Lake Buena Vista

Lake Buena Vista is a municipality in Orange County, East Central Florida. Known mainly as home to the world famous Disney World, Lake Buena Vista is situated by the Disney theme parks and is controlled by The Walt Disney Company. Founded in the 1960s, 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. Lake Buena Vista is sited southwest of Orlando, between Orlando and Kissimmee, along the Interstate 4 corridor.

Travel to Lake Buena Vista - Visa Requirements

By Air

• Orlando International Airport (MCO), located south of Downtown Orlando, is the closest airport (about 20 miles) to Lake Buena Vista. The Airport[1] offers transportation, shuttles, taxis, and car rentals. Disney offers its free Magical Express transportation[2] from the airport to Disney World for visitors staying at the Disney World Resorts.

The Orlando International Airport is structured such that there is a central "landside" terminal, which contains airline counters, baggage claim, car rental agencies, ground transportation, and a hotel. This central landside terminal is connected via trams to four satellite terminals (known as "Airside 1-4") with the airplane gates. There are plenty of shops in both the central terminal and the airsides, but most restaurants are located in the airsides. Security screening is performed in the central terminal before taking the tram to the airsides and, as in all US airports, only ticketed passengers are allowed past security. Security lines can become extremely long (1 hour), especially during the summer tourist season and near holidays. Combined with long check-in lines and tram wait, it is advisable to arrive 2-3 hours before your scheduled departure.

By Car

• Interstate 4 - Go west on Exit 68 from I-4 North or South to get to Hotel Plaza and then Downtown Disney.

Tours and Getting around Lake Buena Vista

By public transit

• LYNX[3], 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 Downtown Disney. Bus Link 111 connects Disney with the Orlando International Airport.

By taxi

• Orlando Cab Co. 407-575-7757 [4]

You can also get around by Towncar Service / Limousine service or even a Luxury Van *Premier Exotic Limousine, +1 321 206-3308, [5].

By private bus

Many hotels on Hotel Plaza Blvd. 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.

Lake Buena Vista tourist attractions and sightseeing

• Cirque Du Soleil: La Nouba, Downtown Disney West Side, ☎ (407) 939-7600, [6]. One of a kind theatrical performance with amazing acts of human skill and strength. 

Lake Buena Vista city tours

• Disney World - the most well renowned theme park in the United States. If you are in Lake Buena Vista, you are at Disney World.

Lake Buena Vista souvenirs and shopping

• Downtown Disney has a large variety of specialty shops, including Magic Master (a magic shop) and Virgin Mega Store. Access to Downtown Disney does not require park entry fees.

Lake Buena Vista Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

• House of Blues, 1490 E Buena Vista Dr, ☎ (407) 934-2583, [7]. Cajun flavor and a wide variety of musical entertainment. 
• Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining, 1482 E Buena Vista Dr, ☎ (407) 938-9653, [8]. Gourmet, high end dining at Downtown Disney. 

Lake Buena Vista nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

Lake Buena Vista cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

Lodging in Lake Buena Vista is mainly for travellers visiting the Walt Disney World Resort. Other cities and towns nearby offering lodging are: Celebration, Davenport, Kissimmee, and Orlando.

• Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa, 1900 Buena Vista Dr. PO Box 22206(Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830), ☎ 866-397-6516, [9]. Located inside The Walt Disney Resort 

• Best Western Lake Buena Vista Resort Hotel, 2000 Hotel Plaza Boulevard, ☎ +1 407 828-2424(toll free: +1 800 348-3765, fax: +1 407 827-6390), [10].  
• Courtyard Orlando Lake Buena Vista at Vista Centre, 8501 Palm Parkway, ☎ +1 407 239-6900(toll free: +1 800 787-3636, fax: +1 407 239-1287), [11].  
• Holiday Inn, 1805 Hotel Plaza Blvd., ☎ +1 407 828-8888, [12].  

• Southern Select Villas, 148 Heather Lynn Dr, Davenport, +1 863 420-1488, [13] or book online 24/7 [14]. Beautiful three to six bed homes minutes from Disney and all have private pools! Exclusively offering Five Star Concierge Service that offers discounts on theme park tickets, FREE shuttles, and much more!

• VillasInOrlando.net, 842 Sussex Drive, Davenport 33896, +1 863 420-9122, [15]. We are a WIKI based community website for owners in Davenport, Orlando Florida - You can review and search around 200 2,3,4,5,6 & 7 Bed Villas and Vacation Rental Homes. Owners Advertise Free and the website is not for profit, you can be assured that the rental prices are excellent value.
• Orlando Welcome Center Hotels(Orlando Welcome Center Hotels), ☎ 407-641-5436, [16]. Orlando Florida Area Properties. Call One Of Our Vacation Specialists For Rates and Availability 407-641-5436  
• Advantage Vacation Homes, 7799 Styles Blvd(South), ☎ 407-396-2262, [17]. checkin: 4pm; checkout: 10am. An exiquisite collection of over 200 vacation homes and resort condos near the Walt Disney World Resort. 

Get out

• Orlando, just northeast of Lake Buena Vista on I-4, is where SeaWorld-Orlando and Universal Orlando Resort are. Downtown Orlando is 20 minutes northeast on I-4.
• Tampa and Busch Gardens are one hour southwest on I-4.

This page was last edited by Wikitravel user Msainz. Based on work by Jesse Miers, Peter Fitzgerald, George Miziuk, Carson Roen, David, Tina Woodall, Hotel Maker Bot and Ryan Holliday, Wikitravel user(s) Vkw and Fzorayq and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license