Hi there! I'm pretty new to this kind of thing but I've been tossing around a lot of ideas and general thoughts in my head lately and would like to put them out there somewhere I could discuss them with potentially like-minded Disney-park-obsessors.
Although I don't get to visit the parks very often at all, I have a marked interest in them and especially in the classic attractions headed by the original geniuses of WED from the 50's through the 70's. Lately I've been thinking a lot about the Jungle Cruise in particular.
It's always been one of my all-time favorites - but I might be in the minority in that it's not so much for the jokes or skippers (both of whom I do love, but more on that later). What always attracted me to it since childhood was the atmosphere and the sense of immersion and adventure, and in later years I came to appreciate just how artfully designed a ride it was in its own right. I'd always maintained an interest in wildlife and general exotica over the years as well, which probably helps. The (in my mind) superior version of the attraction, WDW's, is particularly a stand-out piece of work in my mind, having the distinction of being designed and re-designed from the ground up by Marc Davis. It remains a wonderful showcase for his sense of showmanship and design, from the beautifully atmospheric Amazon and sunken temple to classic and iconic scenes like the gorillas at the camp and the trapped safari.
All of this is why I do feel a tinge of disappointment and conflict over the attraction becoming less of an adventure and more a stand-up show with a backdrop of plastic animals. I understand this is probably a controversial opinion, and when sharing the boat with a truly witty and standout skipper I can definitely see why. The ride's become a wonderful opportunity for entertainers at heart to do what they love most, and when a great skipper's at the wheel it's a real memorable experience. But therein lies the problem - the quality of the attraction depends, to the average guest, entirely on the quality of the skipper. And not every skipper is going to be quality.
The Jungle Cruise has been at an interesting crossroads for a long while. Upon its opening at Disneyland in the 50's it was deemed a state-of-the-art, immersive experience, and was publicized endlessly for how "life-like" it was supposed to be. Marc Davis, of course, thankfully brought a much-needed touch of Disney whimsy and fun to the ride, whilst not detracting from its sense of adventure. But somewhere along the line, this pinch of comedy spread itself into the spiel, the jokes got more and more frequent, and then you get to where the ride is today. No longer are guests very interested in the fake jungle and robotic animals around them, and the ride is a frequent pass for many guests who are either short on time or just lack interest. As much as I love it, jokes aside I concede that it's a ride that hasn't aged very well with today's audience. But it has its fans - again, mainly of the ride's newly gained comedic spirit.
Is there a way to make the Jungle Cruise more "relevant" and exciting to today's guests, without dealing a blow to the entertainment value and vocal subculture of the skippers? I believe the magic of the ride is still there - it just needs some love and care to help it flourish once again.
Initially this post was to be a straight re-imagining of the ride, going through it scene by scene (the WDW version, in question) to detail what could be plussed, changed, redesigned or added to it while maintaining its spirit. I'd still like to continue editing this opening post with that hypothetical ride-through, but first I'd like to open up discussion to the topic at hand. How do you feel about the Jungle Cruise and its adventure vs. comedy dilemma? Do you think it needs a pick-me-up, and if so how would you go about it?
Although I don't get to visit the parks very often at all, I have a marked interest in them and especially in the classic attractions headed by the original geniuses of WED from the 50's through the 70's. Lately I've been thinking a lot about the Jungle Cruise in particular.
It's always been one of my all-time favorites - but I might be in the minority in that it's not so much for the jokes or skippers (both of whom I do love, but more on that later). What always attracted me to it since childhood was the atmosphere and the sense of immersion and adventure, and in later years I came to appreciate just how artfully designed a ride it was in its own right. I'd always maintained an interest in wildlife and general exotica over the years as well, which probably helps. The (in my mind) superior version of the attraction, WDW's, is particularly a stand-out piece of work in my mind, having the distinction of being designed and re-designed from the ground up by Marc Davis. It remains a wonderful showcase for his sense of showmanship and design, from the beautifully atmospheric Amazon and sunken temple to classic and iconic scenes like the gorillas at the camp and the trapped safari.
All of this is why I do feel a tinge of disappointment and conflict over the attraction becoming less of an adventure and more a stand-up show with a backdrop of plastic animals. I understand this is probably a controversial opinion, and when sharing the boat with a truly witty and standout skipper I can definitely see why. The ride's become a wonderful opportunity for entertainers at heart to do what they love most, and when a great skipper's at the wheel it's a real memorable experience. But therein lies the problem - the quality of the attraction depends, to the average guest, entirely on the quality of the skipper. And not every skipper is going to be quality.
The Jungle Cruise has been at an interesting crossroads for a long while. Upon its opening at Disneyland in the 50's it was deemed a state-of-the-art, immersive experience, and was publicized endlessly for how "life-like" it was supposed to be. Marc Davis, of course, thankfully brought a much-needed touch of Disney whimsy and fun to the ride, whilst not detracting from its sense of adventure. But somewhere along the line, this pinch of comedy spread itself into the spiel, the jokes got more and more frequent, and then you get to where the ride is today. No longer are guests very interested in the fake jungle and robotic animals around them, and the ride is a frequent pass for many guests who are either short on time or just lack interest. As much as I love it, jokes aside I concede that it's a ride that hasn't aged very well with today's audience. But it has its fans - again, mainly of the ride's newly gained comedic spirit.
Is there a way to make the Jungle Cruise more "relevant" and exciting to today's guests, without dealing a blow to the entertainment value and vocal subculture of the skippers? I believe the magic of the ride is still there - it just needs some love and care to help it flourish once again.
Initially this post was to be a straight re-imagining of the ride, going through it scene by scene (the WDW version, in question) to detail what could be plussed, changed, redesigned or added to it while maintaining its spirit. I'd still like to continue editing this opening post with that hypothetical ride-through, but first I'd like to open up discussion to the topic at hand. How do you feel about the Jungle Cruise and its adventure vs. comedy dilemma? Do you think it needs a pick-me-up, and if so how would you go about it?
