Disney's Magic Kingdom ferry crashes into dock amid stormy weather, passengers say: 'completely chaotic'

Disney's Magic Kingdom ferry boat crashes

Multiple people were allegedly tended to or treated by paramedics after one of Walt Disney World's ferry boats made a hard docking at Disney's Transportation & Ticket Center. FOX 35's Stephanie Buaffamonte has details on everything we know about the incident so far.

ORLANDO, Fla. - It appears that multiple people were tended to or treated by paramedics after one of Walt Disney World's ferry boats seemingly docked hard at Disney's Transportation & Ticket Center, according to the fire departments who responded, as well as photos shared with FOX 35 Orlando.

Ferry boats are one of the ways that people can get between Disney's Transportation & Ticket Center (TTC for short) and Disney's Magic Kingdom theme park, and vice versa. There is also Disney's bus system and the Monorail.

On Wednesday night, it appears that one of Disney's ferry boats hit the dock harder than usual while docking at Disney's TTC.  

What we know:

A Walt Disney World ferryboat crashed into a dock at Magic Kingdom during a storm on Wednesday night. (Credit: Tyler Simpson)

Both the Orange County Fire Rescue Department and Osceola County Fire Rescue & EMS confirmed to FOX 35 on Friday that its teams assisted the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District's Fire Department (formerly known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District & Fire Department) on Wednesday night with a boat crash at Disney's Transportation & Ticket Center.

Photos shared with FOX 35 showed members of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District's Fire Department wheeling medical supplies and a gurney onto the General Joe Potter, one of Disney's ferry boats. Another photo showed first responders surrounding a number of people seated in wheelchairs.

There were showers and thunderstorms moving through the area Wednesday evening.

FOX 35 has reached out to both Walt Disney World, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, and its fire department for additional details. We will update our story once we receive a response.

What we don't know:

It's unclear what caused the crash, what time the crash happened, how many people were aboard the ferry, nor how many people were treated at Disney's TTC, or if anyone was transported for treatment at nearby hospitals. 

The status of the dock and the General Joe Potter was not immediately clear.

What they're saying:

FOX 35 talked with people who said they were aboard the boat when it hit the dock.

Disney's ferry boats are large two-level boats. There is some bench seating on both levels, though it is common for several people to be standing as the boat makes its way across Disney's Seven Seas Lagoon to the docks on either side.

Tami Hackett is visiting with family from Houston, Texas. She was on the boat with her daughter and her husband, and their three kids. She said they were on the lower deck.

"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. We got the girls out and they docked. And honestly that is when it all went down hill. Not only was there no announcement on what to do when injured they just had us get off the boat," she said in a written message to FOX 35. She did not want to talk with us on camera.

She said she had to grab an EMT to check out her grand-daughters. All were cleared, she said.

A woman named Kelly told FOX 35 her granddaughter's stroller was also flipped upside down, causing her to hit her head. She said there was little communication or announcements following the crash. 

"I have loved Disney all my life but the way the handled the situation was unacceptable. We were left all left in the dark. There was no announcement made after hitting whatever we hit at full speed. The captain was not apologetic whatsoever. Every single person on the packed ferry was thrown forward," she said in a message to FOX 35. She declined an on-camera interview.

She said they were checked out by paramedics and urgent care.

Heidi Goldsworthy told FOX 35's Stephanie Buffamonte that she was on the ferry at the time, and noted that it was heavily raining.

"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," she said.

"I rode it in 1971 when the park opened with my mom, so I've been riding it sporadically ever since the park had opened. I had never heard of any accidents, and certainly had never been in one before. It seems such a quiet, easy ride across the lake that you don't think that something's going to happen like that, but it was definitely a boat crash."