Contemporary Resort to WL with ECV?

[Simba's Mom]

Do the boats that travel from the Contemporary Resort to WL and FW accommodate ECVs? I thought I read that they don’t. Traveling between the CR and either of the other 2, what is the best form of transportation for someone using an ECV?

 

[RaySharpton]

Do the boats that travel from the Contemporary Resort to WL and FW accommodate ECVs? I thought I read that they don’t. Traveling between the CR and either of the other 2, what is the best form of transportation for someone using an ECV?

Hi, Simba's Mom. I believe the larger boats travel from MK and WL and FWC and they can handle the ECV's.

I believe the smaller boats have steps to walk down into and cannot handle the ECV because of the steps. And the smaller boats travel from CR and WL and FWC. They also travel from MK and PR and GF.

I would just use the sidewalk from CR to MK and take the larger boat from MK to WL and FWC because it seems quicker to me than taking the monorail to MK to take the larger boat.

Routes: There are 4 routes available in the Magic Kingdom area, each designated by a colored flag. Each route operates 30 min prior to park opening including Extra Magic hours until 1.5 hours after park close. The boats may cease operation due to inclement weather. If there is lightning in the area, launches are shut down and boats are shuffled. Expect longer than normal wait times on all 4 routes.

• Gold Flag Launch: The gold route carries guests from the Magic Kingdom to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, continues to Disney's Polynesian resort, and back to the Magic Kingdom. This route goes in reverse of the resort monorail. This route operates 30 minutes before park opening including Extra Magic Hours until 1.5-hours after park close and typically has two launches on the route. This route can not accommodate ECVs. Guests in Wheelchairs can board if they can transfer out of the wheelchair and step down 2 feet into the boat. Travel time on this route is about 20-minutes around the lake, so it's about 7-minutes between stops. Wait time between boats is typically 10-15 minutes.
• Green Flag Launch: The green route carries guests from the Magic Kingdom to Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. This is a heavily traveled route due to the Hoop-De-Doo Musical Revue and Mickey's Backyard BBQ being at this resort, along with the fact that guests staying at the resort can only get to the Magic Kingdom by boat. This route typically runs two cruisers which are both capable of accommodating ECVs and wheelchairs without a required transfer. Travel time from Magic Kingdom to Ft. Wilderness is approximately 13-minutes once underway. Wait time between boats is typically 10-20 minutes.
• Red Flag Launch: The red route transports guests from the Magic Kingdom to Disney's Wilderness Lodge. This route typically runs one cruiser and one launch, which means if you have an ECV, you'll have to wait for the cruiser to be taken to the resort. Travel time from the Magic Kingdom to the resort is approximately 8-minutes with wait time between boats typically 8-12 minutes.
• Blue Flag Launch: The blue route consists of two launches transporting guests around Bay Lake between Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Fort Wilderness, and Contemporary Resort. The two launches operate in opposite direction, meeting at the Contemporary.

TIP: The Green Route is one of the most scenic routes to take. If you're looking for something to kill time, take this route to the campground and back. Look for the bear face built into Disney's Wilderness Lodge, and remember times past (or learn about them) as you pass the closed Discovery Island attraction and River Country Water Park. Interested in Disney Cast Member traditions? Near River Country, you can spot a tree with white shoes in it. It's a tradition for watercraft pilots to throw their shoes in the tree when retiring.

Maybe someone else will come with more info.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Thanks Ray. I’m so glad you included the pictures. I’ve heard people talk about “larger” boats and “smaller”, but I didn’t know what they looked like. Now I can tell which is which and identify “Can that boat take my ECV?” from far away because they’re different colors. So thanks so much for the identifying pictures

 

[RaySharpton]

Thanks Ray. I’m so glad you included the pictures. I’ve heard people talk about “larger” boats and “smaller”, but I didn’t know what they looked like. Now I can tell which is which and identify “Can that boat take my ECV?” from far away because they’re different colors. So thanks so much for the identifying pictures

The colors are for the different flag colors on the boats. The first photo shows the small boat that you have steps that you have to walk down, so they can't take an ECV.

The larger boat is much, much larger with side entry to enter the boat and allows you to drive onto the boat.

 

[gap2368]

For the most part the smaller boat go between resort to resort the bigger ones go from resort to park. Now the CM will stop a bigger boat at the resort to pick you up even if it is not one of the schedule stops ( they will say we have to make a stop at ____ to pick up or drop off a VIP guest. ( happens every time I stay at the fort) it is really no big deal. I am not sure how it works to do this as there are no CM at the dock You might have to ask at the lobby and they can see what you need to do.

 

[Starwind]

When we have traveled from WL to Contemporary or FW it has always been on one of the larger boats, which is capable of taking an ECV. My understanding is that on that route [WL, CT, FW] there are two boats at a time which make the loop and at least one at any time will be the larger style boat, if not both of them.

OTOH, for example, the boat that goes between MK and GF and Poly is almost always the small boat style that cannot handle an ECV.

Gap2368: The boat captains have radios and can call in for a larger boat to make a stop if needed.

SW

 

[gap2368]

When we have traveled from WL to Contemporary or FW it has always been on one of the larger boats, which is capable of taking an ECV. My understanding is that on that route [WL, CT, FW] there are two boats at a time which make the loop and at least one at any time will be the larger style boat, if not both of them.

OTOH, for example, the boat that goes between MK and GF and Poly is almost always the small boat style that cannot handle an ECV.

Gap2368: The boat captains have radios and can call in for a larger boat to make a stop if needed.

SW

That is what I thought that the person in the ECV just went down there the captain or the other CM called to the bigger boat that someone in an ECV needed to get to ____ and they did it for them.

 

[Starwind]

That is what I thought that the person in the ECV just went down there the captain or the other CM called to the bigger boat that someone in an ECV needed to get to ____ and they did it for them.

Yep we have gone with an ECV and the captain or CM at the dock has said they will call a large boat for us, and soon enough one showed up. We've also been told to wait that the next boat is the large one that can accommodate us. If we are using the ECV and taking a boat, we always build in extra time for "we have to wait for the next one to get a big one" time as well as "they may have to get creative to tilt the boat to get us on or off" time ;-)

 

[Simba's Mom]

So it sounds as if my best move would be to go to the Contemporary dock and see what I'm told, I may not have to go to the MK after all.