Jingle Cruise @ Disneyland

[AuntieKels]

I’m aware they stopped doing Jingle Cruise at Disneyland in 2017 but I was wondering if there are any rumors about it coming back -Or why did it go away in the first place.

Thanks!

 

[rteetz]

Not really sure but it still runs at WDW.

 

[Disxuni]

All I can think of is the extra effort to redecorate and re-theme the Jingle Cruise was not worth it if it didn't add a massive spike in attendance.

I personally wouldn't know as I'm a AP WDW holder, not a DL AP holder so I do not know how popular, or unpopular it was. However, I do now that the Haunted Mansion Christmas overhaul is widely known, talked about, popular, and something I'd always really wished I could see, but I never hear anyone really talk about how amazing the Jingle Cruise is.

I did go on it once. To me, it was the Jungle Cruise, only with different jokes. I personally think it doesn't go along with the theme and is kind of ridiculous. The Christmas overhaul for HM makes more sense and is practically a brand new attraction, where as decorations all over a jungle doesn't do the same thing and really doesn't make sense for decorations to be all over a jungle. I'd rather keep it old school than throw Christmas decorations all over the place only so the Skippers have the right to tell seasonal jokes.

 

[rteetz]

All I can think of is the extra effort to redecorate and re-theme the Jingle Cruise was not worth it if it didn't add a massive spike in attendance.

It really wasn't a big overhaul like Nightmare Before Christmas on HM.

 

[Disxuni]

It really wasn't a big overhaul like Nightmare Before Christmas on HM.

True, but that's all I can think of is that the extra little effort it was to essentially decorate the place and use different jokes didn't seem to be worth the effort, or there was some sort of feedback and found out it seemed unfavorable to the Jingle Bells version over the original. Those seem the most obvious, yet hypothetical reasons I can come up, as we'll never truly know the real reason more than likely it was stopped.

 

[The Pho]

doesn't go along with the theme and is kind of ridiculous

Ridiculous is kind of the theme.

 

[Disxuni]

Ridiculous is kind of the theme.

I don't think Walt was intending the ride to be "ridiculous" for a theme. The only thing a little out there is supposed to be the jokes, the whole ride itself is to be relatively realistic. At least that was Walt's original intentions, as he originally wanted actual animals for the attraction and be a guided tour, but realistically knew he wouldn't be able to control them, or knew they wouldn't always be able, or willing to always put up a show. There might be a little comedic relief thrown in, but as a whole it isn't supposed to be that outlandish.

 

[The Pho]

I don't think Walt was intending the ride to be "ridiculous" for a theme. The only thing a little out there is supposed to be the jokes, the whole ride itself is to be relatively realistic. At least that was Walt's original intentions, as he originally wanted actual animals for the attraction and be a guided tour, but realistically knew he wouldn't be able to control them, or knew they wouldn't always be able, or willing to always put up a show. There might be a little comedic relief thrown in, but as a whole it isn't supposed to be that outlandish.

Walt originally intended the ride to be like Kilimanjaro Safari, an animal focused ride.

Today Jungle Cruise operates as a pun focused ride, people ride it for the jokes. The skippers toss out plenty of ridiculous lines.

 

[Disxuni]

Walt originally intended the ride to be like Kilimanjaro Safari, an animal focused ride.

Today Jungle Cruise operates as a pun focused ride, people ride it for the jokes. The skippers toss out plenty of ridiculous lines.

Lines and theme are two different things. Lines = ridiculous, yes. Theme = ridiculous, no.

As a whole the JC is not meant to be ridiculous, but is there a little fun to it? Yes. Take the lines away, the ride itself (for the most part) is relatively realistic, or at least trying to appear to be. That is the point I am trying to make. When you're trying to make the queue, boats, animals, and sets appear rustic, antique, set up a theme as if you're in a jungle, and adding a little bit of mystic with the cave, as well as other enhancements over the years you're obviously trying to take it a little seriously.

So, yeah, it kind of defeats the purpose if you make it look like Christmas exploded all over the place. So, yes, it looks a little ridiculous to me and doesn't go with the theme in my personal opinion. Sorry.

 

[AuntieKels]

@The Pho @Disxuni This is an interesting debate! I went ahead and looked up how Disneyland describes the attraction for some clarity:

Head off to Adventure
Board a canopied tramp steamer and leave civilization behind on a tongue-in-cheek journey through the globe’s most “treacherous” rivers—and oldest gags.
Highlights of your unforgettable adventure include:

• The Mekong River
  Explore an age-old shrine, home to baboons, cobras and crocodiles.
• The African Congo
  Cruise past a camp overrun by explosively curious gorillas.
• The Nile River
  Behold bathing elephants, angry hippos and hungry lions guarding a sleeping zebra.
• The Amazon in South America
  A canopy of green trees opens up to a native shrine, a mammoth anaconda and ravenous piranha.

