boats for fort and wilderness lodge

[Calway]

Could someone explain the boat system to me. Someone in a post said that the green flagged boat was for the fort. I assume back from MK or Contemporary? Blue flagged boat runs from Fort and w. lodge to Contemporary?
If I take the blue boat does it pick up fort people or WL people first in the morning. How does that work? What if I got ambitious and rode my bike over to the WL to eat breakfast, could I then take the boat over to MK or would it head over to the fort? I've never stayed at the fort and I'm not sure how the transportation system works.

 

[marble96]

Ok

How I figure out the boats when I am at the fort is the small boat that loads and unloads at the right side at the far end of the dock is for the guests going to the WL and the Contemporary. The large boat that unloads at the left of the dock at the far end is the MK boat only takes guests to the MK. Hope this helped.

 

[Calway]

Thanks for that info.
What about what order the boats drop off and pick up people? Is Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness the first pick up? Does anyone else know what I was asking in my first thread? I'd appreciate as much input as possible.

 

[2goofycampers]

My boat system,,,I walk to the end of the dock, get in the line I think is going where I want to go,, then ask the attendent where the boat is going,,the end.

not much of a system, but has served me well for 20 years.

this is not 2goofycampers,, yes, it tis I, Frank.
Sorry Denise.

 

[dfchelbay]

The docks do have posted signs next to the roped off "get in line" area. The sign says where the boat is going...just get into the line for the destination you are going.

 

[sarahk0204]

Could someone explain the boat system to me. Someone in a post said that the green flagged boat was for the fort. I assume back from MK or Contemporary? Blue flagged boat runs from Fort and w. lodge to Contemporary?
If I take the blue boat does it pick up fort people or WL people first in the morning. How does that work? What if I got ambitious and rode my bike over to the WL to eat breakfast, could I then take the boat over to MK or would it head over to the fort? I've never stayed at the fort and I'm not sure how the transportation system works.

Ok, the blue flag boat has a route that goes Ft Wilderness to Wilderness Lodge to Contemporary to Ft Wilderness. I think you can take a boat from WL to MK, but it is a different color flag (red maybe? )

If, in your scenario, you bike over to WL for breakfast, you can ride the "other flag" boat to MK. Or you could ride the blue flag boat to the Contemporary and take the monorail to the MK. In either case, though, you still would have to go back to WL and bike back to the Fort.

I would leave my ambitions and bike at the Fort and take the green flag boat to the MK, but I don't have much ambition on vacation

 

[liv luvs disney]

My boat experience is not for another 2 weeks, but I'm pretty sure I've read that anytime there is service for WL AND FW, FW folks are serviced second...they are on the boat or bus the longest.

 

[marble96]

The resort boat changes direction sometimes during the day I don't know exactly when this happens sometimes it goes to the Contemporary first then WL or vice versa... the boat set up is pretty much the same at WL getting to the MK and FW... don't sweat it remember you are on vacation and it is the Fort nothing can be better than that!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Oh boy, this is getting more complicated than it needs to be.

The boat routes have been tweaked over the past year or so, so let's be clear on how things are now.

There are large, partially enclosed boats that take passengers directly back and forth from FW to the MK. These boats at one time were shared with WL, but no more. These boats do not stop at WL at all at any time of day. Just FW and MK. As you head out to the dock, the line to enter this boat will be to your left.

There are smaller, open boats that travel between FW and the Contemporary Resort and Wilderness Lodge. These boats make a loop from FW to those resorts. These boats do not go to the MK. Sometimes they go to the Contemporary first, and then stop at WL, and then head back to FW. Sometimes they go the other way and stop at WL, and then the Contemporary, and then back to FW. I have not yet been able to figure out the rhyme or reason as to how they determine what resort they are going to first. I don't know if it is adjusted by time of day, or based on demand. But, you certainly can ask the boat captain, and he or she will tell you. If the boat is heading to the wrong resort for you first, you can ask the captain whether you should board, or wait for the next boat. I believe that at certain times of day, all the resort boats follow the same loop, so you may have to visit the other resort first anyway. The resort boat line is to your right as you head down the dock.

As far as catching a boat from WL to the MK, the WL has its own dedicated boats for this purpose, just like FW. Those boats go back and forth from the WL to the MK only, no other stops.

I don't worry about flag colors. It used to be important, because there were different routes run by similar looking boats. I don't even pay attention to flag colors any more. There is a MK boat and a resort boat. That's all you need to know. It is simple.

Good luck.

TCD

 

[liv luvs disney]

Oh boy, this is getting more complicated than it needs to be.

The boat routes have been tweaked over the past year or so, so let's be clear on how things are now.

There are large, partially enclosed boats that take passengers directly back and forth from FW to the MK. These boats at one time were shared with WL, but no more. These boats do not stop at WL at all at any time of day. Just FW and MK. As you head out to the dock, the line to enter this boat will be to your left.

There are smaller, open boats that travel between FW and the Contemporary Resort and Wilderness Lodge. These boats make a loop from FW to those resorts. These boats do not go to the MK. Sometimes they go to the Contemporary first, and then stop at WL, and then head back to FW. Sometimes they go the other way and stop at WL, and then the Contemporary, and then back to FW. I have not yet been able to figure out the rhyme or reason as to how they determine what resort they are going to first. I don't know if it is adjusted by time of day, or based on demand. But, you certainly can ask the boat captain, and he or she will tell you. If the boat is heading to the wrong resort for you first, you can ask the captain whether you should board, or wait for the next boat. I believe that at certain times of day, all the resort boats follow the same loop, so you may have to visit the other resort first anyway. The resort boat line is to your right as you head down the dock.

