WDW from the air..a recent flight over the property

FLcastmember

New Member
Original Poster
I am a CM but also a pilot....on a recent day, i took a long flight over WDW....i have done this many times over the past year and i would like to share what i have noticed....

Construction....

Pop Century.....

...looks like this is going to be 2 seperate hotels....the first is near the access road that runs from the sports complex to the firestation near Epcot.....it has the main foodcourt building done (inside no idea) it also has 2 more hotel buildings up but without theming yet....a third has a fondation....the rest of the area has nothing but the parkinglot done.....there has been 0% added from jan 2002 when i first went over it......the second hotel.....it has all of its buildings up....all are themed....all pools are done BUT no water or chairs....most landscaping is done...all parkinglots are done (again no idea on insides)....there is a lake that seperates the 2 hotels with a bridge through the center.......the footprints of the buildings are 100% the same as the ALLSTAR complex......there has been little activity over the past year as far as contruction trucks are concerned.....when i see the pools with water and the chairs put out....i will let you know....that will be a clue of it opening soon

Mission Space.

..the building is smaller then the all of the other FW pavillions....still have the construction wall up in the back of the building....thats about it....

Bonnet Creak...

all the trees have been cleared.....the access road is nearly done....it is going to be really close to the CB resort....

DAK...

the propossed areas that the rumored new lands/attractions have always been cleared from the day they started the park, wile there has been no activity in this area over the past year....i can say that if they are going to build i think i know where .........there is an access road that goes all the way around the park...this road is right behind most lands, however, there is a large area between the road and the current developed areas.....this area is inbetween the train tracks and the water ride......very large cleared area that is just asking for something.....one thing more...that area near Camp MM and the Rainforrest Cafe that was rumored as a place for and Eticket IS VERY SMALL....maybe just big enough for one ride BUT not a whole land.....

MGM

they have paved one forth of the parking lot.....looks nice.....hope they do the rest...it needs it....

there is no room anywhere for this park to develop out.....it is surounded by the parking lot (allthought look at IOA and DCA both built on lots) on one side, the access road on another, world drive on the other, and the epcot resort area on the other.....

Epcot.....

from the Air, you can clearly see room for about 2 or 3 more "countries"......about that Land, Sea and Air rumor....there is room inbetween, but not as much as you would think....the shape of the Seas building and the Lion KIng theater in the Land add to making this area smaller then appaers from the park.....

well thats about all i have........
 

jaylenofan86

New Member
Cool! A fellow pilot! What type of airplane do you fly? I mostly fly a Piper Archer, but I have flown Piper Arrow, Cessna 172, Becch Ducthess and King Air, and Pilatus.
 

FLcastmember

New Member
Original Poster
I am a CFI so i have flown alot....C-152,C-172, PA-28, Mooney, Arrows, Seminols, Senecas, Duchess....ect ect....i have about 1000 total time....i work right here in KISM so i get to fly over WDW everyday.....The fireworks from the air are great!!


BTW....i dont have a camera...but if i did, i still dont have a scanner, but if i did, i would post pics EVERYDAY.....anyone want to buy me one??? i am a CM so a only make $6.35.......:) :( :) :( :) :( :) :( :) :(
 
He had mentioned that the M:S building wasnt that small. I think that this is goin to all be on something like back to the future at US but in a different way
 

jmarc63

New Member
Originally posted by FLcastmember
I am a CFI so i have flown alot....C-152,C-172, PA-28, Mooney, Arrows, Seminols, Senecas, Duchess....ect ect....i have about 1000 total time....i work right here in KISM so i get to fly over WDW everyday.....The fireworks from the air are great!!


BTW....i dont have a camera...but if i did, i still dont have a scanner, but if i did, i would post pics EVERYDAY.....anyone want to buy me one??? i am a CM so a only make $6.35.......:) :( :) :( :) :( :) :( :) :(


FL have you ever considered getting one of the disposiable types? When you get the film prossessed you can get a kodak photo CD of you pictures, that way you can download them for posting here.
 

Big Pooh

New Member
I'm just a dumb ol' country boy, so I want to make sure I'm understanding something here. You just got in an airplane and flew over the Disney property? Is that legal, and if so, is it safe for the guests to have every Tom, D i c k, and Harry out there flying private planes over the theme parks? Just thought I'd ask.

