If you’re looking for a unique and unforgettable experience at Disney Springs, look no further than the Amphicar rides at The Boathouse in Disney Springs in Orlando, Florida. This is the only place in the world you can ride these vintage-style vehicles, which aren’t just cars — they’re boats, too! With a little Disney magic, you’ll find yourself driving straight from land into the waters of Lake Buena Vista.
My husband has been trying to talk me into trying the Amphicars for a couple of years now, and I kept chickening out because, as any true Floridian knows, any body of water in Florida bigger than a puddle absolutely has an alligator in it, and these cars ride LOW. Still, I know it’s a slightly irrational fear as long as you keep your hands inside the vehicle and out of the water (duh); it’s not like the gators are going to leap out of the water at you. So I finally gave in this past weekend, and I’m glad I did.
The Amphicars at Disney Springs are rare, fully restored vehicles from the 1960s, making this experience a nostalgic ride back in time. Less than 4,000 Amphicars were created, and fewer than 400 remain in existence worldwide today. Two American presidents owned Amphicars, Jimmy Carter and Lyndon B. Johnson. Today, Disney Springs is the only place you can charter a Captain Guided Tour of your own.
Each car seats up to three to four guests, along with a captain who does the driving, allowing you to sit back, relax, and enjoy a scenic, 20-minute tour of the lake. Tours run every day of the week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (weather permitting) and are on a first-come, first-served basis. To book a tour, stop in the Boathouse Boutique just a few feet away and sign up. The 20-minute tour costs $125 per car. As an added bonus, there is a photographer there to take pictures of you before the tour and as you launch into the water, and these pictures are included free to anyone who has PhotoPass. You can order prints as well.
There’s a little bit of a splash when you go in the water:
But it’s not that bad. They warn you very emphatically not to touch the door handles; they’re locked tight, but still, if you somehow figured out a way to open them, the car would flood with water. I was so worried about this I wouldn’t even let any part of me come within a foot of the door, but really, it’s perfectly watertight and sound. We had a nice leisurely drive around the lake. Captain Joe, our driver, is a birdwatcher like me, so we chatted about the various waterfowl we saw that day. Soon enough we were back on dry land, having had a terrific and unique experience that I very much recommend.
