Jungle Cruise ... Anyone Know ...

[Zurg]

I called Disney and after several transfers I finally got to the imagineering dept.....seems that they were only hanging a new light bulb. Glad to help anytime.

From the OP

we saw two guys walking around and measuring things. The one guy had blueprints in his hand.

Two guys and one set of blue prints is not enough Disney overhead to change a light bulb. I think they were planning the "pardon our pixie dust" signs that will go up around the area of the future light bulb change.

 

[MJMcBride]

How do you know you wouldn't like walking around there if there were changes?

What if the changes were away from chains and more towards unique experiences?

I would like that. Sounds great. I just don't think its a problem as it is.

 

[MJMcBride]

Amen, without Walt, there would be now WDW in the first place, and while it wasn't completely what he wanted, he is on record with being completely in love with the outcome.

I like Walt as much as the next guy and respect the man immensely. But just because he liked it fifty years ago doesn't mean its time doesn't pass and it certainly doesn't mean that if Walt was alive today he wouldn't say "change the Jungle Cruise". The Jungle Cruise and Carousel of Progress need to go.

 

[manning]

They're building a new DVC resort there. They've been rumored everywhere else, what's one more?

does anyone have any recommendation as to what view to ask for?? :

 

[vonpluto]

does anyone have any recommendation as to what view to ask for?? :

I'd try for the Roberta Villa. It has a fine view of Roberta's loft in the Treehouse.

 

[Since1971]

I wish they would completely re-do the Jungle Cruise. To me, this ride is too old hat, especially since DAK opened. I would re-theme to make it all Disney characters. You could put in characters from the Jungle Book, Lion King, Tarzan, etc. How cool would it be to have a menacing Scar in the "dark" portion of the ride?

It all depends on the person giving the cruise and the audience participation. If you don't participate and make it fun, it will seem like it is old hat. One time we had a guide who deviated from the script and he was so hiliarious everyone was laughing the whole time.

I'm a native Floridian and have been going to WDW since they opened in '71 and I am getting tired of seeing every ride turned into a push for the latest movie. To me, seeing everything changed into an ad for a movie is old hat. This is what Universal does when Disney does this, they are cheapening themselves in my opinion.

 

[Since1971]

I like Walt as much as the next guy and respect the man immensely. But just because he liked it fifty years ago doesn't mean its time doesn't pass and it certainly doesn't mean that if Walt was alive today he wouldn't say "change the Jungle Cruise". The Jungle Cruise and Carousel of Progress need to go.

I am so glad that the majority of people who go to WDW do not feel the same way as you do. The Carousel of Progress is a learning ride. One to broaden your horizons and actually have you think about how we have progressed as a society. I am glad there are other things to do at WDW than just ride another roller coaster.

 

[YoHo]

Walt DID want live animals in the Jungle Cruise, saying Kilimanjaro Safari was the ultimate goal however is just fundimentally wrong.

Jungle Cruise is about human adventure on the rivers of the world. Africa Queen style adventure. The Animals are extras, staging, settings. They aren't the stars. In fact, Walt made multiple rides like this, The Mine train through natures wonderland comes to mind.

So, JC is about the hokey jokes and human adventure. Kilimanjaro Safari SHOULD be about the animals, but it turns out it's a stupid ride about an Audioanimatronic Elephant....butt.



The idea of adding characters to JC sickens me, I'm serious. It's like taking the Tiki Room under new managment and turning the wrongness dial to 11.

Incidently, the new FX and the return of the guns is nice, the spears have always been there, or at least have been there for as long as I've been going.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

I'm posintg only because I actually agree with (almost) everything Yoho says! What's up with that????

But Yo, you need to lighten up on KS, it IS about the animals it isn't about Lil' Red. Lil' Red is just a wrap up, getting us from the savannah back to the loading area. It, in itself, is typical Disney hokiness (just perpetrated by the Eisner regime rather than Walt's original crew). Kilimangaro Safari as an attraction stands on its own with or without the Lil' Red vignette.

Jungle Cruise stands on it's own as well. In my opinion JC isn't so much about the jungle, the river or the animals nearly as much as it is about the jokes and interaction of the CM's and tour group. A good CM (and there are many) can make this ride a real highlight and there just aren't many of this type of opportunity at Disney.

 

[hniki234]

I'd be upset if they got rid of the Jungle Cruise. We always ride this a few times on our trips. My boyfriend wants to retire in FL and be a Jungle Cruise tour guide! He quotes the jokes from that ride all of the time! I agree with the posters that have said its the tour guide that makes the ride. Besides, Jungle Cruise always has a line. Granted, it wasn't the hour and a half wait it used to be, but we still had to wait 20 to 30 minutes before we got on. It was definitely not a walk-on ride, so people still seem to like it.

 

[MJMcBride]

I am so glad that the majority of people who go to WDW do not feel the same way as you do. The Carousel of Progress is a learning ride. One to broaden your horizons and actually have you think about how we have progressed as a society. I am glad there are other things to do at WDW than just ride another roller coaster.

What makes you think that. I think most people agree with me, at least as to CoP. Why do you think its just a seasonal attraction? Its days are likely numbered.

