Walt Disney World No-Fly Zone Removed from FAA List, Raising Questions About Airspace Restrictions
The no-fly zone over Walt Disney World, which has been in place since shortly after 9/11, no longer appears on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) public list of active flight restrictions. This change was observed on November 10th, with the counterpart restriction over Disneyland also missing. The Walt Disney World restriction, in its current form since October 27, 2014, covered Magic Kingdom and most of EPCOT up to 3,000 feet. Despite its removal from the public list, reports indicate that air traffic control at Orlando International Airport is still advising pilots in the area that the Disney World restriction remains in effect. The FAA and Disney World have not yet provided a statement explaining the removal, nor is there any record of Congress changing the 2003 law that initially mandated these restrictions. The original restrictions were established in 2003 through a provision in a federal spending bill, reportedly at the behest of a Disney lobbyist to prevent aerial banner ads and low-flying...
