Since 1955 the Jungle Cruise attraction has brought laughs to millions of Disney guests from all over the world. Recently the Walt Disney Company has decided that it is time to revamp the storytelling of this classic ride. Imagineers are calling this change an expansion of what we already know and love inside Disney Resorts on both coasts of the United States.
Upcoming Changes
In addition to the update reflecting the “value and diversity” of the world around us, it has been announced that the Jungle Cruise Skippers are going to have even more involvement when it comes to this enhanced experience. This will include the Skippers at The Jungle Cruise Skipper Canteen restaurant in the Magic Kingdom as well. With this update we can expect some new scenes including chimpanzees and other fun animals along the way.
Jungle Cruise fans will be happy to see some of their favorite boats from the past represented throughout the ride experience. Additionally, guests can look forward to the story of the Jungle Cruise to change for the holiday season! That’s right the Jingle Cruise will be getting a new story expansion too!
Jungle Cruise History
A lot has changed since the original concept for the Jungle Cruise. We know that originally Walt Disney himself wanted live animals for this attraction. However, Walt had the realization that most of the animals would be asleep during the day so he decided to get creative. In California since opening the attraction in 1955, 4 major show scenes have been changed. A big surprise to many may be the fact that until 1962 the Jungle Cruise didn’t feature any jokes. That’s right! This attraction was originally just meant to educate Disney guests about the world’s many jungles. This is a good example of how Walt himself knew the ride would continue to change as time progressed.
In 1983 the Jungle Cruise joined Walt Disney World at the Magic Kingdom. Additionally, in 2013 both Walt Disney World and The Disneyland Resort introduced the Jingle Cruise. This is where one of the first story expansions came to the attraction. Guests got to see an overlay on the attraction to celebrate the holiday season close to Christmas time. The jungle itself was covered in holiday gifts and the Skippers even had special themed jokes for this Jingle Cruise exploration.
The Future Of The Jungle Cruise
While we know that the attraction itself is going to have some new changes, there’s more to look forward to! Coming July 29, 2021 is a brand new movie called Jungle Cruise. This film will be starring Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock) and Emily Blunt. We can expect many nods to the attraction we all know and love. It is rumored that we may see some similarities in the ride changes to some things we may see in this future film. The concept for this movie started back in 2004 so many fans are excited to see this movie come to light on the big screen.
As we know Walt Disney once said, “We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious … and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” We definitely see this happening with the re-theming of several Disney attractions so they can be enjoyed for many more years to come and for the many new guests visiting the parks every day.
Written by
Bobby Asen
Contributing Writer
Bobby has a strong passion for Walt Disney’s stories and the Disney Parks. From taking vacations to the parks, to being an Annual Passholder, to working as a cast member for seven years at Magic Kingdom, his passion for Disney continues to grow. After visiting every Disney Park in the world, Bobby knew he wanted to share his experiences and his love for Disney in his writing.
