I had landed and taken off several time from this airport. I took off from the executive airport in Orlando, landed at the WDW Airport, and then flew on to Tampa to make connections to Panama City. I did this for several weekends.
@@VforKumar It was a Twin Otter STOL. It was the first time I had ridden in a STOL. As we taxied out at MCO, I asked the Pilot how fast does the plane need to rotate. I was the only passenger so he pulled all the flaps and slats and spoilers and lifted off as we were on the taxiway! Way too cool!
There is actually a custom scenery add on for Flight Simulator X which makes this airport available to take off and land at. I tried landing and taking off from the old Lake Buena Vista STOL airport using a pretty rugged airplane, a Cessna 208 Grand Caravan and while the approach is difficult a landing can be made easily. This particular aircraft makes it in 1,500 feet and can easily clear objects on take off as well from this runway.
I worked for Centex Rooney in the 90's, we built hotels for Disney. They had very accurate distance measurements on the landing strip that we used to calibrate our electronic distance measuring equipment (for civil engineering measurements).
Thanks for the footage. On November 29 1972 I took a twilight flight from Orlando to Disney World Airport. The only other passenger was a lady who chatted with the pilot. As we approached there was a good view of the strip with the Magic Kingdom and its lit-up castle in the distance, but no music played as we landed. A fellow left the "terminal building" (an unassuming hut) and told me to wait for the hotel courtesy car. I could have used one of the hotel courtesy phones at Orlando (McKoy?) and saved both time and money, but your video made me glad I took that flight. It was also the only propeller aircraft I have flown with.
Fun fact: there was ~another~ airstrip on WDW property. The old “Air-Lando” air strip was where Saratoga Springs exists today. The air strip was grass, and extends out also where the Lake Buena Golf Course is today as well. This is the airstrip where Walt and Roy landed. The airstrip was mostly used by crop dusters and small airplane enthusiasts prior to the property being purchased by Disney
That area is used "obviously" as a staging area/storage area mainly for equipment and contractor buildings. I worked for a Commercial pump company from '10-'13 and alot of the contractors who rented our equipment would store tje pumps out there after project completion for inspection and pickup. I knew something was weird about the width and length of that area, and its always had me wondering....I honestly assumed it was built to store/house contractor offices and equipment. Awesome bit of info here Adam. Pretty darn cool to have been somewhere you checked out. I got to get down to Aerojet Dade....wifey got fam in Miami, perfect excuse.
+OBFD Fire Ground Films I have heard this but there is daily air traffic over the property and the parks. Helicopter tours, small planes, and corporate jets fly over the property on a daily basis. I believe there is a no fly zone in place but it doesn't appear to be enforced.
+John Carver The original Florida Project plan was to have jetport at the south end of the property next to I-4 where Celebration now exists. I am note sure of the planned size would accommodate commercial aircraft or not. The jetport would have connected to the Welcome Center. From the Welcome Center guests would take monorails to Progress City and dispersed on to Peoplemovers to their final destination.
+OBFD Fire Ground Films No fly zones aren't permanent and even so you can fly into them with under certain conditions (for example, to land at an airstrip inside one).
Great video, Adam. That's the darnedest thing, last week I was thinking about how I remembered hearing about the STOL airport years ago and how the Walt Disney Company had experimented with musical-speed-bumps by using raised grooves in the asphalt to create tunes. Allegedly, so the story goes, at one point in time, if you were to have been driving your vehicle over that strip of asphalt at >20 mph (not 88 mph), one could hear the opening notes of "Zippity Doo-Dah!" Supposedly there are former cast member testimonies to have participated in driving buses over the strip and hearing that famous tune.
It closed before the monorail track was built. The Air Line that serviced it went bankrupt. They tried to get another air service to use it but that fell through. It was used for years as a landing area for helicopters, in fact Marine One landed there so that then President Nixon could go to the Contemporary Hotel and make his “I am not a crook” speech shortly before he resigned from office. There is another abounded helipad at EPCOT and there used to be an Ultralight landing area at what is know Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. The wind sock for that was visible for many years after it to closed.
