Friendship Boat between MGM & Epcot

[Elysiannn]

Hi can someone tell me the order of the drop off the Friendship boat does from MGM and if they run on the hour with 20 minute trips? I'm planning a stay at the Dolphin and just wonder. Thanks! Ely

 

[helenk]

I am not sure of their schedule, it just runs continueously but after the boat leaves MGM its first stop is the Swan and Dolphin, then it goes to the YC/BC then to the Boardwalk and then to Epcot.

 

[CarolMN]

And from EPCOT to MGM, the order is reversed - EPCOT, BW, YC/BC, Swan/Dolphin, MGM.

Not sure they have a schedule per se. The trip between parks takes 30 - 45 minutes one way.

Best wishes -

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Originally posted by CarolMN
And from EPCOT to MGM, the order is reversed - EPCOT, BW, YC/BC, Swan/Dolphin, MGM.

Not sure they have a schedule per se. The trip between parks takes 30 - 45 minutes one way.

Best wishes -

I think the planned "schedule" is approximately one boat every 20 minutes in each direction. I think the actual sailing times are approximately 10 minutes between MGM and the S/D, about 5 minutes between S/D and Y/B, less than 5 minutes between Y/B and BW (just across the lake), and about 5 minutes between BW and Epcot. It takes some additional time to unload and load passengers at each stop, so a total in the 30-45 minutes range is pretty typical. My experience is that it's usually closer to 30 than 45.

In any case, I think there are usually at least three boats operating, which there would have to be to support a 20 minutes interval since the one-way trip takes more than 20 minutes. They can add more boats at busy times to increase capacity, but fewer than three boats would increase wait times. One complication that the boat drivers have to deal with is the fact that there is only room for a single boat at the S/D boat dock while the Y/B and BW docks can have a boat heading in either direction at the same time. I think that the coordination between boats is one of the reasons that a boat may sometimes wait at either the MGM or Epcot dock even though it's full of passengers anxious to get back to their resorts.

Ralph

 

[Disney Panda]

Can a stroller be rolled on to the boat or does it need to be folded?

 

[betterlatethannever]

Originally posted by Disney Panda
Can a stroller be rolled on to the boat or does it need to be folded?

Generally, you don't have to fold up a stroller. They put them in the front of the boat on the other side of the rope when the boat is crowded.

Ed

 

[Mouseteacher]

I just got back from the Dolphin last week. I had just missed the boat to MGM - it was pulling away from the dock as I arrived. Within 5 minutes the boat for Epcot pulled up and the CM told me that the MGM boat would be there in about 5 minutes...and it was! So, it took about 10 minutes for a boat to arrive after missing one.

 

[Gary M]

During the winter months it takes the boat about 25 minutes from the MGM dock to the International Gateway dock. They announced the 25 minute time once, I timed it and it took 24 minutes. Maybe during busier times it will take a little longer.

 

[Andrew Bichard]

Originally posted by betterlatethannever
Generally, you don't have to fold up a stroller. They put them in the front of the boat on the other side of the rope when the boat is crowded.

Ed

or at the back deck. You can sit at the back in the open with your unfolded stroller with child still in it. There is also a door from the rear deck into the cabin, with space for a couple of strollers (or wheelchairs) just inside.

Andrew