A routine ferry ride at Walt Disney World turned into a tumultuous ordeal on the evening of July 30, 2025, when a boat crashed into the dock at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) during severe weather, leaving multiple guests injured and sparking chaos among passengers.
The Disney Ferry Boat crash incident, which occurred around 11:40 p.m., involved the General Joe Potter ferryboat, one of several vessels that shuttle visitors across the Seven Seas Lagoon between Magic Kingdom and the TTC parking areas.
The Train Station at Main Street USA
Eyewitnesses described a harrowing scene as heavy showers, thunderstorms, and strong winds battered Central Florida.
“Suddenly we crashed into something and we all went flying forward, falling. The stroller landed on its back, causing the girls to hit their heads. A lot of people screaming and really hurt bad,” recounted Tami Hackett, who was aboard with her family. Hackett added that after the boat docked, there was little guidance for the injured. “Not only was there no announcement on what to do when injured, they just had us get off the boat.”
Another passenger, Heidi Goldsworthy, echoed the pandemonium: “It was so sudden and it was chaotic, completely chaotic afterwards. Passengers were helping passengers get up, checking on people, making sure that everybody was okay.”
On Wednesday night, one of Disney’s ferry boats, The General Joe Potter, collided whilst docking in severe weather during a journey from Magic Kingdom to the Transportation & Ticket Center.
Both Osceola County Fire & EMS and the Orange County Fire Rescue Department confirmed to… pic.twitter.com/L8x2P4eOZt
— Noteworthy News (@newsnoteworthy) August 2, 2025
Photos from the scene, shared with local media, showed paramedics tending to multiple individuals, some being loaded onto stretchers for further treatment.
Orange County Fire and Rescue officials confirmed their response to the crash but provided limited details initially, noting that the boat made a “hard docking” amid the storm. Reports indicate that the ferry, which has two levels with benches but often sees standing passengers, approached the dock at normal speed before suddenly halting, throwing riders forward. The impact was severe enough to result in “dozens” of injuries, with at least 19 guests hospitalized—eight in serious condition—primarily from falls, head trauma, and neck injuries, according to InsideTheMagic.net.
No fatalities were reported, and all injuries were described as non-life-threatening overall.
The Dapper Dans on Main Street USA in Walt Disney World – Photo Credit: That Park Place
This isn’t the first time Disney’s ferry system has faced such issues. In April 2025, a similar crash injured multiple guests, and historical incidents include a lawsuit by a man named Justin Tripp, who alleged injuries from a ferry collision that sent him into a trash can. Tripp’s suit claimed Disney failed to address known risks, stating: “Disney knew, or in the exercise of reasonable care should have known, of the actions and inactions that caused the… crash of the ferry into the dock and failed to correct such conditions.”
Walt Disney World officials have not released an official statement on the July 30th incident, though the affected ferry has been taken to dry dock for inspection. As of August 2, 2025, no new developments, such as investigation findings or legal actions, have been publicly announced, but theme park enthusiasts and safety advocates are calling for enhanced protocols during inclement weather.
The statue of Walt Disney in Dreamer’s Point in EPCOT at Walt Disney World – Photo Credit: Marvin Montanaro
The ferries are a vital part of Disney’s transportation network, ferrying thousands daily alongside monorails and buses. While designed to handle Florida’s frequent storms, eyewitnesses suggest the boat may have overshot the dock or struck a piling due to the rough conditions. Social media buzzed with accounts of the crash, including a Reddit post from a rider.
The ferry boat from Magic Kingdom to TTC crashed while I was on it.
byu/RockyDiMeo inWaltDisneyWorld
“Boat was approaching the TTC dock when the boat came to a sudden and complete stop, throwing every standing passenger forward,” the post read. “Very scary scene.”
Disney World continues to operate normally, with alternative transportation options available.
What do you think about this Disney World ferry boat crash? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
I hope everyone injured is alright. I can’t exactly blame disney for this beyond not stopping the ride when the weather started to take a nasty turn but, even then, it may have been too late. As much flack as I give them, this isn’t entirely their fault.