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Dear Central Florida Friends,
I wanted to be the first to share some hometown news with all of you, from a study by Oxford Economics that was announced today. The timing is especially meaningful since this week marks 58 years since Walt Disney and his big brother, Roy, held a press conference in downtown Orlando to announce their “Florida Project.”
This study, which was commissioned by Disney, shows the immense impact Disney has had on the state of Florida in the decades that followed – not just in establishing our area’s theme park industry, but in influencing other sectors that have created meaningful change for the people of this state. It also serves as a good reminder of all we’ve been able to accomplish together alongside many of you to help make our community stronger. Based on the calculations from Oxford Economics:
- In fiscal year 2022, Disney had a total economic impact of $40.3 billion in Florida.
- 263,000 total jobs, or 1 out of every 32 jobs in Florida, is attributable to Disney (including 1 in 8 that we directly support here in Central Florida).
- We at Disney World work with 2,500 small businesses based in Florida. These entrepreneurs and small business owners play an important role in bringing magic to life for our guests.
- $6.6 billion in tax revenue, including $3.1 billion in annual state and local tax revenue was generated by Disney, visitors, employees and third-party businesses.
Beyond these numbers, the greatest impact we make is in the lives of others – whether it’s our cast members volunteering to grant wishes with our friends at Give Kids The World Village, the work we do year-round with Second Harvest Food Bank or the grant donations we make to other nonprofits making a difference in Central Florida. We are committed to improving the lives of children and families as we work year-round to make a difference in this community we call home.
You can visit DisneyFlorida.com to read more about the study and some of the incredible people in our community whose lives we’ve been able to touch. Thank you for being part of our story as neighbors, friends, business partners and our Guests. You have been a key part of our magic, and we are thankful for your support.
Thank you,
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