The deal between Disney and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) was reached, with both sides celebrating their successful negotiation on Thursday.
Walt Disney World Resort will now be allowed to add a fifth major theme park with two more minor parks and a water park. Additionally, the company will increase its existing 40,000 hotel rooms by 14,000.
Then, Florida will receive 100 of Disney’s 24,000 acres toward the construction of infrastructure projects, with half of these contracted with Florida-based companies. Florida also gets at least $10 million of its $17 billion investment back for affordable housing in Central Florida.
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District approved the deal after two years of fighting between DeSantis and Disney. After the governor signed the Parental Rights in Education Act, which banned teachers of children in the third grade and under from discussing sexual topics in any form, Disney went public in its opposition to the law. Some critics called it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. As a result, DeSantis appointed five total people to the district that went on to approve their negotiated plan.
“Disney and the state of Florida continue working well together under CFTOD’s new governance structure, and we are pleased to see CFTOD and Disney reach a new development agreement that secures up to $17 billion in future investment in the state of Florida,” DeSantis’s Communications Director Bryan Griffin said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “This agreement is a big win for Central Florida and will lead to numerous jobs and improved guest experiences.”
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“This new development agreement paves the way for us to invest billions of dollars in Walt Disney World Resort, supporting the growth of this global destination, fueling the Florida economy, and allowing us to deliver even more memorable and extraordinary experiences for our guests,” Walt Disney World Resort President Jeff Vahle said in a statement.
Last year, Walt Disney World Resort closed its Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel after an 18-month stint. The immersive experience was described on its website as “part live immersive theater, part themed environment, part culinary extravaganza, part real-life role-playing game,” priced at $1,200 per person per night for two nights. It included all meals, valet parking, and admission to Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios park.