PHOTOS: We Saw a Boat BREAK DOWN in Disney World. Here’s What Happened Next

Disney transportation — it’s free, it can be very convenient, and it can also serve as an attraction in and of itself. But it’s not perfect.

Various parts of Disney’s transportation system have experienced issues over the years, whether that’s a Skyliner crash, the unexpected closure of the monorail, or another problem you might not anticipate. And recently we witnessed one method of Disney transportation experiencing some issues of its own.

Recently, one of our wonderful reporters was on their way to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and was going to take a friendship boat. These boats connect the Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, BoardWalk Inn, Swan and Dolphin hotels, EPCOT’s International Gateway, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios to one another.

Ultimately, the boat our reporter should have taken appears to have broken down or experienced another issue when it was approaching the dock at Disney’s BoardWalk.

We spoke with a guest about their experience. They appeared to be visibly shaken by the ordeal. The guest mentioned that the boat had already made several stops and everything had been fine. But suddenly, as they were heading to the BoardWalk, the guest said that they heard a strange sound on the boat and the boat then proceeded to move very slowly.

A speedboat even came to help and worked to push the friendship boat into the correct position.

From what we saw, the Cast Member driving the boat did their very best to pull the boat in, but the dock at the BoardWalk was hit pretty hard as the boat moved into the correct place, knocking around guests standing on the dock a little.

Those who were on the boat looked a bit shaken up but we saw them generally exiting the boat (once it was properly docked).

And there were even some cheers for the Cast Members involved for doing a good job of keeping everyone safe.

There was some issues with the EPCOT resort boat. Applause all around for the always incredible cast members for getting that sorted! 👏 pic.twitter.com/PwGej8jXyX

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) March 12, 2023

So what’s the big takeaway here? Unexpected things can and do happen in Disney World. Though it might be the Most Magical Place on Earth, it’s not the Most Perfect Place on Earth.

If you ever find yourself in a situation like this or any other where things haven’t gone exactly to plan (like a ride closure, a ride evacuation, etc.) you’ll want to stay as calm as possible. Be sure to listen to the Cast Members and follow any instructions they may give you. They are working diligently to keep you safe but need your cooperation for everything to go as smoothly as possible.

And if you’ll be traveling with little ones or those who might be particularly afraid of these types of situations, mentally prepare them for the possibility of something going wrong, and see if an alternative method of transportation might be better. While a walk from EPCOT to Hollywood Studios would be more taxing physically, if it’ll help your group feel less anxious about the possibility of a boat issue, it might be worth the extra effort.

Also, consider using the restroom BEFORE you hop on any Disney transportation. That way, if things do go wrong, you won’t be stuck there feeling terrible.

Again, it’s not as though these things are guaranteed to happen to you. But issues can happen, so you’ll want to be prepared for them as much as you can.