Motorized Boat Rentals: Tips and Experiences

[Simba's Mom]

Unfortunately not. Pontoon boats are only available for rental at:

Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
Disney's Beach Club Resort
Disney's Beach Club Villas
Disney's Contemporary Resort
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Disney's Yacht Club Resort
The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

This is listed on the Disney website here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/recreation/motorized-boats/

Thanks for the info. I was thinking of renting a pontoon boat next time we take the grandkids. We're staying at OKW. Although I'm sad that it's not possible, at least I know to make other plans.

 

[aerxo17]

Thanks for the info. I was thinking of renting a pontoon boat next time we take the grandkids. We're staying at OKW. Although I'm sad that it's not possible, at least I know to make other plans.

OKW is one of my favorites! Make sure you visit the turtle pond pool, the pool bar over there has great pulled pork and you can get it on anything - nachos, a sandwich, mac & cheese. They also have a drink refill station and the worlds tiniest free arcade (just a guitar hero machine, lol). Theres also a sandy playground, bathrooms, laundry room, and a hot tub --- with relaxing steel drum music piped in, we loved it. Enjoy your stay! (And you can always visit the other resorts with the pontoon boats with a dining reservation another day)

 

[jtopp]

Have you considered a fireworks cruise? Pontoon boat with captain for a guided tour, and a perfect view of the fireworks to boot. They even broadcast the music on the boat. Great way to get the boating experience and enjoy the evening.

 

[NickC]

Just a few tips on docking--- There's a common saying among boaters---"never approach the dock faster than you are willing to hit it." Go slow. There are no brakes on a boat--you just have a bit of reverse throttle to slow down. Know where neutral is on the throttle (you will feel the detent in the middle position). You will be shifting in and out of neutral as you approach. As captain, be prepared to instruct your crew, where you want them, lines at the ready, etc. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a boat approach the dock, no lines, the whole crew just lounging-paying little attention to what's going on. Ideally, you can get the boat in with just the controls at the helm, but sometimes you will need someone to throw a line, etc. It helps when everyone knows their role and is ready. If there is someone from the staff on the dock, you can probably get close to the dock and throw a line. Once you have lines on the dock, you can shut down the motor and pull it over by hand.
But, it sounds like a fun time. We talk about renting a boat almost every time we are there. We just haven't done it yet. Enjoy it! Life is better on the water.

 

[Rex1993]

We rented one of the pontoon boats on Friday and had a great time. Weather was absolutely perfect! We rented at GF and made it all the way around both Lakes in about an hour. Going over the cars on the bridge is definitely an interesting experience.

A few things to note.

1. There are annual pass/DVC discounts for the boat rental.
2. No fishing on a self piloted boat. If you want to fish, you have to set up an excursion.
3. The pontoon boats are so slow. They have teeny tiny props on them so you’ll be maxed out at 4300rpm and doing 6mph. It was definitely annoying at first but certainly didn't ruin the experience.
4. When they say beware of the seaweed, they aren’t kidding. We got stuck waiting behind one of the boats at Wilderness Lodge waiting for them to shove off and drifted too close to shore. Took the patrol almost ten minutes to pull out the weeds from the prop.
5. Patrol boats are everywhere and very vigilant. If something happens, they’ll be able to assist in seconds. On the flip side, don’t think you’ll be able to get away with anything outside the strict rules.
6. When it gets windy, the boats barely move so never expect to overtake any other vessels. This is one issue where I felt the tiny props represented a bit of a safety issue.

All in all I highly recommend taking one out on a nice day with a cool breeze.

 

[Elephantay]

Just a few tips on docking--- There's a common saying among boaters---"never approach the dock faster than you are willing to hit it." Go slow. There are no brakes on a boat--you just have a bit of reverse throttle to slow down. Know where neutral is on the throttle (you will feel the detent in the middle position). You will be shifting in and out of neutral as you approach. As captain, be prepared to instruct your crew, where you want them, lines at the ready, etc. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a boat approach the dock, no lines, the whole crew just lounging-paying little attention to what's going on. Ideally, you can get the boat in with just the controls at the helm, but sometimes you will need someone to throw a line, etc. It helps when everyone knows their role and is ready. If there is someone from the staff on the dock, you can probably get close to the dock and throw a line. Once you have lines on the dock, you can shut down the motor and pull it over by hand.
But, it sounds like a fun time. We talk about renting a boat almost every time we are there. We just haven't done it yet. Enjoy it! Life is better on the water.

I'm laughing as we are thinking of renting a boat, and can't believe its allowed for those of us who have never done it- I never knew boats don't have brakes!

 

[NickC]

It's definitely worth doing. The engines on the boats at WDW aren't too powerful, and it's probably a great place to get into boating. The conditions are pretty calm.