CFTOD Approves Employee Stipend After Removing Disney Annual Pass Benefits

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) Board has voted unanimously to give the employees an annual $3,000 stipend after they removed the Walt Disney World Annual Pass benefit.

This new stipend is said to be close to the equivalent value of the Annual Pass benefit and a more standard way to give employees some kind of perk. Previously, those with larger families were given more benefits than those with smaller families. This amount is being given to everyone equally. If an employee wants to use it to purchase Annual Passes, they can do so.

A change was made after the Board was hit with a bill for over $555k for the first quarter of the 2022 fiscal year. The invoice they received ran from Oct. 1, 2021, to Dec. 31. 2021 and outlined “special perks” totaling the following.

• $492,382.96 for them park tickets
• $16,837.39 for merchandise discounts
• $4,969.52 worth of food and beverage discounts
• $3,764.48 in water parks discounts

In a statement, the CFTOD board said that in one fiscal year $2.5 million was paid out for these benefits.

“For decades, the former Disney-run RCID used taxpayer funds to provide season passes and amusement experiences to its employees and their family members, cover the cost of discounts on hotels, merchandise, food, and beverages, and give its own board members VIP Main Entrance passes. In 2022 alone, it cost taxpayers over $2.5 million.”

Employees had previously addressed the board when they were only going to be offered a $1,000 stipend, indicating that they felt that the free Annual Passes gave them and their families the ability to visit the parks when they otherwise couldn’t afford to.

The Board agreed and tripled the original amount. However, it was noted that only 30% of the theme park passes were used, leaving 70% unused and, therefore a factor in the decision to give employees a cash stipend instead of passes.

CFTOD argued the reason for the change was that the passes were only for Walt Disney World and, therefore, only benefited that company.

“The arrangement was self-serving to the company because it funneled money back to Disney, with the district footing the bill”

The new policy will take effect on October 1, 2023 and will last two years. At that point the board can choose to renew it.

Full-time employees will receive the $3,000 stipend, and new employees will need to complete their 90-day probationary period to receive the stipend. The money is subject to applicable tax withholding requirements.

Retired employees and their families have various criteria for who can receive the annual benefit.

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Source: Yahoo Finance,