The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (formerly the Reedy Creek Improvement District), has been enforcing some changes lately.
©Central Florida Tourism Oversight District
Earlier this month, the governing district held a board of supervisors meeting that resulted in the removal of a long-held benefit for its employees. That benefit granted employees free access to the Disney World parks (essentially a Disney World Annual Pass). Now, following backlash from that decision, the board has decided to put in place a new system to benefit its employees.
According to the Associated Press, the district will now pay a stipend to employees whose free passes and discounts were taken away earlier this month.
©Central Florida Tourism Oversight Board Livestream
Previously, the board had floated around the idea of increasing wages by $1,425 in lieu of the perk. Another potential replacement was a stipend program that would give Reedy Creek district employees about $1000 per year.
Reedy Creek Building
With this new decision, employees will be given $3000 per year, which was unanimously approved by the board. These board members said they have taken to heart the criticism of employees, “who said the free passes gave them lasting memories with their families and allowed relatives to see the fruits of their work.”
Reedy Creek Improvement District
However, the board said that 70% of free passes were left unused last year, so this could provide the individualized flexibility that they reportedly were trying to reach with the new system. We’ll keep an eye out for any updates, so stay tuned to DFB for more!
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More than fair
Can someone please explain to me how this makes any sense. The board said it was costing them millions of dollars every year to give out free passes to employees that worked for Reedy Creek, which were about $1400 per employee, essentially an annual pass. So they stopped giving them out. The employees bitched about it, saying they would take family and friends to the park, which I would assume that they did spend money on food, drinks and some souvenirs. Now Reedy Creek said that 70% of the passes went unused, which would mean the ones that went unused didn’t cost anything. So to make up for the removal of the passes they are going to give everyone $3000. So the 70% of the people that didn’t use the free passes and cost them anything, will now get $3000. Wouldn’t this cost them more money in the long run? I’m very confused…