

 

Plus, if the dissolving of Reedy Creek goes this route, bondholders no doubt will sue, and that will prove to be a costly legal battle paid for by taxpayers in service of Governor DeSantis’ political desires.

 

Hmmm, remember when the top issue for Republicans was tax relief?



Fifth, the legislation was created in haphazard fashion, to say the least. At the last minute, it was crammed into a special session. Legislators got to look at the bill for two days before it was rammed through without any substantive analysis as to the effects of the legislation, such as on taxpayers and the economy, nor does it spell out how the dissolution would actually work. Indeed, no one seems to have a clue as to how any of this would work. DeSantis and legislators promise to get around to that down the road. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “Not even the bill’s sponsors – Sen. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, and Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay – could provide the intricate details of how Reedy Creek would be dissolved, saying the matter will be hammered out in the next year.” Sure, right, let’s not spoil this political opportunity to pander with potentially messy details. So much for slowing the mechanism of government to consider the full implications.

 

Sixth, there’s also the fact that state law requires a voter referendum by residents or land owners in a special district in order to dissolve that district. Obviously, Disney isn’t going to vote for that. But according to the Sentinel, Republican lawmakers claim that the new law trumps the old law. That is in dispute, and would lead to another costly legal battle.

 

Of course, the key benefit that the Reedy Creek District offers Disney is to avoid costly meddling and delays that come with being regulated by local governments. Walt Disney experienced those problems firsthand in California, and sought to avoid such an outcome in Florida. And if the Reedy Creek district actually is dissolved, Disney not only will face costly regulations that create delays and raise costs, but also local governments running various services that Disney has been doing. Disney has operated such services efficiently, you know, like a business does if it wants to succeed. When was the last time you hit a pothole in Disney World? Turning such operations over to government would mean diminished quality of service, as government is wont to do, along with increased dollar costs.

 

One might think that Republicans, who used to care about the economy, would be trying to figure out how they can expand the opportunity for more businesses to be able to do what Disney has in terms of more efficiently running various services, rather than punishing the company who has shown that, yes, business can do most things better than government. And again, with Disney doing the work and paying for it, taxpayers don’t get hit with the bill.



Geez, it’s almost like Governor DeSantis and his fellow Republicans in the state legislature didn’t really think this through, or they didn’t really care to think about anything other than political pandering. Go figure.

 

As for Disney, company corporate affairs officer Geoff Morrell was quoted by the Hollywood Reporter back on March 2, 2022, saying: 

 

“Whatever Bob’s personal politics are, he’s not an activist and does not bring any partisan agenda to work. He sees himself first and foremost as the custodian of a unifying brand that for nearly a century has been bringing people together, and he is determined that Disney remain a place where everyone is treated with dignity and respect… He believes the best way we can help create a more inclusive world is through the inspiring content we produce, the welcoming culture we create and the diverse community organizations we support.” 

 

That’s spot on correct. Chapek and Disney (and its shareholders) would have fared much better in this situation and would be better positioned going forward when other hot-button topics inevitably crop up with activists trying to pressure the company, if they had stuck with what Morrell explained. But Chapek caved, and the company has been dragged into the muck of politics in an era when the hard Left and populist Right thrive on division and controversy.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Two great ways to pre-order Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel, which is Ray’s sixteenth work of fiction, and the first in the Alliance of Saint Michael series. Signed paperbacks here and the Kindle edition here

 

Two great ways to order Ray Keating’s new nonfiction book – The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks here, and paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions here.  

 

Get all of Ray Keating Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries in paperback and for the Kindle at Amazon.com and signed books at www.RayKeatingOnline.com

 

Get more out of the rest of 2022 with The Disney Planner 2022: The TO DO List Solution! It combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement and fun for Disney fans, including those who love Mickey, Marvel, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pixar, princesses and more. Also, “The Disney Planner 2022: The TO DO List Solution” comes with a handy spiral binding for easy use. It’s on sale and shipping is always free!

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of DisneyFree Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Walt Disney on Being Happy in Your Work

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #346 – Walt Disney on Being Happy in Your Work – Walt Disney and Ray Keating get it on being happy at work, and why that matters to the rest of your life as well. Check out this latest episode and other recent entries right here!



The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Sunday, April 24, 2022

Two (Three?) New Restaurants Open at Disney World

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 24, 2022

 

Construction walls are beginning to come down around the parks, and in the past few days, several new dining venues have launched with soft openings, welcoming guests with interesting food and beverage offerings. Depending on how you count them, two (or maybe three?) new locations opened this past week.   

