Five Things to Know About the Jungle Cruise

Every trip to Walt Disney World should include a couple classic attractions. Peter Pan, it’s a small world, and of course, the Jungle Cruise. If you’re a first-timer to WDW, you’ll want to be sure to add the Jungle Cruise to your itinerary – you won’t be sorry you did! And if you’ve ridden before, you already know why you need to sail again. Here are five things you should know about this classic pun-tastic ride – including why you should plan to be sent up the river on your next trip.

1. A river runs through it.

The full name of the attraction was originally the Jungle RIVER Cruise. Because you’re cruising down a river (four rivers actually, but we’ll get to that), not just through the jungle. It still bears that same name at Disneyland Hong Kong. But most of us continue to call it the Jungle Cruise, because who has time these days for an extra two syllables? I shore don’t.

2. You gotta go with the flow.

The original version at Disneyland was inspired by Walt Disney’s True-Life Adventures films and the classic movie, “The African Queen.” When it was first imagined, the attraction was way more serious than today – no jokes or puns at all. Walt wanted it to be more like Kilimanjaro Safaris in Animal Kingdom. He wanted live animals throughout the attraction before learning that wasn’t the best idea. When the Walt Disney World version opened on October 1, 1971, it was an instant hit.

As time passed, the Jungle Cruise became more about the skipper’s pun-filled narration and visual humor of the scenes. The freedom of the skippers to spin their own spiels while sticking loosely to a script means that you’ll never have exactly the same ride twice. And because the ride has been able to retain much of its vintage charm over the years, the Jungle Cruise remains a classic Disney attraction.

In January 2021, Disney made the announcement that the ride would be updated. New characters, new scenes, more humor, and more wildlife would be added. There was a sense that some of the scenes had become dated and out of step with the times. Scenes of the “headhunter” party and the Trader Sam “head salesman” – portraying negative representations of native peoples – would be eliminated. The experience would, as Bob Iger tweeted, “reflect, not only the best in storytelling, but also the values and rich diversity of our world.”

Updates at WDW were completed in August 2021 including:

• a new skipper’s office in the queue
• trapped skippers up the pole menaced by a rhino
• a sunken boat near the hippos
• chimps on the wrecked boat
• and animatronic characters added to Trader Sam’s.

Worth noting: Back in 2013, the Magic Kingdom’s Jungle Cruise received one of the park’s first holiday overlays. The “Jingle Cruise” has holiday-themed jokes and Christmas decor courtesy of homesick skippers. This festive overlay is offered during the Disney Christmas season starting in November and ending shortly after New Year’s Day. Our family had a holly jolly time when we experienced it!

In 2015, the Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen restaurant opened in Adventureland further expanding the Jungle Cruise’s mythology. Here, the skippers are your servers, and the menu reflects flavors from all the parts of the world featured in the Jungle Cruise, as well as a few of the puns! How a-boat that?

3. You visit four rivers until you “Congo” no further.

As you probably know, the ride is an outdoor boat tour which Disney describes as, “a 10- minute, 10,000-mile journey that you won’t soon forget!” During your ride, you’ll glide through the Amazon in South America, the African Congo, the Egyptian Nile, and the east Asian Mekong River.

Your skipper pilots you safely through “the world’s most treacherous waters,” all the while delivering a pun-filled narration. You’ll come across scene after scene of audio-animatronic wildlife, visit a mysterious temple, and – pay attention here – the eighth wonder of the world! As you pass under the waterfall (insert famous “backside of water” joke here) and a couple of spraying fountains, you may get a little … damp.

4. Waiting can be an “oar-deal,” but you won’t get seasick.

No need to pack your Dramamine; the Jungle Cruise is a gentle, slow-moving boat ride. While there’s a lot of water involved, the depth is never much greater than three feet. We think it’s the perfect family attraction as it truly offers something for everybody. As such, the Jungle Cruise has retained its status as a must-do ride when visiting WDW. Lines can get really long and standby wait times often exceed 60 minutes, especially during the middle of the day.

 

While the main part of the queue is covered, it’s not enclosed, and those waiting in the extended queue may be exposed to the elements. The mid-day sun can become an issue for some. If you can’t ride Jungle Cruise when Adventureland opens or near closing time, visit a bathroom before you get in line and bring along a refreshing beverage and the SPF of your choice.

Once under cover, you’ll quickly see that the queue itself is one of the most richly themed at WDW. Be sure to read all the signage and take note of all the props. You’ll discover that the visual humor and pun-tastic narration of the Cruise begins before you even board the boat! As they say, “getting there is half the pun” – er, I mean “fun.”

5. The nuts and bolts.

You’ll board your exciting ride from the dock in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom. It’s next to the Swiss Family Treehouse and across from The Magic Carpets of Aladdin. Lightning Lanes are available for this ride through Genie+ which can help you avoid the long lines and cut down on your wait.

While the Jungle Cruise boats are covered, certain weather conditions may result in the attraction’s closure.

Each Jungle Cruise boat accommodates around 30 guests. To board, guests must step over a moderate-height wall onto a bench and then down a moderate step. Cast Members usually lend a hand to help guests step from the dock and into the boat, as well as to disembark. Guests may remain in a wheelchair/ECV.

Bench seats line the interior perimeter of the boat with some seating provided in the middle. There are no safety restraints due to the slow-moving nature of these ride vehicles. There are no health and safety advisories for the Jungle Cruise and there is no height requirement to ride.

The bottom line.

The Jungle Cruise is the perfect ride for those who want a classic Disney attraction laced with puns that make even Dad groan. Some say it’s even better at night. Whenever you ride, the Jungle crews will ensure your Jungle Cruise is simply “pun-derful.”

What’s your take on Jungle Cruise? Must-do or skip it? Let us know in the comments.