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Credit: Inside the MagicThe future of Walt Disney World Resort is up in the air.
Known as “The Most Magical Place on Earth,” Disney World Guests have come from near and far to experience the “Disney bubble” of being completely immersed in the magic from the time they wake up until they go to bed at night. Magic Kingdom Park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT are just some of the “main attractions” for Guests visiting the area, but there’s also plenty more to do, including the Disney Springs shopping and dining district, as well as Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park (currently closed for refurbishment) and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park.
Over the last few weeks, Disney has been making national headlines for its ongoing battle with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Reedy Creek Improvement District. Following restrictions given by DeSantis, Disney shared that it had filed a lawsuit against the governor. In turn, a counter-lawsuit was filed.
In the latest developments, Gov. DeSantis signed a bill into law that will give the state of Florida’s Department of Transportation power to inspect “any governmentally or privately owned fixed-guideway transportation systems operating in this state which are located within an independent special district created by a local act which has boundaries within two contiguous counties.” This legislative amendment gives the state of Florida the power to inspect the Disney monorail and potentially the Disney Skyliner, and the modes of transportation could be shut down as a result of the inspections.
There have been rumors that The Walt Disney Company could elect to leave the entire Resort area and just shut down immediately. Multiple reports have indicated that numerous states have opened the door for Disney, including Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Colorado, and Texas. But, let’s be real, it’s just not feasible– and Disney doesn’t want to leave the state of Florida, either.
There’s no way you can just pick up and move an entire city’s worth of attractions and infrastructure. It’s just not tangible.
However, should things not turn out Disney’s way in court and the lawsuit proves ineffective, we could see the end of Walt Disney World Resort as we know it come to pass. We don’t mean the closure of theme parks or hotels. But, what we do mean is that this could be the end of the “Disney bubble,” as we know it.
The magic of riding the monorail or Disney Skyliner could soon fade away. Depending on what the inspections find, the feeling that many Disney World Guests get from “staying in the magic” may not be the same feeling anymore. Some of the “smaller things” that Guests have noticed when driving into Disney World could be changed.
There’s no telling where this is heading and, most likely, much of this will be “much to do about nothing.” Here’s what we do know: There’s a coming battle that is set to happen, no doubt, and Disney World, as we know it, could hang in the balance.
What do you think of the latest development at Walt Disney World Resort? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!