Lake Buena Vista
Lake Buena Vista is a municipality in Orange County, in Greater Orlando. It is home to Disney Springs, Typhoon Lagoon, the headquarters of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), Reedy Creek Improvement District, and most notably the headquarters of the Walt Disney World Resort.
Understand
It is one of two Florida municipalities, founded on July 3, 1969, controlled by the Walt Disney Company, the other being Bay Lake.
Lake Buena Vista is sited southwest of Orlando, between Orlando and Kissimmee, along the Interstate 4 corridor. Walt Disney's original plan for Lake Buena Vista included at least one futuristic living area, but was never built. This futuristic idea was later used at Epcot.
Get in
By plane
- Orlando International Airport (MCO IATA). The entry point for most international and domestic flights, is the closest airport (about 20 mi/30 km) to Lake Buena Vista. Airport security lines can become extremely long (1 hr), especially during the summer tourist season and near holidays. Combined with long check-in lines, it is advisable to arrive 2-3 hours before your scheduled departure. The airport offers transportation, shuttles, taxis, and car rentals while Disney offers its free Magical Express transportation from the airport to Disney World for visitors staying at the Disney World Resorts.
By car
Most visitors will arrive by taking Interstate 4 and then traveling west on exit 68 from I-4.
Get around
By public transit
LYNX, the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, offers limited bus service to Lake Buena Vista and Disney World, catering mainly to the workers in the Disney complex. Bus Link 50 connects the Magic Kingdom with Disney Springs. Bus Link 111 connects Disney with the Orlando International Airport.
By private bus
Many hotels on offer complimentary scheduled bus service to and from the Disney theme parks. Check with the hotel for details.
By car
Most convenient for getting around the sprawling theme parks complex. However, parking may be an issue if you do not go early.
Do
- Walt Disney World - the most well renowned theme park in the known universe. If you are in Lake Buena Vista, you are at Walt Disney World... sort of. The mailing address for the resort is Lake Buena Vista, but all of the theme parks are physically within the city of Bay Lake.
Buy
- Disney Springs has a large variety of specialty shops, including World of Disney (the largest Disney character store in the world) the Lego Imagination Center and an Harley-Davidson Motorcycles store. Access to Disney Springs does not require park entry fees.
- 🌍 Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores, 15657 S. Apopka Vineland Rd (State Road 535), ☏ +1 407 238-9301. M-Sa 10AM-9PM; Su 10AM-7PM. Free shopping shuttle from many area hotels (but not most Disney-branded properties), see website for schedule as well as outlet store coupons.
Eat
- 🌍 Carrabba's Italian Grill, 8702 Vineland Ave. Reasonably priced Italian food. Good service.
Sleep
Lodging in Lake Buena Vista is mainly for travelers visiting the Walt Disney World. Other cities and towns nearby offering lodging are: Celebration, Davenport, Kissimmee, and Orlando.
Hotels
- 🌍 Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando - Disney Springs Area, 2000 Hotel Plaza Blvd, ☏ +1 407-560-6111, toll-free: +1-800-348-3765, fax: +1 407 827-6390.
- 🌍 Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace Disney Springs Area, 1900 E. Buena Vista Dr, ☏ +1 407-827-2727. Located inside the Walt Disney Resort.
- 🌍 Rosen Inn Lake Buena Vista, 8442 Palm Parkway, ☏ +1 407-996-7300, toll-free: +1 800-999-7300. Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotel.
- 🌍 Courtyard Orlando Lake Buena Vista at Vista Centre, 8501 Palm Pkwy, ☏ +1 407 239-6900, toll-free: +1-800-787-3636, fax: +1 407 239-1287.
- 🌍 Delta Orlando Lake Buena Vista Hotel, 12490 Apopka Vineland Rd.
- 🌍 Fairfield Inn at the Marriott Village, 8615 Vineland Ave, ☏ +1 407 938-9001. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 10AM. Awarded with the 2009 Trip Advisor's Travelers' Choice Award as a Top 10 Family Hotel in the U.S, this Orlando area family hotel is playful and accommodating.
- 🌍 Hawthorn Suites, 8303 Palm Parkway, ☏ +1 407 351-6600.
- 🌍 Holiday Inn Orlando-Disney Springs Area, 1805 Hotel Plaza Blvd, ☏ +1 407 828-8888. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM.
- 🌍 Holiday Inn Resort Orlando-Lake Buena Vista, 13351 State Road 535 (take exit 68 from I-4 west and turn left on State Road 535; the hotel is about 1/4 mile further, on your left), toll-free: +1-877 834 3613.
- 🌍 Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort, 1 Grand Cypress Blvd, ☏ +1 407 239-1234. The 18-story, pyramid-shaped Hyatt Regency has three guestroom wings and a 200-foot atrium lobby. The hotel opened in 1984, and the rooms were completely renovated in 2001.
- 🌍 Lake Buena Vista Resort & Spa, 8112 Poinciana Blvd, ☏ +1 407 239-7100, toll-free: +1-866-401-2699. Condominium resort.
- 🌍 Marriott Residence Inn Lake Buena Vista, 11450 Marbella Palm Ct, ☏ +1 407 465-0075, fax: +1 407-465-0050. Features include accommodations for extended stay business visitors, or events at the nearby Orange County Convention Center.
- 🌍 AC Hotel by Marriott Orlando Lake Buena Vista, 12799 Apopka Vineland Rd, ☏ +1 407 597-3400. Quality rooms at a decent price. Free internet, although somewhat unstable.
- 🌍 Wyndham Lake Buena Vista (formerly Regal Sun Resort), 1850 Hotel Plaza Blvd, ☏ +1 407 828-4444, toll-free: +1-800-624-4109, fax: +1 407 828-8192. An official Walt Disney World Resort Hotel offering a character breakfast on Tu, Th and Sa.
- 🌍 Sheraton Lake Buena Vista Resort, 12205 S Apopka Vineland Rd, ☏ +1 407 239-0444.
- 🌍 SpringHill Suites Orlando Lake Buena Vista in Marriott Village, 8601 Vineland Avenue, ☏ +1 407 938-9001.
- 🌍 Hyatt Place Orlando/Lake Buena Vista, 8688 Palm Parkway (from 1-95: at exit 260B, take ramp right for I-4 West toward Orlando; at exit 68, take ramp right for SR-535 toward Kissimmee/Lake Buena Vista, turn right onto SR-535 N, turn right onto Palm Pkwy; if you reach Lake St, you've gone too far), ☏ +1 407 778 5500, toll-free: +1 407 778 5500.
Go next
- Tampa and Busch Gardens are one hour southwest on I-4.
- Miami is 235 mi (378 km) to the south, or about a 4-hr car ride. Accessing the Everglades National Park is common from Miami.
| Routes through Lake Buena Vista |
| Tampa ← Walt Disney World ← | W E | → Orlando → Daytona Beach |