Parts of the New Meg Gilbert Crofton Ferryboat Arrive at Walt Disney World

The Meg Gilbert Crofton ferryboat has arrived at Walt Disney World. Well, parts of her have, at least. Bioreconstruct spotted a section of the vessel’s hull sitting in dry dock at a marina just north of the Contemporary Resort.

Last April, Walt Disney World announced the new ferryboat would join the Seven Seas Lagoon fleet, marking the first ferry expansion since 1976. Once complete, the Meg Gilbert Crofton will join the Admiral Joe Fowler, the General Joe Potter, and the Richard F. Irvine, transporting guests between Magic Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center.

Here’s how Disney described the build process:

“A team of engineers and craft workers [has] 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!”

While it looks like things are moving quickly, guests shouldn’t expect to board anytime soon. The ferry still needs to be fully assembled, painted, outfitted, and tested on the water before it can begin carrying passengers. Disney said that the entire process will take about a year.

Shipping the vessel in sections is also far easier than trying to move a fully assembled ferry across Florida’s roads and waterways. A 120-foot ferryboat isn’t making the trip in one piece.

Meg Gilbert Crofton served as Walt Disney World’s fourth president. She joined Disney in 1977 as a marketing manager before leading the resort from 2006 to 2013.

Bio also snapped photos of one of the current ferryboats and the Liberty Belle in the water.