Gabrielle Russon
Last month, Disney reminded the public it paid $3.1 billion in state and local taxes, according to a company-commissioned economic impact study highlighting how valuable the Mouse is to Florida.
This month, Disney is suing over its local property taxes and calling them “excessive.”
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts filed about a dozen lawsuits this week against the Property Appraiser as it contests the 2023 tax assessments for its four theme parks, several hotels and other properties in Central Florida. Disney wants the tax bills canceled and to get new, lower bills and be reimbursed for legal fees.
Disney, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment, has been regularly suing over its tax bills since 2015.
The Republican-controlled Disney World government board that’s in a legal battle against Disney argued, “This is just the latest in Disney’s decades-long campaign to avoid being a good neighbor and paying its fair share.”
In the latest round of Orange County lawsuits, Disney argued, “The assessments do not represent the just value of the Subject Property as of the lien date because they exceed the market value. … Appraiser has included the value of certain intangible property in the assessments.”
Disney did not provide more details about what it thinks Walt Disney World Resort should be valued at or why the company disagrees with the assessments.
Orange County Property Appraiser Amy Mercado has not been served for the lawsuits yet, said the office’s General Counsel, Ana Torres, when reached for comment.
“These lawsuits are a continuation of the cases that Ms. Mercado inherited when she became Property Appraiser in 2021,” Torres said.
The assessed value of the Magic Kingdom was $513.8 million, according to court documents. The Magic Kingdom is the world’s No. 1 most popular theme park with an estimated 17.13 million visitors in 2022.
Orange County assessed Epcot’s value was $646.2 million, while Hollywood Studios’ was $526.4 million and Animal Kingdom sat at $426.2 million.
Disney is fighting its property taxes for the first time since the state installed board members to control Disney World’s governing board. The board previously has threatened to get involved with the property tax litigation — against Disney.
“We’re going to look at aligning the district’s interest to join Osceola and Orange (counties) to fight the many lawsuits that Disney has filed to avoid paying their own ad valorem taxes,” board Chairman Martin Garcia said at an April meeting of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, formerly Reedy Creek.
“We’re also going to join the counties and yes, the School Boards, in efforts to create more funding for public schools in Central Florida. … We’re going to regulate Disney like every other business in Central Florida.”
Disney released an economic study last month that said The Mouse created a $40 billion impact in the state last year. The report’s timing was in the middle of Disney’s legal fight with Republican state leaders and during a major amusement park convention in Orlando.
“Disney is an economic catalyst to the state of Florida generating billions in economic activity, either directly, or indirectly through its supply chain and the spending of employees,” said Adam Sacks, President of Tourism Economics, which did the study. “Disney is also vital to the funding of public services, as it generated taxes of $6.6 billion in 2022, including state and local taxes of $3.1 billion.”
16 comments
KathrynA
December 15, 2023 at 2:40 pm
Maybe we should also consider how many jobs are provided through Disney and because of Disney in the surrounding areas and all the taxes paid throughout the years. Why is Florida continuing to kick their biggest cash cow and tourist attraction? They should be mighty thankful for the tax dollars and tourism dollars brought into the state.
gatorgab
December 18, 2023 at 3:11 pm
I’d be interested in seeing what the taxing situation is for Disney in Paris, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Maybe someone can do the investigative reporting? But I bet they pay much more in taxes at those entities than they do in central Florida. How much do they pay in southern California?
Earl Pitts "Great American Thinker" American
December 15, 2023 at 3:34 pm
Good Afternoon America,
Bob just got off the phone with me begging for some relief on those property tax’s. He offered me a free week at Iger Island (the forner Epstien Island) if I would help him because in his words “they are broke”.
I told him I would see what I could work out for him, hung up the phone, and called The Esteamed F.D.L.E to investigate “Iger Island”.
Thank you America,
“The Right Reverend” Earl Pitts American
Earl Pitts is a Pedophile
December 15, 2023 at 3:50 pm
You would have had a good time at Epstein Island, child rapist.
Mickey Mouse
December 15, 2023 at 4:24 pm
Earl aren’t you the one on Florida sex offender list ??
Rick Whitaker
December 15, 2023 at 8:58 pm
WARNING TROLL COMMENT BY EARL SHITTS
Free Speech
December 17, 2023 at 7:42 pm
Uh oh, the Demo scrubbers are killing free speech once again.
ScienceBLVR
December 17, 2023 at 9:12 pm
So Disney World is assessed at a Half a billion? Isn’t that about the same amount Trump claims Mar a Lago is worth? Well sure, those two properties are about equal in value…
Free Speech
December 17, 2023 at 9:33 pm
Line through Disney and insert Trump. Watch the Demo’s lose their minds.🤣
tom palmer
December 17, 2023 at 9:37 pm
This is an annual discussion.
John
December 18, 2023 at 1:06 pm
If not for Disney, every Florida residents would be paying an outrageous state income tax. So stop the whining.
gatorgab
December 18, 2023 at 3:12 pm
I’d be interested in seeing what the taxing situation is for Disney in Paris, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Maybe someone can do the investigative reporting? But I bet they pay much more in taxes at those entities than they do in central Florida. How much do they pay in southern California?
gatorgab
December 18, 2023 at 3:14 pm
For more than a century, Hollywood studios and networks have been among the largest land-owning entities in Southern California and, as such, have benefited from Proposition 13, the state’s seminal, voter-approved amendment that caps taxes at 1 percent of a property’s assessed value at purchase.
That could all change this year. An effort to overhaul Prop. 13 is gaining steam with the help of a coalition of backers that includes Mark Zuckerberg and the California Teachers Association. If the ballot measure is successful, it could slap The Walt Disney Co., along with WarnerMedia, Fox Corp., ViacomCBS, NBCUniversal and Sony, with tens of millions of dollars more in taxes. In 2019, Disney forked over an estimated $55 million-plus in property taxes for Disneyland alone.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/disneyland-tax-bill-may-be-skyrocket-1269878/
Sonja Fitch
December 19, 2023 at 5:46 am
As much as I enjoy Disney, Disney is PAYING THEIR SHARES! If Desantis really looked at Disney , Disney is and has been one of the most positive businesses in Florida! Shut up Desantis! Oops lol Desantis you ain’t the law! Desantis how much Money have the board members “bought” you! Oops wait the Drug Dealers are probably up there with Disney! But the Drug Dealers DESTROY Florida taxpayer dollars!
gatorgab
December 19, 2023 at 2:43 pm
another out of control batshit crazy broad.
Sonja Fitch
December 19, 2023 at 5:49 am
Told you!! Disney pays it taxes ! Use the energy directed at Disney to control the damn DRUG DEALERs!
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