Jungle Cruise
The Jungle Cruise was one of the opening-day attractions at Walt Disney World. It is featured in Adventureland in Disney World as well as California's Disneyland and Disneyland Tokyo. The ride is a slow-moving boat's journey through several rivers in Asia, Africa and South America. It features dozens of audio-animatronic animals as well as jokes by the Skipper.\attraction.
Attraction History
The Jungle Cruise was personally developed by Walt and his team of Imagineers for the opening of Disneyland. It was later recreated in Florida for the first opening of the Magic Kingdom. Of all the rides that opened with the original Disneyland, the Jungle Cruise was one of the few not to be connected to a Disney movie. Harper Goff suggested the ride be based on the African Queen, a 1951 film staring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. Walt originally wanted to use live animals for the attraction, an idea that would later be used for Disney's Animal Kingdom. However, live animals who may not stay in the areas designed for them, would sleep and would have been bothered by the tour boats, so audio-animatronics were used instead. The decision to switch to audio-animatronics allowed the Imagineers to control the scenes that were shown to the audience on the boat, which also allowed for an array of jokes that could be given to the skippers to use throughout the tour. Imagineer Marc Davis, who became known as a master at visual jokes, created jokes within each scene that could be recognized immediately- a necessity when only a short time was given to each individual scene.
The Jungle Cruise queue was reworked and expanded in 1994, providing more room, more shade improvements to the props that set the scene for the ride.
Attraction plot
As you leave the dock, the skipper will introduce themselves as well as begin the jokes that will continue throughout the attraction. The ride starts on the Amazon river, with large plants including large butterflies with wingspans from "12 inches up to 1 ft". The boat passes waterfalls, at which point the boat moves to the Congo river. There the boat passes an empty pygmy camp, followed by an enormous python. As the boat moves up the river it passes another camp, this one overrun by monkeys. The boat then moves to the Nile.
The boat begins on the Nile by through the bathing African elephants and African veld which features giraffes, wildebeests, zebras and a pride of lions. The boat then passes the final camp shown, this one with several men having climbed up a totem pole, being threatened by a rhino. After passing two crocodiles, the boat narrowly avoids being doused by Schweitzer falls and passes airplane wreckage. This is followed by the hippo pool and the returning of the pygmies dancing in a circle. The pygmies attack the boat until it goes behind the other side of Schweitzer falls, which leads to arguably the ride's most well known joke, in which the back of the waterfall is presented as "the back side of water."
The ride's final river is the The Macong River in Cambodia. The boat then moves inside a temple, a departure from the Disneyland version which is all-outdoors. Ruins, treasures, shrines, a white tiger, cobras and monkeys are featured inside the temple. After the temple is the Indian elephant bathing pool. The final scene before returning to the docks is Chief Namee, a "salesman" of shrunken heads.
Queue Radio
These transmissions can be heard over the speakers in the cue line.
"Jungle Cruise bay this is Branco Beauty. We have run aground just south of the house. All hands are fine, we will wait til the tides change. Over."
"[Laughter] This is Jack. Hey look, you know that ship Enna T? We ran into a whole pool of hippos and upset the boat. We're doing fine but those hippos got the last of the Earl Gray. [Laughter] Mrs. Habberson's gonna be disappointed."
The next transmission is from Sir Reginald, who was waiting for Jack's shipment.
"Hello? Colonel are you there? Hello?"
"Yes Sir Reginald."
"Good, jolly good. I'm trying to find out about that shipment. They called me from the home office, said the supplies would be delayed by a full month, due to problems with the jungle shipping company."
At this point the transmission moves to Trader Dan, but will return to Sir Reginald afterwords.
[Static]
"This is Trader Dan reporting a tacky [static]. We just made it through but, but it was close. They're, they're armed with arrows, poison darts, repeat, hostile [static] are attacking. Stay clear of the river north of [static]."
Back to Sir Reginald.
"Now where was I? Oh yes, the shipment! We still require the Earl Grey tea, quinidine, mosquito netting and piano wire."
"I quite understand sir, I'll see what we can do."
"Good, jolly good, thank you Colonel, cheerio!"
"Jungle Cruise skippers this is Alligator Al. With all this rain Schweitzer falls is running at about a hundred-fifty thousand gallons per hour. Current's shifted and is real strong here, if you have to come this way lower the tag in at about eight degrees south. Otherwise you're gonna get real damp. Over."
"This is Tropical Imports to all customers. The mail packet has arrived, along with the new shipment of canned goods, linens, ship's canvas and gunpowder. Mail and special orders are ready for pickup, again this it Tropical Imports announcing that this week's shipment has arrived. Feel free to tie up at the dock. Over."
