Walt Disney World Water Transportation (Every Boat Route You Can Take)

Walt Disney World has a tremendous amount of transportation options. You can hop on a bus, board the monorail, and take to the sky in a gondola. Then, you have boat transportation. Walt Disney World’s water transportation is unique because of the numerous routes and types of vessels that run them. Boats range from tiny to immense.

Boating is one of the most pleasant travel methods. Aside from walking, it is our favorite way to get around. There’s nothing like feeling the warm breeze of the open air, sparking the spirit of adventure as you set sail for your destination. Even if it’s only a ten-minute ride, you’ll feel refreshed when you arrive.

Below, we’ll preview the various types of water transportation available at Walt Disney World. We’ll discuss each boat route and the color flags that identify it. We’ll also preview the types of boats that run each route and what to expect. So when the time comes for your vacation, you’ll be ready to set sail!

Types of Boat Service at Walt Disney World

Here is a list of the boat services at Walt Disney World and how to identify them by their flags.

The Magic Kingdom Ferry

• The Magic Kingdom Ferry sails across Seven Seas Lagoon between the Transportation and Ticket Center and Magic Kingdom.

Magic Kingdom Resorts Boat Service

Gold Flag

• The gold flag boat runs between Magic Kingdom, the Grand Floridian, and the Polynesian.

Red Flag

• This boat runs between Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Magic Kingdom.

Green Flag

• This boat runs between Disney’s Fort Wilderness and Magic Kingdom.

Blue Flag

• This boat runs between Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Wilderness Lodge, and Fort Wilderness. It doesn’t begin running until 3:00 p.m.

Friendship Boats

• Epcot Resorts Route: These boats run between Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. They service Disney’s Boardwalk, Disney’s Beach and Yacht Club (combined stop), and Disney’s Swan and Dolphin (combined stop includes Swan Reserve).
• Internal World Showcase Lagoon: A FriendShip travels across the World Showcase Lagoon at Epcot. Guests can take a boat from the Morocco Pavilion to the World Showcase Plaza near the Canada Pavilion or vice-versa. (A similar boat service formerly ran between the Mexico side of the Plaza and Germany. However, it ceased operation years ago.)

Water Taxis

Blue Flag

• This boat service runs between Disney’s Saratoga Springs (The Springs boat dock) and Disney Springs (The Marketplace boat dock).

Green Flag

• This boat service runs between Disney’s Old Key West (Hospitality House) and Disney Springs (The Marketplace boat dock).

Yellow Flag

• This boat service runs between Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort and Disney Springs (The Marketplace boat dock).

Purple Flag

• This boat service runs between Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter and Disney Springs (The Marketplace boat dock).

Yellow and Purple Flag (Combined)

• This boat service stops at Port Orleans French Quarter and Port Orleans Riverside on the way to and from Disney Springs (The Marketplace boat dock).

*Disney Springs has three boat docks. The other two docks (The Landing and West Side) have not been open since early 2020. Formerly, guests could take water taxis across Disney Springs instead of walking. But that is no longer an option. Now, the only boat services that run at Disney Springs are to and from the Disney Springs Area Resorts.

Magic Kingdom Ferry

Three ferries run between Magic Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). They are two-story vessels, each with a staircase toward the front and back. The lower level is accessible for guests with strollers, wheelchairs, and ECVS.

The TTC serves as the parking lot for Magic Kingdom. When guests park at the TTC, they can take the ferry or monorail to the Magic Kingdom. (They also have the option to monorail to the surrounding resorts or Epcot.) The ferry boards to the far left after you pass through security.

Here is a photo of the upper level of the Magic Kingdom ferry. Each ferry can hold approximately 600 guests, significantly more than the monorail at approximately 360 guests. However, the express monorail to Magic Kingdom is much faster than the ferry. The journey across the water takes approximately 10 minutes.

Magic Kingdom Resorts Boat Service

The Magic Kingdom Resort boats are our next Walt Disney World water transportation option. These boats run from the Magic Kingdom to the resorts we listed above. Each route has a specific color flag. Two types of boats run this route. One is the water taxis shown in the picture below.

This boat seats approximately 30 guests. About 8-10 seats are available toward the front of the boat. This boat requires a step-down, so it’s not accessible for ECVs and anyone who isn’t ambulatory. If you have a wheelchair or stroller, it must be collapsed (folded) before boarding. This boat type regularly runs between Grand Floridian, the Polynesian, and Magic Kingdom. (This route is shared.)

The water cruiser pictured below also services the Magic Kingdom Resorts. It’s substantially larger and can accommodate guests with ECVS. This type of boat regularly runs between the Wilderness Lodge, Fort Wilderness, and Magic Kingdom. (These routes are separate and not shared between the resorts.)

Here is a look at the inside.

Note: Both types of boats (the water taxi and cruiser) service the Magic Kingdom Resort routes we’ve discussed.

Disney Springs Resorts Water Taxis

Our last set of boats are the water taxis that service Disney Springs. These open-air boats run between the following Disney Springs area resorts and Disney Springs:

• Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort
• Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa
• Disney’s Old Key West

*A walking path is available between Saratoga Springs and Disney Springs. That article details both walking paths from the resort to the Marketplace and the West Side. Example: If you’re at The Springs boat dock and going to the West side of Disney Springs, you would have a much shorter walk if you took the walking path to the West Side. If you took the boat, you would end up at the Marketplace. Then, you would have to walk to the West Side, which would be considerably longer.

The water taxis have bench-style seating, as shown in the photograph below. Two people are asked to sit on the benches on the left side of the boat, and three are asked to sit on the longer bench on the right side.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, this Walt Disney World water transportation overview helps set your sails in the right direction. Knowing your options is half the battle for getting around the resorts and theme parks. For more on transportation, you might like:

• Resorts Gal’s Disney Hotel Transportation Guides
• The 2 Quickest Routes Between Epcot and Magic Kingdom
• Walking Distances at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
• Resorts Gal’s Disney World Monorail Guide

In the Comments

Have you ever taken any of these watercraft? Did this guide answer your questions about what boat services are available at Walt Disney World? Let us know in the comments section below.