Isn't that the "Yellow" monorail that was down a week or so ago? I know I saw a vid where people where removing windows from that particular train. If that's the one, Disney got that one up and running fast!
FWIW: The airplane in the photo shown at about 3:18 is - as far as I can tell - a DeHavilland Twin Otter. It is a STOL aircraft with two turboprop engines and fixed {non-retractable} landing gear.
Hahahaha, Adam, seen your videos over the years, but I was not expecting you to be the first result when I googled "disney singing runway" - You are truly an expert my man. Love your vids.
Disney should just let you do some videos on abandoned areas and such while a tour guide accompanies you. It would be free advertising for them and a lot of folks are obviously interested in it.
Another Fact: according to Wikipedia, it was known as "The singing Airport", runway had grooves in the asphalt that when rode on over 40 mph. It would hum to the sound of "When you wish upon a star"....
Hi Adam, I wanted to see how to give you an update on a place you visited before in Wichita, Kansas at the old Joyland Amusement Park. The young gentleman here local tried for a couple of years to raise million + to bring it up to speed and reopen, (it closed in 2006) but not enough support. City made the current owners tear it down this summer. The old old roller coaster just came down a few months ago and most of it is all gone now. I wanted to cry! I wanted to thank you though for visiting it and positing which is how I found your website! Too bad these locations such as this one cannot be kept up. So many memories!
+adamthewoo Yes I have been kind of crazy sad about its closing and have driven by it a few times over the past year and just recently. The roller coaster was finally down and the Joyland signage by the front is gone. Not being able to see into the grounds not sure if all the wood and material have been taken out but most had already been torn down and was destroyed by vandalism. So mostly I believe is gone as the city said it had to be done this summer. I wish I had gone when it was still open in its last few years as I worked at a old mental health building right across the street as the director which has its own history as well in 2006 just before Joyland closed permanently. I worked at the psych building when Joyland was sold to a new owner who basically didn't put forth what was needed, allowed partying at night and led to its closing in just a few years. So it had been probably over 15 years since I had enjoyed a visit at Joyland as I went in the 80's and early 90's while in grade-school and some in high-school though not nearly as much. Didn't think about it when I hit my 20's and I am 35 now. I did find out my neighbor's sister who is about my age worked at Joyland as her very first job in the gaming area. So I thought that was very interesting and of course I was slightly jealous I hadn't done that as well!
Amazing! I can't believe it was that accessible, I had heard it was covered with security. thanks for showing us this. I will be sure to check it out next time I am there. Great job!
Here is another interesting thing I found out. I currently fly the DJI Inspire1 quad copter (drone) for fun, and I noticed that on DJI's website, on their flysafe page, under No Fly Zones, they have the STOL runway at Walt Disney World listed as a No Fly Zone, in their software. NOTE - Disney does NOT allow flying drones on their property, so, DO NOT DO IT. I just thought it was interesting that DJI has listed the STOL Runway as a No Fly Zone on their site.
Little known fact! As part of an agreement between the state of Florida and the Walt Disney Company, Disney must provide a complete decommissioning or a repurposing plan for the properties it owns within Orange County,FL. This plan must be reviewed and re-filed every 4 years. The reason being if Disney ever goes bankrupt and shuts down their parks, the land and structures will not be allowed to sit vacant and undeveloped like many other former theme parks have. The losses to the local economy would be disastrous for the Orlando area. 50 years ago when DW was being planned and built, many r area residents and the Florida department of natural resources were opposed to this development. Those who sold their land to Disney were paid handsomely and were pretty much set for life. They had to agree to never disclose what they were paid for their properties. There are MANY dark secrets that have not and will not leave the Disney properties. Lawsuits are almost never taken to court because Disney settles handsomely out of court with plaintiffs. As part of the settlements, plaintiffs could lose everything they own for disclosing the terms of the settlements.
