DeSantis-appointed Disney World district eyes $100M roadway improvements

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District is looking to fund nearly $100 million in transportation projects at Walt Disney World.

According to the latest meeting documents, the board wants approval of about $100 million for projects on World Drive North, North Buena Vista Drive for “bridge replacements,” Buena Vista Drive and Western Way “interchange improvements,” Western Way road widening, and resurfacing of portions of Buena Vista Drive and World Drive.

World Drive is one of the main roads at the resort, along with Buena Vista Drive, both roads of which guests, crews and the resort’s complimentary buses rely on for park transportation.

“With the continuous growth in surrounding population and anticipated development within the district, there is a pressing need to expand and enhance our roadway network to meet the escalating traffic demands requiring the funding and execution of large capital projects,” the district administration’s request said.

The board’s announcement comes as a new chapter recently began between it and Walt Disney World with the end of legal battles, both with the board and with Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The resort this year reportedly began moving forward with the largest expansion ever to its prime theme park, the Magic Kingdom.

Amidst the end of such legal battles, DeSantis extended an olive branch to Disney and called on the resort to amp up competition with Universal Orlando Resort, which is primed to open a third, state-of-the-art theme park called “Epic Universe.”

“It’s just gonna be a huge game changer,” DeSantis recently said. “It’s bigger than [Universal’s] other two parks combined. I’ve got to think that Disney would want to answer that [to] keep up with the competition.”

“I’ve got to think Disney would have an interest in maybe offering another one,” he said. “The district will be ready to negotiate something.”