Disney took advantage of a special tax district to effectively govern itself by hand-picking board members who received exclusive benefits and perks from the company, a new financial audit shows.

Disney showered board members and employees of the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) with perks and benefits over the district’s lifespan, according to a financial audit carried out by the new governing body installed by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in spring 2023.

“What is now evident is that Disney not just controlled the Reedy Creek Improvement District, but did so by effectively purchasing loyalty,” read a new report on the RCID’s past practices created by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD), the entity created by Florida to replace the RCID and oversee Disney World.

[Perhaps we should take this with a small grain of salt. The new board has plenty of reasons to accuse Disney of corruption after taking control of the RCID. On the other hand, we had heard about these lucrative benefits before in other reporting, and it’s very curious if true. Would any other business be allowed to shower tax-district officials with gifts whose value ran into the thousands of dollars? — Ed]