If you have taken the ferryboat across Seven Seas Lagoon lately, you may have noticed some new developments along the shoreline. The construction walls tied to the Magic Kingdom ferryboat dock project have grown since last week, marking another step in a planned expansion. Here is a clear look at what has changed, what is happening nearby, and how it all fits into the larger project.
The Construction Walls Have Been Extended
The walls first appeared last week along the edge of Seven Seas Lagoon near the dock. On a more recent visit, those walls were noticeably longer than before. They now run through the entire walkway that guests can see from onboard the boat, so the change is easy to spot as you approach the landing.
Even with the added length, the dock itself is still open. Temporary fencing has been set up to guide guests around the walls and toward the dock, keeping the route clear while the work zone is closed off. In other words, your trip across the lagoon still works the same way for now.
No Active Work Behind the Walls Yet
For all the added wall length, there does not appear to be active construction happening behind the barriers at this point. The walls seem to be in place ahead of the work rather than around an ongoing build.
That timing lines up with how these projects often start. Setting the boundaries first allows crews to prepare the area before the more visible construction begins. The dock is expected to eventually extend into this walled-off space, so the walls mark where that future growth will go.
Work Is Already Underway to the East
While the area behind the new walls waits for its turn, construction has already started to the east. Crews are working on a floodplain compensation area, which is a common requirement for building projects near water.
A floodplain compensation area offsets the impact of new construction on how water moves and collects in the surrounding land. Handling this piece early helps keep the overall project on track and in line with the approvals Disney received.
The Permit Timeline
This expansion did not come out of nowhere. Disney filed a permit for the construction in February 2026, laying the groundwork for the project on paper.
The state’s water management district then approved that permit in March 2026. With that approval in hand, the pieces you can now see along the lagoon, from the walls to the eastern work, are the physical results of a plan that has been moving forward for months.
How This Builds on Past Improvements
The current project is not the first update to the ferryboat operation. Back in 2021, Disney added second-level ramps to help unload the boats more quickly. Those ramps allowed guests to exit from an upper deck, speeding up the flow of people getting on and off.
The dock expansion continues that same goal of moving guests more efficiently. Together, the ramps and the wider dock point to a steady effort to handle the crowds that rely on the ferryboats to reach Magic Kingdom.
A Fourth Ferryboat Is on the Way
Alongside the dock work, a fourth ferryboat is under construction backstage near Magic Kingdom. The new vessel is named after Meg Gilbert Crofton, who served as Walt Disney World’s fourth president.
The addition rounds out the existing fleet, which includes the Admiral Joe Fowler, the General Joe Potter, and the Richard F. Irvine. Each of these boats carries the name of a figure tied to Disney’s history, and the Crofton continues that tradition. A larger dock and an extra boat go hand in hand, since both add capacity to the same transportation route.
Final Thoughts
The extended walls along Seven Seas Lagoon are a visible sign that the Magic Kingdom ferryboat dock expansion is progressing. With the permit approved, a floodplain compensation area under construction to the east, and a fourth ferryboat being built backstage, the project is clearly moving through its early stages. The dock remains open in the meantime, so your ferry ride is not affected yet. Keep an eye on this stretch of the lagoon as the work continues and the dock begins to take its new shape.
Written by
Rachel Van Norman
Contributing Writer
Rachel fell deeply in love with all things Disney as a little girl. Now as a wife and a mother herself, she shares this Disney obsession with her son and everyone around her. From her love of princesses to eating all the Disney food, Rachel spends her time radiating Disney magic and keeping everyone up to date on Disney news.
