Effective immediately, a 25% “Mickey Mouse Tax” will be added to every purchase made at Disney World and Disneyland. This includes resorts, food, drinks, and merchandise. This sudden decision leaves many park-goers scratching their heads and wondering if their beloved mouse has become a greedy rodent.

The "Mickey Mouse tax" is a colloquial term often used to refer to the financial and governance changes surrounding the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD), which was formerly known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID). For over 50 years, the Reedy Creek district allowed Disney to effectively function as its own government, providing its own fire protection, utilities, and infrastructure while paying taxes to itself. Following a political dispute in 2022 and 2023, the Florida Legislature passed a law that replaced Disney’s self-selected board with one appointed by the state governor. While the term "Mickey Mouse tax" can sometimes be used jokingly by tourists to describe the high costs of visiting the parks, in a legal and political context, it refers to the additional tax assessments and regulatory fees that Disney must now navigate under state-level oversight. This change shifted the responsibility of paying for infrastructure from a private corporation to a more publicly controlled entity, which remains a subject of significant legal debate and media attention as the district manages its multibillion-dollar budget.