+stephen hunt, middle age crisis. You're supposed to buy a corvette. If you cant afford one, you buy a mustang. If you cant afford that, you get the tongue pierced.
The runway featured a set of grooves, like those on the side of a highway, that played When you wish upon a star when driven over at roughly 45 miles per hour.
I saw in another video that when the planes used to land, there were grids in the runway that would play the song when you wish upon a star. So they will hear that song play as the plane taxi down the runway. Not sure if that’s true or not but Wicked cool.
Great video Adam. I read about this but didn't know the stolport still existed or that you could visit it. Thanks for sharing your adventure and keep up the great work :)
During the 1950's we went to drag races on an old airport in that area. Saw Don Garlet when he was only turning 165 mph. I am thinking this may be the flight line, but I am not sure.
I made a LEFT and found the heliport, it has the pad that acts like an elevator,and from what an old timer (castmember) told me that it connects to the utilidor that goes right under 7 seas lagoon and comes up right behind the fire house on main st. And it's only big enough for a golf cart to get through..and I think he said Walt's apartment was going to be above the fire house?
I see they've built a few buildings at the north end after the closure of the airstrip. Any idea what they are using the area for now other than vehicle and trailer storage?
I shall !!!!!! I look forward to your posts Adam . You are the greatest you tuber out there and I shall continue to watch what ever you post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Back in the '90's I used to fly my own Cessna from CT to Winter Haven, and pre-9/11 the airspace was so open I could fly right over Disney and Epcot without a care. I'm pretty sure the runway was marked on the aviation maps (called "Sectionals"), but that it was shown as Private, which means you needed permission to land there. The STOL designation means only particular kinds of aircraft would be allowed to land there, certainly no private jets. At the time I thought it was built for their own ultralights that had some kind of evening airshow at one of the parks for a while. Never could figure out why Disney never opened a general aviation airport to service it's resorts. It's not like there was a shortage of open, flat land around... BTW, I'm sure the proximity to the monorail had nothing to do with it's closing. I've landed at airports where tall hangers were closer to the runway than that monorail track.
I just read another interesting fact about this runway. There were grooves put into the pavement. Once planes touched down, as long as they were going at least 45 MPH, the tune "When You Wish Upon a Star" would play.
agree - no harm. Grooves do help channel standing water, reducing dynamic hydroplaning. Helpful in area known for downpours in thunderstorms - or so the theory went back in the late 60s and 70s.
The original aircraft used on that runway was Walt Disney's personal DC3. The 'rumble strips' originally played 'Zip A Dee Doo Dah' so the aircraft tires would play the short tune upon landing. I don't know is the rumble strips are still there or not.
hey Adam what cam do you use to record your videos? a regular Sony Cam or a Super HD Camcorder? here in Georgia there is so many abandon houses, Mansions and Stores and places i would like to start my own channel of Abandon Places
i will as soon i get a nice Cam, here in Georgia they are alot of Abandoned Places! i scene turn of the Centuries Houses, Stores and even Old Small Towns. its going to be cool.
A little known fact is that the runway had different lengths of pavement. This was done on purpose. The clicking would play Zipity Do Da when the nose wheel of the aircraft traveled down it. (Also worked on a motorcycle)
That is an incredible remnant of Disney History,...Walts multi-engine Grumman turbo-prop plane is supposedly on the back lot of Hollywood studios and could be seen during a backlot tour,...That tour was closed and not available the two times I have been there so I dont know if its still on static display,...that is absolutely an Historic Aircraft. It is a rather large plane and when it landed to be displayed,....they used World Drive as a landing zone,...then craned it on in. Great ATW video...
+Interstellar Axeman The backlot tour is closed to make way for Star Wars Land. The plane that was part of the tour was the plane Walt and company used to flyover and scout the "Florida Project" location.
I remember reading about the runway and I think it was either in the "official" guide or one of the non-official guides, but at the time they were using it to stage Magic Kingdom buses.
