Friendship Boat Transportation has returned to EPCOT World Showcase, running between Canada and Germany with an alternate route.
World Showcase Friendship Boats
There are four docks, a.k.a. Friendship Launches, on World Showcase Lagoon, as highlighted in the above map from My Disney Experience. At one time, guests could travel on Friendship Boats from Canada to Morocco (on the west side) or from Mexico to Germany (on the east side). However, the Mexico and Germany launches have rarely been in use since the summer of 2016. The route frequently had to be closed due to the “Illuminations” nighttime spectacular and Disney ultimately determined it wasn’t worth keeping open at all.
Last year, the Germany Pavilion Friendship Boat Launch re-opened for the first time in years while the Morocco Pavilion dock closed for refurbishment. However, the Germany launch closed again just a few weeks later.
Now, however, the Germany location has reopened and is running on an alternate route to and from Canada.
After guests board the Friendship Boat in Germany, the new route takes them the past the currently closed Morocco Pavilion launch and then on to Canada.
While the Canada boat launch has remained open with varied destinations depending on the refurbishment schedule, guests who board at the dock are now taken past the Italy and America pavilions and eventually come to a stop back at the Germany launch.
A sign noting this update to the Friendship Boat route is posted at the closed entrance of the dock in the Morocco Pavilion. It reads, “Friendship Boats will be operating between Canada and Germany only.” We do not know if this is a permanent change or if the other launches will reopen to transport guests around the World Showcase.
Do you use the Friendship Boats as transportation when traveling through World Showcase? Let us know in the comments and on social media.
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