Lake Buena Vista () is a city in
Orange County,
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...
, United States. It is mostly known for being the mailing address for
Walt Disney World
The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, ...
—although almost all of the resort facilities, including all four theme parks, are physically located in the adjacent city of
Bay Lake. It is one of two Florida municipalities inside the
Reedy Creek Improvement District
The Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) is the governing jurisdiction and special taxing district for the land of Walt Disney World Resort. It includes within the outer limits of Orange and Osceola counties in Florida. It acts with the sa ...
, which also contains
Walt Disney World
The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, ...
, the other being Bay Lake. The permanent residential population of Lake Buena Vista was 24 at the
2020 census.
Lake Buena Vista is part of the
Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Chapter 67-1965 of the Laws of Florida, incorporating the City of Reedy Creek, was signed into law by Governor
Claude R. Kirk, Jr.
Claude Roy Kirk Jr. (January 7, 1926 – September 28, 2011) was the 36th governor of the U.S. state of Florida (1967–1971). He was the first Republican governor of Florida since Reconstruction.
Early life
Kirk was born in San Bernardino, C ...
on May 12, 1967, the same day he also signed chapters 67-764 (creating the
Reedy Creek Improvement District
The Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) is the governing jurisdiction and special taxing district for the land of Walt Disney World Resort. It includes within the outer limits of Orange and Osceola counties in Florida. It acts with the sa ...
), also known as the
Reedy Creek Improvement Act, and 67-1104 (incorporating the
city of Bay Lake). It was located fully inside the Reedy Creek Improvement District. The city was controlled by
Walt Disney Productions
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October 1 ...
and allowed it powers that other area attractions had not had.
Chapter 69-1527, which became a law on July 3, 1969, without the governor's approval, redefined the city boundaries. The city was completely moved, taking over some land that had been part of the City of Bay Lake (and was given up by Chapter 69-836, which became a law the same day) and including some other land that had formerly been unincorporated. Soon after, the City of Reedy Creek was renamed to the City of Lake Buena Vista to better reflect its new location, through which Reedy Creek did not flow. "
Buena Vista Buena Vista, meaning "good view" in Spanish, may refer to:
Places Canada
*Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador, with the name being originally derived from “Buena Vista”
*Buena Vista, Saskatchewan
* Buena Vista, Saskatoon, a neighborhood in ...
" comes from the name of the street in
Burbank, California, where The Walt Disney Company is headquartered.
The Reedy Creek Improvement District had all the powers of the city and more, raising the questions of why cities needed to be incorporated inside it.
Walt Disney
Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
's original plans for the site included at least one futuristic living area, a planned "
community of the future". This was never built, but some of the ideas were incorporated into the
EPCOT theme park and later
Celebration, Florida
Celebration is a master-planned community (MPC) and census-designated place (CDP) in Osceola County, Florida, United States. A suburb of Orlando, Celebration is located near Walt Disney World Resort and originally developed by The Walt Disney C ...
. The only residents of the city are Disney employees and their immediate family members who live in a small community on Royal Oak Court, north of
Disney Springs
Disney Springs (previously known as Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village in 1975, Walt Disney World Village in 1977, Disney Village Marketplace in 1989, and Downtown Disney in 1997) is an outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex at th ...
. From 1971 to 2022, the only landowners are fully owned
subsidiaries
A subsidiary, subsidiary company or daughter company is a company owned or controlled by another company, which is called the parent company or holding company. Two or more subsidiaries that either belong to the same parent company or having a sa ...
of Disney, and rights-of-way for state and county roads.
Geography
Lake Buena Vista is located at (28.377362, –81.521728).
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (4.02%) is water.
Climate
The lake
Lake Buena Vista is a small body of water located east of the Buena Vista Golf Course, west of the crossing of
State Road 535 and
Interstate 4
Interstate 4 (I-4) is an Interstate Highway located entirely within the U.S. state of Florida, maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Spanning along a generally southwest–northeast axis, I-4 is entirely concurrent ...
. The lake, which was called "Blake Lake" before its acquisition by Disney, was named for Buena Vista Street in Burbank, California, where Disney's corporate headquarters are located. Several Walt Disney Company business entities had names containing "
Buena Vista Buena Vista, meaning "good view" in Spanish, may refer to:
Places Canada
*Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador, with the name being originally derived from “Buena Vista”
*Buena Vista, Saskatchewan
* Buena Vista, Saskatoon, a neighborhood in ...
