AMA Former Jungle Cruise Skipp

[Tetanus Shot Ty]

No I live in PA still vacation there though

 

[Oomiak]

On the Jungle Cruise in California, they still shoot the pistol to scare the hippo off. When I was a kid, they used to shoot the hippo. Were they using the pistol still when you were a skipper and how do most skippers feel about that being gone at WDW?

 

[Princess Kaylee]

Do you start off at Jungle Cruise right off the bat or do you have to move up from another position?

 

[Tetanus Shot Ty]

I was lucky my first and only position was a skipper. I didn't realize how lucky I was until my parents came to visit and a very flamboyant and upbeat friend of mine informed my parents that they should be very proud as he had parked strollers as his first job at disney. Believe me this kid had alot of pep and ended up appropriately in entertainment. But the thought that I could have ended up doing something like parking strollers I wouldn't have lasted a week.

 

[pjweaver]

Could you ad lib if the crowd seemed into it, or is the script law?

 

[Tetanus Shot Ty]

On the Jungle Cruise in California, they still shoot the pistol to scare the hippo off. When I was a kid, they used to shoot the hippo. Were they using the pistol still when you were a skipper and how do most skippers feel about that being gone at WDW?

I still had the revolver. I rarely fired it and if we did we were supposed aim it in the air but it was left up to us. I chose not to fire it, but it wasn't a moral decision. The gun triggered a sound effect of a gunshot through the speakers on the boat and in my opinion sounded fake and was "bad show". I think most skips felt like I did. Some of the veterans remembered the use of blanks from the early days.

I usually filled in the gap by doing the following. "These hippos can capsize a boat but fear not because I have this high powered revolver. I'll use it to scare them off....(waving the gun at them In a feminine loose wristmotion) shew go away get"

 

[Tetanus Shot Ty]

Could you ad lib if the crowd seemed into it, or is the script law?

Improv was encouraged as long as it was disney appropriate and pertained to the jungle. This was done for two reasons one that may seem obvious and the other not so obvious. First of all obviously it keeps the show fresh and turns it into a repeat attraction. Not so obviously if you as a castmember are given a script and have to stick to it exactly (the great movie ride) disney has to pay you a higher hourly rate. This is probably something the union negotiated I'm assuming.

 

[Tetanus Shot Ty]

Yay I got my avatar thanks guys I'll continue to awnser any questions you may have.

 

[lennon2004]

Did you work during the holidays/do Jingle Cruises? I'm wondering how hard it is to transition some of the things you say just for the holidays, and then transition back..

 

[Tetanus Shot Ty]

Back in 07-08 there was no jingle cruise.

 

[lennon2004]

Back in 07-08 there was no jingle cruise.

Ah ok. Thanks for taking the time to answer questions here - I love the Jungle Cruise and the skippers are a big part of that.

 

[Tetanus Shot Ty]

No problem I was trying to get my 10 posts in so I could get my avatar and this seemed like an entertaining way to do so.

 

[cgattis]

You say you are a former skipper...does that mean you changed to another job or left Disney? Just curious what made you leave? Benefits, etc? Or if that's too personal, I apologize. I think I'd enjoy being a seasonal CM one of these days.

 

[Tetanus Shot Ty]

You say you are a former skipper...does that mean you changed to another job or left Disney? Just curious what made you leave? Benefits, etc? Or if that's too personal, I apologize. I think I'd enjoy being a seasonal CM one of these days.

I originally wanted to be a ride show technician (fix rides) however I took whatever job would get me in the door which happened to be a skipper. After about a year I became less than infatuated with disney as a career. I used to say I wanted to live in wdw before I worked there. I guess I just began to think if I stuck around too long I'd become jaded or worse lose interest in it completely. While I was not a college program castmember, keep in mind it exists because fresh faces and attitudes are essential to the charm.

I don't regret being a castmember but keep in mind that it will never be the same place once you've worked there. I still visit often and I still have a great time but I appreciate certain things in a totally different way. I can never go back to the wide eyed slack jawed demeanor that comes with being in awe of wdw. I peaked at the man behind the curtain and you can't unseen that

 

[MrPTato]

Where do the boats go when not in use? I don't think I have ever seen a spot for them to go. I assume all the boats don't run all the time.

 

[Tetanus Shot Ty]

At unload is a track switch that allows the boat to back into a backstage area look closely at the doc area and you will see a red and green lantern like prop that indicates to on comming boats if the track is switched.

 

[WEDWDW]

I don't regret being a castmember but keep in mind that it will never be the same place once you've worked there. I still visit often and I still have a great time but I appreciate certain things in a totally different way. I can never go back to the wide eyed slack jawed demeanor that comes with being in awe of wdw. I peaked at the man behind the curtain and you can't unseen that

I know exactly what you mean to a much lesser degree.

I took the Keys To The Kingdom tour and am one of the very few who ever regret taking it.

I found out I am not a "see backstage" kind of Guests-I don't even like taking the "backstage exit" after Fantasmic!!

 

[Baklava]

The back side.... a once in a lifetime view that I got to experience every 10 minutes of every day.

Back side of water is the best. Thing. EVAR!!!!!

 

[Tetanus Shot Ty]

Back side of water is the best. Thing. EVAR!!!!!

Incidentally this is where they mix the dye into the water. When it's first introduced it has an unmistakable purple tint.

 

[MrPTato]

I also had to learn how to evacuate POTC as at the time this was an almost weekly occurrence during my shift. This probably happened more frequently than I saw as I worked mostly mornings and rides probably tend to breakdown later in the day.

Can you elaborate? Did POTC evacuate into the cruise area?