New Magic Kingdom Ferry Boat Takes Shape in Dry Dock at Disney World Marina

31 days ago in "Magic Kingdom Ferry boats"

Gallery / 2 Photos
Magic Kingdom Fourth Ferry Boat Construction Aerial Photos

Posted: Friday May 15, 2026 3:37pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

New aerial photos show construction is underway on Magic Kingdom's fourth ferry boat at a service marina north of the Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World.

The images, captured by @bioreconstruct on X, show sections of the new hull have been welded together in dry dock.

Magic Kingdom Fourth Ferry Boat Construction Aerial Photos

The Liberty Belle riverboat can also be seen at the marina in the photos.

A second image shows the platform used to transfer boats between the marina and the dry dock — giving a closer look at the construction setup Disney is using to assemble the new vessel on-site.

Magic Kingdom Fourth Ferry Boat Construction Aerial Photos

Disney recently confirmed that the new 120-foot ferry boat will be named the Meg Gilbert Crofton, after Walt Disney World's fourth president. The boat will grow the Seven Seas Lagoon fleet from three to four for the first time since 1976.

The sections were shipped to the resort in pieces, as Disney had previously indicated. The team is now assembling, welding, and fitting out the vessel at the marina before it makes the short journey to Seven Seas Lagoon.

Disney expects the new ferry to launch in 2027. Once complete, it will join the Admiral Joe Fowler, the General Joe Potter, and the Richard F. Irvine on the daily run between the Transportation and Ticket Center and Magic Kingdom.

Admiral Fowler Ferryboat Magic Kingdom

The new boat will carry a similar capacity, look, and feel to the existing three vessels. A portrait of Meg Crofton developed by Walt Disney Imagineering will be displayed on the first deck alongside a plaque telling her story.

Meg Crofton Ferry Boat Portrait

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lazyboy97o30 days ago

Frank Well lead the company during significant expansion of Walt Disney World that included multiple hotels, two water parks and two theme parks. Card Walker was Roy’s COO who oversaw the initial building of Walt Disney World and then lead the company to build EPCOT Center. Marty Sklar lead Walt Disney Imagineering from the late 70s into the 00s. Was a major figure in the creative development of EPCOT Center and then supervised all of the hotels, parks and other offerings added in the 80s and 90s. Duck Nunis was a major figure in the initial development of Walt Disney World and went on to lead operations of Disneyland and Walt Disney World for years while, including the aforementioned expansion of the 80s and 90s. John Hench was a lead creative on Magic Kingdom, including Cinderella Castle and Space Mountain. He then lead creative development on EPCOT Center and continued to be a senior creative at Walt Disney Imagineering through the 80s and 90s.

lazyboy97o30 days ago

None of those you list were major influences on Walt Disney World. Kim Irvine’s career was almost entirely at Disneyland.

TrainsOfDisney30 days ago

Do you mean the design of it?

Mr. Sullivan30 days ago

Only two of these people really had any hand in WDW

FettFan30 days ago

Just because one is the first at something doesn’t necessarily mean they are good at it. It’s sad that we honor empty corporate lackeys because “first woman!” instead of true visionaries. Mary Blair? Harriet Burns? Alice Davis? Kim Irvine? Nope, name it after the first female board room member who helped start mucking things up at the behest of Darth Iger.

FettFan30 days ago

More importantly we see our beloved Liberty Belle still intact and just waiting.

FettFan30 days ago

Should have named it the Frank Wells, given the role he played in shaping the Disney Renaissance… I would also accept the E. Cardon Walker, the Marty Sklar, the Richard Nunis or the John Hench.

DCBaker31 days ago

In a new aerial photo from bioreconstruct, you can spot the new ferry boat starting to be assembled:

Jon81ukMay 06, 2026

I think this is the key thing, I think it seems like they wanted to avoid four men's names across the boats and were keen to acknowledge a woman strongly connected with WDW. A lot of people are suggesting other men they could have used and there was a few women of Imagineering that were named in this thread but the first woman to lead WDW seems fitting.

SirwalterraleighMay 05, 2026

That’s probably not much of a concern…more ferries would likely be replacements more than adds. That’s probably what this one is coming in medium to long term

SirwalterraleighMay 05, 2026

Carrying a bucket for Meg Crofton…a rather forgettable underling of bobs empire? …that’s bold, cotton

SirwalterraleighMay 05, 2026

I think a more likely idea is just charge $100 for the lot to anyone. They don’t cater to APs…merely tolerate them. Never really. Been decades

PurduevianMay 05, 2026

This theoretical new lot would not have a tram, monorail, or boat. It could also help prevent disney from buying a 5th or 6th ferry boat in the future if it took enough strain off the TTC.

flynnibusMay 05, 2026

Customers aren't nominating and voting on people. The lady didn't find a job title on the ground either.. she apparently did the job enough that she kept getting promoted. It is, because it's asking me to back a judgement when I wasn't the one making the judgement in the first place. We do not start with the assumption that someone is garbage until proven otherwise. But here, person is being painted as unworthy because.. they were in HR in career building roles? FACING. The honor is given to the person being named -- Not because they expect the guests to applaud them.