The Lake Buena Vista STOLport

So you're on your way to the Magic Kingdom and, after you pass through the auto plaza, you notice something on your right - it looks like a small, skinny parking lot and construction area. What is this? Why is it there?

Screen Capture from Google Earth

What you see is the Lake Buena Vista STOLport. Believe it or not, Walt Disney World used to have its own private airstrip! A STOLport (STOL standing for Short Take-Off and Landing) was an airport that consisted of a runway less than 5000 feet long. STOLports could only accept certain airplanes (as many could not take off and land on such small runways) and were meant to provide regional transportation. Opening just weeks after the Magic Kingdom, Disney's runway was 2000 feet long and consisted solely of a runway, taxi ramp, and a 4 plane parking lot - there was no terminal building (imagine that in the Florida weather!). Plans to expand were made, but were never realized. Disney made agreements with both Shawnee Airlines and Executive airlines to provide guest transportation to and from a variety of locations in Florida. One of these locations was the Orlando Jetport at McCoy (later renamed Orlando International Airport - now you know where "MCO" comes from). The goal was that guests could fly into a local airport, and then take these smaller planes right into the resort. Unfortunately, both of these airlines went out of business and flights ceased in late 1972. The STOLport didn't service guests for years and seemed doomed with the expansion of MCO in 1981. The final dagger came with the opening of EPCOT Center in 1982 and the expansion of the monorail. The expansion brought the track right in front of the airstrip and, because of safety reasons, airplanes were no longer allowed to land.

For a more detailed look at the Lake Buena Vista STOLport (and some cool pictures), check out this article over at Progress City.