Orlando’s theme park companies pour at least $2.77 million into state politics

Orlando’s theme park behemoths – mostly Walt Disney companies – have already poured $2.77 million into campaign and political committees and parties for this election cycle so far, preferring Republicans by almost 3 to 1 over Democrats.

Disney, as usual, leads the way, with a combination of cash and in-kind services (typically providing tickets or opening theme parks or other Disney facilities to party events) worth $2.4 million in political contributions, according to campaign finance reports through Jan. 31, filed with the Florida Division of Elections.

Various Disney entities have poured in almost $1.5 million to the Republican Party of Florida, Republican candidates and Republican political action committees, according to the reports. Disney gave Democrats $560,000, and contributed another $339,000 to nonpartisan political action committees.

Various companies affiliated with Universal Parks & Resorts donated $247,000 to Republicans, $43,000 to Democrats, and $41,000 to nonpartisan PACs.

SeaWorld companies were frugal compared with its Orlando theme park counterparts, providing $23,000 to Republicans, $7,500 to Democrats and $7,600 to nonpartisan groups. All SeaWorld donations were in cash.

Busch Gardens in Tampa provided almost no political contributions.

FloridaPolitics.com examined reports listed for the entire election cycle. For state Senate campaigns, that dates back to the start of 2013. For all others, the contributions date from the beginning of 2015.

The theme park companies use various corporate entities to sponsor political contributions. For example, Disney contributions come from such varied companies as Disney Worldwide Services Inc., Walt Disney Parks & Resorts U.S. Inc., Walt Disney Travel Co., Disney Destinations LLC, and Disney Vacation Development Inc. among others.

Most of Disney’s contributions to Democrats came through in-kind donations, providing services worth $370,000 total to the Florida Democratic Party, covering five different occasions.

Disney also provided in-kind services to Gov. Rick Scott‘s Let’s Get To Work PAC, valued at $252,000, and to the Republican Party of Florida, worth $155,000.

Disney’s total contributions to the Republican Party of Florida have totaled $544,000, and to the Florida Democratic Party, $467,000.

Disney also gave $125,000 to Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam‘s PAC Florida Grown PC; $75,000 to the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee led by state Senate President Andy Gardiner; $70,000 to state Sen. Bill Galvano‘s PAC Innovate Florida; state Sen. Wilton Simpson‘s PAC Jobs for Florida $55,000; and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli‘s PAC Growing a Sustainable Future, $37,000. Disney gave at least $10,000 to seven other PACs associated with Republican state office holders. Two Democrats’ PACs also got money: State Rep. Jared Moskowitz‘s Floridians for Practical Solutions got $10,000, and state Sen. Darren Soto‘s Sun PAC got $5,000.

Universal companies contributed $147,000 to the RPOF, $49,000 to the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, and $32,000 to the Florida Democratic Party. State Sen. Jack Latvala‘s Florida Leadership Committee got $7,500, as the only lawmaker’s PAC to get at least $5,000.

SeaWorld gave $5,000 each to the Florida Democratic Party, the Republican Party of Florida and the FRP PAC, and $2,500 to the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee. Its other political contributions were all of $1,000 or less.