Gabrielle Russon
State inspectors could soon be allowed to perform safety checks on Disney World’s monorail for the first time as proposed legislation calling for more state oversight at The Mouse cleared a Senate committee Tuesday.
Under current Florida Department of Transportation procedures, on-site state inspections would happen every three years at the monorail while Disney would be required to update its safety plan — which includes records, audits, procedures and corrective actions — annually, said Sen. Nick DiCeglie, who sponsored the amendment that was tacked onto SB 1250. Currently, Disney self-inspects the monorail and its rides.
If FDOT finds a problem with the monorail, “it really is going to be last resort for them to entirely suspend, in this case, a monorail system,” said DiCeglie, a Republican from Indian Rocks Beach.
He added monorails “are not overly technical. Obviously, monorails have been around for over 50 years … I think they’re pretty straightforward.”
Two Democratic lawmakers from Central Florida, Sen. Linda Stewart and Sen. Geraldine Thompson, pressed DiCeglie to make sure Disney World, which operates some of the busiest theme parks in the world, wouldn’t be impacted by state inspectors shutting down the 15 miles of monorails for safety checks.
Disney and FDOT would work together to make sure “inspections are done at a time that’s agreeable to both parties,” DiCeglie answered.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has put Disney in his crosshairs in what’s been an ongoing fight since last Session, when Disney’s then-CEO Bob Chapek spoke out against Florida’s controversial Parental Rights in Education measure, known colloquially as the “Don’t Say Gay” law. Republican lawmakers retaliated and stripped away Disney’s control of its government board. A new law was passed earlier this year granting DeSantis the power to replace the board with his appointees.
But before the new state-controlled board took over Disney’s government, Disney and the outgoing board passed agreements that gave Disney more power on future land use plans and, among other things, allowed Disney set its own utility rates, new board members said.
DeSantis has accused Disney and the old board of making an “11th-hour deal” to deliberately deceive the state.
Last week, DeSantis warned that lawmakers would be looking at requiring Disney’s monorail to be inspected by the state.
9 comments
Tropical
April 25, 2023 at 11:31 pm
You just can’t take any pushback, can you desantis.
Dangerous, flabby, baby-man.
Earl Pitts American
April 26, 2023 at 7:02 am
Good morning dook 4 brains lefty’s,
This is the begining of arrogant bad guest of Florida (Disney’s) pucker up and come to Desantis on bended knee to kiss his ring.
Dook 4 brains lefty’s and sympathic RINO’s (also dook 4 brains) have no idea how this is going to turn bad actor Disney into a model citizen of The Great State of Florida!!!!
Sometimes, as in this case, a loving parent (The Great State of Florida) must punish a bad child (Disney) in order to modify the bad child’s dangerous (to all childern of the world) behaviour. Thank you Florida Legislature for being a great teacher and wonderful parent to your bad child (Disney).
We disipline you because we still love you and will escalate our loving appropriate disipline untill correct behaviour modification is achieved.
Thank you Disney will keep spanking you because we love you,
Earl Pitts “Bad Child Behaviour Modification Expert” American
JD
April 26, 2023 at 8:11 am
Ah Shitts Pitts Digital Herpes has found home for his indoctrination camps – a tactic borrowed from the Taliban – reprogramming of the good steward corporate citizen Disney to be a fanatical religious zealot. Good work Shitts Pitts! You need a raise.
“It’s not the heat. It’s the stupidity”
Earl Pitts American
April 26, 2023 at 8:48 am
Sorry JD I, Earl Pitts American, forgot to end my genius posting of supream sweet sweet knowledge aimed at educating dook 4 brains lefties in the proper method. Here you go:
Thank you JD,
Queue Classic Patroitic music cranked up to excessive volume levels to further annoy dook 4 brains lefties:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ,
Thank you JD and Thank you America,
Earl Pitts American
JD
April 26, 2023 at 11:18 am
And your epic grammar and spelling. You need to tout that as well!
Strike up the band!
JD
April 26, 2023 at 8:17 am
Wow – the FLGOP is so bad mad about a corporation exercising their first amendment right (about an unneeded law that NO ONE put forth a shred of evidence it was happening) they are willing to risk the livelihoods of 75,000 people not to mention many others of the surrounding area. But remember the GOP is for the people, parent’s rights, and women’s choice… oh wait on that last one.
JD
April 26, 2023 at 11:18 am
And your epic grammar and spelling. You need to tout that as well!
Strike up the band!
Chris Christie
April 26, 2023 at 1:16 pm
Ron DeSanties apparently was not paying attention to my Bridgegate up in New Jersey which is why he is laying groundwork for repeating my mistake. Not too smart, Ron. Not too smart.
Ned
April 26, 2023 at 3:31 pm
Next time don’t elect a short guy to be governor of Floriduh. DeSantis’s little man complex is bad for business.
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