And don't think I'm a roller coaster guy. I'm fra from that. My favorites are rides like Huanted Mansion, Pirates, Maelstrom, Star Tours, Kilimanjaroo Safari, etc. I don't want any more roller coasters. Jungle Cruise is no longer relevant in my mind and should be replaced. I understand I'm in the minority here. But I'm not when it comes to CoP.

Jungle Cruise is not about human adventure on the rivers of the world, its about hokey jokes and lame AAs.

 

[Another Voice]

I think most people agree with me...

Type that sentence onto a PowerPoint slide and you're well on your way to becoming a Disney Executive!

I, however, trust there are still people out there, even those who go to WDW, who have imaginations which expand beyond wanting brand experiences and the opportunity to buy more plush. I hope there are still people around that want to use their imaginations instead of sitting in front of a glowing screen absorbing this quarter's marketing 'synergy' programming. And I pray that one day Disney will wake up and understand refreshing shows instead of calling in the bulldozers is the right way to run the parks.

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

I would much rather see JC bite the dust than CP. Every time I have ridden JC I have enjoyed it less and less, the only part I enjoyed this last trip was when for some reason all the boats got backed up and we didn't move for like 10 minutes. Our guide was a girl from australia and started telling jokes about herself and Australia, she was hilarious! In the past I can remember having some hum drum guides that were not into the character at all and ruined the ride. I think the answer for JC is get animatronic guides, maybe they could be characters from Pixar films! (yes I am joking)
I could go on CoP over and over and would be devistated if they closed it! Unfortunatly I think we will be saying goodbye to CoP sooner than JC because JC still draws the crowds, CoP does not.

 

[yalegracey]

It's very sad that some people want Disney to only have attractions that aren't informational

 

[MJMcBride]

Type that sentence onto a PowerPoint slide and you're well on your way to becoming a Disney Executive!

I, however, trust there are still people out there, even those who go to WDW, who have imaginations which expand beyond wanting brand experiences and the opportunity to buy more plush. I hope there are still people around that want to use their imaginations instead of sitting in front of a glowing screen absorbing this quarter's marketing 'synergy' programming. And I pray that one day Disney will wake up and understand refreshing shows instead of calling in the bulldozers is the right way to run the parks.

And exactly how does CoP fits into what you're talking about here. In fact, I can't for the life of me figure out what you're point is. Except that you like to rail on about management at any oppurtunity. Frankly, CoP and JC are not "refreshing" to me. They're both stale in my mind. I understand I'm likely in the minority on JC. But it seems I am in the majority with CoP.

 

[Another Voice]

In fact, I can't for the life of me figure out what you're point is. …Frankly, CoP and JC are not "refreshing" to me. They're both stale in my mind.

Of course both shows are stale. ‘Jungle Cruise’ has been around for half a century and the ‘Carousel of Progress’ is over forty years old. You’ve probably seen both shows many times over, and so probably have a lot of visitors to WDW and Disneyland.

But the reason both shows have lasted so long is because they are good shows. No movie, no matter how great, is going to be as interesting on the fifth viewing. That doesn’t me the movie wasn’t any good in the first place or that every single copy needs to be burned. And just because a theme park show has grown soft around the edges doesn’t me you rip the whole thing out.

Disney used to solve this problem by refreshing and plussing their rides: adding new story elements, adding new effects, sometimes changing entire parts of the ride.

So why don’t you want to see Disney do that to ‘Carousel’ and to ‘Jungle Cruise’? Why the long knives drawn out, yearning to kill both shows? Why the hatred when all it would take are a couple new show elements to make both shows as fresh and interesting as they were to the audiences fifty years ago?

All I’m asking is the Disney fix what isn’t working. It was something the company used to do as a reflex – oft times they fix something before anyone even understood it was broken. It was one of the things that made Disney unique.

Why do you want the Magic Kingdom to become Six Flags Orlando?

 

[yalegracey]

Except that you like to rail on about management at any oppurtunity.

You like the Disney management?!?

 

[MJMcBride]

Why do you want the Magic Kingdom to become Six Flags Orlando?

Who wants that. Again, you make these statements that make no sense but you throw them in there to make it seem that I am arguing for something that I am not. If you took the oppurtunity to read my previous posts you would have noticed that I was getting lambasted for what you just suggested. Changing, editing and plussing Jungle Cruise because its stale. You may not like my suggestion. OK. But I'd like to change it somehow.

I'm not sure how CoP could be changed sufficiently, but I'm willing to hear ideas.

And for the record, I could watch Godfather or Star Wars a lot more often than sitting thru CoP.

 

[MJMcBride]

You like the Disney management?!?

Not particularly, but I don't criticize them for the sake of criticizing them. I just do it when its justified.

 

[Amity 3]

I am getting tired of seeing every ride turned into a push for the latest movie. To me, seeing everything changed into an ad for a movie is old hat. This is what Universal does when Disney does this, they are cheapening themselves in my opinion.

Universal's tagline is 'Ride the Movies', so movie based attractions is what they do. what WDW has done with spinning off the latest Pixar movies and 'Stitching' the property is entirely different and utterly revolting.

the Jungle Cruise isn't one of our favorites, so we skip it when the standby line is more than 15 minutes. but I'd hate to see it go in favor of another Alien Encounter debacle.