News All Disney Springs water taxies now closed due to low water levels

[DisneyJayBama]

There's a raining season, I thought it was just a crawfish boil on a human scale.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Time to invest in hover crafts!

 

[note2001]

A few days back one of the large boats that travels between Fort Wilderness and the Magic Kingdom was seen disabled and stationary for some time. I'm curious if that may have been due to a low water level issue also. I believe it was near the island just before the water bridge. Would make sense that the water is shallower in that area.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Im not buying it. with all the rain lately this doesnt sound right, I would suspect something is broken and they just cant or dont want to fix it.

I don’t doubt it’s water levels

But if you want to say reedy is in complete disarray and things aren’t being handled well also?…
…I probably will listen.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Time to invest in hover crafts!

Like the Simpsons…formerly back to the future ride?

That sounds like IP synergy

 

[Route2]

.

 

[Ayla]

For those that drive to WDW from the North you'll see that Paines Prairie immediately south of Gainesville (if you are taking I-75 or US-441 south) has dropped considerably also.

It was a lake in the 18th Century and later drained into the aquifer becoming a swampy prarie, but in the last few years the water level had increased to the point where DOT had to build barriers to keep the water off of 441.

It's a sea of muck now with little pools -- lots of egrets and herons hanging out by the pools litterally shooting fish in the barrel. Many of the lakes in North Florida are down considerably like Paynes is.

Good thing it's the rainy season.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Are the water levels at a record low? Or is maintenance on the dam / pumps the issue that is causing this?

 

[JoeCamel]

Are the water levels at a record low? Or is maintenance on the dam / pumps the issue that is causing this?

Put in a kayak and find out? They can't chase you in their boats with low water can they?

 

[SaucyBoy]

Im not buying it. with all the rain lately this doesnt sound right, I would suspect something is broken and they just cant or dont want to fix it.

Go touch some grass, please. Not everything is a "dIzNeY iS eViL" conspiracy

 

[JoeCamel]

Go touch some grass, please. Not everything is a "dIzNeY iS eViL" conspiracy

Oh sure do that on Facts Friday, I like Conspiracy Thursday better

 

[StarshipDisney]

Natural occurrence or not, we have stayed at POR and this is a pretty significant loss to anyone staying there.

 

[SaucyBoy]

Oh sure do that on Facts Friday, I like Conspiracy Thursday better

I'm always a day late and a dollar short

 

[DisneyFanatic12]

Natural occurrence or not, we have stayed at POR and this is a pretty significant loss to anyone staying there.

It would be difficult to be staying there only to learn if the loss of this important amenity.

At least at OKW you can take a walking trail to DS if you don’t want to take a bus. It’s a long trail, but still an alternative. There is not alternative for Port Orleans that I know of, sadly.

 

[StarshipDisney]

It would be difficult to be staying there only to learn if the loss of this important amenity.

I think I hear an echo.

 

[DisneyFanatic12]

I think I hear an echo.

I think I might of as well… not to worry, it should bounce back to me.

 

[The Mom]

Thanks for the info. I will speculate that it might be more of a boat passing issue in the canals. Your right, you can see the ground sloping down from the edge underwater. The canal must be more of V shape that probably has filled in some over time from runoff and is now more a U shape. It may have gotten too shallow to allow boats to pass each other without hitting bottom with the props, since they have to move out of the center. At one time, most of the shore was lined with fabric to protect the banks from washing in from the wakes, but there are numerous sections where the fabric is missing and the banks are washing into the canal.

Exactly. These are man made canals that "stole" land from Mother nature, and she will work to get that land back again unless the canal is dredged consistently. Lots of rain make it less of an issue, but a dry spell speeds up the silting process until it reaches a point where even heavy rains can't offset the rising bottom. The linings on the sides would have slowed down the process, also, and their if their upkeep was neglected it would speed up the process.

This is not something that happens overnight, so I wonder if maintaining the canal depths was put on hold until it was absolutely necessary? The result is pretty much the same - canal boats would have to be offline while the dredging is done.

It just may be time to bite the bullet and hope that they can go another 40-50 years without having to do it again.

 

[todd23]

It would be difficult to be staying there only to learn if the loss of this important amenity.

At least at OKW you can take a walking trail to DS if you don’t want to take a bus. It’s a long trail, but still an alternative. There is not alternative for Port Orleans that I know of, sadly.

Where is the walking path? I know OKW is up against the golf course. Not sure when looking at a map what paths are for golf and which are for walking to Disney Springs.

 

[bpiper]

This from Google maps shows you the path. Basically start at the dam next to bld 55 and follow the signs. Some of the paths shown on the map are for golfers only. The path basically follows along the canal. The ones running alongside of the the fairways are for golfers only. Beware of the golf carts, they drive like maniacs. Since the path dumps you out at the far end of the parking lot behind Cirque, if your heading to the old marketplace side, it would be shorter to cross the bridge to Saratoga springs and cut through the congress park area and cross it's bridge into the Market place near Rainforest. This path isn't a short walk and since there is no water along the way, I wouldn't try this unless its cloudy or cooler out.

 

[MagicRat]

It would be difficult to be staying there only to learn if the loss of this important amenity.

At least at OKW you can take a walking trail to DS if you don’t want to take a bus. It’s a long trail, but still an alternative. There is not alternative for Port Orleans that I know of, sadly.

I am sorry a drought is ruining someone’s trip. Just like the skyway being down for inclement weather, there will be busses. There has also been no campfires too, sometimes looking at the bigger problem over one’s princess party is more important.