 

Over in EPCOT, caffeine-deprived park guests have been anxiously awaiting the reopening of the park’s Starbucks location.  In the World Celebration area of the former “Future World,” Disney has opened two sides to one gigantic, open and airy quick-serve restaurant.  On one side, Starbucks has made its latte-fueled return at the Connections Café.  The clean lines, soaring ceilings, bright wall-sized murals, large windows, and glass-fronted exhibit cases give this room a much more contemporary feel than its former occupant, the Electric Umbrella, with its ever-changing menu. 

 

If you enter through the opposite side of the building, however, you’ll be greeted with a different venue, the Connections Eatery, with such offerings as General Tso Chicken Salad ($11.49); a French Bistro Burger ($12.99), among several burger offerings; a miso-marinated Banh Mi Burger ($11.99); a hand-breaded chicken sandwich ($11.99), rumored to be prepared in a pickle brine for extra flavor; and several pizza options including a curry spice plant-based version ($10.99).  Kids can also opt for a Grilled Chicken Bao ($7.49), and there is an interesting looking Liege Waffle on the dessert menu ($5.29), made with brioche dough and berries. Shakes, beers, wines, and a Cucumber and Thai Basil Cooler ($14.00) are also available.

 

While the eatery began serving guests at its soft opening this week, the Disney website still listed the Connections pair as “Coming Soon!” as of the writing of this article. “Soon” means if you get over there quickly, you’ll beat the crowds that don’t know full opening is imminent! And incidentally, if you are in need of a charge for your phone, many of the tables and counter seats have charging stations available, making this locale especially attractive in the afternoons in the era of Disney Genie+, eating away at your battery power!

 

So, did the “Connections” pair count as one restaurant, or two?

 


The second, or third eatery, depending on how you counted the Connections “sisters,” is a much-anticipated East Coast version of the “Salt & Straw” ice cream parlor at Disneyland California’s Downtown Disney District.  Salt & Straw is a family-run small business, with nearly a dozen-and-a-half locations around the country. The newest Salt & Straw shop, at Disney Springs West Side, began scooping out their confections for guests this week, and offers up hand-made small batch ice creams “created in collaboration with chefs, farmers, food movements, social causes and more.”   


Current seasonal offerings include the five winners of the student inventors’ series, such as 12 year old Rae’s “Bottomless Limes!”; seven year old Asher’s “The Adventurous Llamanaut”; and six year old Charlotte’s “Rosie the Pink Flamingo” flavors.  (Each of the student flavors comes with its own backstory.  Gotta love the creativity, especially about the little llama who wants to be an astronaut and moonwalks!)  Prices range from $6.95 for a single scoop, to $14.75 for a four scoop “flight.”  Oh, and friendly shop attendants will be happy to give you a sample spoonful of a flavor you haven’t committed to yet. 

 

In addition to the changing selection of seasonal and student creations, the shop sells their “classic” flavors, though these aren’t the flavors you’ll find in your average freezer case.  Honey Lavender; Strawberry Honey Balsamic with Black Pepper; Chocolate Gooey Brownie; and Roasted Pineapple Coconut Sherbet are just a few of the main menu flavors.  Pints are also available in the shop’s freezer case. (And if you don’t live in nearby Florida, you can still sample the flavors by ordering your ice cream shipped from Salt & Straw’s website.)

 

Salt & Straw opens at 10 am, and is usually open until midnight most days. Conveniently located near the AMC Theatres, you can grab some ice cream before or after your movie night to make your evening complete.

 

Now, if Woody’s “Roundup Rodeo BBQ” would finally open…

 

_______________

 

Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

Saturday, April 23, 2022

How About That Prime Rib Dip at Port Orleans? Well…

 by Ray Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 23, 2022

 

Let’s say that you’re staying at or just visiting Disney’s Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter, and a sandwich is in order. Perhaps you’re looking for lunch, something on the quick side when taking a break from the Mardi Gras-themed pool, or after a day at the parks, you simply need some sustenance before crashing in the room.



I recently ventured into the Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory – a quick service restaurant open from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM – on the hunt for a satisfying lunch.

 

I chose the Prime Rib Dip sandwich, featuring shaved prime rib with provolone cheese served with French Onion Au Jus and French Fries. The prime rib was on the salty side, with some peppers and onions serving as plusses. The sandwich un-ironically was best dunked in the accompanying dip. By the way, there was a large amount of solid fries on the plate.



How to sum this up? Well, there was no “wow” factor. Instead, it was an adequately tasty sandwich, falling into the better-than-fast-food category. It meets the needs I mentioned at the outset, but not much more. It would have been nice to be able to say more, but that was not to be. Sometimes a sandwich is just a sandwich, even at a Disney resort. However, since I like the look and feel of Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter, that seemed to make this sandwich just a bit tastier.



