The Reedy Creek Firefighters WANT The State Takeover of Reedy Creek Improvement District From Disney

The dissolution of the Reedy Creek Improvement District is scheduled for June 1st of this year. Here's a plot twist I did not see coming. There's support for the state takeover coming from inside Disney.

The Reedy Creek Improvement District goes back to 1967 when Disney obtained the right to provide it's own municipal services within the district.  Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill to dissolve the district on April 22,2022. He reassured people with this quote "People say… they have services and utilities. We’re going to take care of all that… don’t worry. We have everything thought out.”

There's been much public discourse on the topic, a false report on DeSantis backing down, and even a lawsuit. But the bill to dissolve the district is moving forward.

"Notice is hereby given of intent to seek legislation before the Florida Legislature, during a regular, extended, or special session, of an act relating to the Reedy Creek Improvement District, Orange and Osceola Counties; amending, reenacting, and repealing Chapter 67-764, Laws of Florida, and decree in chancery no. 66-1061 (May 13, 1966); removing and revising powers of the District; increasing state oversight, accountability, and transparency of the District; revising the selection process, membership qualifications, and compensation for the governing body of the District; ensuring debts and bond obligations held by the District remain with the District and are not transferred to other governments by retaining the District’s authority related to indebtedness and taxation; revising the District’s authority over local permitting and regulation; revising the District’s regulatory framework and structure; instituting reporting requirements, including a review of the District’s remaining powers; describing the District boundaries and name; revising exceptions to general law and certain special acts; removing duplicative provisions; making conforming changes; creating an exception to general law; providing an effective date."

This language in this notice effectively refutes the lawsuit which argued that taxpayers would have to take on the debt of the RCID. According to WDWNT, "Disney would also lose its special privileges to have tolling authority or build a nuclear power plant." Disney was allowed to build their own nuclear power plant?

Tim Stromsnes of the Reedy Creek Professional Firefighters Local 2117 union, spoke with the Orlando Sentinel. “Anything has got to be better than what we currently have. We really hope that this new board will bring the morale up for Reedy Creek [and] will make us an elite emergency services department again. We’ve got our faith in the governor that we’re going to be around and that it’s going to be a better place to work.”

In a report back in June by WESH2 " so many of their trucks and rescue units are out of commission that they're responding to medical emergencies in SUVs."

There's still a lawsuit holding up Governor DeSantis's pursuit to dissolve the district. Bizjournals states it as "The case originally was filed last May in Miami-Dade County over the alleged possible tax increase implications that could occur if the Reedy Creek district — and its nearly $1 billion bond obligations — were to fall on local taxpayer shoulders." With the notice from Osceola County that refutes that legal claim, and the support of the first responders most affected by the upcoming change, the Reedy Creek Improvement District will likely be dissolved on June 1st.

On a side note, Disney tickets are on sale for Florida residents.

If you're planning a trip to Disney World in 2023, here's the best time to visit the Happiest Place On Earth.

Everyone knows the enchantment of Disney World spells a magical adventure! From families and friends to couples, solo travelers and even marathoners - Orlando's Walt Disney World is an unequalled experience in the shining Floridian sun.

But with visitor demand at its peak, it pays to plan your trip wisely. A few years ago I had some friends come down with their kids for spring break. Of course they wanted to go to Disney, and I didn't want to miss out on seeing the kids experience it for the first time. Well, I'll tell ya, after that trip, I know when to avoid the parks. I've never gotten hit by so many strollers and the crowds were almost too much to bear. We did get on some rides, but not nearly as many as if we went at another time of year.

Keeping your dream vacation afloat can be overwhelming but luckily there is help available through travel agents like Lauren Masarik of Intouch Vacations, who has spent over 12 years selling every kind of Disney getaway imaginable - so go ahead, live out those fairytale dreams without sweating any details!

Right after school holidays. Not to say it'll be dead (Disney never is), but usually the lowest crowds are right after those school breaks, so you can target mid-January, late April to early May and late August to late September when people don't want to pull their kids out of school.

It all depends on what you're looking for. If you like mid 70s to mid 80s, going in March or late October through late November will give you the best chance for that. If you want extreme heat and humidity, shoot for May-July, but also expect daily rain showers. December-February can get chilly, but temperatures do fluctuate during the day so layer up so you're prepared either way. 

Late August - September is idea because theme park pricing and hotel rooms are priced for demand. During the year, prices for tickets don't go up or down too drastically, however the most expensive days are around the Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas holiday weeks. The more days you visit though, the less overall you will pay per day.

Here, it really all depends what you're going for, if it's for a specific festival or event. For flexible travelers, Lauren always recommends late April to early May if you want to travel the first half of the year or mid-November/mid-December to enjoy the holiday decorations.

The weeks around Easter; Spring Break and again the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Not to say it's not beautiful at Christmas, because it definitely is, but if you choose that week between holidays, prepare for madness. I went to Epcot the Monday before Christmas and it was busy, but we got on almost everything and didn't have to wait too long for food/drinks either. Magic Kingdom was above average, but Epcot was average and Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios were actually below average crowds.