Jungle Cruise in bad shape

Feta

Member
Original Poster
Had a great time at Disney World over Easter weekend. We rode Jungle Cruise for the first time in several months. It is really looking pretty rough! The animatronics are moving more jerkily. Lights were out in the monkey scene in the temple. The saddest sights by far were the algae-covered animals emerging from the water. We had elephants, hippos, and crocodiles that did their jerky rises out of the water. They were all covered in the same brownish slime. It looked REALLY second rate. I could only hope that they were letting things go to pot because they're planning an extensive rehab.

Has anyone heard any rumors about a possible rehab?

If not, what would you do to rehab the ride if you were the imagineer in charge? Would you just refurbish or gut the whole thing?

Let's hear some creative ideas!
 

RonAnnArbor

Well-Known Member
Hmm...I had the exact opposite experience in March -- I thought the entire ride looked brighter, repainted, and cleaned up. Animatronics that were broken inside the temple last summer were all working in March. THere wasn't any slime or algea on the water-based animatronics.

It has always been one of my favorite attractions provided you get a talented cast member at the helm.
 

Skippy

Well-Known Member
Oh yeah, the quality of Jungle Cruise definately depends on your skipper. I really think if they wanted to make any real changes to the ride, just have a skipper brainstorm for new jokes and ideas, really, at times the ride is so outdated technology wise that the CMs just make it funnier.
 

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
It could just be that it has only recently returned to summer-type weather, causing algae to return in full force. I'm sure they will get to maintenance soon enough--it's just tough right now due to Easter and there only being so many hours they can work on cosmetic maintenance after hours.
 

kathyjacks

New Member
Feta said:
Had a great time at Disney World over Easter weekend. We rode Jungle Cruise for the first time in several months. It is really looking pretty rough! The animatronics are moving more jerkily. Lights were out in the monkey scene in the temple. The saddest sights by far were the algae-covered animals emerging from the water. We had elephants, hippos, and crocodiles that did their jerky rises out of the water. They were all covered in the same brownish slime. It looked REALLY second rate. I could only hope that they were letting things go to pot because they're planning an extensive rehab.

Has anyone heard any rumors about a possible rehab?

If not, what would you do to rehab the ride if you were the imagineer in charge? Would you just refurbish or gut the whole thing?

Let's hear some creative ideas!


i also rode the jungle cruise this weekend and it was fine for us. we didn't notice any of that.:animwink:
 

wild01ride

Well-Known Member
The biggest thing that I've noticed recently is the huge gaps between moving parts, like the material is receding or something. I think it was the hippos that I noticed, in particular, that looked like robots since you could see how each separate moving piece was put together.

As far as sliminess goes, I agree that it's probably due to the increased algal growth at this time of year.
 

Trizz41999

New Member
To be honest with all of you, I think ever since Animal Kingdom, Jungle Cruise has been rated low because, now in Animal kingdom they have the safari and real animals. So I mean, thats where the Jungle Cruise is going down the charts. And yes, when I went on it, it could use some repairs, its looking rather "old" But Dinsey will never remove it because its an orginal ride from Disney Land.
 

disneydata

Well-Known Member
The algae is an ongiong problem. We have animation wash in the morning, but most of the time it doesn't get done. To make matters worse, it's not even scheduled during the Easter weeks.
 

uglybug2005

New Member
There have never been Audio Animatronics figures on the Jungle Cruise. The animals are all simple mechanical figures that, by their very nature, move a bit jerkily. Yes, because of extended operating hours, there has not been as much time to scrub the hippos in the last couple of weeks, but that will be back to normal soon. In 3 years at Jungle Cruise, the only time I ever saw a hippo or croc rise slowly from the water was when there was a pneumatic leak and they didn't have the proper thrust. As for the light in the temple, lights burn out. I'm sure it was replaced before you even got home, because there were no lights out in the temple yesterday. Jungle Cruise just recently had an extensive rehab with lots of repainting, and the animals are on a continuous maintenance cycle, with 4-6 figures constantly being rehabbed backstage at a time.
 

kcnole

Well-Known Member
This was one of my favorite rides as a child but it's really really starting to show its age. I'd like to see it pulled out and rebuilt from scratch. I love the premise and idea, I just think it could be done so much better with today's technology. (If they do this, just don't put in any Disney characters. I like this ride to stand on it's own however.)
 

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
kcnole said:
This was one of my favorite rides as a child but it's really really starting to show its age. I'd like to see it pulled out and rebuilt from scratch. I love the premise and idea, I just think it could be done so much better with today's technology. (If they do this, just don't put in any Disney characters. I like this ride to stand on it's own however.)
A refurbishment like DL saw would be cool--they got some really neat special effects (i.e. they gave the gorillas dynamite and guns and added explosions in the water and they added a nifty piranha effect).
 
i always go on the jungle cruise at night. almost no wait, its just makes everything seem better beacuse you can't see anything too good and the boats use a spotlight for everything on shore. you can't see anything past the trees either just a more submersive experience.

that being said the jungle cruise NEEDS a rehab but i think it would be a long time. the crusie is not nearly as popular as pirates, HM, or space mountain which all need rehabs
 

-SIR-

New Member
The jungle cruise is one of my very favorites but even I know it can be a hit or miss... It all depends on the skipper, yes. I have been on the JC with some skippers who had absolutely no business in a long spiel attraction... Disney really should start paying more attention to who they are letting do those spiels.... and as for the dinginess yeah it is pretty sad to see the elephant bathing pool with yucky muck covered elephants... the last two or three times ive been on it they have been like that...but i have to say its far more dissapointing to have a really lame skipper.

best joke ive ever heard on the jungle cruise:

where the rhino is chasing the guys up the tree....