__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Two great ways to pre-order Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel, which is Ray’s sixteenth work of fiction, and the first in the Alliance of Saint Michael series. Signed paperbacks at 

https://raykeatingonline.com/products/cathedral and/or the Kindle edition at 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WYW2Q2V

 

Two great ways to order Ray Keating’s new nonfiction book – The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks at https://raykeatingonline.com/products/weeklyeconomist and/or the Kindle edition at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WKN81RG.

 

Get more out of 2022 with The Disney Planner 2022: The TO DO List Solution! It combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement and fun for Disney fans, including those who love Mickey, Marvel, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pixar, princesses and more. Also, “The Disney Planner 2022: The TO DO List Solution” comes with a handy spiral binding for easy use. 

 

Keating has three new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13th thriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.comPast Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Again, get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.com. And order the 15th book in the series What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story – grab it at Amazon.com or signed editions at www.raykeatingonline.com

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of DisneyFree Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

Thursday, April 21, 2022

Disney Essentially Created the Central Florida Economy

 by Chris Lucas

Guest Column

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 21, 2022

 

Walt Disney and his older brother/business partner Roy appeared at a November 15, 1965, press conference at the Cherry Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Florida, near Lake Eola, with conservative Florida Governor Haydon Burns. There, they officially announced to the world what a few had already suspected: that they were the mystery buyers of almost 30,000 acres of bog and swamp land in Central Florida.

 

Source: Chris Lucas


To say that this was one of the most important dates in Florida’s history is no understatement. It instantly made Florida a power player. It ranks right up there with Ponce DeLeon's arrival in 1513, and the opening, four centuries later, of the highways and rail systems connecting the northeast and Midwest to the Sunshine State.

 

To put it in perspective: Before Disney set up shop, most visitors to Florida - around 8 million a year - were wealthy folks from northeastern cities headed to the beaches or to the coasts, and usually only from November to March. The swampy, marshy, lake filled interior of the state was overlooked desolate land used largely for agricultural purposes. 

 

Now, over 75 percent of the 120 million people, mostly middle class, who visit Florida from all over the world in an average year spend their time in the greater Orlando area, never venturing anywhere else in the state. 

 

In 1965, there were less than 400,000 people living in central Florida, and it accounted for just 10 percent of tax revenue to the state. Today, it's one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the country, with close to four million residents, and provides well over 50 percent of Florida's tax revenue. 

 

Walt passed away just about a year after this press conference, so he never actually got to see the finished version of Walt Disney World. Roy broke ground for his late brother Walt’s Florida project - renamed Walt Disney World in his honor - in 1967.

 

It marked the immediate transformation of a sleepy, farming state of just six million people into an economic powerhouse today where 21 million live and work in the 15th largest economy in the world, bigger than that of the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia or Taiwan. 

 

The presence of Walt Disney World alone has brought thousands of related businesses to Florida and has generated more than five billion dollars for the state on its own. 

 

The economic, political and social environment that is Florida today owes a lot to the fateful decision of Walt Disney to come to Central Florida. It includes:

 

- $75 billion annual economic impact for Central Florida. 


- 500,000 jobs. 


- and the sales tax collected just on the 55 million Walt Disney World tickets sold in an average year, which is around $415 million. That’s more than what the state of Florida will spend on school construction and maintenance or the entire Department of Elder Affairs budget.

 

Disney pioneered land-use planning and growth management in Florida by setting off land not to be developed from the very beginning of construction and keeping it pure and preserved. 

 

The idea of mapping out the natural systems for a 38-mile region and confining development to the least environmentally sensitive areas was unheard of in 1960s Florida. 

 

Disney also struck a deal for self-sufficiency in roads, sewage, waste disposal, utilities and emergency services that took the burden off of local taxpayers and was the model for decades to come. 

 

Florida owes a tremendous debt to Walt Disney, to Roy Disney, and to their successors, up to and including current CEO Bob Chapek.

 

Florida as we know it wouldn’t be the same without them. Thanks, fellas! 

 

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Chris Lucas is the author of Top Disney: 100 Top Ten Lists of the Best of Disney, from the Man to the Mouse and Beyond.

 

On the PRESS CLUB C Podcast, enjoy two of Ray’s discussions with Chris Lucas. The first was about Chris’ career as an actor, author and Disney expert. Tune in right here! The second was a chat about the Disney World’s 50 anniversary. Listen here!