Same attraction as in Disneyland Paris, that is still working. When the explotions and waterfall are finished the train goes begind the attraction, there can u see the huge installation.
A small general aviation airport on the property would actually be a great idea. People who fly small aircraft tend to be fairly affluent, and it would be a big draw for them to be able to fly right into the park property; I know I'd do it.
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 91 | คู่เอก "คมอาวุธ vs อเล็กเซย์"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/V0RkEfYFsgM/mqdefault.jpg)
I had landed and taken off several time from this airport. I took off from the executive airport in Orlando, landed at the WDW Airport, and then flew on to Tampa to make connections to Panama City. I did this for several weekends.
I am so jealous! That's really cool man. Would love to hear stories from your days flying there.
Do you remember what you were flying?
@@VforKumar It was a Twin Otter STOL. It was the first time I had ridden in a STOL. As we taxied out at MCO, I asked the Pilot how fast does the plane need to rotate. I was the only passenger so he pulled all the flaps and slats and spoilers and lifted off as we were on the taxiway! Way too cool!
Are you sure? Because MCO is Orlando International Airport, whereas Orlando Executive or Herndon is ORL.
There is actually a custom scenery add on for Flight Simulator X which makes this airport available to take off and land at. I tried landing and taking off from the old Lake Buena Vista STOL airport using a pretty rugged airplane, a Cessna 208 Grand Caravan and while the approach is difficult a landing can be made easily. This particular aircraft makes it in 1,500 feet and can easily clear objects on take off as well from this runway.
I worked for Centex Rooney in the 90's, we built hotels for Disney. They had very accurate distance measurements on the landing strip that we used to calibrate our electronic distance measuring equipment (for civil engineering measurements).
Thanks for the footage. On November 29 1972 I took a twilight flight from Orlando to Disney World Airport. The only other passenger was a lady who chatted with the pilot. As we approached there was a good view of the strip with the Magic Kingdom and its lit-up castle in the distance, but no music played as we landed. A fellow left the "terminal building" (an unassuming hut) and told me to wait for the hotel courtesy car. I could have used one of the hotel courtesy phones at Orlando (McKoy?) and saved both time and money, but your video made me glad I took that flight. It was also the only propeller aircraft I have flown with.
Fun fact: there was ~another~ airstrip on WDW property. The old “Air-Lando” air strip was where Saratoga Springs exists today. The air strip was grass, and extends out also where the Lake Buena Golf Course is today as well. This is the airstrip where Walt and Roy landed. The airstrip was mostly used by crop dusters and small airplane enthusiasts prior to the property being purchased by Disney
so do you just turn right of the main road? you didnt mention it enough times for me to understand
Instructions unclear, turned right into guardrail
Its awesome how theres still a taxiway and the runway markings still there!
They should have turned it into the "Walt Disney World Dragstrip"....
+Rcbif ha they still could but most likley not safe
Hell yeah!
Thats not the name only lake buena vista stolport
Well no because visitors need high performance cars s
libs would never let that happen
Do you know if the runway had grooves in it which "played" Wish Upon a Star? Are the grooves still there?
Those were removed in 2008.
That area is used "obviously" as a staging area/storage area mainly for equipment and contractor buildings. I worked for a Commercial pump company from '10-'13 and alot of the contractors who rented our equipment would store tje pumps out there after project completion for inspection and pickup. I knew something was weird about the width and length of that area, and its always had me wondering....I honestly assumed it was built to store/house contractor offices and equipment. Awesome bit of info here Adam. Pretty darn cool to have been somewhere you checked out. I got to get down to Aerojet Dade....wifey got fam in Miami, perfect excuse.
I'm suprised they didn't build another one futher away, because this seems like something that a lot of people would pay to go on
They won't, because Disney World, and Disneyland are No fly zones.
