Bay Lake (Florida lake) 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 in Orange County, Florida, USA. It is about 1 mile (1,600 meters) wide and 35 feet (11 m) deep. This lake is located inside Walt Disney World property, right next to the Magic Kingdom.
Bay Lake is shaped like a triangle. A special group called the Reedy Creek Improvement District manages it. The lake is connected to another Disney-made lake, the Seven Seas Lagoon, by a water bridge.
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What's Around Bay Lake?
Bay Lake is surrounded by several fun Disney resorts. These include Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Disney's Contemporary Resort, and Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. There are also Bay Lake Tower and Wilderness Lodge Villas, which are part of Disney Vacation Club.
All these resorts have a place called a marina where you can rent boats. You can also catch transportation boats that travel regularly 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 north corner of the lake, there is a service area where the transportation boats are kept at night.
Islands in Bay Lake
Bay Lake has two islands.
Discovery Island
The biggest island is Discovery Island. It is in the middle of the lake, right across from where Disney's River Country used to be.
Discovery Island was once a wildlife sanctuary where people could walk around and see animals. It was open from 1974 until 1999. It closed because it was similar to the new Disney's Animal Kingdom park.
Today, the island's shorelines are covered in wildlife. You can still see the original dock and a maintenance dock from the Wilderness Lodge side. Both of these docks are now gated off.
Shipwreck Island
The smaller island is called Shipwreck Island. It is located between the Contemporary and Wilderness Lodge resorts. You can see it right in front of the water bridge.
Fun Things to Do on Bay Lake
Bay Lake is mostly used for boating and other water activities. You can rent boats at the marinas connected to the lake. There are also two more marinas on the Seven Seas Lagoon that offer boat rentals.
You are not allowed to fish in Bay Lake unless you book a special fishing trip beforehand. After dark, you can even go on fireworks cruises on Bay Lake!
The northern part of the lake is used for watersports. These activities are run by Sammy Duval Watersports at the Contemporary Resort. Sometimes, triathlons are held on the lake, usually starting from the Fort Wilderness Campground.
Transportation boats also run regular routes from the three resorts on Bay Lake. Some of these boats even go to the Magic Kingdom.
See also
In Spanish: Lago Bay (Florida) para niños