As far as catching a boat from WL to the MK, the WL has its own dedicated boats for this purpose, just like FW. Those boats go back and forth from the WL to the MK only, no other stops.

I don't worry about flag colors. It used to be important, because there were different routes run by similar looking boats. I don't even pay attention to flag colors any more. There is a MK boat and a resort boat. That's all you need to know. It is simple.

Good luck.

TCD

There you have it folks. The End.

TCD, Suppose I was wanting a No Way Jose from Beaches & Cream at BC. How would you go about getting there from the Fort. I was thinking about boating over to MK and then taking a bus to BC. What would be your suggestion?

 

[Tri-circle-D]

There you have it folks. The End.

TCD, Suppose I was wanting a No Way Jose from Beaches & Cream at BC. How would you go about getting there from the Fort. I was thinking about boating over to MK and then taking a bus to BC. What would be your suggestion?

That is probably how I would do it, too. Boat to MK, then bus to Y&BC. But, there are other alternatives. Such as:

Bus from FW to DHS, then Epcot boat from DHS. This boat stops at the Swan/Dolphin, Boardwalk and Y&BC on the way to Epcot.

Resort boat to Contemporary, Resort monorail to TTC, Epcot monorail to Epcot, walk through Epcot to Y&BC (long but scenic).

Bus from FW to Downtown Disney, transfer to Y&BC bus.

Bus from FW to any other park or water park, and transfer to Y&BC bus. Given the distances and the slower speed of the boat, the fastest way to get there might be taking the FW bus to Epcot, and then hopping onto the Y&BC bus from there.

With WDW transportation, the amount of time it takes you to get from one place to another can vary greatly. For example, if you show up at the FW dock right after the Hoop Dee Doo lets out, you might have to wait for two or three boats before you get out of there. If you make it to the bus stop right after the Epcot bus has pulled out, you might be waiting for 20 minutes there before the next bus shows. But, other times, your bus or boat will pull up just as you arrive. You never know. Disney transportation is part of the experience, enjoy it, no matter what.


TCD

 

[liv luvs disney]

That is probably how I would do it, too. Boat to MK, then bus to Y&BC. But, there are other alternatives. Such as:

Bus from FW to DHS, then Epcot boat from DHS. This boat stops at the Swan/Dolphin, Boardwalk and Y&BC on the way to Epcot.

Resort boat to Contemporary, Resort monorail to TTC, Epcot monorail to Epcot, walk through Epcot to Y&BC (long but scenic).

Bus from FW to Downtown Disney, transfer to Y&BC bus.

Bus from FW to any other park or water park, and transfer to Y&BC bus. Given the distances and the slower speed of the boat, the fastest way to get there might be taking the FW bus to Epcot, and then hopping onto the Y&BC bus from there.

With WDW transportation, the amount of time it takes you to get from one place to another can vary greatly. For example, if you show up at the FW dock right after the Hoop Dee Doo lets out, you might have to wait for two or three boats before you get out of there. If you make it to the bus stop right after the Epcot bus has pulled out, you might be waiting for 20 minutes there before the next bus shows. But, other times, your bus or boat will pull up just as you arrive. You never know. Disney transportation is part of the experience, enjoy it, no matter what.


TCD

Thanks! We may go one way and come back another just for the heck of it. I'm not one to complain about WDW transportation...I'm just happy to be there. The way I look at it, a 20 minute wait for transportation is great converstion time with the family. (We're pretty friendly so we enjoy using that time to talk to those around us as well.)

 

[BradyBz12]

Thanks! We may go one way and come back another just for the heck of it.

We do that! Sometimes just for the fun of it we try and come up with new and interesting ways to use multiple forms of Disney transport to get from A to B. Think of it as the WDW version of "planes, trains and automobiles" except it's "boats, buses and monorails"

 

[Calway]

O.K. thanks for everyone's reply. Tri-circle, I wrote down what you mentioned about the bigger boats in my notes. I still have six weeks until we leave.

 

[BradyBz12]

In case it helps, this is what the MK launches look like...

If in doubt, just ask the CM before you board.

 

[Shan-man]

Love that hat on the girl coming off the Cruiser!

 

[liv luvs disney]

Love that hat on the girl coming off the Cruiser!

Of course you would. Notice the shorts and tank top-typical FL Christmas weather.

 

[Pirate-Jeff]

Just make Sure when you are leaving the MK you get on the green flagged boat. it's only stop is FW. The RED flagged boat only goes to the WL. The 2 sets of boat are mostly identical except for the flags.

Below are the boats that run between FW, WL and the CR . The last few times we were there 2 were running at the same time one went clockwise FW,WL,CR the other one went counter clockwise FW,CR WL

If the small boat comes in front of Discovery Island (from WL) the next stop is the CR if the small boat come from behind Discovery Island (from CR) the next stop is WL

 

[BradyBz12]

Love that hat on the girl coming off the Cruiser!

Hey, I have that hat too! (I know, you're shocked )

And I was darned glad I did last Dec. The night we went to MVMCP it was below 40!