Here’s how to set sail on the waterways around Disney World and head to the theme parks, Disney Springs, and resorts with ease.
Disney World isn’t located anywhere near Florida’s famed beaches. But it is surrounded by a surprising amount of water, including multiple lakes and bays. And the water isn’t just scenery – you can actually use boats as a form of transportation. In addition to Disney World’s buses, monorail routes, and the Skyliner, boats can help you get from point A to point B relatively quickly.
There are a few different types of boats you can take to get around the resort: water launches (or water taxis), ferryboats, FriendShip boats, and river cruise boats. All act as shuttles to carry guests to and from resorts, theme parks, and other locations, operating on four different bodies of water.
If you’d like to take a wonderfully scenic route to wherever you’re headed – or you have kids who are particularly fond of boats and water-based fun – here’s everything you need to know about using boat transportation to get around Disney World.
Everything You Need to Know About Disney World Boats
- Where Do Disney World Boats Stop?
- Boat Schedules and Availability
- Disney World Boat Transportation FAQs
Where Do Disney World Boats Stop?
Disney World’s water taxis, ferryboats, and other watercraft cruise around four bodies of water within the larger resort:
- Seven Seas Lagoon
- Bay Lake
- Crescent Lake
- Lake Hollywood
So, when it comes to boat “stops” or pickup locations, you’ll find these located on the shores of these bodies of water.
Boats can take you to three of Disney World’s four theme parks: EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Magic Kingdom. They will also pick up and drop off guests at various Disney Resort hotels and Disney Springs.
But not all boats head to the same destinations. Here’s an overview of which routes you can travel via Disney World’s boat transportation system.
Taking a Boat to Disney World Theme Parks
Photo by Laurie Sapp
You can use Disney’s boat transportation to get to and from EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Magic Kingdom. However, while these theme parks are boat-accessible, they may not offer direct routes from every resort – or even from theme park to theme park.
If you’d like to visit Magic Kingdom, you can take a water taxi there from:
- Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
- Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
You can also use a ferryboat to get back and forth between Magic Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC).
If you’d like to visit EPCOT or Hollywood Studios, you can take the FriendShip Boat from any of the following locations to either of the theme parks:
- Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
- Disney’s Beach Club Villas
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
- Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
- Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
When you use boat transportation to any Disney World theme park, keep in mind that you will have stops along the way. For example, traveling from EPCOT to Hollywood Studios means you’ll pause at various resorts along the route to let passengers on or off.
Taking a Boat to Disney World Resorts
Photo by Cliff Wang
Like we mentioned above, many of the Disney boat transportation routes include stops at resorts along the way. And whether you want to travel between theme parks and resorts or simply resort hop, both are easy to do out on the water.
You can use water taxis to travel between Magic Kingdom and the following resorts:
- Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
- Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Water taxis also run between the following three resorts, so you can use a boat to resort hop at:
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
- Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
From EPCOT or Hollywood Studios, you can take the FriendShip Boat to any of the following resorts (and resort hop between these locations, too):
- Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
- Disney’s Beach Club Villas
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
- Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
- Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
The Sassagoula River Cruise also travels between the following Disney World resorts:
- Disney’s Old Key West Resort
- Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
- Disney’s Port Orleans – French Quarter
Taking a Boat to Disney Springs
Photo by Mike Billick
Since Disney Springs sits on the shores of Lake Buena Vista, so it should come as no surprise that water taxis service the shopping, dining, and entertainment district (and they’re a great way to skip the hassle of parking your own car!)
You can travel to Disney Springs via water taxi from the following resorts:
- Disney’s Old Key West Resort
- Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
- Disney’s Port Orleans – French Quarter
Just note that, like when you use boat transportation to any Disney World theme park, you will have stops along the way. These resorts are on the Sassagoula River Cruise route, so the trip with include visits to these resorts to let passengers on or off as you head to and from Disney Springs.
Disney World Boat Schedules and Availability
Boat transportation is a little slower than Disney’s other modes of transportation, primarily because water taxis and other watercraft tend to operate a bit more slowly and with lower guest capacity (ferryboats are the exception, since they can carry about 600 guests each).
However, the boats are still quite timely. Typically, boat routes operate on either a 15- or 30-minute interval, meaning you’ll see new boats arriving roughly every 15 to 30 minutes.
The hours of operation for Disney’s boat transportation routes vary, and they are more weather-dependent than other modes of getting around the resort. You’ll want to check with your resort or the My Disney Experience app for the latest operating times for all boat routes.
In general, though, Disney says you can expect boat transportation to begin at 10:00 AM and end for the day at 11:30 PM for most routes.
Disney World Boat Transportation FAQs
Are Disney ferries and boats free?
All forms of Disney World boat transportation are free for guests – and no, you don’t have to be staying on property to take advantage! Like the buses, monorails, and Skyliner, you can move around the resort via water taxis, ferryboats, and more without paying a cent.
How long is the boat ride from EPCOT to Hollywood Studios?
It takes about 30 to 45 minutes to travel on the FriendShip Boat from EPCOT to Hollywood Studios (and vice versa). There are multiple stops at Disney World Resort hotels along the way, which adds to the travel time.
How many ferryboats does Disney World have?
There are three ferries in operation at Disney World, and they carry guests between the TTC and Magic Kingdom: the Richard F. Irvine, the Admiral Joe Fowler, and the General Joe Potter.
