Disney World's Secret No-Fly Zone

Walt Disney World in Florida has been designated as the only permanent 'no-fly zone' in the US, a measure that was originally put in place as an anti-terrorism measure after the 9/11 attacks. The restricted airspace was first imposed in 2001 and made permanent by Congress in 2003 as part of Operation Liberty Shield.

The no-fly zone prohibits planes, helicopters, and drones from flying below 3,000 feet within three miles of the park. This is a unique distinction among theme parks in the US, with Disney being the only one to have such restrictions in place.

Critics argue that the flight restrictions were actually requested by Disney to prevent aerial advertising, which was a problem for the company before 9/11. In fact, almost 100 aerial advertising firms went under after the restrictions were put into place. A bill was introduced to Congress in 2022 to rescind the flight restrictions but did not pass.