Throughout your voyage, you’ll enjoy lively narration from your brave and trusty skipper. It’s a sometimes perilous, always hilarious 10,000-mile journey you won't soon forget!
A Classic Cruise
The original Jungle Cruise opened on July 17, 1955 at Disneyland Park. Based on Disney’s award-winning True-Life Adventure films, the attraction had a more educational tone. In the early 1960s, Walt Disney introduced more drama and asked animator Marc Davis to sketch some humorous gags.
Over the years, more “wildlife”—and new wisecracks—were added. These updates, along with our talented skippers, make for fun surprises on every trip down the river.


I guess it just depends on if you're referring to the current attraction or the original. =)

 

[The Pho]

Lines and theme are two different things. Lines = ridiculous, yes. Theme = ridiculous, no.

As a whole the JC is not meant to be ridiculous, but is there a little fun to it? Yes. Take the lines away, the ride itself (for the most part) is relatively realistic, or at least trying to appear to be. That is the point I am trying to make. When you're trying to make the queue, boats, animals, and sets appear rustic, antique, set up a theme as if you're in a jungle, and adding a little bit of mystic with the cave, as well as other enhancements over the years you're obviously trying to take it a little seriously.

So, yeah, it kind of defeats the purpose if you make it look like Christmas exploded all over the place. So, yes, it looks a little ridiculous to me and doesn't go with the theme in my personal opinion. Sorry.

I understand your point, you’re focusing on the visuals. And it’s fine if you don’t like how Christmas decorations look in the jungle, but an attraction’s theme is more than just visuals. It comes from every part of the experience.

All I meant was that the ride’s focus is not the visuals, they are there to set up the jokes now. Remove the skipper’s lines and you have a boat ride through a jungle that would have nobody on it. The ridiculous lines have become the entire purpose of the ride. It’s like removing the music from the Tiki Room.

And honestly, my first comment was really just a joke.

A Classic Cruise
The original Jungle Cruise opened on July 17, 1955 at Disneyland Park. Based on Disney’s award-winning True-Life Adventure films, the attraction had a more educational tone. In the early 1960s, Walt Disney introduced more drama and asked animator Marc Davis to sketch some humorous gags.
Over the years, more “wildlife”—and new wisecracks—were added. These updates, along with our talented skippers, make for fun surprises on every trip down the river.


I guess it just depends on if you're referring to the current attraction or the original. =)

This is why I specified today’s Jungle Cruise.

 

[Lumpy1106]

IMHO, anything that allows for a temporary revision to the script is welcome by me. I mean, Jingle Cruise was nothing like "Tiki Room Under New Management".

 

[AuntieKels]

IMHO, anything that allows for a temporary revision to the script is welcome by me. I mean, Jingle Cruise was nothing like "Tiki Room Under New Management".

I agree. I think the opportunity to introduce new jokes and change it up is welcome! I never saw the holiday decorations so I don't know how extensive it was but I think it would be fun to have a theme change once a year.

 

[ImDMous]

I really liked when they did Jingle Cruise. If you paid attention to the line, there was a shipment of christmas decorations headed to the outpost and they got airdropped and missed the target a bit. The boxes got scattered in the jungle and whoever found them used them as they saw fit.
The jokes are just as horrible as the regular cruise, but with a christmas theme. I wish they would bring it back and it seemed to have the same crowds as the regular version.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Walt originally intended the ride to be like Kilimanjaro Safari, an animal focused ride.

Today Jungle Cruise operates as a pun focused ride, people ride it for the jokes. The skippers toss out plenty of ridiculous lines.

Funny you should mention, the last time I rode KS, the driver DID throw in some really funny deadpan jokes here and there. It was subtle; if you were just focused on spotting animals and not listening to him, you missed it. IMHO, it was funnier than the Jungle Cruise skippers.

 

[LizzyS]

Funny you should mention, the last time I rode KS, the driver DID throw in some really funny deadpan jokes here and there. It was subtle; if you were just focused on spotting animals and not listening to him, you missed it. IMHO, it was funnier than the Jungle Cruise skippers.

Our driver on KS last year also had jokes and they were cute!

 

[Lumpy1106]

Our driver on KS last year also had jokes and they were cute!

Was it a hipster looking guy with a mustache, spoke in a low tone? I'd request him again if I could - very funny and entertaining ride.

 

[LizzyS]

Was it a hipster looking guy with a mustache, spoke in a low tone? I'd request him again if I could - very funny and entertaining ride.

Nah, it was a young gal!

 

[Lumpy1106]

Nah, it was a young gal!

That's good - that means my driver wasn't going rogue and we're likely to see a lot more of that. ANYTHING beats the original storyline on the ride with the whole "chasing off the poachers thing". That got old quick. Not to completely threadjack, but I wish they'd drop the whole clearcut, environmental disaster plot of Kali River Rapids and mix in a few more actual rapids. The only time to get wet is on the drop and when they squirt you at the end.