It seems that Disney is once again spending a lot of time and money suing the Orange County Property Appraiser. This is a different appraiser than the one they were fighting before. Previously Rick Singh was the Orange County Property Appraiser and he was replaced with Amy Mercardo, who is more amicable and will work with Disney more, having given them credits in the past, but apparently it’s not enough.
Disney is again challenging paying their share of property taxes.
At some point they can’t argue that every property appraiser is wrong but they are always right.
This time they are challenging many values including the theme parks.
- Magic Kingdom: $467 million
- Magic Kingdom’s Parking lot: $52 million
- EPCOT: $521 million
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $479 million
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $387 million
- Animal Kingdom Lodge: $164 million
- Art of Animation: $273 million
- Blizzard Beach: $58 million
- Caribbean Beach: $187 million
- Contemporary: $182 million
- Coronado Springs: $263 million
- Grand Floridian: $295 million
- Polynesian Village Resort: $154 million
- Pop Century Resort: $233 million
- Port Orleans: $417 million
- Yacht & Beach Club: $293 million
Disney has paid their current debts for 2022, but are disputing the over $100 million bill.
This is the same company that defends charging guests more for the “Disney brand” but then fought to have the same brand not be included in assessments.
Here is a quote about one of their appraisal lawsuits back in 2020 where they fought to get an entire appraisal method changed to not include the “Disney brand” as value.
“So Disney sued, arguing that Singh’s office overstated the value of its hotel property by illegally including the value of intangibles, like the Disney brand. Two industry groups that Disney helps fund — the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association — wrote legal briefs in support of the company.”
Well if the Walt Disney World theme parks are over assessed and aren’t as valuable as two different appraisers said, why are consumers paying more and more for the “Disney” name and “Disney difference?” Disney upcharges and uses their “brand” as a reason to justify the price tag, but demands they not be assessed on the same “intangible” they use to gouge consumers.
Why not let Disney just tell the Appraisal office what they want to pay and cut out the middle people?
Why have a property appraiser at all if every time they do their job Walt Disney World is going to claim it’s too high and try to get methodology changed in their favor?
Even when Disney wins, they fight it again the next year.
And now in 2022 they’ve filed two sets of lawsuits over their property taxes.
What do you think? Comment and let us know!
Source: BlogMickey
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