Black helicopter flying around parks and resorts

[LeeAnn]

I have never seen any thing fly over the parks. Now ever park I would this this black helicopter several times a day at the the parks and along the sklyliner. Whey is this flying around? So curious

 

[DWillowBay]

I can't speak directly to the "black helicopter" you are reporting, but there are often helicopters used for crowd surveillance or other park-related duties. Not unusual.

 

[jcarwash]

There's been at least one other discussion thread about this, complaining about the constant helicopter noise. This was a very noticeable and annoying change during our visit two weeks ago -- why are there now helicopters all the time, every day? It seems as though these are one or more local tour operators flying over the parts of WDW where airspace allows.

 

[DisneyTexan]

Google Orlando Disney helicopter. There are a bunch of companies that are running helicopter tours.

 

[Best Aunt]

Another thread:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/helicopter-noise.3831720/

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

They're looking for Henry Hill

 

[runjulesrun]

It was extremely irritating when we were there a couple weeks ago. It is the first time I remember a helicopter overhead so consistently and it was annoying. I can't imagine Disney is too happy about it.

 

[gottalovepluto]

WDW was a no fly zone- did they lose that designation?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

We’ve always seen helicopters around, especially towards the DAK/BB/DHS side of WDW as MK and some other parts have an altitude restriction. DW and I always joke it’s Disney moving all the cash back to HQ - like casinos taking the day’s haul to the vault.

But they are generally Orlando skyline tours and other uses.

 

[lukemorenus]

Ut oh.... they're coming for me!

 

[happiestpoe]

They were constant the last time I was in Disney Springs. As others have said, it's likely helicopter tours.

 

[RamblingMad]

It's the MIB.

 

[puffkin]

I always heard they were for weather tracking issues. It did always seem that we saw them as storms were approaching the area. Regardless, Disney has no fly restrictions/altitude restrictions, so its most likely something related to Disney operations that would be permitted.

 

[pigletto]

If Disney is a no fly zone then they had to approve of these helicopters. My guess would be security and surveillance.

 

[puffkin]

This is from Snopes, and what I remember from when it was originally enacted:

The Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida, is one of just two U.S. theme parks awarded a “no-fly zone” designation. The other is Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
Those federal government-designated protections grant the theme parks the same protection as the White House and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the permanent flight restrictions were issued on Oct. 27, 2014, for unnamed “security reasons”. They require that no aircraft come within 3,000 feet in altitude of the theme park for a radius of three miles. Any person who knowingly violates the rules may be subject to certain criminal penalties under a violation of national defense airspace and could face fines or imprisonment for up to one year. Pilots who do not adhere to the restriction may be intercepted and detained.
However, the no-fly zone does not apply to aircraft operated by the Department of Defense, law enforcement, or air ambulance flight operations. Flights operated by Walt Disney World itself are also allowable under an approved waiver.

 

[CarolynFH]

This is from Snopes, and what I remember from when it was originally enacted:

The Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida, is one of just two U.S. theme parks awarded a “no-fly zone” designation. The other is Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
Those federal government-designated protections grant the theme parks the same protection as the White House and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the permanent flight restrictions were issued on Oct. 27, 2014, for unnamed “security reasons”. They require that no aircraft come within 3,000 feet in altitude of the theme park for a radius of three miles. Any person who knowingly violates the rules may be subject to certain criminal penalties under a violation of national defense airspace and could face fines or imprisonment for up to one year. Pilots who do not adhere to the restriction may be intercepted and detained.
However, the no-fly zone does not apply to aircraft operated by the Department of Defense, law enforcement, or air ambulance flight operations. Flights operated by Walt Disney World itself are also allowable under an approved waiver.

I’ve seen the 3-mile radius is from the castle, so part of Epcot is in the no-fly zone and part is not. The rest of WDW outside of that radius, thus many of the resorts, is not In the no-fly zone.

 

[jo-jo]

About ten years ago, we are in HS seeing lots of military helicopters flying over. We were getting scared, did something happen???? Turns out disney was the site for the invictus games.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I’ve seen the 3-mile radius is from the castle, so part of Epcot is in the no-fly zone and part is not. The rest of WDW outside of that radius, thus many of the resorts, is not In the no-fly zone.

While I don’t really know, this was my understanding as well - that the zone is centered on MK, leaving much of WDW property outside the restriction. Plus the ‘no fly’ zone is only to a certain altitude - you can fly above it with no restrictions.

 

[Heather07438]

Some people are saving money by doing a $35 helicopter flyover of WDW instead of going inside to see the parks lol

 

[HopperFan]

While I don’t really know, this was my understanding as well - that the zone is centered on MK, leaving much of WDW property outside the restriction. Plus the ‘no fly’ zone is only to a certain altitude - you can fly above it with no restrictions.

THIS^

Fun part was Disney had to get a waiver to it's own no fly zone when it wanted to use drones a few years back.


This is their permanent No Fly Zone Permit

https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_3634.html