Flooded POTC boats

[GotLabradors]

We rode it 3 times the week after it opened from the most recent refurb. The first time the CM packed the boat. There was no standing water in the boat when we boarded. We got wettest on that ride, but it wasn't Splash Mountain/Kali wet. The other 2 times our group of 7 was allowed a boat to ourselves and no one got wet other than a sprinkle/misting from the drop and cannonball splashes. The last rides, we let the kids sit in the front so the boat was definitely middle-back loaded with adults. I always assume, whether stated by signage or not, if there is water on/near the ride, I might get wet.

 

[Hudson Hornet]

Rode last Tuesday during MNSSHP and they were not seating anyone in the first row of any of the boats. Not sure why - whether it's become a big problem so this is a temporary fix, or if maybe they just didn't want to hear folks complaining. I was seated on the far right side of row 3 and got a little splash during the cannons but nothing big. No standing water issues either.

Hopefully that is just a temporary fix and that address any structural problems that are causing this soon, because omitting an entire row will really back up the lines.

 

[larryz]

I'm not sure of your sense of humor but I'm going to assume you're kidding about the boat capsizing .

I'm sincerely concerned, enough that if I get to the loading platform and see they're cramming the boats, I'll take the chicken exit.

 

[MataHari22]

This is one of my most favorite rides and I really would not like getting wet. I do not ride Kali or Splash because I don't like getting wet. So, idk, I guess one of my options would be to put on sandals and one of my throw away ponchos, because I really don't want to skip the ride.

To me, it sounds like the boat refurb a couple years ago combined with greater weight from packing more people in each boat may be what's responsible for more splashing and the boats taking on water.

 

[GotLabradors]

I definitely think packing the boats full of people during peak times is not helping the situation. I will echo the statement of PPs who do not like being jam packed into a ride with others. If my family of 4 is riding together in 1 row, don't try to shove just one more person in there with us.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Greatful for the heads up about increased chances of getting wet! Heading there for the first time in a week! Disneyland has a vacuum that they use real quick on boats that come in with too much water pooled on the bottom, I'm really surprised they don't run the same thing at WDW. (Also Disneyland's POTC rarely breaks down, why in the world are they having such problems in WDW's version?)

 

[TexasPete]

anyone sitting on the middle to last rows will be dry.

Not necessarily. As several people have mentioned, there may be standing water in any part of the boat. When my foot was in water nearly to my ankle, we were in the second to last row. I'm glad you enjoyed the ride though. I did too, although would have preferred to leave with a dry foot.

 

[pollyanna30]

I last rode a few days before the ride closed for refurb the end of May. I was wearing tennis shoes and was the first to step into the row. My foot slid on the slick wet floor and did not stop until it hit the far side of the boat. It happened in a flash and I was doing a big split as my other leg was still outside the boat. The CM never noticed and I was able to get my other leg in and enjoy the ride. I was left with a little soreness and a nasty calf bruise where my leg slammed the outside of the boat but we never reported it. My family discussed how bad it could have been had I not been able-bodied in my mid-thirties. We actually didn't get very wet on the ride, only splashed from the cannons. I tell my story to reiterate that the boats are not made to have much water in them as there is not an appropriate floor grip or easy way to load across the slick wet floor.

 

[PirateD]

I last rode a few days before the ride closed for refurb the end of May. I was wearing tennis shoes and was the first to step into the row. My foot slid on the slick wet floor and did not stop until it hit the far side of the boat. It happened in a flash and I was doing a big split as my other leg was still outside the boat. The CM never noticed and I was able to get my other leg in and enjoy the ride. I was left with a little soreness and a nasty calf bruise where my leg slammed the outside of the boat but we never reported it. My family discussed how bad it could have been had I not been able-bodied in my mid-thirties. We actually didn't get very wet on the ride, only splashed from the cannons. I tell my story to reiterate that the boats are not made to have much water in them as there is not an appropriate floor grip or easy way to load across the slick wet floor.

Yikes! As I was reading this, I was picturing what could have happened if that would have been someone like my mom who is not as strong getting on the boat. I'm glad that you were ok!

We have decided to keep our FP for now in December as most in our group still wants to ride even if they get wet. I appreciate the reports as we would have never expected it from previous experiences.

I will be staying tuned in and hoping that things get better though. If they don't, we will switch out my mom's FP and someone else to accompany her on a different ride. After getting a fungus in her ear from the lazy river at Blizzard Beach one year, she is not excited about the thought of possibly getting water up her nose. I know the odds of that happening probably isn't very high but it's sounds like it might be more likely that she might slip and fall. I think she's better off on a safer ride which she says she would prefer if there are still problems.

 

[elmoandzoey]

Why is it more of a PIA to change shoes before POC then it is for splash or Kali???????

It's not. And I never said it was. I'm prepared to switch shoes and I don't mind it. But in order to do that I need to be told in advance that I have to do it. When I walk up to the boat and find it covered in water, it's already too late to switch. Kali and Splash I expect the boats to have water because Disney is very adament about telling you that you will get wet and possibly soaked. With POTC that has never been an issue and they don't say that so I would have just walked up to the boat to find out I should have switched shoes but then it's already too late to do that.

 

[BC1836]

We rode it 3 times the week after it opened from the most recent refurb. The first time the CM packed the boat. There was no standing water in the boat when we boarded. We got wettest on that ride, but it wasn't Splash Mountain/Kali wet. The other 2 times our group of 7 was allowed a boat to ourselves and no one got wet other than a sprinkle/misting from the drop and cannonball splashes. The last rides, we let the kids sit in the front so the boat was definitely middle-back loaded with adults. I always assume, whether stated by signage or not, if there is water on/near the ride, I might get wet.

