Disney Tips Your Guide To A Great Disney Vacation
Guests staying at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT resort area can finally enjoy a much smoother commute to the theme parks this week. After unexpected maintenance delays stretched a brief closure past its target completion date, Disney has officially reopened the FriendShip Boat dock at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. The return of full water transportation provides immediate convenience to resort guests, even as Disney makes major progress on an ambitious, multi-year construction project across both Disney’s Yacht Club and Disney’s Beach Club Resorts.
FriendShip Boats Return to Service
Direct water transportation is widely considered one of the absolute best perks of staying at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts. The FriendShip Boats ferry guests continuously across Crescent Lake, offering direct access to EPCOT’s International Gateway and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
That convenience took a temporary hit when the Yacht Club dock closed for planned maintenance. Originally scheduled to shut down from August 17 through August 21, 2026, the project hit unforeseen snags that kept the pier blocked off with green construction fencing longer than anticipated. During the downtime, guests were forced to walk to EPCOT or rely on bus service.
Crews used the extended closure to tear out aging timber and install new wooden boards along the pier. Now that the construction barricades are down, the boats have resumed their regular stops, connecting the Yacht and Beach Clubs to Disney’s BoardWalk, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios.
Major Progress on Yacht & Beach Club Upgrades
The dock refurbishment is just one small component of a massive, multi-year exterior overhaul transforming the Yacht and Beach Club properties through 2027. Despite the heavy presence of daily construction crews, Disney has made impressive strides on the resort facades:
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort: Exterior maintenance on the Yacht Club side is moving rapidly, with work scheduled to wrap up in late 2026. Completed sections located closer to the Swan and Dolphin look completely refreshed, featuring clean siding and bright trim.
- Disney’s Beach Club Resort: Exterior work will shift its primary focus to the Beach Club side as Yacht Club finishes, with projects stretching through late 2027.
- Disney’s Beach Club Villas Lobby: Interior refurbishments are also moving forward, with phased lobby maintenance running through mid-September 2026.
While daytime construction noise (between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.) and temporary balcony closures remain a reality during active work phases, front desk Cast Members can often assist guests with room reassignments away from scaffolding. The restoration of the FriendShip dock is a major win for current visitors, proving that despite ongoing growing pains, Disney is making steady progress toward a stunning resort transformation.
