Marina Questions...

[vellamint]

I am hoping that all you nice people over here on the camping board can help me.

My family will be visiting Ft. Wilderness and would love to rent the searaycers. Does anyone have a scan of the prices and requirements. I seem to have conflicting reports on whether you need to have a drivers license to drive a boat alone. Some places say yes you do and other places say you need to be 12 years old and have an adult sign a waiver.

Does anyone know for sure?

Thanks in advance.

 

[AuburnJen92]

lisa8200 ( Mike) posted a picture of the prices a couple of days ago, but i cannot seem to find it...maybe he will see this and post it again for you...he was just there

i thought it was 12 to drive by yourself with parent permission...

 

[vellamint]

You know what....since I asked the question I did find that photo of marina prices and was able to "blow" it up large enough to see that fine print....I DO believe it says 12 years old and 5 foot tall ..... but do you know if that is a current price list? I thought this was something that was changed not too long ago to only licensed drivers? I hope I am wrong but why is that sticking in my mind? Hopefully he will see and answer.

Thanks.

Just want ALL of us (my daughters are 14) to be able to do this.

 

[AuburnJen92]

well, he just took those pictures about a week ago, so i would think they are as current as can be...if you have AAA, there is a discount, don't know how much, but heard of them here on the boards

i personally have not gone since i was about 16, so it has been quite a while...

 

[vellamint]

Thanks for your replies.....if they were taken last week that is great news....

I Cant Wait for this trip.....wait until my kids find out we are doing this!!

Thanks.

 

[lisa8200]

Who knew that picture would end up being in such high demand ???
Glad I could be of almost no assistance at all...

 

[auntie]

Okay...last year we were at the WL..and supposedly for watercraft on Bay Lake, you are supposed to be 16. This was very dissapointing for us, as my son had rented the mousesprites a few years earlier and he was about 12. We were concerned about the change in policy. There was no way he was going to rent one with his dad or brother, the thing wouldn't move..and ..well I can't really repeat what he said..but you get the idea. That being said, he probably "looked" 16 last year. He was a few months shy of his 16th birthday. My husband rented them for himself and our two sons. He left his license and the marina staff didn't ask about the age of my younger son.
I had read that the resorts on the Seven Seas Lagoon, and Bay Lake had changed the requirements, because of the traffic involving the Ferry. I know if this was the case, we had planned to let him rent at one of the Epcot resorts..probably the Beach Club. I believe you can rent at Downtown Disney, and still be 12 and five feet tall also.

It could well be they changed the rules again, and it's back to being 12 and Five feet tall for Bay Lake. I certainly hope so. The seasprites are really NOT suited to two people ..unless it's one adult with a small child. I'd try it either way..maybe pick a time period when it's not crazy busy..and
they'll kind of let it go.


Ooops...didn't see about the rates being posted.....I'd think they have to honor whatever is posted.

 

[vellamint]

Well we are going to be at Fort Wilderness that morning/afternoon so will give it a shot. My boys/men are doing the Segway Tour and me and the girls will be checking out the place. I thought I would ask to see the inside of a cabin for future reference and let the girls see the petting zoo. It would be PERFECT if we could all rent a mouseboat right there but if we cant then my back-up plan is to go to POR because I want to see Yeeha Bob that night.

THanks everyone.....

 

[We4mickey]

Last year we went and my DS's girlfriend could not rent a boat because she did not have a drivers license. She was over 18, but that didn't matter. Now DS's both having driven the boats when they were only 12. Things changed in the last few years and when DS was over 16, but didn't have his license yet was not allowed to drive a boat. He had driven them every year since he was twelve and suddenly he wasn't qualified to drive . Needless to say he was a bit p****d.

 

[auntie]

We had heard this, and thought that was going to be the case at the Lodge last year. So we were ready for it..but figured, we'd give it a try anyway. Like I said, my husband rented for himself and our sons. My younger one also had rented when he was 12..and now here he was 6 feet tall and we thought he wasn't going to be able to rent. They didn't say anything, and the only license they asked for was my husbands, since it was being charged to our room.
I can see that it's probably a liability issue...and that's why they changed the rules for Bay Lake/Seven Seas Lagoon area..but it does cut off ...I think...the age group that most wants to rent these things. I can even understand requiring that a parent or guardian rent a mousesprite along with a child without a drivers license..but to have them both be in the same mousesprite..that's just NOT gonna happen. I couldn't picture my sons in a mousesprite with their father..they wouldn't fit!
It worked out for us last year....and as of Friday my son will be a licensed driver, so I guess he won't have to worry about it again, but I do sympathized with those caught in between..especially when it was something they had previously done at age 12!

 

[DavidH]

We rented them last year and had a great time, BUT....

DD(13 then) got stuck with me (220# dad), so we could not keep up with her mom and sister. She was upset at first, but luckily got over it and we had fun. So much fun, I soaked my new $$ cell phone The fun was priceless, they'll make more phones.

16 to drive alone is a bit much, but some 12 y/o's would be dangerous. The real danger is on SSL around the ferry boats. Perhaps, younger drivers with colored wrist bands only on Bay Lake and older drivers on both...but that would be hard to enforce.

 

[clkelley]

I know in May 2006 at the Contemporary, they were very strict about requesting drivers licenses. My son's 19yo girlfriend forgot hers and she had to ride with my son.