"Attention all boats on the Irawaddy near Mandalay. This is the colonial portmaster. There have been reports of some disturbances in your area, please travel with caution."
"Recovery, recovery this is Macon Maiden. Come in please."
"I hear you Jack."
"Did Joss load already?"
"Yep."
"Good... I'm heading off to the outpost, wanna join me for a game of rummy?"
"Wouldn't miss it."
"See ya there. Oh, and watch out for those crocs as you pass Trader Sams. Hear they been biting hard."
"You got it - recovery, out."
"Macon Maiden, out."
Skipper Jokes
Leaving the dock...
I'm your Jungle Cruise skipper today. You know the difference between a Captain and a Skipper, don't you? The Captain goes down with the ship........
Wave at all the people on the dock.... 'cause you may never see 'em again. Of course, you've never seen 'em before, so you aren't gonna miss anything.
We're in the Amazon in South America, where things grow larger than life, such as the butterflies on our left and on our right. Their wingspans grow from 12 inches to a whopping 1 foot! Pretty big now, isn't it!
I'd like to point out some the exotic plants here. <pointing> There's one.... and there's one.... there's another one......
Coming up to deserted pygmy village....
Up ahead we're supposed to have a pygmy welcome party here to greet us. If you've never been to a pygmy welcome party, well let me tell you, it's one of the most absolutely...... deadest parties you'll ever go to. (passing the canoes) I don't know... I can't see 'em... canoe?
Gee, something must've scared 'em off. Wonder what it could've been... (seeing the python) OH! Goodness snakes alive! (nervously) Oh, oh... that's a python. Must be 24 ft. long and can eat up to 2 small children whole!! (looking at little kids) Yeah, they're friendly creatures out here.. because they can't get a crush on you.
Approaching trashed campsite....
Hey... wait a minute... that's my camp. I Congo home now! Kinda looks like gorilla warfare. And that's not funny... (pointing to jeep which is upside down) See my jeep? I had a little trouble getting it started this morning, but I don't know how they got it to turn over... oh well.
Hey, we're on the Nile and the Nile is over 4,000 miles. It goes for miles and miles and miles... and if you don't believe me... you're in de-nile!
Approaching safari.....
Well we've got another law in the jungle called survival of the fastest. See the low man on that totem poll? I told him that even though a rhinoceros weighs 2.5 tons, he can't outrun 'em. Oh, but I guess he'll get that point in the end.
There's danger around every corner here in the jungle.... and when you've been in the jungle as long as I have, aahh you begin to smell.... danger... not me! Oh no... not me......
This is crocodile country. These are 2 of our oldest here in the river... Smiley & Ginger. Smiley... he's over a hundred years old. Just likes to lay around the beach and wait for a hand out. You've gotta be careful around Ginger.... she doesn't bite, but she does snap.
Approaching falls....
We have other dangers like monsoons, rapids.. WATERFALLS! Everybody on this side, ya wanna lean in! (looking at other side of boat) You guys... jump out. Lean in! Lean in! C'mon... please.... Dive, dive.....
Passing crashed plane....
Well, this is how I landed my job here. Kinda plane to see. I took the crash course. Oh, by the way, I do offer a crash course in flying, if any of you would like to sign up if...er, when we get back.
Passing thru hippo pool... looking at passenger in back....
Oh, I'm sorry. Didja get a little bit wet? I betcha thought it was water too... well it'snot.....
Approaching native village.....
Uh-oh... this is not a good sign. When we shot to scare off the hippos, it also alerted the natives. And when they dance around in circles like this, it can only mean one thing... this is a bad place to be headed!
For those of you in the back, if you get an arrow, take it out... otherwise you'll be stuck with it....
Secret bathing pool of the Indian elephants.....
It's ok to stare, by the way... they've got their trunks on...
Hey look everybody! It's Chief Nammie! He's your head salesman here in the jungle. As you can see, business has been shrinking a little lately. He's got a great deal goin' on....2 of his heads for one of yours. Any takers? Aw c'mon! No matter what the size, you come out ahead! You know the old saying... 2 heads are better than 1 !
At the safari in tree....
That guy on the bottom.... that's my friend Ohantas. If he doesn't watch out, that rhino will poke Ohantas!
Going into the temple....
This could lead us to more danger. This could lead to a dead end. Or.... it might be like everything else, and lead us to another gift shop!
Trivia
- The Jungle Cruise is known as having one of the most well-themed attractions in Walt Disney World.
- Each ship has a name:
- Amazon Annie
- Congo Connie
- Ganges Gertie
- Irrawaddy Irma
- Kwango Kate
- Nile Nelly
- Orinoco Ida
- Rutshuru Ruby
- Sankuru Sadie
- Senegal Sal
- Volta Val
- Wamba Wanda
- Zambezi Zelda
