mickEblu
Well-Known Member
100%
They look fine on paper but I’m worried about execution and them alluding to this boat/ monkey storyline.
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Jungle Cruise Update
- Thread starter SSG
- Start date
100%
They look fine on paper but I’m worried about execution and them alluding to this boat/ monkey storyline.
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
Without Paul Pressler, we wouldn't have had Rocket Rods or Superstar Limo. How bad could he be?
Good with this! Welcome the changes! Just hope the script will match.
Sharon&Susan
Well-Known Member
I'm leaning on this replacing the native scene, it'd make the most sense with the new narrative. First see the crew on the other boat stuck in a bad situation and our skipper wonders what happened to the Congo Kate.->then the "dangerous" hippos that sunk the boat -> reveal of what happened to the other boat and monkeys.
There's also seems to be a bend in the river on the right something not present with the monkey encampment, but is present near the natives.
Again it seems weird to recycle a similar joke using similar apes (why not do a funny giraffe scene) unless if they're also replacing the encampment with something related to the new story.
EPCOTCenterLover
Well-Known Member
These changes don't bother me, but I am concerned about the execution of it all. The recent history of revising attractions hasn't been successful IMHO.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Disneyland to remove ‘negative depictions of native people’ from Jungle Cruise ride
Walt Disney Imagineering will update Jungle Cruise scenes featuring shrunken head dealer Trader Sam and a rhino chasing a safari group up a tree while adding a new scene with a half-sunken boat ove…
www.ocregister.com
The Jungle Cruise rides at Disneyland and Walt Disney World will undergo major storytelling updates to remove “negative depictions of native people” as Disney continues to address diversity and inclusivity issues in its theme park attractions.
Walt Disney Imagineering will update Jungle Cruise scenes featuring shrunken head dealer Trader Sam and a rhino chasing a safari group up a tree while adding a new scene with a half-sunken boat overrun by chimps.
“Imagineers are constantly looking for opportunities to enhance experiences, and when it comes to updating classic attractions, they employ a very careful and thoughtful approach,” Disney officials said in a statement. “In this particular case, Imagineers created a storyline that builds upon what people love the most while addressing negative depictions simultaneously.”
Negative depictions? What was negative about the Jungle Cruise??? You could make the argument that the Jungle Cruise had "humorous" depictions of native people. Or that the dancing natives scene was not elaborate enough, or placed up too high to hide the shaking mannequin mechanism that made that scene work.
But "negative" depictions? That seems a bit harsh to me.
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
The Jungle Cruise is a 100% experiential attraction. It doesn't need a linear story- and modern WDI doesn't understand how to integrate story into an attraction at all, relying on linear point a to point b stories like a movie (Mermaid is an example of this)
Attractions have to rely on emotional storytelling- taking the rider through a series of events that flow emotionally, rise in intensity, climax, then wind down before the end.
Looking at Pirates at Disneyland is the perfect example of this-
Bayou>Caverns>Ship battle>Town>Burning town with the song (climax)>jail/shootout/bayou (falling action/ending). It doesn't have a linear story but it does use the same basic elements of a story to create an attraction that's emotionally satisfying.
Mansion and Splash do this exceptionally well also.
Jungle Cruise is more rudimentary, initially it didn't have many of the vignettes we know and love (Marc Davis added those in the '60s) but was purely a tour of the jungle. I worry that a linear story that's 'meta' (now that WDI tries to be meta every chance they get) will weaken the immersion of being in the jungle.
Stevek
Well-Known Member
Yeah, that seems a bit odd to me, especially given how much I love the bar. Maybe they'll rename it Trader (or is it Traitor) Kim's! I kid...had to throw that in for the haters.
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
bestcoastracer
Member
Now that I think about it, since each section of the ride is based on a continent being broken up by the intersection of Switzer Falls, the African Gorilla Encampment Scene was sorta out of place being in the Asia section of the ride, right after the Asian Elephant Pool. Maybe a good opportunity to add in more Asian animals?
Of course, it's an attraction and we can suspend our disbelief either way. ;-)
Sharon&Susan
Well-Known Member
Jungle Cruise restaurant in WDW from a few years ago also has pictures of Trader Sam:
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Nailed it. Yeah I don’t know they need the feel to STORY everything. I’m hoping they re just adding more stuff/ content for the skippers to play off of but necessarily creating some silly storyline.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
I like her hair in this corporate headshot. It frames her face without looking too casual for work.
She's fresh as springtime in this photo!
BuzzedPotatoHead89
Well-Known Member
Similar to Redd, “Trader Sam” may remain but with possibly a new/changed look. I.e. imagine a revised appearance (trader Samantha anyone?). 
In all honesty none of these changes bother me. I just question why there is a sudden sense of urgency to push all these changes out all at once. Particularly during a pandemic when the parks are closed and revenue is minimal.
At least with this one there is potential “synergy” with the film’s release.
In all honesty none of these changes bother me. I just question why there is a sudden sense of urgency to push all these changes out all at once. Particularly during a pandemic when the parks are closed and revenue is minimal.
At least with this one there is potential “synergy” with the film’s release.
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
More than likely it is all about the movie promotion, with rather inconsequential Social Justice Alterations being slapped in after concepts were tossed around for a while. The whole thing is worded and announced so awkwardly in that distinctly Disney Parks way and they are most certainly mainly interested in putting The Rock in it.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
No kidding. If having Trader Sam in the ride is a "negative depiction", then having a bar named after him is also negative depiction. They'll need to rename the bar at the Disneyland Hotel. And it can't be named after a man (that's misogynist), nor can it be named after someone native to the African continent (that's negative).
So let's all meet for drinks at Rosita's Hideaway, shall we?
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
Why oh why didn't they name The Rock's character Sam? Frank Wolff is a name you should get used to if you're a Jungle Cruise fan. It will be to this ride what Jack Sparrow was to the POTC.