+OBFD Fire Ground Films I have heard this but there is daily air traffic over the property and the parks. Helicopter tours, small planes, and corporate jets fly over the property on a daily basis. I believe there is a no fly zone in place but it doesn't appear to be enforced.
+John Carver The original Florida Project plan was to have jetport at the south end of the property next to I-4 where Celebration now exists. I am note sure of the planned size would accommodate commercial aircraft or not. The jetport would have connected to the Welcome Center. From the Welcome Center guests would take monorails to Progress City and dispersed on to Peoplemovers to their final destination.
+Garr Baggs It's only for traffic below 3000' iirc
+OBFD Fire Ground Films No fly zones aren't permanent and even so you can fly into them with under certain conditions (for example, to land at an airstrip inside one).
Great video, Adam. That's the darnedest thing, last week I was thinking about how I remembered hearing about the STOL airport years ago and how the Walt Disney Company had experimented with musical-speed-bumps by using raised grooves in the asphalt to create tunes.
Allegedly, so the story goes, at one point in time, if you were to have been driving your vehicle over that strip of asphalt at >20 mph (not 88 mph), one could hear the opening notes of "Zippity Doo-Dah!" Supposedly there are former cast member testimonies to have participated in driving buses over the strip and hearing that famous tune.
+Christopher Paul I remember hearing the story of the music road also. I wonder if it was true
It closed before the monorail track was built. The Air Line that serviced it went bankrupt. They tried to get another air service to use it but that fell through. It was used for years as a landing area for helicopters, in fact Marine One landed there so that then President Nixon could go to the Contemporary Hotel and make his “I am not a crook” speech shortly before he resigned from office. There is another abounded helipad at EPCOT and there used to be an Ultralight landing area at what is know Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. The wind sock for that was visible for many years after it to closed.
Thank you Adam for always taking me on these informative adventures!
Isn't that the "Yellow" monorail that was down a week or so ago? I know I saw a vid where people where removing windows from that particular train. If that's the one, Disney got that one up and running fast!
FWIW: The airplane in the photo shown at about 3:18 is - as far as I can tell - a DeHavilland Twin Otter. It is a STOL aircraft with two turboprop engines and fixed {non-retractable} landing gear.
you were not very clear, which direction do i turn onto the access road?
+Netfocus just trying to be informative plus over all my bases that the place is accesible
adamthewoo surprised its not blocked
I think he said turn left after the entrance.
There was also a Heliport area, but that is now where Art Of Animation Hotel Resides now.
the Runway was used when Disney had an ultralight airshow
Adam, I must have stumbled on this...this is pretty cool! thanks!
Hahahaha, Adam, seen your videos over the years, but I was not expecting you to be the first result when I googled "disney singing runway" - You are truly an expert my man. Love your vids.
I actually knew that was there since the late 70's. I'd see it when going to Fort Wilderness, where we always stayed when vacationing at Disney.
Did someone say..... Free Parking?
its after you pay for parking
there is a helicopter landing pad at Epcot behind The Land. It is for high profile people, emergency stuff like that
I just love you Adam , your video's are great keep up the good work! I even have my older son watching you, and he also enjoys all the Disney videos.
This is SWEET Adam considering I am a student pilot now :)
Disney should just let you do some videos on abandoned areas and such while a tour guide accompanies you. It would be free advertising for them and a lot of folks are obviously interested in it.
Another Fact: according to Wikipedia, it was known as "The singing Airport", runway had grooves in the asphalt that when rode on over 40 mph. It would hum to the sound of "When you wish upon a star"....
Got to give it to you dude, you sure know your stuff !
Keep at it, respect.
Nice Work as always Adam!
That Cyndi Lauper shirt is awesome, Adam! Love your stuff, keep up the good work, brother man!
I have been wondering how accessible this was and now I know! Thanks Adam!
