Reeling in the Magic: Fishing with Your Family at Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is not only home to iconic theme parks and attractions but also hosts a wide range of recreational activities that can be found at select Disney Resort hotels. Among these, fishing stands out as a serene and enjoyable pastime.

Disney World boasts several well-stocked water bodies that offer catch-and-release fishing. These include Bay Lake, Seven Seas Lagoon, Village Lake, Crescent Lake, and the waterways of Port Orleans Riverside. Each of these locations offers a different fishing ambiance, making every trip unique.

At Walt Disney World, you’ll find a few different fishing experiences that are catered to different preferences and skill levels. Guests have the option to choose between Guided Bass Fishing Excursions, which include a Sun Tracker Fishing Barge pontoon boat (accommodating up to 5 Guests) or tournament-style NITRO® bass fishing boats (accommodating up to 3 Guests). My family chose the guided bass tour on the pontoon boat.

All Walt Disney World Resort guided fishing excursions include:

• An experienced guide
• Rod and reel
• Tackle
• Artificial and/or live bait (NITRO boats do not offer live bait)
• Assorted Coca-Cola® beverages

Guests can venture out on Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon, skim across Village Lake or cruise Crescent Lake and World Showcase Lagoon. Fishing excursions are available at the following marinas:

• Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

Now that we got the basics out of the way, let’s get down to our experience and if this excursion is actually worth it.

Let me start by saying, I don’t fish. Neither have my kids, and my although my husband has- it’s only been a handful of times. That being said, experience is not necessary when fishing at Walt Disney World. Each tour comes with a professional guide who will show you the ins and outs. Most importantly, our guide was very patient when it came to showing our three boys how to put the bait on the hook, cast their line, and reel in a fish. After all, Disney is all about being family friendly and their fishing excursions are no different.

I’ll give him credit where credit is due (just don’t tell him), but it was actually my husband’s idea to book a fishing excursion. At first I scoffed at it, and then I tried saying he could go out with the boys and I would just hang out back at the resort. He was the one to twist my arm and ensure me that this would be a wonderful, memory making time. Reluctantly, I agreed and called (407) 939-3474 to make our reservation.

The time slots available for the guided tour on a pontoon boat were; 7:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and 1:00 PM. We aren’t morning people, even at Disney, but I decided to go with the 7:00 AM time and I’m very happy we did. There are no words to describe how peaceful and serene it is to be out on Bay Lake while it seems like the rest of the world is still asleep. Golden hour has always been my favorite time to be in the parks, but being out on the lake when the sun was coming up is something our entire family will always remember. And because the ferry and all other resort boats were not operating that early, we actually had the lake to ourselves. That in itself is a core memory.

Disney guarantees that everyone will catch multiple fish and to say I was a bit skeptic about that is an understatement. However, almost immediately we found that to be true. Surprise, surprise…I was the one to catch the first fish! My three other kids and husband followed soon after. Catching not one, but multiple bass and catfish during our excursion was an excellent confident booster for my two older kids. They had a little bit of anxiety about what would happen if they caught none, but each of them catching 7-10 in those two hours was great for their self-esteem.

Our guide brought us to several spots on Bay Lake. The first was over by Bay Lake Towers, and the second spot was over by the spot formally known as River Country. While out on the water, my oldest son (who also shares my affinity for all things Disney history) brought up driving by Discovery Island and River Country. Our guide was kind enough to drive the boat over to the former entrance of Discovery Island, where you could actually still see remnants of what once was there. On our way to River Country, he passed the infamous sneaker tree- something we had never seen or heard of. Apparently, when Cast Members retire from watercraft transportation or any water recreational activity, they throw their white sneakers on this specific tree. It was a site to see! Lastly, we reached our second fishing spot at River Country, which was the old dock that was used to welcome guests back in the now defunct water park’s heyday. At very end of our two hours, our guide drove us from Bay Lake to the Seven Seas Lagoon. We got a beautiful view of Cinderella Castle and several resorts as we passed them on our way back to the Wilderness Lodge.

The cost for a 2-hour guided fishing excursion was $270. There aren’t many things at Walt Disney World where I tell my husband the price and he casually says “Awesome, book it”- but this is one of them. It was absolutely worth the value for everything we got. Above all, we created new Disney memories that will linger in our family long after we see that $270 ever again. We will 100% be doing the fishing excursion again with our kids and our only regret is that we didn’t do it sooner.

TPM Pro Tips:

• During your excursion, you will be fishing for largemouth bass. Learn more about largemouth bass—such as their habitats, fishing methods, baits and lures.
• Practice makes perfect when learning to cast. If you already have a rod and reel, practice casting with it in a large open yard or park before your excursion. Remember: Casting should be a fluid motion.
• Most fish will seek out structure. Be on the lookout for rocks, fallen trees, stumps or points, and cast your line in these areas.
• Pay close attention to the movement and feel of your line. It takes practice to differentiate between your lure or bait dragging on the bottom and a fish that is actually biting.
• Be patient. Patience is the key to a good fishing trip.
• Don’t forget to pack sunscreen, sunglasses, raingear and hats to protect yourself from the weather and other elements.
• As per our guide- During the rainy season, most excursions that are booked for 1:00 end up getting cancelled because there is lightning detected in the area. He said there’s been times where he’s taken guests out at 1:00 and have to turn around within 5-10 minutes due to weather. Just keep that in mind when booking. Truly, we loved our 7:00 AM time because we still had the entire day ahead of us.

To book a Walt Disney World fishing excursion, you can call (407) 939-3474 to make a reservation. Advance reservations are highly recommended.