Walt Disney World Resort has operated under a special district since 1967 but that could be over soon.
Florida lawmakers have started a special session to consider whether to pull the designation that allows the resort property to run essentially as its own government, WFTV reported.
The Walt Disney World property is run through the Reedy Creek Improvement District.
The district was set up because, according to the Reedy Creek website, at the time the closest power and water lines to what would become Walt Disney World were 10 to 15 miles away and neither Orange nor Osceola counties had the infrastructure needed to support the planned resort area.
The designation allows Disney to have its own electrical grid, emergency, fire and medical services on-site, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Reedy Creek Improvement District governs the four theme parks, two water parks, a sports complex, hotels, retail locations and restaurants, according to the newspapers.
Gov. Ron DeSantis made the announcement that all special districts be discussed would during a news conference Tuesday morning, hours before the start of the legislative session that runs through the end of the week.
The meetings were intended to redraw the state congressional maps after DeSantis vetoed them during the legislature’s regular session.
The move to add special districts to the debate came after the passage of the state’s Parental Rights in Education Law, more commonly known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, was passed.
Disney did not speak out for or against it until after the bill passed, then the company said it would fight for the repeal in Florida and in other states if and when similar bills are passed, The Wall Street Journal reported.
If the legislature pulls Reedy Creek’s permission to operate, then the Walt Disney World Resort property would be governed by Orange and Osceola counties since it encompasses land from both counties, WFTV reported.
According to FloridaJobs.org, the website of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, there are currently 1228 active, independent special districts in the state that are used for various special purposes or interests.
Walt Disney World opened on Oct. 1, 1971, and is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary.
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