Overview
Lake Buena Vista is a municipality in Orange County, in Greater Orlando. It is home to Disney Springs, Typhoon Lagoon, the headquarters of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), Reedy Creek Improvement District, and most notably the headquarters of the Walt Disney World Resort.
8 things to do · 1 places to eat · 17 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Lake Buena Vista
Disney's Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Disney's Typhoon Lagoon
Disney's Blizzard Beach
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Oct–Apr. Summer highs reach about 92°F; winter lows dip to about 50°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jun and Aug. (climate data from nearby Orlando)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- MCO Orlando International Airport, Orlando — 13 mi away (major hub). Directions
- SFB Orlando Sanford International Airport, Orlando — 32 mi away (major hub). Directions
Most visitors will arrive by taking Interstate 4 and then traveling west on exit 68 from I-4.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Epcot, Disney's Boardwalk, Disney's Hollywood Studios
- Lunch Carrabba's Italian Grill
- Afternoon Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, Disney Springs
Day 2
- Morning Disney's Magic Kingdom, Disney's Blizzard Beach
- Afternoon Disney's Animal Kingdom
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
It is one of two Florida municipalities, founded on July 3, 1969, controlled by the Walt Disney Company, the other being Bay Lake.
Lake Buena Vista is sited southwest of Orlando, between Orlando and Kissimmee, along the Interstate 4 corridor. Walt Disney's original plan for Lake Buena Vista included at least one futuristic living area, but was never built. This futuristic idea was later used at Epcot.
Get in
By plane
- Orlando International Airport (MCO). The entry point for most international and domestic flights, is the closest airport (about 20 mi/30 km) to Lake Buena Vista. Airport security lines can become extremely long (1 hr), especially during the summer tourist season and near holidays. Combined with long check-in lines, it is advisable to arrive 2-3 hours before your scheduled departure. The airport offers transportation, shuttles, taxis, and car rentals while Disney offers its free Magical Express transportation from the airport to Disney World for visitors staying at the Disney World Resorts.
By car
Most visitors will arrive by taking Interstate 4 and then traveling west on exit 68 from I-4.
Get around
By public transit
LYNX, the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, offers limited bus service to Lake Buena Vista and Disney World, catering mainly to the workers in the Disney complex. Bus Link 50 connects the Magic Kingdom with Disney Springs. Bus Link 111 connects Disney with the Orlando International Airport.
By private bus
Many hotels on offer complimentary scheduled bus service to and from the Disney theme parks. Check with the hotel for details.
By car
Most convenient for getting around the sprawling theme parks complex. However, parking may be an issue if you do not go early.
Do
- Walt Disney World - the most well renowned theme park in the known universe. If you are in Lake Buena Vista, you are at Walt Disney World... sort of. The mailing address for the resort is Lake Buena Vista, but all of the theme parks are physically within the city of Bay Lake.
- Walt Disney World Resort includes , , :, , , , ,
Do Disney's Magic Kingdom
Do Epcot
Do Disney's Hollywood Studios
Do Disney's Animal Kingdom
Do Disney's Typhoon Lagoon
Do Disney's Blizzard Beach
Do Disney Springs
Do Disney's Boardwalk
Buy
- Disney Springs has a large variety of specialty shops, including World of Disney (the largest Disney character store in the world) the Lego Imagination Center and an Harley-Davidson Motorcycles store. Access to Disney Springs does not require park entry fees.
Eat
Eat Carrabba's Italian Grill
Reasonably priced Italian food. Good service.
Sleep
Lodging in Lake Buena Vista is mainly for travelers visiting the Walt Disney World. Other cities and towns nearby offering lodging are: Celebration, Davenport, Kissimmee, and Orlando.
Hotels
Go next
- Tampa and Busch Gardens are one hour southwest on I-4.
- Miami is 235 mi to the south, or about a 4-hr car ride. Accessing the Everglades National Park is common from Miami.
Nearby
Walt Disney World
City / town · 15 listings · 2 mi away
Celebration
City / town · 38 listings · 4 mi away
Universal Orlando
City / town · 154 listings · 7 mi away
Kissimmee
City / town · 36 listings · 9 mi away
Orlando
City / town · 144 listings · 12 mi away
Winter Garden
City / town · 17 listings · 13 mi away
Davenport
City / town · 21 listings · 16 mi away
St. Cloud
City / town · 8 listings · 17 mi away
My experience
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