Cheers :wave:
 

FLcastmember

New Member
Original Poster
Originally posted by Big Pooh
I'm just a dumb ol' country boy, so I want to make sure I'm understanding something here. You just got in an airplane and flew over the Disney property? Is that legal, and if so, is it safe for the guests to have every Tom, D i c k, and Harry out there flying private planes over the theme parks? Just thought I'd ask.

Cheers :wave:


YES, we can, and we do, like we have been since 1971.....what do you want as to do, NOT fly anywhere there might be people outside??? 9/11 was done using BIG HEAVEY FUEL LOADED, fast moveing commercial airliners......me in my small Cessna could not do much...rember a few years ago, that guy who flew a plane into the WhiteHouse....just sorta hit the side and didnt do much.....they didnt ban Cessnas from flying over WDW then.....or that kid that flew a cessna into a bank in downtown Tampa....that broke a window and the plane didnt even go all the way into that room.....my point is, we are not much of a threat, and even if some "nut" wanted to, he could easily fly into anything he wanted with or without flight restrictions....you think they could get an F-16 in the air from MacDill AFB in Tampa all the way to WDW in time.........so what about a biological attack.....again, a terrorist could use a moving van just as easy as an airplane.......

..............i didnt mean to get off on a rant here, but i get upset at the attidude out there that banning all general aviation is the answer (Not you Pooh, you just didnt know any better, like most out there)

im sorry, im not trying to be rude.....just to inform all of you

basically, the FAA says that you must be at least 1000 feet over "open assemblies of people".....and 1000 feet over "populated areas".......there i a 2000 foot restriction over DAK, but that is true over most widelife areas.....

The White House, Capital, Cape canaveral, All US military bases....ect ect are prohibited or restricted.....then major sporting events....Super Bowl.....the Masters....things like that, are also restricted.......but not WDW, or any theme park, in fact, there are many Helicoptor tours that fly over everyday. Hope this helps.......

BTW, if anyone want to go flying when they are down here, send my a Private Messege....ill give you more info/prices.

thanks :) :) :)
 

Figment1986

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by FLcastmember
you think they could get an F-16 in the air from MacDill AFB in Tampa all the way to WDW in time
MacDill doesn't have them, i dont this they do at least. the news said they didn't.
 

jaylenofan86

New Member
I know! I feel the same thing when people think that banning GA aircraft will help! Anyway, my family is hoping to buy a house in Celerbration because the price for staying at the Grand Floridian in a suite is too much! My dad is also getting to know the owner of the Pilatus out here in Lincoln, California, good thing because we don't fly the airlines anymore!
 

Big Pooh

New Member
I did'nt say anything about banning GA aircraft, I was just asking a question. I did'nt know you could do that. BTW, I was'nt really thinking about 9/11 when I asked. I was thinking more about the safety of having someone that just got their license making a mistake and crashing into a crowded theme park. I know you have over 1000 hours flying time, but not everyone does. I apologize for upsetting or offending anyone.

Cheers :wave:

PS...I think GA stands for General Aviation. Am I right? So what does CFI and APT stand for?
 

jaylenofan86

New Member
It's ok. No problem. I'm sorry for offending anyone too. CFI stands for Certified Flight Instructor and ATP stands for Airline Transport Pilot.:D
 

Pixardust

New Member
I remembered speaking to a cast member or something years ago who told me that the airspace over WDW is restricted to anyone who isn't authorised to fly over it by Disney. I also remember hearing stories about a plane that flew over and was instructed to land on a Disney runway, and then wasn't allowed to take back off. The plane was then removed from the property via ground transport.

All I'm saying is that I don't really think that just anyone is allowed to fly over. I don't recall seeing much air traffic on any of my visits to the resort. Heck, I see more air traffic flying over my house. I've been to other interesting places around the country which have fly over tours: Smokey Mts., Grand Canyon, Rockies.. and they allow helicopters and small planes there. And it is definately noticable.

Despite your attack on the earlier post regard the 9-11 stuff.. I personally do think it would be a security problem to have any tom, ________, or harry pilot flying private flights over the resort. It isn't plausable that some terrorist would target WDW? High population, national touristism jewel. If Disney does let just anyone fly over, they should rethink!
 

jmarc63

New Member
It just occured to me ......... Aren't there some companies offering helecopter flights over WDW. I thought I remembered seeing ads for some company a while back?
 

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