Moreover, there is another dimension to the controversy that is little commented on so far. For Disney, rail-based mass transit long caused nightmares due to its potential to divert visitors from their parks. For that reason, Disney successfully opposed local mass transit in the form of light rail and a potential local MAGLEV line.
Now though, local mass rail transit is established in central Florida and high-speed rail is developing rapidly in much of the state with an Orlando station to open in a few weeks. This poses the question of whether to link with or bypass Disney in new stations for upcoming expansions now being planned for both local and high speed rail.
Like a recalcitrant debutante who unwisely spent too many years rejecting suitors and is now desperate to marry, Disney suddenly wants in on mass transit lest they lose out to competitors like Universal Studios, Sea World, the Orange County Convention center, International Drive shopping outlets, and downtown Orlando. These venues and the nearby hotels that serve them are already linked into local mass transit or plans are being set to link them in because they are willing partners and geographically closer together than the relatively distant Disney World parks.
Thus, as mass transit and high speed rail connections are developed and passenger counts rise, visitors to Orlando will increasingly take high speed rail within Florida or fly into Orlando International and then ride local rail transit to non-Disney tourist and convention venues. Local car rental will be less and less needed. My reading of the new District and its powers is that they will have a key role in deciding whether high speed and local rail stations get built to serve Disney and other tourist venues and on what terms.
To be sure, that issue is complex with lots of moving parts, with various agencies and units of government able to veto stations or influence the financial conditions for stations at Disney and other tourist venues. My guess is that the mass transit issues will be at the core of settlement talks with the new District board and the other government entities.
In sum, what may look like a master legal stroke by Disney is actually a chancy move by a company that is holding a weak hand in a game with billions of dollars at stake.
But they DO NOT presumptively have full power. And very much will be enjoined by the courts based on a contract that probably has precedent, in Florida even.
Remember America was built on the concept of limited government. There’s all kinds of stuff governments can’t do. In some areas they’re more restricted than others.
I wouldn’t say master stroke by Disney. I’d say dumb move by DeSantis. Which they then short circuited in a way to maximize how dumb it made him look. And put it all into a situation they can drag out in courts for years, and use to campaign against many state officials through that whole time. Impressive, but not masterful. Masterful would have settled behind closed doors and actually let DeSantis “win”. This was mean spirited. And funny. And will eventually win for them.