Hi Adam,
I wanted to see how to give you an update on a place you visited before in Wichita, Kansas at the old Joyland Amusement Park. The young gentleman here local tried for a couple of years to raise million + to bring it up to speed and reopen, (it closed in 2006) but not enough support. City made the current owners tear it down this summer. The old old roller coaster just came down a few months ago and most of it is all gone now. I wanted to cry! I wanted to thank you though for visiting it and positing which is how I found your website! Too bad these locations such as this one cannot be kept up. So many memories!
+Wingnut Baseball Wichita Kansas I heard that. is it all gone now ?
+adamthewoo Yes I have been kind of crazy sad about its closing and have driven by it a few times over the past year and just recently. The roller coaster was finally down and the Joyland signage by the front is gone. Not being able to see into the grounds not sure if all the wood and material have been taken out but most had already been torn down and was destroyed by vandalism. So mostly I believe is gone as the city said it had to be done this summer. I wish I had gone when it was still open in its last few years as I worked at a old mental health building right across the street as the director which has its own history as well in 2006 just before Joyland closed permanently. I worked at the psych building when Joyland was sold to a new owner who basically didn't put forth what was needed, allowed partying at night and led to its closing in just a few years. So it had been probably over 15 years since I had enjoyed a visit at Joyland as I went in the 80's and early 90's while in grade-school and some in high-school though not nearly as much. Didn't think about it when I hit my 20's and I am 35 now. I did find out my neighbor's sister who is about my age worked at Joyland as her very first job in the gaming area. So I thought that was very interesting and of course I was slightly jealous I hadn't done that as well!
Wow. I been going to Disney since I was a kid and had no idea about this runway. Thanks for sharing Adam. I learn a lot from your videos.
been digging these last couple of Main channel videos. Very cool.
Glad to see you back home Adam.
Love it, Adam!
Amazing! I can't believe it was that accessible, I had heard it was covered with security. thanks for showing us this. I will be sure to check it out next time I am there. Great job!
+David Hinshaw Its just a road now, still pretty cool to know the backstory on it tho
Great video Adam as usual
my father helped put the run way in. it was put in for secret arrivals and departure. it was also a must for emergency to medevac individuals .
Great video, Adam. "Wait for it... Monorail!" :)
Here is another interesting thing I found out. I currently fly the DJI Inspire1 quad copter (drone) for fun, and I noticed that on DJI's website, on their flysafe page, under No Fly Zones, they have the STOL runway at Walt Disney World listed as a No Fly Zone, in their software. NOTE - Disney does NOT allow flying drones on their property, so, DO NOT DO IT. I just thought it was interesting that DJI has listed the STOL Runway as a No Fly Zone on their site.
Don't get yourself banned again!
It's not a off limits place.
Adam I love your videos! Thank you so much for making them!
Very cool. I have seen pictures of the runway but I have never seen the road documented in video form. Thanks for sharing the location. Well done.
+Mike Karschti exactly ! Its super awesome piece of WDW history
I agree.
Is this still there with all the recent construction?
Little known fact!
As part of an agreement between the state of Florida and the Walt Disney Company, Disney must provide a complete decommissioning or a repurposing plan for the properties it owns within Orange County,FL. This plan must be reviewed and re-filed every 4 years.
The reason being if Disney ever goes bankrupt and shuts down their parks, the land and structures will not be allowed to sit vacant and undeveloped like many other former theme parks have. The losses to the local economy would be disastrous for the Orlando area.
50 years ago when DW was being planned and built, many r area residents and the Florida department of natural resources were opposed to this development. Those who sold their land to Disney were paid handsomely and were pretty much set for life. They had to agree to never disclose what they were paid for their properties.
There are MANY dark secrets that have not and will not leave the Disney properties. Lawsuits are almost never taken to court because Disney settles handsomely out of court with plaintiffs. As part of the settlements, plaintiffs could lose everything they own for disclosing the terms of the settlements.
I drove past there all the time when I worked for WDI, but I never knew that about the runway. Awesome!
Working for Imagineers!? You lived my dream my man. Was it fun?
That thing in your tongue is annoying to see.
