WDI currently working on Jungle Cruise

[RSoxNo1]

I honestly doubt it'll change too much.

Ohhhh...I gotta disagree with you here.

Anaheim skippers aren't great from what I've seen.:shrug:

The only thing that really drags WDW's down is the use of ICPs who don't speak English well. Now, a lot of them are my friends, but the fact is no one who doesn't speak perfect English should be a skipper.

It's just an opinion, but I am sure I've taken many more cruises in Anaheim over the years. Very rarely have I gotten a total dud. Had a great one a few weeks ago. And the boat was rocking even at 11 p.m.



Without this getting political, I have an issue with anyone in a guest services position who doesn't have perfect English.

I was in Miami today (went to see the Disney Christmas Carol Train Tour -- and waited longer to get in than I did for any E-Ticket at DLP/DSP/DL/DCA last month BY FAR!) and stopped into the new prototype Burger King that is in the shadow of the company's worldwide HQ building and no one at the order counter could even speak English ... didn't even understand numbers. But I digressed ... you are right, you need perfect command of English to be a USA JC skipper. No ands, ifs or IPers come cheap!

The Jungle Cruis may be my favorite Magic Kingdom attraction. The problem is the experience is made good or bad based on the skipper. I hold the skippers to a high standard, and in my recent trips Disneyland's Jungle Cruise has come closer to that standard. I do like variation from the spiels, but if it's variation replacing quality than I'm against it.

On a recent trip to Disneyland I went on JC 3 times, and the spiel's were very similar on all 3. This left the quality of the ride up to the comedic timing of the cast member, but all in all, all 3 were quality rides. In Disney World, the variability is too much, and I feel people are given a comedic luxury of improv when they don't possess that talent.

I feel that Disney World's Jungle Cruise lends itself to more comedy, and a good skipper on Disney World's is better than a good skipper on Disneyland's.

What I would like to see is a very loose script. The skippers get to one area and they have 10 different joke options, they get to another area and they have 10 more different joke options. They may hit 2 or 3 jokes in each area, but they won't hit all 10, and they can make each experience good, but different.

 

[prbiker15]

I've only been on the Jungle Cruise once...5 years ago. I came back last year and couldn't get on it because I arrived to MK on a early rainy evening from AK. Though it's a ok ride. I rather prefer any other attraction in the park.

 

[WDWFigment]

I know this is going to sound like treason on here, but I don't like WDW's Jungle Cruise is the best-suited attraction for the large tourist crowd that WDW has. I love it, but I'd agree with those who say it's the combination of the skipper + the audience that makes or breaks the attraction.

Whenever we ride, I notice a couple of things:

1) Disgusted looks from some audience members regarding the self-deprecating humor; and,

2) People generally looking confused and not laughing.

Even as a guest that enjoys and appreciates the attraction, it's hard to get "into" it as a guest when no one else follows suit. I don't know if the attraction needs to blatantly make it obvious in the queue that it's a tongue-in-cheek or self-deprecating attraction (with as dumb as Americans are nowadays, would this be effective, anyway?), or if we just need to be content in knowing that not all guests are going to "get it." Given that DLR has a lot more local guests, I think it's a given that more guests "get it" there; if only based upon repeat experiences with the attraction.

In any case, we can sit here all day and have an anecdotal back-and-forth about which coast's skippers are better, but as with all anecdotal evidence, your mileage may vary.

 

[SeaCastle]

In my opinion, the skippers at WDW are superior than their DL counterparts. I get the feeling a good amount of CMs at Disneyland are people looking for employment, whereas the cast members I see in WDW are there because this is where they want to be, and the difference definitely shows. :shrug:

 

[EpcotServo]

Ohhhh...I gotta disagree with you here.

Anaheim skippers aren't great from what I've seen.:shrug:

Anaheim Skippers are great. Not to get into a Skipper War, just sayin' that they have had a 92% Comedy Success Rate for me, whereas WDW is in the low 40's.

Get back there at like 11'o clock on a day the park is open until 1am (And Disneyland often is.) and their night cruises go down in my book as some of the most hilarious.
:sohappy:

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Even as a guest that enjoys and appreciates the attraction, it's hard to get "into" it as a guest when no one else follows suit. I don't know if the attraction needs to blatantly make it obvious in the queue that it's a tongue-in-cheek or self-deprecating attraction (with as dumb as Americans are nowadays, would this be effective, anyway?), or if we just need to be content in knowing that not all guests are going to "get it." Given that DLR has a lot more local guests, I think it's a given that more guests "get it" there; if only based upon repeat experiences with the attraction.

