Florida Senate Approves Disney Monorail Bill

While The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and the Walt Disney Company prepare for their upcoming court battle, the Florida Senate passed a measure on Tuesday that would lead to state oversight for the Walt Disney World monorail system.

The Republican-controlled Senate voted to pass the bill along almost straight party lines.

Although a version of the transportation bill was passed by the House last week, because of the Senate changes, the bill will now return there for another vote.

Simply About Saftey?

Senate Transportation Chairman Nick DiCeglie (R-Indian Rocks Beach) argued that the new monorail inspection requirement is simply about safety.

“I personally, obviously, don’t think it is unreasonable for a monorail system that carries 150,000 people a day to have the state and their experts oversee in, what I think, is a very reasonable process that they have,” DiCeglie said.

Required State Monorail Inspections

While the new bill does not directly name Disney, the measure states that “any governmentally or privately owned fixed-guideway transportation systems operating in this state which are located within an independent special district created by a local act which have boundaries within two contiguous counties.”

That definition would apply to Walt Disney World’s Monorail system.

State Democrats tried to block the transportation bill, with Sen. Linda Stewart (D-Orlando) calling the plan “retaliatory.” Despite this, however, the bill is expected to pass.

The bill would require compliance reports every three years and an annual onsite evaluation.

Photo: Visit Orlando

As always, be sure to check back with MickeyBlog. We will continue to bring you updates on the ongoing feud between Governor Ron DeSantis and the Walt Disney Company.

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