EPCOT Germany Friendship Boat Dock Reopens for the First Time in Years While Morocco Dock is Refurbished

In EPCOT, the Germany Pavilion Friendship boat dock is open for the first time in years while the Morocco Pavilion dock is closed for refurbishment.

EPCOT Friendship Boat Launches

Friendship boat launches highlighted on My Disney Experience map of EPCOT

There are four docks, a.k.a. Friendship Launches, on World Showcase Lagoon, as highlighted in the above map from My Disney Experience. At one time, guests could travel on Friendship boats from Canada to Morocco (on the west side) or from Mexico to Germany (on the east side).

However, the Mexico and Germany launches have rarely been in use since the summer of 2016. The route frequently had to be closed due to the “Illuminations” nighttime spectacular and Disney ultimately determined it wasn’t worth keeping open at all. After 2016, the east docks have only been used if a west dock was being refurbished. We haven’t seen either in use since at least March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down Walt Disney World.

Canada Dock

The entrance to the Canada dock for the Friendship Boats.

Currently, guests can take a Friendship boat from the Canada launch to the Germany launch. On Monday, Cast Members were checking that guests knew their destination before they boarded. Boats depart every 15 minutes beginning at 11 a.m. The last boat departs at 7:15 p.m., before “Luminous: The Symphony of Us” takes over the lagoon.

A sign hanging from the dock explaining where the boats go and how often departures are.

A sign hanging at the dock reads “Departures to Morocco with promenade access to Japan and France.” But that’s not currently true.

Guests standing in line to board the boats.

Boats are looping past the Morocco dock around the lagoon to the Germany Pavilion.

Germany Dock

The entrance to the Germany dock.

This is the first time the dock at the Germany Pavilion has been open in at least four years.

A Friendship Boat docked at the Germany dock entrance.

The Friendship boats have been repainted one by one over the past few years. In service at EPCOT on Monday was Friendship VIII.

Morocco Dock

The roped-off exit to the Morocco dock.

While the Morocco dock is closed, its ramp is blocked with ropes and signs.

A close-up of the closed sign hanging at the Morocco dock.

One sign reads “This Dock is Closed for the day. Please proceed to the Germany Dock.”

A wide shot of the closed Morocco dock.

Cast Members were not sure how long the Morocco dock would be closed. We didn’t see any active work on it during the day.

A close-up of the boat departure sign.

The last boat departure time was removed from the dock’s sign.

Mexico Dock

A wide shot of the Mexico dock

The Mexico dock remains closed with a rope blocking access. It will likely only reopen if the Canada dock closes for a refurbishment.

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