5MPH of Pure Adrenaline:Cruising Disney Springs in an Amphicar

Disney World has plenty of ways to get your adrenaline pumping. You can launch yourself through space, race around a mountain or plummet down a lift shaft.

But today, I fancied something a little more extreme.

I went for a cruise around Disney Springs in a car.

Not particularly exciting, I hear you say.

Well, this one drives straight into a lake.

And no, the driver hadn’t taken a wrong turn.

From Road Trip to Boat Trip

Parked outside The BOATHOUSE at Disney Springs are some of the most unusual vehicles you’ll ever see: genuine vintage Amphicars from the 1960s.

They look like something James Bond might have driven if MI6 had suffered some fairly serious budget cuts.

Four wheels, two propellers, a steering wheel and the somewhat concerning ability to float.

You climb aboard, settle into your seat, and before you know it, you’re heading down a ramp towards the water.

Normally, when you see a car entering a lake, you’d expect a news helicopter, a recovery truck and someone explaining to their insurance company what went wrong.

Here, it’s just another afternoon at Disney.

Then comes the splash.

One minute you’re in a car. The next, you’re in a boat.

No transformation sequence. No complicated engineering display. Just a vintage motor happily chugging along across Lake Buena Vista.

Hold On Tight. We’re Doing 5MPH.

Now, I’ve experienced some pretty impressive transport over the years.

Planes, trains, monorails, Skyliners, and even driverless Waymo taxis.

But nothing quite prepares you for the sheer, unrelenting performance of an Amphicar.

Our cruising speed? Around 5mph.

At that speed, you’re not so much tearing across the lake as politely asking the water to move out of your way.

I’m fairly certain I’ve walked around EPCOT quicker, and that’s including stopping for snacks.

You could probably overtake us on a lilo.

But that’s the beauty of it.

While everyone else is rushing around Disney Springs, we’re cruising along with the engine humming, the Florida sunshine overhead and people on the shoreline wondering why there’s a car floating past them.

It’s wonderfully ridiculous.

A Car With a Serious Identity Crisis

The Amphicar is a fascinating little machine.

Built in Germany during the 1960s, it was designed to do something most vehicles sensibly avoid: operate on both land and water.

Around 3,878 Amphicars were produced, making them a genuinely unusual piece of motoring history.

On the road, they could reach roughly 70mph. On water, the claimed top speed was around 7 knots.

The Disney Springs cruises are a rather more leisurely affair.

The car uses its rear wheels for driving on land and twin propellers to push itself through the water. The front wheels even help with steering when afloat.

There’s no fancy touchscreen, no autonomous driving system and certainly no Sport Mode.

Just old-fashioned engineering, a brave driver and a remarkable amount of faith in some 60-year-old seals.

And somehow, it all works.

The Most Relaxed Thrill Ride at Disney

The cruise takes approximately 20 minutes, offering a completely different perspective of Disney Springs and The BOATHOUSE.

It’s one of those experiences where the actual journey is more entertaining than the destination.

People wave, cameras come out and you find yourself waving back like some sort of low-speed celebrity.

There’s something brilliantly surreal about cruising past restaurants, boats and waterfront walkways in what is, unmistakably, a car.

And unlike most Disney attractions, there’s no screaming, no sudden drops and no need to brace yourself.

Unless, of course, a particularly aggressive duck decides to overtake.

Fancy Saving $25? Have Some Scran First!

Now, here’s a little money-saving tip that’s worth knowing before you take the plunge.

The Amphicar experience normally costs $125 per car, which isn’t exactly cheap for 20 minutes of travelling slower than a mobility scooter.

But there’s a way of knocking $25 off that price.

Spend at least $50 dining at The BOATHOUSE and you can get a $25 discount on your Amphicar cruise.

Just keep your restaurant receipt and present it when booking your ride.

That brings the price down from $125 to $100.

And considering you’re at Disney World, spending $50 on food isn’t exactly a difficult challenge.

It’s practically a starter and a couple of drinks.

So rather than paying full price for your aquatic motoring adventure, you can enjoy a meal first and save yourself a few dollars.

Technically, you’ve just been financially rewarded for eating.

That’s my kind of Disney magic.

The discount is subject to the restaurant’s current offer and conditions, so check before ordering.

Smile! Your High-Speed Adventure Is Being Photographed

There’s another little bonus worth knowing about.

Disney PhotoPass photographers can capture your Amphicar adventure, including that brilliant moment when your perfectly good car drives straight into the lake.

And here’s the good bit.

If you’ve already got Disney Memory Maker, your Amphicar PhotoPass pictures are included to download without paying extra.

That’s right. You can have photographic evidence of yourself travelling at the astonishing speed of 5mph without having to buy a separate photo package.

Just make sure your photos are linked to your Disney account.

For anyone without Memory Maker or another eligible PhotoPass entitlement, the photos may be available to purchase separately.

It’s a lovely added extra, particularly because everyone can be in the pictures instead of somebody having to stand on the shore taking photos.

And let’s face it, if you’re going to drive a car into a lake, you definitely want photographic evidence.

Preferably before your insurance company finds out.

Is It Worth the Money?

Let’s look at the numbers.

• Standard Amphicar cruise: $125
• With the qualifying BOATHOUSE dining discount: $100
• Duration: Approximately 20 minutes
• Passengers: Up to 3–4, depending on the group
• PhotoPass photos: Included with an eligible Memory Maker package

Split between three people, that discounted $100 works out at about $33.33 each.

For a completely unusual Disney experience, that’s not too bad.

Especially when you consider you’re effectively getting a vintage car ride, a boat trip and a very slow motorsport event all rolled into one.

The verdictWould I Do It Again?

Absolutely.

Not because it’s fast. Not because it’s particularly practical. And certainly not because I have a burning desire to own a car that needs both an MOT and a life jacket.

But because it’s different.

Where else can you get into a 1960s car, drive straight into a lake and have everyone treat it as perfectly normal?

Throw in a $25 discount for eating at The BOATHOUSE and the PhotoPass pictures included with Memory Maker, and the whole experience becomes that little bit more appealing.

Disney Springs might be famous for its shops, restaurants and entertainment, but this is easily one of its most wonderfully bizarre experiences.

It’s a little bit of motoring history, a little bit of boating and a lot of fun.

Final verdict: 5mph, zero horsepower bragging rights, 100% entertainment.

Move over, Formula 1.

There’s a new speed demon in Florida.

And I’ve just been overtaken by a duck.

Travelling the world one beer, one adventure and apparently one floating car at a time.