The flight restrictions over Disney World and Disneyland dropped off the FAA's public list on Nov. 6. By Tuesday afternoon, both were back under new notice numbers, reissued "to reflect updated language."
Sorry, drone fans. Disney World's no-fly zone never really went anywhere.
The federal flight restrictions over Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort disappeared from the FAA's public list of active Temporary Flight Restrictions last week. As of Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 10, both were back.
The returning restrictions carry new numbers. The FAA's own TFR pages show Disney World's as NOTAM 6/6924, issued Tuesday at 12:43 p.m. Eastern, and Disneyland's as 6/6925, issued at 1 p.m. Eastern. Both are listed as permanent. TFR Today, which tracks the FAA's list, says each replaces the old notice "to reflect updated language."
The rules themselves look the same: no flying within 3 nautical miles, from the ground up to 3,000 feet.
What happened to Disney World's no-fly zone?
Here's the timeline, pieced together from WDWNT, BlogMickey and TFR Today:
Nov. 6, 7:41 a.m. Eastern: Disney World's longtime restriction, NOTAM 4/3634, dropped off the FAA's active list, per TFR Today. Aerial photographer Bioreconstruct spotted it first, WDWNT reported. Disneyland's NOTAM 4/3635 vanished, too.
Tuesday morning: BlogMickey and WDWNT reported the gap. BlogMickey said it reached out to the FAA and Disney World and hadn't heard back.
Tuesday, 1:43 p.m. Eastern: WDWNT posted an update saying both restrictions were back on the FAA map.
Even during the gap, the airspace may never have been open. Bioreconstruct said air traffic control at Orlando International Airport kept telling pilots the restriction was in effect, WDWNT and BlogMickey reported. Neither outlet could verify that.
WDWNT also noted the FAA's website still listed both restrictions as permanent while they were missing from the map.
Neither the FAA nor Disney has explained the switch publicly. The new notices' "updated language" note suggests a paperwork reissue, not a policy change.
What are the Disney World flight restrictions?
Based on the new FAA notice text posted by TFR Today:
Size: A 3-nautical-mile circle, from the surface up to 3,000 feet above ground.
Center: A point near Disney's Contemporary Resort, BlogMickey reported.
Who's banned: All aircraft, including drones.
Who's allowed: Military, law enforcement and air ambulance flights, plus aircraft cleared by air traffic control for operations or safety.
Disney's own flights: Event flights need an approved FAA waiver. Waivers issued under the old notice stay valid up to 90 days after the new one takes effect.
Penalties: The FAA treats it as national defense airspace. Pilots who break the rules can be intercepted, detained and interviewed, and willful violations can bring criminal charges.
Which Disney World parks are covered by the no-fly zone?
Not all of them, which surprises a lot of people.
At Disney World, the circle covers Magic Kingdom and most of EPCOT, BlogMickey and WDWNT reported. Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and Disney Springs sit outside it.
Disneyland Resort is much smaller, so its 3-mile circle covers the whole resort, including Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney.
Why does Disney have a no-fly zone at all?
Congress ordered it. A 2003 spending law, Public Law 108-7, required the flight restrictions over Disney's U.S. parks, and the new FAA notice text still cites it.
Disney World's restriction had been in its recent form since Oct. 27, 2014, BlogMickey reported. WDWNT said the most recent versions of both notices were filed in 2015.
The zones have survived a few challenges. Republican lawmakers filed bills in 2022 and 2023 to take them away, but neither became law, BlogMickey noted. BlogMickey also said it couldn't find any change to the 2003 law this week.
Can you fly a drone at Disney World?
Not inside the restricted zone. The new notices spell out that drones count as aircraft, and the only flights tied to Disney events that get in are the ones with an FAA waiver.
If you were hoping to film your own drone show over Cinderella Castle during the four-day gap, the answer appears to have been the same the whole time: nope.
Pilots should check the FAA's live TFR list before flying near Orlando or Anaheim. Maybe refresh it twice.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
WDW News Today (Nov. 10, 2026), the disappearance, Bioreconstruct's report, the old NOTAM numbers, coverage area and the update that the restrictions returned
BlogMickey (Nov. 10, 2026), the 2003 law, coverage area, the 2014 date, outreach to the FAA and Disney, and past repeal bills
Federal Aviation Administration (Nov. 10, 2026), NOTAM 6/6924 and 6/6925 issue times and terms
TFR Today (Nov. 10, 2026), the Nov. 6 drop-off time and the new NOTAM 6/6924 and 6/6925 text
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