Sources have reported to BlogMickey.com that pieces of the hull of the brand-new Magic Kingdom ferryboat have arrived and are now in place at a backstage marina near Magic Kingdom. Over the coming months, crews will continue assembling the components that were previously being constructed at an off-site marina in Florida. Here’s what we know!
Assembly Begins for Fourth Ferryboat in Backstage Marina Near Magic Kingdom
In This Article
- BlogMickey.com sources reveal that hull pieces of the fourth Magic Kingdom ferryboat are now in place at a backstage marina near the park
- The fourth Magic Kingdom ferryboat, named the Meg Gilbert Crofton, was officially confirmed by Walt Disney World earlier this month
- The 120-foot vessel was built in pieces at an off-site Florida marina and is now being assembled on Walt Disney World property
- The new ferryboat is expected to debut in Summer 2027, with assembly, painting, and finishing work expected to take approximately one year
- The Meg Gilbert Crofton is named after Disney World’s fourth president, honoring her legacy of leadership and park expansion
According to sources, hull pieces of the new Magic Kingdom ferryboat are now in position at a backstage marina near the park. Crews are expected to spend the coming months assembling the vessel from components that were fabricated off-site at a marina elsewhere in Florida. It is a meaningful construction milestone for a project that Walt Disney World confirmed publicly just earlier this month.
What Walt Disney World Has Officially Announced
Walt Disney World confirmed earlier in May 2026 that a fourth ferryboat is on the way, marking the first expansion of the Magic Kingdom ferry fleet since 1976. The new vessel will join the existing trio: the Admiral Joe Fowler, the General Joe Potter, and the Richard F. Irvine, which were all rechristened in 1997 to honor individuals instrumental in making Walt Disney World a reality.
According to the Disney Parks Blog, the new 120-foot-long ferryboat has been under construction at a marina in Florida, with plans to ship it in pieces to Walt Disney World property. Once on site, crews will assemble the pieces, paint the vessel, and add all final touches, a process expected to take about a year, with the new ferryboat launching in 2027.
The timing makes practical sense. The Seven Seas Lagoon crossing, which stretches approximately 0.6 miles between the Transportation and Ticket Center and Magic Kingdom, is only going to see heavier guest traffic in the years ahead. With the Cars-themed Piston Peak National Park expansion of Frontierland and the all-new Villains Land both in development, Walt Disney World is investing in the arrival experience ahead of those crowd increases.
Meet the Meg Gilbert Crofton
The fourth ferryboat will carry the name Meg Gilbert Crofton, honoring Disney World’s fourth president. Meg Crofton began her Disney career in 1977 as a marketing manager and served as president of Walt Disney World from 2006 to 2013.
Just like the other ferryboats in the fleet, a portrait of Meg Crofton will be displayed on the first deck of the new vessel. The portrait was developed by Walt Disney Imagineering and will be accompanied by a plaque sharing her story with guests as they cross Seven Seas Lagoon.
Crofton’s tenure as president was a significant one for the resort. During her time leading Walt Disney World, she oversaw New Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom, which was the resort’s largest theme park expansion since the opening of Animal Kingdom. That expansion brought fan-favorite experiences, including Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Be Our Guest Restaurant, to the park. She also oversaw the opening of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort in 2012.
In 2015, Crofton received a window on Main Street, U.S.A., identifying her as the founder of the “Center for Leadership Development,” with the phrase “We start leaders on their journeys.”
Upon learning of the honor, Crofton offered her reaction. “I was humbled to learn that my name would be on this new ferryboat. It means so much to be recognized by the cast members I had the privilege of working with for so many years.”
A Summer 2027 Debut
With hull pieces now on property, the clock is officially ticking. Disney has indicated the full assembly, paint, and finishing process will take approximately one year, pointing to a Summer 2027 debut for the Meg Gilbert Crofton.
The new vessel will fit seamlessly alongside the existing ferryboats, with a similar capacity, look, and feel, ensuring a consistent experience for guests while adding much-needed capacity to one of Magic Kingdom’s most beloved arrival experiences.
We expect that photos from aerial photography extraordinaire Bioreconstruct, will confirm our reporting the next time he’s in the skies over Magic Kingdom.
OUR TAKE: A fourth ferryboat is a smart and timely update, given the influx of guests expected to descend upon Magic Kingdom in the coming years as new attractions debut. A fourth ferryboat also opens up the possibility that Disney could take a closer look at the monorail system. While the vehicles themselves have undergone a multi-year refurbishment (that continues to this day), the fleet is old and well past its end of life. By adding a fourth ferryboat, watercraft can carry a much larger share of guests between the TTC and Magic Kingdom should the monorail need to be shut down for any amount of time.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!