Do you need a special license to be a boat driver at Walt Disney World? Especially for the Friendship type boats. Are there different levels of boat drivers depending on size of the boat?
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Boat Driver Question
- Thread starter piglet*florida
- Start date
I may be mistaken, but I think you DO need a special license. At the very least, I would assume that they would have to attend a power squadron course and be certified. They might even need to have a captain's license.
Even though the general public can go out, buy a boat, and plop it in the water without any training, (which accounts for many waterway problems and accidents) once you start carrying paying passengers the rules change. (The cost of the boat ride is "bundled" into your ticket price.)
Edited to add after a quick google:
Yes, they definitely need a special license. First they need a USCG captain's license (to carry up to 6 paying passengers), then must obtain an upgrade to Master Captain license. There is a $10,000/day fine for violaters. This is a federal requirement.
Even though the general public can go out, buy a boat, and plop it in the water without any training, (which accounts for many waterway problems and accidents) once you start carrying paying passengers the rules change. (The cost of the boat ride is "bundled" into your ticket price.)
Edited to add after a quick google:
Yes, they definitely need a special license. First they need a USCG captain's license (to carry up to 6 paying passengers), then must obtain an upgrade to Master Captain license. There is a $10,000/day fine for violaters. This is a federal requirement.
freaklarm
Member
As a former WDW Boat Captain I can answer this question for you. No special licence is needed. Disney will train you and if you pass the assesment your good and they will certify you, now this are some serious training. Watercrafts is the division of Disney Transportation that you want to look into and this include Launches, Cruisers, Ferry Boats, Grand One and Water Light Show, pretty much anything on the Bay Lake/Seven Seas Lagoon area (Friendships run separate from this division)
Once you get hire, you will be phase-trained:
1- Deck Hand
2- Cruise/Launch
3- Launch/Cruise
4- Ferry Boat
5- Light Show (with enough seniority and if you bid for it)
6- Grand One (with a LOT of seniority and after some serious bidding)
Hope this help!
Once you get hire, you will be phase-trained:
1- Deck Hand
2- Cruise/Launch
3- Launch/Cruise
4- Ferry Boat
5- Light Show (with enough seniority and if you bid for it)
6- Grand One (with a LOT of seniority and after some serious bidding)
Hope this help!
freaklarm, did you enjoy being a boat captain at Disney? What are the pros and cons? sounds like a fun job! how long is the training? Any more info that you can think of? thanks
ZambeziZelda
Member
The only boat I'd ever want to captain (skipper?) would be of the Jungle Cruise variety, and I'm sure there is no special license needed for THAT, thanks to the guiding rail under the boat 
freaklarm
Member
piglet*florida said:
I did it on CP on the Fall 2002 and I enjoyed A LOT. Is probably one of the coolest jobs you can probably have in the World, that also comes with a lot of reponsibilities, remember, these are real boats (not on a track) so you are responsible for the lives and safety of your guests and crew.
Pros:
-Being at the lake all day long
-Watching the sunsets and sunrises, fireworks and space crafts launches from one of the best views in the house, the Pilot House
-Breaks every two hours
-Great team
-Driving across the water bridge and looking at the cars stoping when they realize that there is a huge boat that is going over them (this is even funnier when the ferry boat goes across the bridge)
Cons:
-You ARE going to get wet
-Nothing else, I totally loved it
yes, thanks so much for the info. Sounds like a fun job! Maybe I will apply...fun summer job!!
freaklarm
Member
The Mom said:
Ok, I got the answer. They are not considered an attraction, they are consideres a private fleet of vessels for mass transportation purposes. The rules are waived because its in a private property but Disney DOES train and certify their CM under the USCG standards. So as a Watercraft Pilot you are certified by Disney with the same or higher standards that USCG require for commercial boat piloting, but can only use your certification at Disney, meaning you cannot go to, let say, Carnival Cruise Line and ask for a job as a Captain. Make sense?
william phillips
New Member
Does anyone know the salary range for each category of boat, I will be retiring from the military soon and would like to do a little more research on this job.
kelknight84
Well-Known Member
There is no pay difference per boat. It is based on seniority. Each shift you can be rotated between all positions.
Gabe1
Ivory Tower Squabble EST 2011. WINDMILL SURVIVOR
Years ago my DS was certified by Disney as a Lifeguard as a CP. Being older than most CPs and being a Lifeguard for many years prior he was shipped off to a different arena than most lifeguards and was further certified for open water. Much later after he finished college and having a good record, that experience Tagged him as a good candidate for Disney's Rescue boats to get his foot back in the door.
DS was trained like you, certified internally according to the risk management carriers requirements as the lifeguards are also. The Lifeguards carry the Ellis certification, though the training is Disney internally. Piloting a Rescue boat for a while he had to continue to go through inservice training monthly in order to continue to pilot a rescue boat. (Like rescuing all those stupid guests, doing stupid things in those Sea Raycers wasn't enough continuous training lol.)
The one that surprised me was a childhood friend of my DS did a CP a year or so after my son had and he was assigned to the role of Monorail pilot. I would have thought that role would require bringing more to the table than 2 years of college and being 21 to be assigned that role. Nope. He was piloting the evening the young man passed away in the monorail accident. He is still rattled by that night.
topher
Well-Known Member
The USCG certification is only required for cm's born after 1988. I believe it was an 8 hour online course. The course certifies you in the state of Florida to operate small watercraft. It is optional for cm's born before 88.
This was the policy last November for the Friendships. It may have changed since. I may be misremembering. I may not be. Who knows?
This was the policy last November for the Friendships. It may have changed since. I may be misremembering. I may not be. Who knows?