Can someone please explain the relevance of these two cities to Walt Disney World. I'm not 100% clear on why they were created and would appreciate the help.
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Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista Question
- Thread starter TheBeatles
- Start date
Lake Buena Vista is the town WDW actually resides in, not Orlando. I believe it is controlled by the Reedy Creek Improvement District (which means Disney-controlled)
Bay Lake is a town also under RCID jurisdiction, and it also refers to the lake on which the Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge, and Fort Wilderness reside. The former River Country water park used water from Bay Lake, and the extinct Discovery Island resides in the middle of the same lake.
Bay Lake is a town also under RCID jurisdiction, and it also refers to the lake on which the Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge, and Fort Wilderness reside. The former River Country water park used water from Bay Lake, and the extinct Discovery Island resides in the middle of the same lake.
Why not just create one big city, instead of two?
fireworkz
Active Member
A combined city of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista wouldn't exactly be a "big city". Bay Lake has a population of 22 while Lake Buena Vista has a population of only 16. The two "towns" are really only Col-de-sacs on different parts of the WDW property. The residents are all Disney Employees and their Families.
TerraServer Image of Lake Buena Vista
Bay Lake
As for why they were created - I don't know, might have been something to do with plans for Epcot (the city, not park) or maybe it was some kind of legal requirement to give Reedy Creek it's authority over the WDW lands. Maybe someone else can shed light on the real reason for it.
TerraServer Image of Lake Buena Vista
Bay Lake
As for why they were created - I don't know, might have been something to do with plans for Epcot (the city, not park) or maybe it was some kind of legal requirement to give Reedy Creek it's authority over the WDW lands. Maybe someone else can shed light on the real reason for it.
I meant why not just make Bay Lake the only city as opposed to creating two different ones.
DrWED
New Member
Actually all the theme parks are in the City of Bay Lake. I think Disney uses the Lake Buena Vista address because it ties in better with the other company names.
This map will illuminate. Cool to see monorails on such a government looking map.
Both of the cities were created at the same time as the Reedy Creek Improvement District. The existence of the cites has to do with Disney providing certain governmental functions, like fire and police. Wikipedia has interesting articles on both cities. Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista. LBV used to be the City of Reedy Creek.
The treehouses built near Downtown Disney were originally built with the idea that people would buy them and live there permanently, but that idea was discarded.
Both city councils, BL and LBV, meet at the RCID headquarters in the same room, right after one another for a half-hour each.
As others have noted, there are a small number of people that live in each city and I have often wondered where their driver's licenses say they live?
Cheers!
This map will illuminate. Cool to see monorails on such a government looking map.
Both of the cities were created at the same time as the Reedy Creek Improvement District. The existence of the cites has to do with Disney providing certain governmental functions, like fire and police. Wikipedia has interesting articles on both cities. Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista. LBV used to be the City of Reedy Creek.
The treehouses built near Downtown Disney were originally built with the idea that people would buy them and live there permanently, but that idea was discarded.
Both city councils, BL and LBV, meet at the RCID headquarters in the same room, right after one another for a half-hour each.
As others have noted, there are a small number of people that live in each city and I have often wondered where their driver's licenses say they live?
Cheers!
I guess I am just failing to understand why two cities had to be created instead of one.
Would it have been possible that Disney World could exist without being placed into a city or would that mean Disney World would have to become a city to have all the services Reedy Creek provides.
Would it have been possible that Disney World could exist without being placed into a city or would that mean Disney World would have to become a city to have all the services Reedy Creek provides.
I feel your pain. You've posed this question numerous times and several people have taken the time and trouble to post, only to respond with nothing more than, "Gee I don't know, but here's some other information that has nothing whatsoever to do with what you asked, but makes me sound knowledgeable". None, though, have offered even so much as a theory as to the answer to your question.
I do have one theory, though I'm not certain it's correct: WDW is actually in two different counties, Orange and Osceola. I'm not sure if I've ever heard one single city being in two different counties. So perhaps it was necessary to create two different cities and have Bay Lake within one of the counties and Lake Buena Vista within the other. Just a thought.
Wilt Dasney
Well-Known Member
Interesting to see both cities have mayors and city councils. So do their combined 38 residents vote in municipal elections, with roughly a quarter of the population on the ballot?
I think that you are on to something, Mickster. I pulled out my copy of "Building a Dream" by Beth Dunlop and on page 46 it states:
"Because Disney bought land in two counties, Orange and Osceola, he asked the Florida legislature to create a special drainage district called the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which made Walt Disney World literally it's own kingdom".
Captain Hank
Well-Known Member
I was about to speculate that it had to do with county lines, but after looking at the map, there doesn't seem to be any obvious reason for the deliniation of the boundries of the two cities. Both are wholly contained in Orange County. The only thing that jumps out at me is that the City of Lake Buena Vista contained all of the hotels that were run by Operating Participants at that time. (edit: well, they weren't there when RCID and the cities were created...but I'm sure they were planned)
Furthermore, according to the map, neither the All-Stars nor the Wide World of Sports are in either city. They're in RCID, but not incorporated. So...where are they, exactly?
Furthermore, according to the map, neither the All-Stars nor the Wide World of Sports are in either city. They're in RCID, but not incorporated. So...where are they, exactly?
Another theory that was brought to my attention...
Since the cities can issue tax-free bonds, two cities were set up so (if needed) they could float bonds between the two.
Since the cities can issue tax-free bonds, two cities were set up so (if needed) they could float bonds between the two.
Also check out the history page on this website http://www.wdwmagic.com/wdwhistory.htm
The first paragraph under "World's Largest Private Construction Project" hits on this topic.
The first paragraph under "World's Largest Private Construction Project" hits on this topic.
Rob562
Well-Known Member
You can see the county line on that map. It's the delineator between the red Bay Lake section and the purple Unincorporated section to the south. (At the very eastern end of the line you can see the labels "Oran" and "Osce" cut off by the edge of the map). Everything on Disney property is in Orange County except for the All-Stars, Wide World of Sports and a small cast support facility off of Sherbeth Road.
-Rob
disney9752
Member
lets not forget the maingate complex which has merchandise & entertainment office iss of 192 in osceola & ALL of celebration is in osceola also, which disney has numerous offices in.:wave:
Captain Hank
Well-Known Member
What I meant by that was, as the All Stars and WWOS are in neither Bay Lake nor LBV, what city (if any) are they actually in? Or are they just considered "in RCID?"
Both of them are in LBV