Discovery Island (Florida)

:"This page is for Discovery Island Walt Disney World Resort Lake Buena Vista, Florida, For Discovery Island near Victoria, British Columbia, see Discovery Island (British Columbia)

Discovery Island, also known as "Bay Lake's Tropical Island Paradise," is an 11½-acre island in Bay Lake at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. It opened as "Treasure Island" on April 8, 1974, and was a place to observe wildlife. It was closed to the public on April 8, 1999, but continued to operate until July 9 1999, at which point all of its animals had been relocated to new homes at Disney's Animal Kingdom (which retained the Discovery Island name in the hub area formerly called Safari Village) and other zoos.

After its closing, Disney considered teaming up with the makers of the MYST video game to create a cutting-edge interactive experience to be called "Myst Island". Guests to the island would explore unusual locations and unravel a mystery about the island's previous inhabitants. This unusual attraction never got beyond the concept stage.

The island was the habitat of the last remaining dusky seaside sparrow before it died in 1987 [http://www.annsweeten.com/orangeband.html] . The species was officially declared extinct in 1990. As of 2007, the island remains closed to the public. For residents at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground or Disney's Contemporary resort, you can see the shore of Discovery Island when riding the Cruisers or Launches to the Magic Kingdom or one of the other two resorts on Bay Lake. On the Cruiser or Launch riding between Disney's Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, tourists can also see Disney's River Country water park, which also closed.

Attractions

*Trumpeter Springs - Trumpeter Swans
*Parrots Perch - The Discovery Island Bird Show, featuring macaws, cockatoos, and other trained birds.
*Bamboo Hollow - Lemurs from Madagascar.
*Cranes's Roost - Demoiselle Cranes
*Avian Way - The United States' most extensive breeding colony of Scarlet Ibis
*Pelican Bay - Brown Pelicans
*Flamingo Lagoon - Flamingos
*Tortoise Beach - Five Galapagos tortoises

General information

*Admission cost in 1995 was $10.07 for adults and $5.57 for children aged three through nine.
*There was also a beach where no swimming was allowed but playing and walking in sand was permitted, plus a snack bar, the "Thirsty Perch".

References

*cite book | title=Birnbaum's Walt Disney World | pages=198-199 | publisher=Hyperion and Hearst | year=1995 | editor=Wendy Lefkon | id=ISBN 0-7868-8040-6

External links