Getting around Walt Disney World is usually one of the easier parts of staying at a Disney Resort hotel. Guests can leave the car behind and rely on Disney transportation to move between their hotel, the theme parks, and other destinations around the property.But guests staying at two popular EPCOT-area resorts just lost one of those transportation options.Credit: DisneyDisney has temporarily suspended FriendShip boat service from Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Disney’s Beach Club Resort as maintenance gets underway at the shared boat dock. The closure began Monday, August 17, and Disney currently expects it to continue through Friday, August 21.That means guests staying at either resort will need to change their transportation plans immediately.And while Disney has alternatives available, this particular closure could create some extra walking and travel time for guests trying to reach EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s BoardWalk, or the nearby Swan and Dolphin hotels.Disney Shuts Down FriendShip Boat ServiceThe FriendShip boats are one of the biggest transportation advantages of staying in the EPCOT Resort area.Instead of boarding a bus or driving, guests can normally walk out of their hotel and take a boat toward several major destinations. The boats serve EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s BoardWalk, and the Swan and Dolphin hotels.For the next several days, however, guests at Yacht Club and Beach Club won’t have direct access to those boats from the resorts.Disney is closing the FriendShip boat dock serving the two hotels for maintenance. According to the announced schedule, the closure runs from August 17 through August 21.Assuming Disney keeps that timeline, this is a relatively short disruption.Still, anyone visiting Walt Disney World this week needs to know about it before heading out of their hotel room expecting to hop aboard a boat.The good news is that the location of Yacht Club and Beach Club gives guests several other options.Getting to EPCOT Is Still Pretty EasyOf all the destinations affected by the boat closure, EPCOT is probably the easiest one to reach without FriendShip service.Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Disney’s Beach Club Resort sit within walking distance of EPCOT’s International Gateway entrance. Guests can make the walk in roughly 10 to 15 minutes, depending on where they start and how quickly they move.Credit: Rian Castillo, FlickrFor many guests, walking may actually make more sense than waiting for a boat anyway.International Gateway puts guests directly into World Showcase, between the United Kingdom and France areas. It’s one of the reasons the EPCOT Resort area remains such an attractive place to stay.Of course, a 10- to 15-minute walk can feel very different depending on the circumstances.Families traveling with young children, guests pushing strollers, or anyone returning after spending an entire day walking around Disney World may miss having the boat available. August heat can also make even a relatively short walk feel considerably longer.Still, EPCOT remains easily accessible while the dock is unavailable.Disney’s BoardWalk Remains Within Walking DistanceGuests trying to reach Disney’s BoardWalk also have a simple alternative.Instead of taking a FriendShip boat, guests can follow the walking path toward the BoardWalk area. The waterfront destination includes restaurants, entertainment, and shopping, so it remains a popular place to visit even for guests who aren’t staying at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn.The same general idea applies to the Swan and Dolphin hotels.Credit: Swan and Dolphin Official WebsiteGuests can use the pathways connecting the EPCOT Resort area rather than relying on the boats. The original report notes that guests can head toward those hotels on foot instead of making the longer loop around the entire BoardWalk area.In other words, the dock closure doesn’t cut guests off from the surrounding resorts.It just makes getting there a little less convenient.The bigger transportation question involves Disney’s Hollywood Studios.Disney Adds Direct Buses to Hollywood StudiosDisney has an alternative ready for guests heading to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.During the FriendShip boat closure, Disney will provide direct bus transportation to Hollywood Studios from both the Yacht Club and Beach Club bus stops.That should be the most straightforward replacement for many guests.Instead of walking to the boat dock, guests can head to their resort’s bus stop and take the direct route to Hollywood Studios.Credit: DisneyThere are other possibilities, though.Guests could walk to Disney’s BoardWalk and use the FriendShip boat dock there. That would allow them to board a boat to Hollywood Studios despite service being unavailable directly from Yacht Club and Beach Club.There’s also a much more complicated Skyliner option.Guests could walk toward EPCOT’s International Gateway and board the Disney Skyliner. From there, they would travel toward Disney’s Riviera Resort and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort before transferring to the Hollywood Studios line.It works, but unless riding the Skyliner is part of the fun, the direct bus will probably make much more sense.Another Transportation Change for Disney Resort GuestsThe timing of the closure is worth noting because Walt Disney World already has several construction projects underway around its resort hotels.The source notes ongoing work at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Jambo House, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. While this particular maintenance project isn’t taking place inside Yacht Club or Beach Club, it directly changes how guests staying there can travel around Disney World.Credit: DisneyTransportation can play a surprisingly large role in choosing a Disney World hotel.That’s especially true in the EPCOT Resort area.Guests often pay a premium to stay at Yacht Club and Beach Club partly because of their locations. Being able to walk or take a boat to two theme parks is a major advantage compared to resorts that rely much more heavily on buses.For a few days, one piece of that transportation network is disappearing.It doesn’t mean guests are stranded. Far from it.But it does mean anyone staying at these resorts from August 17 through August 21 should allow extra time, particularly when traveling to Hollywood Studios or moving around the BoardWalk area.How Long Will the Disney Boat Closure Last?Right now, this isn’t being presented as a permanent transportation cut.Disney’s maintenance schedule calls for the FriendShip boat dock at Yacht Club and Beach Club to remain closed through Friday, August 21.If everything stays on schedule, guests should only deal with the disruption for several days.That makes this very different from a long-term transportation overhaul. Disney hasn’t announced that FriendShip boat service is being permanently removed from either hotel.Instead, the immediate issue is maintenance.For guests arriving this week, however, the temporary nature of the closure doesn’t change their vacation. If your Disney World trip happens to fall inside this window, the FriendShip boats effectively aren’t part of the transportation package at Yacht Club or Beach Club.Planning around that before leaving the hotel could save some frustration.For EPCOT, walking remains the easiest option for most guests. Disney’s BoardWalk and the Swan and Dolphin hotels can also be reached on foot. Hollywood Studios guests can use the temporary direct bus transportation, walk to the BoardWalk boat dock, or take the considerably longer Skyliner route.Disney World transportation changes constantly as maintenance, construction, operating hours, and other projects affect the system.This time, guests at two of Disney World’s most popular EPCOT-area resorts are feeling the impact.The FriendShip boats may only be gone for a few days, but until the dock reopens, anyone staying at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort or Disney’s Beach Club Resort will need a different way to get where they’re going.The post Disney Removes Free Transportation Option from Resort, Effective Immediately appeared first on Inside the Magic.