+stephen hunt, middle age crisis. You're supposed to buy a corvette. If you cant afford one, you buy a mustang. If you cant afford that, you get the tongue pierced.
The bacteria on his little thingy is even worse to see, but helps him to say "Actually" so many times.
Stephen Hunt it’s good for the women if he’s got 1
Does the runway still have the singing grooves?
Yeah, if I'm not mistaken that's where our buses were parked when my school arrived for Grad Night in 2005.
I love learning all these early 70's facts that happened in WDW
you are on a roll Mr.Woo! :) loving it
+Samantha R. (Virolix) thanks
The runway featured a set of grooves, like those on the side of a highway, that played When you wish upon a star when driven over at roughly 45 miles per hour.
How long is the runway ?
So cool Adam! Never even knew there was a run way on Walt Disney World property
Is it still accessible for small passenger planes?
BRILLIANT.... man what a trove of treasure u discovered in your last epic journey to wdw
I saw in another video that when the planes used to land, there were grids in the runway that would play the song when you wish upon a star. So they will hear that song play as the plane taxi down the runway. Not sure if that’s true or not but Wicked cool.
Great video Adam. I read about this but didn't know the stolport still existed or that you could visit it. Thanks for sharing your adventure and keep up the great work :)
+MrRobbiemoo thanks for watching
During the 1950's we went to drag races on an old airport in that area. Saw Don Garlet when he was only turning 165 mph. I am thinking this may be the flight line, but I am not sure.
I made a LEFT and found the heliport, it has the pad that acts like an elevator,and from what an old timer (castmember) told me that it connects to the utilidor that goes right under 7 seas lagoon and comes up right behind the fire house on main st. And it's only big enough for a golf cart to get through..and I think he said Walt's apartment was going to be above the fire house?
Google Earth shows the runway.
I see they've built a few buildings at the north end after the closure of the airstrip. Any idea what they are using the area for now other than vehicle and trailer storage?
Maintained Disney's "EarForce One" Grumman Gulfstream 1 way back in the 80's. It flew in and out of there on a regular basis back then.
I shall !!!!!! I look forward to your posts Adam . You are the greatest you tuber out there and I shall continue to watch what ever you post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
+Notsee Yeti thank you !
Wow!!! So very Cool Adam that you commented back. Truly Enjoy everything that you have posted that I have been able to check out so far!
How long is it?
Back in the '90's I used to fly my own Cessna from CT to Winter Haven, and pre-9/11 the airspace was so open I could fly right over Disney and Epcot without a care. I'm pretty sure the runway was marked on the aviation maps (called "Sectionals"), but that it was shown as Private, which means you needed permission to land there. The STOL designation means only particular kinds of aircraft would be allowed to land there, certainly no private jets. At the time I thought it was built for their own ultralights that had some kind of evening airshow at one of the parks for a while.
Never could figure out why Disney never opened a general aviation airport to service it's resorts. It's not like there was a shortage of open, flat land around... BTW, I'm sure the proximity to the monorail had nothing to do with it's closing. I've landed at airports where tall hangers were closer to the runway than that monorail track.
I just read another interesting fact about this runway. There were grooves put into the pavement. Once planes touched down, as long as they were going at least 45 MPH, the tune "When You Wish Upon a Star" would play.
Ive heard that too, though id have to wonder if thats good for the landing gear.
It wouldn't affect it. Look at bush plane for instance. They take some hard landings so grooves would do anything.
agree - no harm. Grooves do help channel standing water, reducing dynamic hydroplaning. Helpful in area known for downpours in thunderstorms - or so the theory went back in the late 60s and 70s.
You always discover the coolest things....I had no clue there was a runway and I know Ive had to have seen it from the monorail.
Could you land and park there for a day or two? Plenty of landing strip for my Citabria.
Nothing bizarre about disney having a AirPort runway.