", a
Spanish phrase that means "good view".
In 2015, guide maps for the
Disney Springs
Disney Springs (previously known as Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village in 1975, Walt Disney World Village in 1977, Disney Village Marketplace in 1989, and Downtown Disney in 1997) is an outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex at th ...
shopping, dining, and entertainment district started promoting Village Lake, which the district and
Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa is a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resort at the Walt Disney World Resort. The resort is the seventh Disney Vacation Club resort and is situated on the former site of the Disney Institute. It first opened on Ma ...
borders, as "Lake Buena Vista". The actual lake and the promoted lake are connected via a stream, which is crossed by a bridge linking Disney Springs' Marketplace area with Saratoga Springs Resort.
Demographics
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2000, there were 16 people, 9 households, and 5 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was 3.3 inhabitants per square mile (1.3/km). There were 11 housing units at an average density of 2.3 per square mile (0.9/km).
There were 9 households, out of which one had children under the age of 18 living with them, four were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, none had a female householder with no husband present. Four households were made up of individuals, one of whom was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.78 and the average family size was 2.40.
The age distribution was two under 18, none between 18 and 24, three from 25 to 44, six from 45 to 64, and five who were 65 or older. The median age was 53 years. The male-to-female ratio was 1:1.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,375, and the median income for a family was $62,500. Males had a median income of $60,000 versus $38,750 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $25,769.
Points of interest
*
Walt Disney World Resort
The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, ...
**
Typhoon Lagoon
Disney's Typhoon Lagoon is a water theme park located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida near Orlando, and is one of two operating water parks at the resort. It is the second water park to open at the resort, preceded ...
**
Disney Springs
Disney Springs (previously known as Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village in 1975, Walt Disney World Village in 1977, Disney Village Marketplace in 1989, and Downtown Disney in 1997) is an outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex at th ...
** Lake Buena Vista Golf Course
Government and infrastructure
The
Reedy Creek Improvement District
The Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) is the governing jurisdiction and special taxing district for the land of Walt Disney World Resort. It includes within the outer limits of Orange and Osceola counties in Florida. It acts with the sa ...
has its Fire Department Emergency Services station in
Bay Lake, near Lake Buena Vista.
Education
Lake Buena Vista is within
Orange County Public Schools
Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) is the public school district for Orange County, Florida. It is based in the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center in downtown Orlando. As of the 2021-22 school year, OCPS has an enrollment of 206,246 s ...
.
The only subdivision within Lake Buena Vista (Royal Oak Court) falls within the attendance zones of Sand Lake Elementary School, Southwest Middle School, and
Dr. Phillips High School
Dr. Phillips High School is a public high school in Dr. Phillips, Florida, United States, near Orlando.
It serves the Dr. Phillips census-designated place (CDP), the Bay Hill CDP, and the residential portion of Lake Buena Vista.
History
Dr ...
.
[Dr Phillips High School Zone]
Orange County Public Schools
Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) is the public school district for Orange County, Florida. It is based in the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center in downtown Orlando. As of the 2021-22 school year, OCPS has an enrollment of 206,246 s ...
Office of Pupil Assignment. July 31, 2008. Retrieved on April 21, 2017.
See also
*
Bay Lake, Florida
Bay Lake is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 29 at the 2020 census. It is named after a lake that lies east of the Magic Kingdom. All four of the Walt Disney World Resort theme parks, and one of Walt Disney ...
*
Reedy Creek Improvement District
The Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) is the governing jurisdiction and special taxing district for the land of Walt Disney World Resort. It includes within the outer limits of Orange and Osceola counties in Florida. It acts with the sa ...
Notes
References
External links
Informationat
Reedy Creek Improvement District
The Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) is the governing jurisdiction and special taxing district for the land of Walt Disney World Resort. It includes within the outer limits of Orange and Osceola counties in Florida. It acts with the sa ...
website
{{authority control
Cities in Orange County, Florida
Company towns in Florida
Greater Orlando
Populated places established in 1967
Cities in Florida
Reedy Creek Improvement District
1967 establishments in Florida