Bay Lake is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 29 at the 2020 census.[7] It is named after a lake that lies east of Magic Kingdom. All four of the Walt Disney World Resort theme parks, and one of Walt Disney World's two water parks, are in Bay Lake, though all Disney parks in the region have mailing addresses in nearby Lake Buena Vista.
Bay Lake is one of two Florida municipalities inside the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (formerly the Reedy Creek Improvement District) which also includes Walt Disney World, the other being Lake Buena Vista. Bay Lake is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Chapter 67-1104 of the Laws of Florida, incorporating the City of Bay Lake, was signed into law by Governor Claude R. Kirk, Jr. on May 12, 1967,[1][2] the same day he also signed chapters 67-764 (creating the Reedy Creek Improvement District, or RCID), also known as the Reedy Creek Improvement Act, and 67-1965 (incorporating the City of Reedy Creek). It was and still is located fully inside the RCID, and all its duties have been taken care of by the RCID. As fully described in Reedy Creek Improvement District, the city has always been controlled by the Walt Disney Company and has allowed them powers that other area attractions have not had.
Chapter 69-836 of the Laws of Florida, which became a law on July 3, 1969, without the governor's approval, redefined the city boundaries to exclude the easternmost part of Bay Lake. 69–1527, which became a law the same day, completely moved the city of Reedy Creek, with the land given up by Bay Lake included in the new city. Since then, Bay Lake has expanded to fill the original RCID west of Bonnet Creek, but the Reedy Creek Improvement District has expanded to include new land not in the city.
The RCID had all the powers of the city and more, raising the question of why cities were incorporated inside of it. Walt Disney's original plans for the site included at least one futuristic living area, a planned "community of the future". This was never built, but some of the ideas were incorporated into the EPCOT theme park. The later Celebration, Florida was deannexed from the city and the RCID in 1994 so the Walt Disney Company would not lose control of the district. The city is exclusively inhabited by Disney employees and their immediate families, residing in a community on the north shore of Bay Lake (on Bay Court). The only landowners are wholly owned subsidiaries of The Walt Disney Company, rights-of-way for state and county roads, and five five-acre (2.0 ha) parcels owned by senior Disney employees to grant them voting power in the Reedy Creek Improvement District.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 59.1 sqkm, of which 55.7 km2 is land and 3.5 km2 (5.86%) is water.[8]
The principal border that divides the cities of Lake Buena Vista to the east and Bay Lake to the west is the canal called Bonnet Creek, adjacent to Bonnet Creek Parkway. Most of the attractions associated with the Walt Disney World Resort are actually located within the City of Bay Lake, including all four theme parks.
The only long-term residents in Bay Lake live in a mobile home park on Bay Court, a street which, in 1987, was a dirt road. As of that year many employees wished to live in Bay Lake or Lake Buena Vista due to their proximity to their jobs.[9]
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, the City of Bay Lake has a humid subtropical climate zone (Cfa).
Demographics
2010 and 2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 29 people, 20 households, and 4 families residing in the city.[15]
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 47 people, 6 households, and 4 families residing in the city.[16]
2000 census
As of the census[17] of 2000, there were 23 people, 9 households, and 6 families residing in the city. The population density was 1.2 inhabitants per square mile (0.4/km2). There were 9 housing units at an average density of 0.5 per square mile (0.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was twenty-two whites (95.7%) and one
Points of interest
- Walt Disney World:
- Magic Kingdom
- EPCOT
- Disney's Hollywood Studios
- Disney's Animal Kingdom
- Disney's Blizzard Beach
- Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
- Disney's Wilderness Lodge
- Disney's Magnolia and Palm Golf Courses
- Shades of Green
- Disney's BoardWalk Resort
- Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Government and infrastructure
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District has its Fire Department Emergency Services station in Bay Lake (it has a Lake Buena Vista postal address).[18][19]
Education
Residents of Bay Lake (Bay Court) are zoned to schools in the Orange County Public Schools:[19]
Formerly it was zoned to the following:
- Bay Lake Elementary School[20]
- It opened in 2016, relieving Horizon West area elementary schools and making it one of three schools to open that year in the county. Myrlene Kimble was the school's first principal. The 94279 sqft building, with a capacity of 837 students, is on a 15 acre property. In fall 2016 it had 785 students.[21] Its design is similar to that of Independence Elementary School.[22]
- Bridgewater Middle School[23]
External links
- Official Website for the City of Bay Lake
- Information at Reedy Creek Improvement District website
References
- FLORIDA CITIES BY INCORPORATION YEAR WITH INCORPORATION & DISSOLUTION INFO www.flcities.com, retrieved March 18, 2024^
- MUNICIPAL DIRECTORY: City of Bay Lake retrieved October 29, 2025^
- City Council retrieved January 19, 2026