Bay Lake (Florida) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bay Lake |
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 Bay Lake
Location in Florida
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| Location | Bay Lake, Florida |
| Coordinates | 28°24′58″N 81°34′04″W / 28.41611°N 81.56778°W |
| Type | Lake |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Managing agency | Reedy Creek Improvement District (Disney Parks, Experiences and Products) |
| Max. width | 1 mi (1,600 m) |
| Max. depth | 35 feet (11 m) |
| Islands | 2 (Discovery Island and Shipwreck Island) |
| Settlements | Bay Lake, Florida (see also Bordering resorts and points of interest) |
Bay Lake is a natural lake located in Orange County, Florida. It is about 1 mile (1,600 meters) wide and 35 feet (11 m) deep. You can find it at the northern end of the Walt Disney World property, right next to the Magic Kingdom.
Many visitors to the Magic Kingdom use a ferry boat across Bay Lake from the Transportation and Ticket Center. You can also reach the park by monorail, which travels along the edge of the lake, or by Disney buses. The lake has a rough triangular shape and is managed by the Reedy Creek Improvement District. It connects to the Seven Seas Lagoon, which was made by Disney, through a special water bridge on its western side.
Contents
Resorts and Fun Spots Around Bay Lake
Bay Lake is surrounded by three popular resorts:
- Disney's Wilderness Lodge
- Disney's Contemporary Resort
- Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
Two other places, Bay Lake Tower and Wilderness Lodge Villas, are also nearby. These are part of the Disney Vacation Club. All three main resorts have a marina where guests can rent boats for fun on the water. There are also regular transportation boats that travel between all the resorts.
On the southwest side of the lake, you can still see parts of Disney's River Country. This was Disney's very first water park. In the far northern part of the lake, there is a dry dock area. This is where the transportation boats are stored at night. East of the dry dock, there are docks for recreational boats used by people living in the city of Bay Lake.
Islands in Bay Lake
Bay Lake has two islands. The biggest one is Discovery Island, located in the middle of the lake. From 1974 to 1999, Discovery Island was a wildlife sanctuary where people could walk around and see animals. It closed because it was similar to the new Disney's Animal Kingdom park. You can still see the old dock and some parts of the attractions on the shore.
The smaller island is called Shipwreck Island. It sits between the Contemporary and Wilderness Lodge resorts, right in front of the water bridge.
What Bay Lake is Used For
Bay Lake is mainly used for fun activities on the water. You can rent boats at the three marinas connected to the lake, and also at two more marinas on Seven Seas Lagoon.
Fishing is generally not allowed in Bay Lake, except for special fishing trips that you need to book in advance. After dark, you can even go on fireworks cruises on Bay Lake to watch the shows. The northern part of the lake is set aside for watersports, which are run by Sammy Duval Watersports at the Contemporary Resort.
Several times a year, triathlons are held, often starting from the Fort Wilderness Campground. Also, transportation boats run regular routes from each of the three resorts. Some of these boats also take guests directly to the Magic Kingdom.
See also
In Spanish: Lago Bay (Florida) para niños
