SeaWorld Orlando welcomes a rescued orphaned Pacific Walrus Calf from the Alaska SeaLife Center. What’s Happening: SeaWorld Orlando announced the arrival of a rare rescued Pacific walrus calf from the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC), who is now receiving expert care from the facility’s esteemed animal care specialists. The orphaned calf discovered on the shores of Utqiagvik, […]
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A new court ruling in favor of Walt Disney World could potentially rake in millions in property tax refunds from Orange County Public Schools.
The decision in Disney’s favor was handed down on Monday, September 23 by Judge Thomas W. Turner after an eight-year-long legal battle over Disney’s claims that the Orange County Property Appraiser’s Office improperly calculated the value of Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts.
The property appraiser’s assessment of the resort for tax years 2015 and 2016 was “unconstitutional and invalid,” according to Judge Turner in his decision. “The appraiser substantially increased the amount of Disney’s tax bill by unlawfully including value attributable to Disney’s intangible property.” Here, the judge specifically meant Disney’s brand, managerial skills, and workforce.
A total refund amount has not been determined, but Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph said Disney could receive $2 million for property taxes paid on the resorts in 2015 and 2016. However, Randolph also said that Disney could get nearly $80 million if the ruling is applied to all of its Walt Disney World Resort hotels.
Techincally the ruling only applies to the Yacht and Beach Club Hotel and only for those two years, but the disagreement on which it’s based upon, the valuation determination, is the basis for all their litigation on all the hotels of Disney since 2015.
Scott Randolph, Orange County Tax Collector
Randolph also indicates that Orange County Public Schools put aside about $80 million in the event the lawsuit was decided in Disney’s favor, per his encouragement. The amount is, according to Randolph, the equivalent of paying a $6,000 retention bonus to every teacher in the district or building about three new elementary schools.
School officials did not respond to the Orlando Sentinel’s request for comment, nor did Disney or its lead counsel.
According to Ana C. Torres, general counsel for Orange County Property Appraiser Amy Mercado, an appeal to the decision is under consideration.
Disney originally filed this lawsuit in 2016, after the assessed value of Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club increased 118% from $154 million in 2014 to $336 million in 2015, “although there was no material renovation or expansion,” said the judge. Disney followed up by suing then-Property Appraiser Rick Singh, who “had lumped Disney among the ‘fat cats’ he was fighting to force them to pay their fair share,” per the Sentinel. Singh lost in 2020 to Mercado, who won a second term in August when her re-election challenger withdrew.
In a brief submitted by Mercado’s lawyers last month, they argue that Disney had “enjoyed many years of artificially low assessments” and insist that the increase in 2015 corrected that error.
Due to a state law preventing commercial property taxes from increasing more than 10% a year unless the assessing authority is a school district, only Orange County Public Schools received the full amount of the tax increase from the 2015 appraisal.
Source: Orlando Sentinel
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Walt Disney World has shared a sneak peek at the dishes, drinks & desserts during the 2024 Jollywood Nights Christmas Party at Hollywood Studios. This food guide offers a full list and photos of the snacks and other special items available for purchase during this hard ticket event, followed by ‘constructive’ commentary at the end. […]
The post Food Guide for 2024 Jollywood Nights Christmas Party at Disney’s Hollywood Studios appeared first on Disney Tourist Blog.
The new series, which showcases one year of several Top Rank Boxing stars, will give viewers a new perspective at the business of boxing. What’s Happening on ESPN: Variety reports that ESPN has picked up The Fight Life. The 5-part docuseries will follow boxing superstars Tyson Fury, Naoya Inoue, Seniesa Estrada, Teofimo Lopez, and Josh Taylor. […]
The post ESPN Picks Up “The Fight Life” — The New Boxing Series Will Premiere Next Month on ESPN+ appeared first on LaughingPlace.com.
Marketplace Starbucks in Disney Springs has reopened after a brief two-week closure for a small refurbishment.
The Marketplace Starbucks started a brief two-week refurbishment earlier this month. Luckily, there are two Starbucks locations in Disney Springs; the West Side Starbucks remained open for guests.
Marketplace Starbucks has appeared to have had an exterior refresh. There are no major changes, but the woodwork on the facade seems to have been cleaned up. Before the refurbishment, the wood appeared to start rotting under the Floridian elements. Now, it is dark and clean again.
It also appears that they have added some black ceiling fans to the exterior queue space. Other than those changes, it seems the majority of the work was back-of-house.
Are you excited to have the Marketplace Starbucks back open? Do you have a preferred Disney Springs Starbucks? Let us know in the comments below.
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Disney Parks Blog has revealed the foodie guide for Disney Jollywood Nights coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios select nights from November 9th through December 21st, 2024. Remember, this is a separate ticketed event. What’s Available: The Trolley Car Café: Food Item: Agent P Croissant: Waffle croissant dipped in caramel-chocolate and topped with mint cream, a chocolate […]
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In addition to the great selection of Disneyland foods offered inside the parks and onsite hotels, you’ll find several can’t-miss dining experiences at Disneyland’s shopping and dining district Downtown Disney. Downtown Disney is in the midst of a major expansion to introduce new experiences for guests and has recently opened some impressive new dining locations. Some highly […]
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Are you hoping to meet princesses on your next voyage aboard Disney Cruise Line? Here is everything you need to know about scoring a Royal Gathering so you can enjoy …
The post Everything to Know About Royal Gatherings on Disney Cruise Line appeared first on KennythePirate.com.
Walt Disney World Resort has confirmed its first closure ahead of Hurricane Helene making landfall this week, as Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon is set to temporarily close.
Walt Disney World has confirmed that Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, September 26, for Hurricane Helene. This is the resort’s first closure in anticipation of whatever severe weather the storm brings to Central Florida.
The Walt Disney World website currently lists operating hours for the water park as 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, September 27, so it seems that Disney anticipates operating the park as normal once the storm passes.
Tropical Storm Helene strengthened to hurricane status earlier this morning and is anticipated to hit the state of Florida as a Category 3 hurricane.
Stay tuned for more operational updates from Walt Disney World as the storm approaches.
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The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has issued a new update, confirming that Tropical Storm Helene has strengthened into Hurricane Helene, and is expected to hit Florida as a major Category 3 hurricane.
Though the cone model has not changed since this morning’s update from the NHC at 8 a.m. ET, the 11 a.m. advisory has now labeled the storm as Hurricane Helene. Currently a Category 1 with 80 mile-per-hour sustained winds, the storm is expected to strengthen to a Category 3 storm before it hits Florida, per the Orlando Sentinel.
Over the next couple of days, Helene will be moving through an environment of low vertical wind shear, ample environmental moisture, and over waters of high oceanic heat content. All guidance forecasts steady to rapid intensification.
Jack Beven, National Hurricane Center Hurricane Specialist
Orange County, where Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort are located, is still under a tropical storm warning as of the time of publication. Universal recently announced that Universal Volcano Bay Water Theme Park would be closed on Thursday, September 26 due to Hurricane Helene.
Storm surge and hurricane warnings have been issued for the Gulf Coast of Florida, with the current model showing the storm making landfall along the state’s Big Bend. Per WESH 2, Hurricane Helene is currently located about 500 miles south-southwest of Tampa. The storm is expected to move across the Eastern Gulf of Mexico today and tomorrow — Wednesday, September 25, and Thursday, September 26 — and reach the Gulf Coast of Florida late Thursday.
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