The queue now does quite a bit to develop the tone of the attraction. The visual puns and radio spiel do quite a bit to get this across and even if the audio is drowned out by guest chatter there is still quite a bit visually (such as the T-Shirt advertising a certain kind of kitty up for adoption) to convey the message. Even the park maps with it's shorter-than-Twitter-posts descriptions of attraction says the JC is a "silly safari boat ride".

Given all this and the attractions long existence I doubt that guests are not responding because they don't "get the ride". That IMO has more to do with the delivery of the spiel or guests possibly not linking that kind of humor than a failure on their part to understand it's tone (they may be dumb but I doubt their that dumb). Maybe the Florida summer mixed with dehydration and exhausted guests isn't helping either?

I agree if no one else responds well it does affect the enjoyment of the attraction, but when I go on their are at least some people who are having a good time.

 

[disnyfan89]

Anaheim Skippers are great. Not to get into a Skipper War, just sayin' that they have had a 92% Comedy Success Rate for me, whereas WDW is in the low 40's.

Get back there at like 11'o clock on a day the park is open until 1am (And Disneyland often is.) and their night cruises go down in my book as some of the most hilarious.
:sohappy:

Sorry but have to jump in to correct you. DL hardly ever closes at 1am. Even now with the large increase in crowds for the popular new halloweentime offerings Dl is still closing between the hours of 9 and midnight.

 

[Dads 2 Boys]

I know this is going to sound like treason on here, but I don't like WDW's Jungle Cruise is the best-suited attraction for the large tourist crowd that WDW has. I love it, but I'd agree with those who say it's the combination of the skipper + the audience that makes or breaks the attraction.

Whenever we ride, I notice a couple of things:

1) Disgusted looks from some audience members regarding the self-deprecating humor; and,

2) People generally looking confused and not laughing.

Even as a guest that enjoys and appreciates the attraction, it's hard to get "into" it as a guest when no one else follows suit. I don't know if the attraction needs to blatantly make it obvious in the queue that it's a tongue-in-cheek or self-deprecating attraction (with as dumb as Americans are nowadays, would this be effective, anyway?), or if we just need to be content in knowing that not all guests are going to "get it." Given that DLR has a lot more local guests, I think it's a given that more guests "get it" there; if only based upon repeat experiences with the attraction.

In any case, we can sit here all day and have an anecdotal back-and-forth about which coast's skippers are better, but as with all anecdotal evidence, your mileage may vary.

ok......wait a second. I agree & disagree with WDWFigment about some people looking confused. When newbies go on it and there is no wait, there is not too many ways to figure out the ride is "supposed" to be like it is. So to belittle people because they don't get it is short sighted IMO as most people on this board and many other boards have ridden these rides more times than some guests go to the mall. :brick:

We played along and I think people with common sense will pick it up relatively quickly......even my 10 & 7 yr olds kind of got it within a few minutes. However some people won't get it and it doesn't make them stoopid.

 

[unkadug]

ok......wait a second. I agree & disagree with WDWFigment about some people looking confused. When newbies go on it and there is no wait, there is not too many ways to figure out the ride is "supposed" to be like it is. So to belittle people because they don't get it is short sighted IMO as most people on this board and many other boards have ridden these rides more times than some guests go to the mall. :brick:

We played along and I think people with common sense will pick it up relatively quickly......even my 10 & 7 yr olds kind of got it within a few minutes. However some people won't get it and it doesn't make them stoopid.

I've NEVER had NO WAIT. Is there EVER a time when there is no wait besides when they first open in the morning?

 

[Dads 2 Boys]

Which is when we got there........ We were given a tip to start in Adventureland first thing......

Also, don't forget that so many people are texting and playing games on their phones, etc... that they propbably don't pay attention to some of the good stuff in the queues.

 

[brent2124]

Which is when we got there........ We were given a tip to start in Adventureland first thing......

Also, don't forget that so many people are texting and playing games on their phones, etc... that they propbably don't pay attention to some of the good stuff in the queues.

If your texting and playing games on your phone then its your own fault if you dont understand whats going on.:hammer:

 

[VT GAL]

Yeah... the Hokies kinda lost... :lol:

Miami won though, which is good.

Yup, a not so happy Shelley on that front...but that's football and I love it!

Anyhoo....

I haven't been to Disneyland (yet), but I have never had a bad skipper at WDW! In May it was our last ride, because our skipper was THAT good! We couldn't work up any heart to do anything but march up to Guest Relations and let them know!

For me 3/4 of the fun of JC is playing along, and it seems like most people are kinda checked out for some reason or another.

I am just excited to hear about the ride getting some attention!

