Credit: Inside the MagicWalt Disney World Resort has filed over a dozen lawsuits against Orange County Property Appraiser Amy Mercado, alleging that its 2024 property taxes were too high.
The lawsuit, filed with the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, also names Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph and Executive Director Jim Zingale of the Florida Department of Revenue. Disney’s Central Florida properties were valued at over $3 billion this year, forcing the company to pay more than $98 million in property taxes.
These lawsuits are practically a tradition among Florida hospitality businesses every December. According to The Orlando Business Journal, Universal Orlando Resort and other Sunshine State hotels are also suing the state this year.
Last year, Walt Disney World Resort filed 12 lawsuits about its property tax bill. Earlier this year, it won a lawsuit regarding 2015 and 2016 property taxes at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort. A judge determined that the method used to assess the value of that specific property was “unconstitutional and invalid.” That case is currently in mediation.
This latest lawsuit against the state of Florida comes amid years of clashes between the Mouse and Governor Ron DeSantis. As the largest employer in the Sunshine State and a significant revenue maker via sales and tourist taxes, Walt Disney World Resort traditionally held legal privileges and sway in the state.
This changed in 2022 when former Disney CEO Bob Chapek publicly denounced the Parental Rights in Education Act, known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Reports claimed that Gov. DeSantis warned Chapek privately to stay silent about the controversial law amid ongoing pressure from Disney Parks fans and cast members.
DeSantis almost immediately signed legislation dissolving the Reedy Creek Improvement District, a municipal area Walt Disney World Resort had controlled since 1967. The governor appointed a board to take over the area and renamed it the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. The new leadership has taken over Monorail inspections and banned COVID-19 safety restrictions in the district.
Walt Disney World Resort tried multiple avenues to maintain control in the area, from making the Reedy Creek board powerless before DeSantis’s board took over to filing a First Amendment-backed lawsuit. All of these attempts failed, and DeSantis proclaimed victory over the Mouse.
The Walt Disney Company has largely stayed silent about Gov. DeSantis. The company resumed political campaign contributions in Florida, which Chapek paused amid the “Don’t Say Gay” controversy.
Should Florida lower Walt Disney World Resort’s property taxes? In the comments, let Inside the Magic know what you think!