48 years of people riding PotC where almost nobody got "wet"...

Now, WDW's version is soaking folks on a regular basis.

Sounds like a problem with the center of gravity being out of the "safe" envelope attributable to bow-heavy loading and/or not having a working bilge drain.

Sounds to me like it's just a matter of time before one of the boats capsizes, not a desirable prospect considering the guide rails...

Indeed!

Alas, a previous poster suggested sitting in the last row; however, this thread's first post began because of the standing water in the last row.

 

[JOE DELL]

Where's the outrage and screaming for signs of you may get wet watching fantasmic at HS??

 

[npcougar]

If you had that problem, start your own thread.

 

[Colleen27]

I last rode a few days before the ride closed for refurb the end of May. I was wearing tennis shoes and was the first to step into the row. My foot slid on the slick wet floor and did not stop until it hit the far side of the boat. It happened in a flash and I was doing a big split as my other leg was still outside the boat. The CM never noticed and I was able to get my other leg in and enjoy the ride. I was left with a little soreness and a nasty calf bruise where my leg slammed the outside of the boat but we never reported it. My family discussed how bad it could have been had I not been able-bodied in my mid-thirties. We actually didn't get very wet on the ride, only splashed from the cannons. I tell my story to reiterate that the boats are not made to have much water in them as there is not an appropriate floor grip or easy way to load across the slick wet floor.

Eek! I'm glad you're okay and that you posted here so the rest of us can be forewarned. My mother has a hard time with the step down into the boat even when they're dry. Knowing that it might be slick, I'll make sure that either I or DS17 get in right before her so she has help with it and can be careful with her footing.

 

[disneyseniors]

Is someone "trolling again"??
I, for one, don't like to get wet so avoid Kali and splash. Personal choice.
I'm glad for these posts to alert those of us who are not 30ish anymore with a possibility of slipping on a nonslip surface in the boats. Wow, never thought of that.
I hope they fix this soon and make POC the great ride that it was meant to be, because we loved this ride before the water issue.
Thanks everyone for these helpful posts.

 

[pattyw]

Just wondering if any of the PP's who got soaked/were overcrowded in the boats went to Guest Services to discuss this issue and if so, what answer did you get? I'm actually pleasantly surprised at the other thread about the BBB photographers being reinstated after they got so many complaints- we Disers have alot of power!

 

[BC1836]

We just got home a few hours ago from our WDW drive. We received these two texts from good friends who are still at WDW:

11:54 a.m. Nov. 2

can't believe we are stuck on pirates!!!! (in wet boats). Going on 15 mins in this spot! At least it's cool in here!

12:59 p.m. Nov. 2

45 minutes on the ride! People had to rock their boats to get un-stuck!

We left them a message but have yet to hear from them. Will provide additional info when it becomes available.

 

[MasterGracey84]

I haven't had time to read all of the replies, but I too had a bad experience having just returned home from a trip. I rode POTC the morning of October 25. I stepped into the boat on the 4th row, right hand side and would estimate approximately 1-1/2" - 2" of water standing in the bottom of the boat. So, I made a point to keep my feet on my tip-toes throughout the ride.

As we departed the loading area, the boat seemed to struggle and scrape on the bottom, right hand side of the boat. We continued throuout the attraction very very slowly. I felt the attraction was moving along much more slowly than it should... enough that it became tiresome.

Halfway through the attraction, I was having to pull my body to the left by use of the seat handles in from of me to keep from leaning out of the right side of the boat. All of the passengers in the boat were leaning to the left to keep the right side of the boat out of the water. There were times when a small wave would come over the right side of the boat soaking me. I left the attraction with wet shoes, wet shorts, and a partially wet shirt.

I left the boat slowly and was the last to depart so that I might intentionally look to see how much water accumulated in the boat. It had significantly increased to somewhere between 2-1/2" - 3" by my approximation.

C'mon Disney. We need this issue fixed and resolved promptly. A member of my party politely addressed this issue with a cast member/guest services.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I haven't had time to read all of the replies, but I too had a bad experience having just returned home from a trip. I rode POTC the morning of October 25. I stepped into the boat on the 4th row, right hand side and would estimate approximately 1-1/2" - 2" of water standing in the bottom of the boat. So, I made a point to keep my feet on my tip-toes throughout the ride.

As we departed the loading area, the boat seemed to struggle and scrape on the bottom, right hand side of the boat. We continued throuout the attraction very very slowly. I felt the attraction was moving along much more slowly than it should... enough that it became tiresome.

Halfway through the attraction, I was having to pull my body to the left by use of the seat handles in from of me to keep from leaning out of the right side of the boat. All of the passengers in the boat were leaning to the left to keep the right side of the boat out of the water. There were times when a small wave would come over the right side of the boat soaking me. I left the attraction with wet shoes, wet shorts, and a partially wet shirt.

I left the boat slowly and was the last to depart so that I might intentionally look to see how much water accumulated in the boat. It had significantly increased to somewhere between 2-1/2" - 3" by my approximation.

C'mon Disney. We need this issue fixed and resolved promptly. A member of my party politely addressed this issue with a cast member/guest services.

Wow, crazy. Did you feel like the boat could have capsized?

 

[lugnut33]

I think the water is about 2 feet deep, so I can't imagine a boat capsizing. It would more than likely just list to one side until it touched bottom.