The original aircraft used on that runway was Walt Disney's personal DC3. The 'rumble strips' originally played 'Zip A Dee Doo Dah' so the aircraft tires would play the short tune upon landing. I don't know is the rumble strips are still there or not.
What camera are you using?
Disney Transportation bus drivers will do their post trip stuff there. Pretty cool, not entirely abandoned
How many times did you say "Actually has a runway"?
pls add an explosion at 0:34
Which Disney Park were you banned from again?
+Max Moser (aMAXproduction) He is no longer but was banned from WDW (all 4 parks).
Jennifer Bureau Why did they pull the ban?
Because Adam is awesome
+Max Moser (aMAXproduction) he had a lawyer write him a letter to appeal the ban be mentioned in a video
Adam goes in to details in ThedailyWoo it titled TDW 1155 - FORGIVEN : How & Why I Was Allowed Back To WDW.
Just a little fun fact the arch sign over the magic kingdom parking entrance use to be the sign for Epcot’s wonders of life pavillion
hey Adam
what cam do you use to record your videos?
a regular Sony Cam or a Super HD Camcorder?
here in Georgia there is so many abandon houses, Mansions and Stores and places i would like to start my own channel of Abandon Places
+Isaac Santiago I use a canon t3i currently
thanks
+Isaac Santiago * "Abandoned places," not "abandon places."
+Isaac Santiago you should make videos of abandoned places
i will as soon i get a nice Cam, here in Georgia they are alot of Abandoned Places! i scene turn of the Centuries Houses, Stores and even Old Small Towns. its going to be cool.
A little known fact is that the runway had different lengths of pavement. This was done on purpose. The clicking would play Zipity Do Da when the nose wheel of the aircraft traveled down it. (Also worked on a motorcycle)
excellent commentary from you adam
When are you recording cheers again
3:20 Yep, that yellow line is how pilots lined up their aircraft on the taxiway.
That is actually not how it is on runways. It is a dashed white line. If you look at the older pictures it was a dashed white line.
Let's land an A380 there.
mumbo jumb0 what a great idea
Count me in
That is an incredible remnant of Disney History,...Walts multi-engine Grumman turbo-prop plane is supposedly on the back lot of Hollywood studios and could be seen during a backlot tour,...That tour was closed and not available the two times I have been there so I dont know if its still on static display,...that is absolutely an Historic Aircraft.
It is a rather large plane and when it landed to be displayed,....they used World Drive as a landing zone,...then craned it on in. Great ATW video...
+Interstellar Axeman The backlot tour is closed to make way for Star Wars Land. The plane that was part of the tour was the plane Walt and company used to flyover and scout the "Florida Project" location.
I remember reading about the runway and I think it was either in the "official" guide or one of the non-official guides, but at the time they were using it to stage Magic Kingdom buses.
The airstrip is used to fly SPC personnel into the park or fly VIPs out just in case Negative Mickey gets out of the sealed catacombs under the park.
well fuck thanks for the nightmares
So did you move back to Florida Adam?
Same attraction as in Disneyland Paris, that is still working. When the explotions and waterfall are finished the train goes begind the attraction, there can u see the huge installation.
I landed there in '72. Our honeymoon. Flew into MCO, changed planes and then hopped over to the WDW STOLPort. Stayed at the Polynesian.
+Hank Brown now that is awesome !!
Awesome video! Love your videos and I have been by that road many times but have never actually been down it! Next time!
That was a pretty interesting little know fact about Disney World. Thanks for sharing Adam.
Best Wishes n Blessings Keith
wait, where do you turn?
Very cool. Awesome to see things like this from Disney's past!
I did think that was a parking lot for something they were possibly planning in the future but was never built.. Live and learn.
A small general aviation airport on the property would actually be a great idea. People who fly small aircraft tend to be fairly affluent, and it would be a big draw for them to be able to fly right into the park property; I know I'd do it.
Love your videos!
That damn Alien Encounter ride is probably what frightened off all the airplanes!
They have an airstrip in the Bahamas too. Its on Disney's private island