The Orlando Sentinel has uncovered expansion plans for Universal Studios Orlando that includes two new hotels, new convention space, and about 300 apartments for their employees. Of course this raises questions about the employer/tenant relationship which always complicates things if an employee quits, is fired, or even works a second job. With low income housing in demand in Anaheim, might this be the future for Disneyland?
Oddly there is no word in this story about the impending move of Wet-n-Wild, which Universal owns, but will be forced to move when the lease on its current property runs out.
In the late 1980’s, I lived in a Disney-owned condominium complex that was just outside of the the Disney Village in Orlando. I’m not sure if it still exists, but it was where they would house most of the the International cast members (I was a Canadian cast member). At any rate, Disney financed the buliding through thier “Armada” development company, and so I paid rent to an outside property management company, and enjoyed all the same rights and responsibilites as any renter would ordinarily expect. In other words, if I lost my job, I was free to stay and pay.
I have to tell you though, as I lived so close to the Village, I would purchase all of my neccessities there, and then pay rent, power, and phone to subsidiaries of Disney… which together ulimately creates a somewhat feutalist system for the cast members, and more and more income for Disney.
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