DeSantis wields state oversight in dispute with Disney

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida lawmakers are trying to give the Department of Agriculture the ability to inspect Walt Disney World’s Monorail and rides.

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However, that expansion of duties would not extend to other big parks like SeaWorld and Universal Studios.

The new statute would only apply to special districts, and Reedy Creek is the only special district in the state with a theme park.

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Jim Seay is the President of Premiere Rides. They’re a manufacturer of theme park attractions globally with a focus on high-tech business.

Seay says Disney already performs inspections at the highest level in the industry.

“We ourselves have an intense amount of inspection requirements for a ride,” Seay said. “For a company like Disney, they have internal policies and procedures and best practices that really are another very significant layer that they will add to our requirements.”

In the wake of Governor Ron DeSantis again criticizing a deal Disney worked out with Reedy Creek, Florida lawmakers plan to file legislation that would make Disney rides and monorails subject to state safety inspections. They are currently exempt.

Video: DeSantis: Legislature will revoke development agreement passed by former Reedy Creek board Gov. Ron DeSantis said there is legislation coming that will revoke a development agreement passed by the Reedy Creek board before the state took it over. (Nick Papantonis, WFTV.com)

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“From the standpoint of adding additional criteria for safety at a park, if it was something like the state inspectors, I think that has to be evaluated on the basis of does it make the end product safer,” Seay said.

Governor DeSantis also announced Monday that lawmakers will vote on a bill to nullify the development deal Disney made with Reedy Creek before the state could take over, describing the deal as being “in direct defiance of the will of the people of Florida.”

DeSantis also said the deal was illegal, citing a statute that allows the state to revoke development agreements.

“This provision was on the books,” DeSantis said. “Anytime you do a development agreement, you’re subject to this.”

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Disney, for their part, says everything it did was legal and based on a comprehensive plan for the district that the state approved last year.

The new Reedy Creek Board is expected to meet Wednesday to move forward with plans to nullify that deal.

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