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Disney World's impact on its surroundings has been considerable. The resort's attorneys, operating undercover, bought their property in the early '60s for about $185 an acre—but up to $300,000 an acre has since been paid for locations close to Disney World's gates. Disney's economists indicate that the park's opening eventually may add $6.6 billion annually to state income, including $343 million in new tax revenues. Along with the new regional prosperity, however, have come some eyebrow-raising "special arrangements." Florida's legislature, influenced by skillful lobbyists, in 1967 passed three major bills that make Disney World in effect a city-state. Florida law now gives the Disney interests absolute control of everything within their property lines, including police and zoning powers as well as some startling tax advantages. Eventually, more than 10,000 will be employed at Disney World once the projected hotels and an "experimental community of the future" are completed.
If Disney World encounters any real problems, they will probably center on the weather. "It's different from California, where we could use that beautiful climate most of the year," says Roy Disney, Walt's brother, who is board chairman of Walt Disney Productions. During summer, for example, central Florida is usually hot, humid and subject to daily thunderstorms. The odds are, however, that Disney luck will prevail. "The real strength of our company," said Brother Roy two years ago, "has been that Walt and the staff he built always seemed to be able to reach out and touch the heart of the public." Billfolds too. As Walt said about it before he died five years ago: "It will make money."