TWDC looking to move select facilities to Lake Nona

[AlexanderMBush]

Orlando Business Journal is hearing from their own sources, that The Walt Disney Company will be moving some of it's Burbank and California facilities--to Lake Nona, Florida.



This is more treated as a rumor, however it should be noted that Tesla and Oracle are moving out from California, and into all new facilities, made for futureproofing.

 

[Nick]

Wow. I imagine if they move something, it'd be imagineering since they'd be moving near the parks?

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

Smart move. And that's all I'm gonna say about that.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Wow. I imagine if they move something, it'd be imagineering since they'd be moving near the parks?

Imagineering would definitely be a wise move, however I wonder on Television and Film.

The State of Florida currently has a 20% Tax Break on film productions, and an additional 5% for television and indies. With TWDC moving to states where there are dedicated tax breaks in place, perhaps Disney, in seeing of the costs to operate in California; are working on a deal with State government to move select facilities.

 

[Nick]

Imagineering would definitely be a wise move, however I wonder on Television and Film.

The State of Florida currently has a 20% Tax Break on film productions, and an additional 5% for television and indies. With TWDC moving to states where there are dedicated contracts in place, perhaps Disney, in seeing of the costs to operate in California; are working on a deal with State government to move select facilities.

Interesting thought. Disney tends to prefer Atlanta for film though and you can't count on Florida keeping that tax break imo. Orlando does have quite a bit of infrastructure for film between USF Production Group, Full Sail, DAVE School, etc. Full sail has a pretty large backlot, as well.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Interesting thought. Disney tends to prefer Atlanta for film though and you can't count on Florida keeping that tax break imo. Orlando does have quite a bit of infrastructure for film between USF Production Group, Full Sail, DAVE School, etc. Full sail has a pretty large backlot, as well.

It's something to be extremely considering of. With the push from East Coast states, such as Atlanta, Florida, and Virginia incentivizing Tax Breaks to drive businesses; it'd be a question that could be raised.

Honestly with the way things are with Disney and DeSantis, I'd wonder if that's what the goal may be: to a collaboration that incentivizes thousands of jobs to come into the Florida area for film and television, spearheaded by The Walt Disney Company especially.

 

[belloq87]

Moving Imagineering to Florida would, in the long run, be a very good thing for projects at WDW, I think.

It would at least start to blunt the "Disneyland-centric" mentality that seems to dominate the division.

 

[GAcoaster]

I'd have to guess since moving Imagineering here would make sense, they won't do it.

Why Lake Nona rather than just building on the property they already own?

 

[AlexanderMBush]

I'd have to guess since moving Imagineering here would make sense, they won't do it.

Why Lake Nona rather than just building on the property they already own?

Perhaps it'd be so that whatever they'd be doing from Lake Nona, will have no affect to that of WDW's Operations and handling?

 

[Parkscope Joe]

WDI has a lot of facilities in Orlando already, so this would be a decentralization of the division.

At this point I'll believe it when I see it, there's no specifics. It could literally be Disney's gaming division (or what remains of it) so they can be closer to some game development in the Orlando area.

 

[Nick]

WDI has a lot of facilities in Orlando already, so this would be a decentralization of the division.

At this point I'll believe it when I see it, there's no specifics. It could literally be Disney's gaming division (or what remains of it) so they can be closer to some game development in the Orlando area.

Disney doesn't have a gaming division anymore. Like, at all. Everything they do for games now is licensed out to companies like EA, Square Enix, etc. EA is their go to for Star Wars and Square Enix they work with for Kingdom Hearts and the recent Avengers game. Disney isn't involved with the Spider-Man games, so that's Sony's thing.

Even mobile gaming they resource out.

 

[Legacy]

It could be as simply as moving their Celebration offices to a new location that is more accessible to a bigger potential work force.

 

[Nick]

It could be as simply as moving their Celebration offices to a new location that is more accessible to a bigger potential work force.

That wouldn't add up with what the article is saying about things moving from California, though.

 

[WAJAS]

I think the Lake Nona move makes sense. Close to WDW and the airport. An up and coming area and ready to be influenced by whichever corporations decide to locate there first. Not to mention that the city will likely give them some kickbacks for it, which couldn't happen at the current property.

 

[HandsomePete]

There are tons of location-agnostic analytical roles that they could pull out of California. There’s no reason why something like consumer products needs be in California. There are a lot of finance-type people out there who probably make 30-40% more than an equivalent role in FL. Plus, if people are leaving CA anyways to work remote, why would you keep the office there?

Lake Nona makes sense as well because there’s no need to clog up WDW with extra workers. I’m guessing that leasing an office building makes more sense than buying anyways.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Plus, if people are leaving CA anyways to work remote, why would you keep the office there?

My thoughts too. I'm not expecting some huge migration by the company to FL but I can see them buffing up their operations. Many companies have a secondary campus in another state.

 

[quinnmac000]

Think about why this is leaking and why DIsney would want it to be known.

This is way more political than anything and I'm going to leave it at that.

 

[Nick]

Think about why this is leaking and why DIsney would want it to be known.

This is way more political than anything and I'm going to leave it at that.

I mean, yes, but if it was something major they would've leaked to the NY Times, not the Orlando Biz Journal. Also, pretty much every company headquartered in California currently is looking to move out, so this isn't like Disney's leaving and keeping them in state will be a top priority. California has a lot bigger problems with bigger companies moving ALL operations out of the state, which is not what Disney is doing.

And in the end, Disneyland is still gonna be closed until the Summer probably. This won't change that if that's what you're implying.

 

[Magic Feather]

Right now, Disney’s CFL ops are weirdly scattered. From I-Drive to Celebration, Disney has really just snagged any good sized office space they can find in the tourist corridor.
Admittedly, I have an essay brewing on why they really should be on WDW property, but I digress. Lake Nona at least has enough space to where Disney could claim a decent chunk of land for offices.

that said, I doubt we see WDI abandon Flower Street as their flagship, and I struggle to see any media production moving. Maybe DPEP leadership?

 

[WAJAS]

Rumor has it that the new Lake Nona Building B for the downtown area is being purpose-built and designed for TWDC.