For the first time since 1976, we’re expanding our fleet of ferryboats that provide complimentary transportation between the Transportation and Ticket Center and Magic Kingdom. It’s my favorite way to get across Seven Seas Lagoon, and it makes the transition to “the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy” so easy and seamless for our guests.

If you’re team ferryboat like me (IYKYK), this is a really big deal. A 120-foot-long big deal, in fact! Next year, the brand-new ferryboat will set sail, increasing our fleet from three to four ferries here at Walt Disney World.

A team of engineers and craft workers have been hard at work designing and building the new ferryboat. It’s actually been under construction at a marina in Florida, and we’re getting ready to ship it – in pieces – to our property over the next couple of weeks!

It’s still going to take some time, expertise and a little bit of Disney magic before it’s ready. We have to assemble the pieces, paint, and put on all the final touches. This process will take about a year, so we’re looking forward to launching this new vessel in 2027.

In 1997, to honor three individuals who were instrumental in making the resort a reality, Disney World rechristened our existing ferryboats as the Admiral Joe Fowler, the General Joe Potter and the Richard F. Irvine. Now, 30 years later, we get to add another name to that list!

We’re continuing the legacy of honoring individuals who’ve had a significant impact on Disney World by calling the fourth ferryboat the Meg Gilbert Crofton, named after Disney World’s fourth president. Meg started her Disney career in 1977 as a marketing manager and, after several roles in the company, took the helm as president of Walt Disney World from 2006-2013.

Just like the other ferryboats, Meg’s portrait will be found on the first deck of the new vessel. It was developed by Walt Disney Imagineering, and it will be accompanied by a plaque that will share Meg’s story with generations of guests as they glide across Seven Seas Lagoon.

“I was humbled to learn that my name would be on this new ferryboat,” Meg said. “It means so much to be recognized by the cast members I had the privilege of working with for so many years.”

During her tenure as president, Meg ushered in Disney World’s first major theme park expansion since the opening of Animal Kingdom: New Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom. That expansion brought to life fan-favorite experiences like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Be Our Guest Restaurant.

She also contributed to Disney World’s Resort hotels, opening Art of Animation in 2012. The family-friendly resort surrounds guests with stories like Finding Nemo, Cars, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid, complete with oversized characters and a Big Blue Pool for extra fun!

Just as impressive was the legacy she left with the people she led along the way. Guided by the belief that what truly lasts is how you make others feel, Meg always had – and continues to have – a genuine interest in the dreams and aspirations of cast members from across the company.

When Meg received her window on Main Street, U.S.A. in 2015, it identified her as the founder of the “Center for Leadership Development,” adding, “We start leaders on their journeys.”

If you’ve visited Disney World before, you know a trip across Seven Seas Lagoon on a ferryboat really is an attraction in and of itself. You just can’t beat the view from the upper deck as you glide across the water toward Magic Kingdom.

This new vessel will fit seamlessly alongside our existing ferryboats, with a similar capacity, look and feel. We can’t wait for you to sea it!