Who loves Disney Transportation!?

Back in the 'E' ticket days as a kid, I always felt like the great variety of Disney's Transportation system was like getting to go on free rides - some of which to a kid rivalled the A-D ticket rides in the park.

Of course, most people are very familiar with either the ferry that takes you from Ticket & Transportation Center to Magic Kingdom, or the legendary Monorail:




And I know there have to be some kids at heart that still somehow get a kick out of the parking lot trams (beep beep). Once inside Magic Kingdom, just about everyone has ridden the train:



And likely everyone had wedged their way onto a standing-room-only Disney bus!


Anything in or outside the parks designed to get you from point A to point B I'd consider a form of transportation. But there are lots of other forms of transportation that I absolutely love, and will ride even if I don't have a need to.

The Disney boats in particular, which those who have stayed in Disney resorts are likely familiar with, have always been favorites - they are some of the most peaceful excursions, tend to be quite scenic, and last the longest too!

Those who have travelled between Fort Wilderness, the Contemporary, and Magic Kingdom may recognize these two types of boats:





They take a long and beautiful cruise through the bays and wilderness.

Between Hollywood Studios, Boardwalk resort, Swan, Dolphin, Yacht & Beach, and Boardwalk, you can ride these boats:



Take this boat from Hollywood Studios to Epcot - you get a lovely long ride, relaxing, stop at a few resort hotels along the way, and get dropped off at the International Gateway between France and England...much more relaxing and scenic than the bus!

The same type of boats (though a different route) run in the Epcot World Showcase Lagoon to shortcut your walking:



If you've stayed at Port Orleans, Old Key West, or Saratoga Springs, you may have jumped on the boat to Disney Springs...or to get around Disney Springs:



What some may not realize is that they are free, and you don't have to be staying there to ride them. The Disney resorts themselves are so beautifully designed and themed that they are worth a visit for anyone staying off-site, and one of the most fun ways to get there is by taking one of these boats.

I'm sure you Disney photog fans have some stunning pics of the various Disney Transportation...I'd love to see them all! Post whatever you've got from Disney Transportation - busses, trams, monorails, ferries, boats, trains, golf carts...anything that's free and helps get you from one place to another!

 

Nicely done Justin. This photo montage, if you will, is wonderful!

 

Neat topic Justin.
I stopped to take this photo for the Contemporary, but I acted quickly to when I saw that three modes of Disney transporation are in the same shot.
If you look closely, you can see the top of a boat in the canal that goes over the road between seven seas lagoon and bay lake.



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And of course the coveted front cab of the monorail!

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and yes, we got our monorail licenses just like a couple of kiddies!

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Nicely done Craig, on both shots. I love my Monorail License!

 

Great stuff, Craig! Quite a moment to get the three transportation systems at once. I was hoping someone had a bus...I thought I had one uploaded, but I didn't. I've got 4 or 5 bus shots (mostly inside the bus, riding it)...but not uploaded.

And I've never had a camera with me when riding the front of the Monorail...I've got to do that again! It's been years since I rode the front.

It might be a challenge shot for someone to see how many different forms of transportation can be captured in one shot. I can imagine a shot with up to 5...if you were to catch Magic Kingdom from the bay, with Monorail passing by, ferry docked, yellow Wilderness Lodge boat and fringe-topped Fort Wilderness boat docked, and train in the station. That'd be quite a catch!

Any more transportation shots out there, let's see them.

 

Here is something fairly interesting to me. The main big ferries dock at the Contemporary all the time. They never pick up passengers. They will dock and leave and spin around and dock again. I'm assuming they are practicing or qualifying new captains?
I have seen them numerous times. I know they cruise past the contemporary and dock somewhere way over in the corner of bay lake, well out of sight of any public area. You will see them going by before and after busy periods and cruising through the canal between bay lake and seven seas lagoon.
(And as a side note, the pool in the photo is our "hang out" at the CR. That's where you'll find Dina and I!)

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Naww, their managers never got the memo that Discovery Island was closed. But they still make the round trips.

 

haha! You just reminded me of something I have to do!
Discovery Island is still covered with birds. I need to take my long lens down to the pool or dock and try to get some photos from over there.

 

Glad you got the ferry in the thread too. I actually never saw the ferry stop at Contemporary before...that's interesting. I have seen them returning to the Transportation Depot, cruising past Contemporary...but not stopping.

I'll have to keep my eye out for that next time. I guess training is one possibility. Or maybe they're testing the boat itself...making sure all of the thrusters and ramps and such are all in good working order before heading over to the main dock. It's certainly curious!

 

As I understand it, most of the birds were moved from Discovery Island to DAK. They were moved, because there was no longer a need for the estuary that was there since they had opened DAK. Anything that is there now is all gotten there on it's own. At least that is what I heard on a podcast. Mongello's I think. I'll have to look and see if I can find the episode, then I can tell you all for sure.

 

If you want the best view of Discovery Island (without paying for pontoons), just jump on the Fort Wilderness boat from either Magic Kingdom or Contemporary. It cruises from Magic Kingdom to Contemporary to Fort Wilderness...and it takes the long way around the NE of the island (this boat route was the one that used to stop at Discovery Island too, so it takes the same route). It hugs the coast and passes within 20-50 feet of about 160 degrees of the island...close enough to see the birds, the boardwalk, the docks, the old netting for the bird enclosures, and even catch the smell in the summer (thousands of birds dropping their droppings with no maintenance or clean-up = powerful stench!).

And yes...all the birds are Florida natives, arrived at the island of their own accord. There are unbelievable numbers of them too - especially ibises, vultures, pelicans, and herons.

The boat is free...and as a bonus you get to walk around Fort Wilderness for a bit - maybe see the peacocks in the trees or visit the petting zoo, or stop at Trail's End bar for a drink (alcohol or non...your choice!). On the way back, you can pass the island again by the same route, or take the yellow boat instead to head towards Wilderness Lodge and pass the island from the other side (as well as the remnants of River Country).

 

I was tempted to tell you to post that pic here from your other thread...but I didn't want to seem like I was promoting my own thread. Glad you added it - it's a beautiful shot!

 

I agree with Justin, that monorail shot is beautiful. The coloring in the sky is amazing.

 

Here's a few more. This night I tried panning. I didnt do anything special, it was just getting dark, so the camera had long shutter speeds.

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And a TTC Ferry at work

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