Discovery Island

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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 Orlando, 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 [1]. The species was officially declared extinct in 1990.

As of 2006, the island remains closed to the public.

1 Attractions
2 History
3 General information
4 References
5 External links

[edit] 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

[edit] History

According to Walt Disney's colleagues, repeated aerial surveys of Central Florida land parcels led to his taking notice of the 11.5-acre island. At that time it was Riles Island and had been owned by several other parties before Disney's purchase. He decided almost immediately that this was the ideal location for his Florida Project.

[edit] General information

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