"these men at the top of this tree are part of the Hontas tribe... looks like that Rhino is trying to... Pocahontas .... :p "
 

dzlandSr

Member
Looked good to us (but that was last October). What was really cool was that the female skipper let my 8 year old son take the wheel and steer us before entering the temple and inside the temple. He got a kick out of that.:sohappy:
 

JimboJones123

Well-Known Member
The problem with the jungle cruise isn't the ride... it's the passengers. There are two types of passengers. The ones who ride for the skippers -- and the ones who ride for the animals. I ride for the skippers. Actually the more the animals act up, the funnier for me. I had a great ride last year where the skip made fun of telling the same jokes every 12 minutes, and how much his job made him a loser in the eyes of his family. Some riders complained at the end of the ride because he didn't tell all the normal jokes and didn't comment on every animal. But I told him it was one of the 2-3 best rides I had ever been on, which is about 50 times. But if robots rocked and skips sucked... I would hate it and complain. So it's not the fault of the ride... it's the rider. Actually, when just one ear on the African elephant is moving it's a much better ride to me... especially if the skip says something about it. Remember AK has it's own safari for real animals as somebody already stated.
 

Feta

Member
Original Poster
uglybug2005 said:
There have never been Audio Animatronics figures on the Jungle Cruise. The animals are all simple mechanical figures that, by their very nature, move a bit jerkily. Yes, because of extended operating hours, there has not been as much time to scrub the hippos in the last couple of weeks, but that will be back to normal soon. In 3 years at Jungle Cruise, the only time I ever saw a hippo or croc rise slowly from the water was when there was a pneumatic leak and they didn't have the proper thrust. As for the light in the temple, lights burn out. I'm sure it was replaced before you even got home, because there were no lights out in the temple yesterday. Jungle Cruise just recently had an extensive rehab with lots of repainting, and the animals are on a continuous maintenance cycle, with 4-6 figures constantly being rehabbed backstage at a time.

Thanks for the info. It's always interesting to hear how things work behind the scenes. I love the ride and didn't mean to sound cranky about it. I was just curious why it seemed to be needing some love.
Having said that, I'm of the school that thinks it'd be great to see some rehabs of the "classic" rides. Those effects that someone mentioned they have at Disneyland sound great - gorillas with explosives, pirahnas!! Bring them on! And please, can we ditch the giant butterflies. I don't know why, they always have bugged me - no pun intended. It just seems like such a lame way to start the ride.
 

unkadug

Follower of "Saget"The Cult
Maybe I'm just remebering wrong, but it seems like long ago the water was more of a blue color as if it had been clorinated and then dyed with blue coloring. :confused:

If that was the case it would have at least kept down the algae growth.
 

jg.s

New Member
its an old favourite, thats for sure...it would be a shame to see it go. The temple is great, so is the backside of water!! its only good if its working well, thats the most important thing...
 

disneydata

Well-Known Member
uglybug2005 said:
There have never been Audio Animatronics figures on the Jungle Cruise. The animals are all simple mechanical figures that, by their very nature, move a bit jerkily. Yes, because of extended operating hours, there has not been as much time to scrub the hippos in the last couple of weeks, but that will be back to normal soon. In 3 years at Jungle Cruise, the only time I ever saw a hippo or croc rise slowly from the water was when there was a pneumatic leak and they didn't have the proper thrust. As for the light in the temple, lights burn out. I'm sure it was replaced before you even got home, because there were no lights out in the temple yesterday. Jungle Cruise just recently had an extensive rehab with lots of repainting, and the animals are on a continuous maintenance cycle, with 4-6 figures constantly being rehabbed backstage at a time.

I would LOVE to see the week where morning wash is done every single day, because to my knowledge, it has not happened since I arrived. I know the people that do then and check the checklists every day I'm there. That's why we have green hippos and squeeze play looks like they ran through a pile of mud.

As for "constantly being rehabbed", tell that to the hippho who was locked down for a missing ear for weeks with no hope of surfacing, the one croc who has been AWOL for months (who finally returned recently), the dancing native who is sitting behind the hut, the other dancing native who doesn't dance, the hyhenas that sound where the drumming native sound should be, the lions that decide to roar every other day, the monkey sounds outside the temple (no they do not belong there), the gorillas that never start when they should, the butterflies that will randomly stop working, Inspiration Rock, the water on your backside, and the replacement Big Shot that has half the movements of the real one. Oh, and don't forget the boats that don't have working guns, don't have guns at all, break down as soon as the sun goes down, drive slow as molasses on a cold day, and have terrible audio.

If you call 2000 recent then yes, there was a recent rehab. Jungle is slated for a major rehab within the next year and a half including refurbes boats (and new costumes coming very soon!). What's the major project? THE DOCK. Seriously, the next time you're there, look down and what you're walking on.

The Jungle needs a lot of work. So many of us want it to look like it did in the historical pictures in the archives, but that will probably never happen.
 

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