Transportation Cast Members recently signed a piece of steel for Walt Disney World’s fourth ferryboat. The Walt Disney World Cast and Community Facebook page shared the moment. Disney expects the vessel to debut in 2027, and construction continues at a backstage marina near Magic Kingdom. Here’s the latest!
Cast Members Sign Steel for the Fourth Ferryboat
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- Transportation Cast Members signed steel for the upcoming fourth ferryboat
- The tradition ties into ongoing construction of the vessel, expected to debut in 2027
A Cast Tradition Tied to the Build
Signing a piece of steel before it becomes part of a structure is a familiar tradition on construction projects. It lets the people involved leave a personal mark on something that will otherwise be hidden once the build is complete. Transportation Cast Members took part in that tradition for the fourth Magic Kingdom ferryboat, adding their names to a piece of steel that will be part of the vessel, according to the Walt Disney World Cast and Community Facebook page.
The caption on the post read, “Here’s to the next chapter on the water”. It’s a small but meaningful detail for the Cast Members who operate the current fleet. Many of them will eventually crew the new addition.
Where Construction Currently Stands
The steel-signing tradition comes as the ferryboat itself continues to take shape. Crews are assembling the vessel, which will carry the name Meg Gilbert Crofton, at a backstage marina near Magic Kingdom. We reported last month that a second deck had gone on top of the hull, bringing the boat much closer in appearance to the three ferryboats already in service.
Once complete, the Meg Gilbert Crofton will join the Admiral Joe Fowler, the General Joe Potter, and the Richard F. Irvine in ferrying guests across Seven Seas Lagoon between the Transportation and Ticket Center and Magic Kingdom. It will be the first expansion of the ferry fleet since 1976.
The Story So Far
- Walt Disney World received approval for the Magic Kingdom ferryboat expansion project in March 2026.
- Disney then announced the fourth ferryboat would debut in 2027, naming it the Meg Gilbert Crofton after the resort’s fourth president.
- We exclusively reported that assembly had begun on the new vessel in May 2026.
- The vessel’s first deck was fully assembled by June 2026, forming the flat lower level of the hull.
- Most recently, a second deck was built on top of the hull, bringing the vessel closer to its final two-story profile.
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