Renting a boat... anyone done it?

[mshanson3121]

We'll have a couple down days. I was thinking of trying to do breakfast at 1900 Park Faire and then renting a boat for a half hour or hour. Has anyone done it? Is it worth it? Is the scenery nice (feel free to share pics!)?

 

[DisneyTravelers2008]

Ive been thinking about this as well. There are some videos and review on You Tube

 

[westie55]

I have done it a couple times. Years back I rented a little sea ray at the Wilderness Lodge and more recently rented a pontoon boat at the Grand Floridian. The scenery is what you would imagine: the Disney resorts around the lagoon. I thought the sea ray was a little more fun, personally. Is it worth it will vary from person to person. While I wouldn't do it every trip, I don't regret doing it and might do it again in the future. I hope this helps

 

[Quellman]

It's a fun little excursion to take up some time. Just know how far you are getting with your half hour. With a pontoon boat, you can really take advantage of the lake more. You'll get some neat pictures of the castle and of the resorts. The 2 person boats are fine enough but you literally have to sit there the whole time, while a pontoon will allow you some movement. Take snacks!

 

[McKelly]

We love the SeaRaycers! The most fun is trying to park them at the end - .

 

[AngiTN]

I've looked and them and wondered only one thing. Why? There's really nowhere to go is there? What do you do? Tool around on a very small lake and look at water you can not get in. Somehow the appeal is lost on me. It just seems like a costly thing with so little in return. And yeah, I know that you can say that about 99% of what you do at Disney but I do feel like I get SOMETHING in return. If you could get in the water, maybe. Or if there were more places to go, maybe. It seems so lacking. So small. For fireworks yeah that could be a unique way to view them for a change but that's about it

 

[mshanson3121]

I've looked and them and wondered only one thing. Why? There's really nowhere to go is there? What do you do? Tool around on a very small lake and look at water you can not get in. Somehow the appeal is lost on me. It just seems like a costly thing with so little in return. And yeah, I know that you can say that about 99% of what you do at Disney but I do feel like I get SOMETHING in return. If you could get in the water, maybe. Or if there were more places to go, maybe. It seems so lacking. So small. For fireworks yeah that could be a unique way to view them for a change but that's about it

Haha. Don't feel bad. That's a question almost all non-boaters ask! For us, it's just a boat thing Canoe, kayak, pontoon etc... We love floating around on water, taking in the scenery, even if we're not swimming in it Speed boats and all that goes with them (water skiing, tubing etc...) is obviously awesome and a different experience, but there's still a lot to be said for a nice leisurely meander!

 

[mom2rtk]

Honestly, we never spend time doing stuff at Disney that we can do at home. Much better to add a day or two to your ticket and head back into the parks!

 

[Melissa Perez]

For us, the best memory my family has was renting the SeaRaycers and my mom and I gabbing away until we got honked at by the wilderness ferry. We still refer to it anytime my mom and I get distracted

 

[gulliesmom]

We rented SeaRaycers during our Thanksgiving stay at the GF and it was really fun. DS (13) loved driving his own boat. We did a 30 minute which was plenty for me but DS def could have stayed out there longer.

 

[AngiTN]

Haha. Don't feel bad. That's a question almost all non-boaters ask! For us, it's just a boat thing Canoe, kayak, pontoon etc... We love floating around on water, taking in the scenery, even if we're not swimming in it Speed boats and all that goes with them (water skiing, tubing etc...) is obviously awesome and a different experience, but there's still a lot to be said for a nice leisurely meander!

Oh, I enjoy boating quite a bit.
I think it's this in a nutshell

Honestly, we never spend time doing stuff at Disney that we can do at home. Much better to add a day or two to your ticket and head back into the parks!

We have water in abundance here.
Rivers, lakes, still, rapid, you name it. At least of the fresh variety, which is what there is in Orlando. Except you can get in the water here. What makes it doubly appealing to me. There are so many more things to do in Disney that it's boating specially has left me scratching my head. Mainly due to the DON'T get in the water part.

 

[gratefulfred]

Loved the sea raycers but my butt and back hurt after a half hour on the hard plastic seats

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I just love all things about Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon and wish I were around back in the ’Vacation Kingdom’ days (obviously lots of good reasons why these two bodies of water evolved into something different today). Pontoons, Sea Racers... sign me up. I could putz around there all day and be totally content. Seeing the MK and the resorts from the water and being out amongst the resort launches and MK ferries is fun/interesting to me, but obviously to each their own.

I don’t understand the same on Crescent Lake - that seems small/non interesting/not worth it to me.

But we’ve enjoyed being out on Bay Lake/Seven Seas Lagoon on off days where time permits.

It does have less appeal if it’s super hot though, in my experience.

 

[fla4fun]

We have rented boats a few times at CR and WL. We stayed out about an hour each time. We enjoyed it. But we also enjoyed getting on the CR/WL/FW loop transportation boat and just going around the lake for free. One year we went to Poly for July 4th weekend and we didn’t go to the parks. We rode the Poly/GF/MK boat for a while and then switched to the loop in Bay Lake for a while. It was relaxing and far from the big crowds, and since we had a good hotel for viewing fireworks the parks didn’t seem as important.

 

[BK2014]

We did the Sea Racer type boats many times about 20 years ago when they called "water sprites". Always enjoyed them with family and friends. Would do them now if DW was more enthusiastic about it.

My brother and cousins managed to flip two of them and end up in the water when they were approaching each other in two separate boats and decided to turn towards each other instead of away. One boat went up over the front of the other and they all ended up in the water. We were in high school at the time and neither the parents nor the WDW lifeguard/water patrol folks were very happy.

 

[Sara_H]

I've thought about it, but then I always think, "what if we fall out or the boat capsizes? There are gators in there." I'm well aware that this is complete paranoia and there is an almost 100% chance this wouldn't happen but that's where my mind goes.