Rumor: Water Sprites Have Been Eliminated

[KYMickey]

The pontoon boats are also fun.

About 20 years ago we rented one for an evening on the like too much for fireworks. We had dessert and wine catered and invited for friends to go out with us! It was a spectacular evening.

 

[BaymaxFan78]

They cost $45 for 30 min. Anyone can remember how much the sprites were?

The sprites were $32 for half and $45 for a full hour

Does anyone know what the hours for the pontoon boats are? I don’t see it listed on the info page.

I think they are 10am to 5pm, not 100% sure.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

I wonder if they got rid of them because there was an accident in the Disney sprigs/ port Orleans/ saratoga area a few years ago where a couple lost control of the boat and ended up under one of the pontoon boats. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1989-10-10-8910102586-story.html

 

[BaymaxFan78]

I wonder if they got rid of them because there was an accident in the Disney sprigs/ port Orleans/ saratoga area a few years ago where a couple lost control of the boat and ended up under one of the pontoon boats. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1989-10-10-8910102586-story.html

I think they would've taken them away sooner if that was case. That accident was in the 80s

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

I think they would've taken them away sooner if that was case. That accident was in the 80s

I thought there was another one that was more recent than that. Found it. https://www.wftv.com/news/woman-injured-when-disney-ferry-boat-collide/286662098/

Also, there seems to have been a more recent one in the seven seas lagoon too, but I can't find a good source for it

 

[Stratman50th]

I've been boating all my life and I can't imagine how you could miss one of those ferries. They're huge in relation to the sprites. The only thing I could see where Disney would be negligent is maybe lack of training or even orientation before handing over the keys. Just an observation. The boats were still around long after those accidents.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

I've been boating all my life and I can't imagine how you could miss one of those ferries. They're huge in relation to the sprites.

It wasn’t a ferry; it was a Sassagoula boat.

 

[Stratman50th]

It wasn’t a ferry; it was a Sassagoula boat.

The article said ferry, but I did wonder when the location was the Tree Houses, and they had rented the boat from Down Town Disney. (Point taken though ).
As far as the 1989 article, my point stands as it appears that really was a ferry, but again, does the press know what they're talking about.

 

[Tinkaboo]

SO SAD TO HEAR OF THIS! We haven’t been to WDW in several years, probably at least 15. Hubby wants to go back (I make DL my second home but he doesn’t like to go there). Just booked trip for November and was looking for some other fun things that we used to do when kid was young. Water sprites WERE A BLAST! We would always do them one afternoon.

We did fireworks cruise a couple of times when we had large group and then did the motorboat thing when just the three of us. Always a great time…

Well, I guess I’m glad I got to experience it then…