Boats still around Animal Kingdom?

[tl77]

I know when AK first opened there were boats that circled around Discovery Island, and I though they were discontinued, but I noticed on the a recent Google maps image that they are still being stored at their dock behind Dinoland. Do they still use them around the park? Or is there any plan to reinstate them as transportation system around AK once the Avatar area opens? Just curious

https://www.google.com/maps/@28.3566801,-81.5864657,79m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

[Goofyernmost]

I know when AK first opened there were boats that circled around Discovery Island, and I though they were discontinued, but I noticed on the a recent Google maps image that they are still being stored at their dock behind Dinoland. Do they still use them around the park? Or is there any plan to reinstate them as transportation system around AK once the Avatar area opens? Just curious

https://www.google.com/maps/@28.3566801,-81.5864657,79m/data=!3m1!1e3

Don't know about future plans, but they were a very short lived park of AK. About 9 months or so, if I remember correctly. They do use them occasionally (or did) to just cruise around with a musical group on board, no regular guests.

 

[rangerbob]

I heard at one time they do use them to stir up the water every so often.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

I did see at one time a few of the Characters taking a ride as it made it's way back towards Everest..And one is Being used for Transportation on Bay Lake..

 

[tl77]

I was wondering because the walking paths around the perimeter of waters ways now are about 1 mile, and will be even longer when Avatar opens, but it's about the same distance around World Showcase lagoon which has the boats that cross it, and the same distance around MK which has the train track around it. Plus they will presumably be adding access to the water ways for viewing of the new night show, so though maybe there might be a return of the boats along with that, but I didn't know they had been sitting there all this time

 

[Disdar]

Is that a drawbridge connecting Dinoland to Asia?

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Is that a drawbridge connecting Dinoland to Asia?

It does look like it. But, it might just be themed well to look like it can go up..I might be wrong..

 

[Disdar]

i just wondered how the boats could get out if it wasn't.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

i just wondered how the boats could get out if it wasn't.

It's fairly high..

 

[asianway]

I did see at one time a few of the Characters taking a ride as it made it's way back towards Everest..And one is Being used for Transportation on Bay Lake..

They haven't run the characters on the boats in over 5 years that I know of

 

[doctornick]

I was wondering because the walking paths around the perimeter of waters ways now are about 1 mile, and will be even longer when Avatar opens, but it's about the same distance around World Showcase lagoon which has the boats that cross it, and the same distance around MK which has the train track around it. Plus they will presumably be adding access to the water ways for viewing of the new night show, so though maybe there might be a return of the boats along with that, but I didn't know they had been sitting there all this time

Yeah, I think that it would make some sense to bring it back as transport given the size of the park. Maybe a shuttle between the new FOTLK part of Africa to Dinoland or between Asia and Pandora (once it is built). It would make as much sense as the boats in Epcot.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

They haven't run the characters on the boats in over 5 years that I know of

That's about the time I recall...It's been awhile..