Walt Disney World’s no-fly zone is back on the FAA’s list. The long-standing flight restriction over the resort dropped off that list this morning. By early afternoon, the agency had issued a new one covering the same airspace around Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. Disneyland’s no-fly zone came back too.
New FAA Flight Restriction Over Walt Disney World Replaces 2014 Notice
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- The FAA issued a new permanent flight restriction over Walt Disney World on November 10th.
- The new notice keeps the same boundaries and exceptions but no longer mentions drones by name.
- Disneyland received a matching replacement restriction the same afternoon.
Earlier today, we reported that the Walt Disney World no-fly zone disappeared from the FAA’s list of active flight restrictions, along with its Disneyland counterpart. Walt Disney World’s version had been in place since October 2014. At the time, the FAA posted no notice explaining why it was gone.
What the New Notice Says
According to the FAA website, the FAA issued the new restriction at 12:43pm Eastern on November 10th. It took effect immediately, is permanent, and has no end date. Its text says it replaces the previous Walt Disney World notice “to reflect updated language.” That wording suggests the old entry came down as part of a rewrite, though the FAA hasn’t explained why it dropped off the list a few hours before the new one posted.
The restriction itself hasn’t moved. Its center point matches the 2014 version, just south of the Contemporary Resort, with the same 3-nautical-mile radius and 3,000-foot ceiling. Magic Kingdom and most of EPCOT sit inside that circle, while Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs fall outside it.
The exceptions carry over word for word. Military, law enforcement, and air ambulance flights can still operate inside the zone. Aircraft cleared by air traffic control for operational or safety reasons are exempt as well. Flights tied to Disney World events and venues still need an approved FAA waiver. Waivers issued under the old notice stay valid until their listed end date, up to 90 days after the new restriction took effect. That puts the cutoff in early February.
What Changed in the Updated Language
We compared the new notice with the 2014 version it replaces, and most of the changes come down to formatting. The FAA labeled the old notice a special security notice and split it into two parts. Today’s version follows the FAA’s current flight restriction format as a single notice, and it adds that the restriction is effective immediately until further notice.
Drones are the one wording change worth noting. The 2014 notice banned all aircraft flight operations, “including unmanned and remote-controlled aircraft.” The new notice bans all aircraft flight operations without that phrase. Drones still count as aircraft under FAA rules, so they appear to remain covered, but the notice no longer calls them out by name.
Disneyland’s No-Fly Zone Is Back Too
Disneyland’s restriction returned 17 minutes later. The FAA issued a matching notice over the Anaheim resort at 1:00pm Eastern, or 10:00am Pacific. It carries the same “updated language” note and makes the same changes, including the dropped drone wording.
Both notices still cite the 2003 federal law that created the Disney no-fly zones. They also keep the national defense airspace classification, so pilots who break the rules can face interception and criminal penalties. Congressional efforts to remove the zones, including Rep. Troy Nehls’ 2022 bill and its 2023 reintroduction, never became law.
For guests, the skies over Cinderella Castle and Spaceship Earth stay clear of banner planes and low-flying aircraft, as they have for more than two decades.
Story So Far
- 2003: Congress creates the Disney no-fly zones through a provision in a federal spending bill.
- October 27, 2014: The FAA issues the Walt Disney World restriction that stays in place for the next 12 years.
- May 2022: Rep. Troy Nehls introduces a bill to remove the no-fly zones over both Disney resorts.
- May 2023: Nehls reintroduces the bill with two co-sponsors.
- November 10, 2026: The Walt Disney World and Disneyland restrictions disappear from the FAA’s list.
- November 10, 2026: The FAA issues replacement restrictions for both resorts with updated language.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!