 

[SirGoofy]

Yeah... the Hokies kinda lost... :lol:

Yes, the unfortunate return of the CHokies.:brick:

What I would like to see is a very loose script. The skippers get to one area and they have 10 different joke options, they get to another area and they have 10 more different joke options. They may hit 2 or 3 jokes in each area, but they won't hit all 10, and they can make each experience good, but different.

The new script is going to cut down on improve from what I've been told, which is a double edged sword. I'm worried load/unload will become dull, where now they get the people into the attraction/leave them with a laugh.

Apparently skippers have already been given the script, and it's gotten positive reviews, minus one change. Once I know I can talk about it I'll let you guys know.

I know this is going to sound like treason on here, but I don't like WDW's Jungle Cruise is the best-suited attraction for the large tourist crowd that WDW has. I love it, but I'd agree with those who say it's the combination of the skipper + the audience that makes or breaks the attraction.

Whenever we ride, I notice a couple of things:

1) Disgusted looks from some audience members regarding the self-deprecating humor; and,

2) People generally looking confused and not laughing.

Even as a guest that enjoys and appreciates the attraction, it's hard to get "into" it as a guest when no one else follows suit. I don't know if the attraction needs to blatantly make it obvious in the queue that it's a tongue-in-cheek or self-deprecating attraction (with as dumb as Americans are nowadays, would this be effective, anyway?), or if we just need to be content in knowing that not all guests are going to "get it." Given that DLR has a lot more local guests, I think it's a given that more guests "get it" there; if only based upon repeat experiences with the attraction.

Even with all these problems, it still scores as one of the best attractions in the MK survey wise.:wave:

The queue now does quite a bit to develop the tone of the attraction. The visual puns and radio spiel do quite a bit to get this across and even if the audio is drowned out by guest chatter there is still quite a bit visually (such as the T-Shirt advertising a certain kind of kitty up for adoption) to convey the message. Even the park maps with it's shorter-than-Twitter-posts descriptions of attraction says the JC is a "silly safari boat ride".

Given all this and the attractions long existence I doubt that guests are not responding because they don't "get the ride". That IMO has more to do with the delivery of the spiel or guests possibly not linking that kind of humor than a failure on their part to understand it's tone (they may be dumb but I doubt their that dumb). Maybe the Florida summer mixed with dehydration and exhausted guests isn't helping either?

I agree if no one else responds well it does affect the enjoyment of the attraction, but when I go on their are at least some people who are having a good time.

As said before, the majority of the people do "get it". I'd say for every boat that doesn't laugh, a good 6-8 do.

 

[marni1971]

Also, don't forget that so many people are texting and playing games on their phones, etc... that they propbably don't pay attention to some of the good stuff in the queues.

A sad sign of the times.

 

[WDW Vacationer]

A sad sign of the times.

I feel that it will attribute to decline of details in queues.

 

[SirGoofy]

A sad sign of the times.

Oh, how about people texting/talking on their cell phones ON the ride with the live performer standing right in front of them.:zipit:

 

[WDW Vacationer]

Oh, how about people texting/talking on their cell phones ON the ride with the live performer standing right in front of them.:zipit:

Must be sad as a skipper to put effort into a show and have someone do that...

 

[SirGoofy]

Must be sad as a skipper to put effort into a show and have someone do that...

Oh, I'm okay with it. That person becomes the butt of 75% of the jokes from that point in.

They'll never do it again.

 

[WDW Vacationer]

Oh, I'm okay with it. That person becomes the butt of 75% of the jokes from that point in.

They'll never do it again.

:ROFLOL:

 

[panther726]

I know this is going to sound like treason on here, but I don't like WDW's Jungle Cruise is the best-suited attraction for the large tourist crowd that WDW has. I love it, but I'd agree with those who say it's the combination of the skipper + the audience that makes or breaks the attraction.

Whenever we ride, I notice a couple of things:

1) Disgusted looks from some audience members regarding the self-deprecating humor; and,

2) People generally looking confused and not laughing.

Even as a guest that enjoys and appreciates the attraction, it's hard to get "into" it as a guest when no one else follows suit. I don't know if the attraction needs to blatantly make it obvious in the queue that it's a tongue-in-cheek or self-deprecating attraction (with as dumb as Americans are nowadays, would this be effective, anyway?), or if we just need to be content in knowing that not all guests are going to "get it." Given that DLR has a lot more local guests, I think it's a given that more guests "get it" there; if only based upon repeat experiences with the attraction.

In any case, we can sit here all day and have an anecdotal back-and-forth about which coast's skippers are better, but as with all anecdotal evidence, your mileage may vary.

I disagree. You shouldn't let other people's actions effect yours. Right?:shrug: