Friendship boats

[rajak73]

We are heading down to the World from July 13-23, Planning a HS day with a trip to Epcot later, are the friendship boats still running between HS and Epcot to International Gateway? I thought somewhere I saw they were under refurb or something and not running.

 

[SteveH]

http://www.kennythepirate.com/2018/...os-friendship-boats-to-undergo-refurbishment/

Started May 7 for about 6 weeks, so it should be done by the time you arrive.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

They shut down between the resorts and HS on May 7th.
I think the refurb is supposed to be about 6 weeks.
If they happen to still be down when you go you can always walk from HS to the International Gateway or take a bus from HS to the front of Epcot.

 

[joelkfla]

They shut down between the resorts and HS on May 7th.
I think the refurb is supposed to be about 6 weeks.
If they happen to still be down when you go you can always walk from HS to the International Gateway or take a bus from HS to the front of Epcot.

I think it's a safe bet buses will be running to replace the boats, so another option would be a bus from DHS to BC and walk into IG.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Yes member services confirmed there will be buses running with the boats being out of service

 

[rajak73]

Thank you everyone for the replies. If the boats happen to not be running we will either walk or bus back to epcot.

 

[mikebb]

Was looking at booking a weekend at the Dolphin in a few weeks, and came across the notification on the boat refurb on the Dolphin/Starwood booking site. Here are some details, with specific dates, pulled from there:

Disney Friendship Boat Service Temporarily Closed
Beginning May 7, 2018 until May 14, 2018, Disney's Friendship Boat service is only available to Epcot, Disney's Boardwalk, and Disney's Yacht & Beach Club resorts. Bus service will be provided to Disney's Hollywood Studios during this time.

Beginning May 14, 2018 Disney's Friendship Boat service will be temporarily suspended and not operational until May 25, 2018. Bus service will be provided to Disney's Hollywood Studios and Epcot.

Beginning May 26, 2018 until approximately June 21, 2018 Disney's Friendship Boat service is only available to Epcot, Disney's Boardwalk, and Disney's Yacht & Beach Club resorts. Bus service will be provided to Disney's Hollywood Studios during this time.

 

[yaya74]

If I take a boat from DHS to Epcot, where do I get off at Epcot??
Also, how’s the boat ride from DHS to Epcot? I know it is slow but is it relaxing??
Hope the boat service will resume when I get there in late July/early August.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

If I take a boat from DHS to Epcot, where do I get off at Epcot??
Also, how’s the boat ride from DHS to Epcot? I know it is slow but is it relaxing??
Hope the boat service will resume when I get there in late July/early August.

The boat lets off at a dock right outside of the International Gateway.

I have never actually ridden the full DHS to Epcot route because I eventually get antsy and get out at one of the resorts and walk. The slowness of the multiple stops starts to bug me after awhile.

But otherwise, sure, the ride is relaxing enough. Great views.

 

[shoreward]

If I take a boat from DHS to Epcot, where do I get off at Epcot??
Also, how’s the boat ride from DHS to Epcot? I know it is slow but is it relaxing??
Hope the boat service will resume when I get there in late July/early August.

When the FriendShip boat docks at EPCOT, it's about a one minute walk to the International Gateway entrance. Passing thru security and the tapstlles at the IG will only take a matter of minutes -so easy. When you enter the park, France will be to your right and England to your left. Future World is about a 10-12 minute brisk walk from there.
Though slow, about 45 minutes (due to 3 intermediate stops), the ride from DHS to EP is very relaxing. The boats are good-sized, so the ride is smooth.

 

[yaya74]

When the FriendShip boat docks at EPCOT, it's about a one minute walk to the International Gateway entrance. Passing thru security and the tapstlles at the IG will only take a matter of minutes -so easy. When you enter the park, France will be to your right and England to your left. Future World is about a 10-12 minute brisk walk from there.
Though slow, about 45 minutes (due to 3 intermediate stops), the ride from DHS to EP is very relaxing. The boats are good-sized, so the ride is smooth.

Does the boat captain interact with the onboard passengers? Is there anything to look at along the way?

 

[shoreward]

Does the boat captain interact with the onboard passengers? Is there anything to look at along the way?

Sometimes, the first mate will provide commentary or advise park and transportation hours. I have been on other voyages where the first mate was very talkative with trivia or park info. If you sit up front near the Captain and first mate, you can ask questions or engage them. The age of the crew can vary - some look like retirees, while others look like college students. The roles of Captain and first mate rotate, for different cruises.

If you are not familiar with the EPCOT area, it can be interesting seeing the lake side of the Swan and Dolphin resorts, the Yacht and Beach Club resorts, and the Boardwalk area. The architecture is interesting to look at. You can even get off at an intermediate stop, look around, stop for refreshments or shopping, and then either walk to EPCOT from there or reboard the boat to continue to EPCOT. The evening voyages can be coordinated with the nighttime fireworks at EPCOT and DHS. If timed right, you can watch the higher fireworks from the boat. One time, our Captain purposely slowed our speed to a crawl, as we approached DHS, so that we could watch the DHS fireworks from the boat.

The nighttime cruises are really nice, with the Boardwalk area all lit up.

The boats run every 20 minutes. At park closing, the DHS boats can develop a long waiting line, meaning some guests will need to wait for the next boat. That's usually not a problem, at other times.