Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade in AK

[vinnie_a72]

how does a family get selected to be in this parade? I have read about others expierneces and I wanted to know how you can increase your chances to be selected. Is there a certain place you have to stand or someone you have to talk to.
vince

 

[scrapbookingpro]

I know that on an average day, people are chosen at random. Whoever is assigned to pick people that day will go out into the park and just find people that they think would like to go, or that look like they're having a good time. The size of your party can be a factor, as well as the ages of your children.
What you can do is find a character location inside the park, like Tamu (where King Louie is) and speak to one of the character greeters. They are the ones in the yellow shirt/black pants. I would try to find them in the late morning hours- don't wait to long! They will most likely be able to help you get into the parade!

 

[tmfranlk]

Tracy - Is there a lower age limit as to how young a child can be?

 

[scrapbookingpro]

Well, the official answer is yes, a child must be at least five. But to be honest, they don't always enforce this rule. I've seen kids as young as three get on. How old is Terra? She is sooo cute!

 

[tmfranlk]

Well, the official answer is yes, a child must be at least five. But to be honest, they don't always enforce this rule. I've seen kids as young as three get on. How old is Terra? She is sooo cute!

Thanks, Tracy! She will be 3 1/2 when we go in Oct.

 

[Shanan]

I would love to be able to be in one of my favorite parades. There are going to be 12 of us at AK on 6/12 for mine & DH's 13th anniversary. I will try and ask character handler about being in parade.

Scrapbookingpro - is a party of 12 too many for parade? Just curious. Thanks for the hint!

I was at the parade on 12/2/05 traveling solo and the party patrol CMs were so much fun. There were several that took time to reach out and shake my hand or to pose for pictures when I asked. It is the little things that I love about that particular parade. The puppet operators taking time to smile and wave or making the "animal" interact with a guest.

 

[scrapbookingpro]

Thank you Shanan! I will be sure to pass along the compliments! Like I said before, we don't ever get to hear guest comments or opinions, so it's really great to get so many nice comments

A party of 12 is not too big, but of course you will be split up onto several different floats. The biggest float holds only seven people.

I just asked around a bit more at work today, because of this thread. My friend is one of the "people pickers" and he confirmed that yes, it is completely random and at the sole discretion of who ever is picking that day- it's pretty much someone different every day. But he did agree that the best way to get picked is to ask.

Best of luck to everyone! I want to see you all on my float some time

 

[Shanan]

Scrapbookingpro - I can just hear the CM's in the break room on 6/13.

Did you hear about that crazy lady from Texas that was here yesterday? She wasn't standing in line to see the characters but to talk to the handlers. She asked the same question "Have you picked anyone for the parade"? We had to put an alert with the handlers - Run when you see her.

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

Hi, it was my ultimate dream to ride the first float in Jammin Jungle - and guess what?...last year DH and i were picked to do just this. My parents were also chosen to ride another float. We were all wearing matching custom made Disney shirts, I figured they picked everyone early in the day, so by 2pm I didn't think we had a chance. At 3.30pm we got a viewing spot right by the gates where the parade comes out at 4pm. A character handler came over to us and asked how many in our party (DH and I knew straight away why he wanted to know) He originally only wanted 2 people and my mum said we could go (it was our first wedding anniversary) then he said to wait a minute and he came back and said he could put my parents on a seperate float. When the guy told us we were going to ride Rafiki's float I was almost sick with excitement, apparently this didn't mean much to anyone else but I have watched the parade video so many times that I knew this was the front float. The whole experience was awesome, each family was assigned a group of CMs to look after them should there be a problem and we were told to wave and smile the whole time which of course wasn't difficult - the stilt walkers with our float kept reminding us. It was completely fantastic and I still can't believe we did it.



Scrapbooking Pro - which float are you?

 

[scrapbookingpro]

Aloha! Sitiches Greatest Fan!
I'm so happy you had fun in the parade! I wonder if I was there that day...?

When I said "my float" I just meant the float that I'm assigned to that day. We all move around from float to float, so one day I'll be with Rafiki float and the next day I could be with the Donald rickshaw. We just have a habbit of saying "my float" like we own it or something
I hope you come back and ride with us again sometime!!

 

[Michelle2]

Wow, thanks scrapbookingpro! I have always wondered about this. I am still a little confused about where to go to ask, (Camp Minnie Mickey maybe???)but I am excited to try it out in September!!

 

[scrapbookingpro]

Yes, Camp Minnie Mickey will work. The thing is, it really depends on who you ask- how helpful that CM is willing to be. If you don't get enough help the first time, ask someone else in a different location. I wish I could be more specific, but the "picking process" is just too random and there are too many different people involved. I am crossing my fingers for you Good Luck!!

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

Thanks for your reply scrapbookingpro - are you a 'safari dancer' then or a stilt walker? If I worked at Disney my ultimate job would be to dance in that parade I love the music. One more question (if you're allowed to answer that is) - when the parade isn't on what do you do? Are you a character or something I was just curious what the parade dancers do the rest of the time. Thanks

 

[CDizney]

In 2004 I rode in the JJ parade. I just simply asked to speak to the Entertainment manager, told where I could find him, asked him to be in the parade, and he put me and hubby in the parade. It was so easy I was shocked.

 

[scrapbookingpro]

Thanks for your reply scrapbookingpro - are you a 'safari dancer' then or a stilt walker? If I worked at Disney my ultimate job would be to dance in that parade I love the music. One more question (if you're allowed to answer that is) - when the parade isn't on what do you do? Are you a character or something I was just curious what the parade dancers do the rest of the time. Thanks

I am a "Safari Dancer" They call us Party Patrol. Our shirts used to say "Party Patrol" on the back, but then we got new ones and they don't say that anymore. I love the music too!

When the parade isn't on, everybody is doing something else, somewhere. The entertainment department is "global" which means we can work in any park and any show, if we are qualified. Most of the AK parade people come directly from Festival of the Lion King. We do three shows at Lion King and then the parade, and that is our eight hour day. Some people come in for the parade and then go over and do Spectro or Fantasmic and that is their eight hour day. Some people start at the Trolley parade over at MK and then come and do the AK parade. And some people are (here's what I'm allowed to say..) "friends of" the characters
I am a part time CM, so most of the time I do the parade and nothing else, but occasionally I do the Lion King show also. We are getting a new parade at MGM that I really hope I get to learn The nice thing about the Entertainment department is that you can potentially learn a LOT of different shows so you don't get bored and you meet tons of people. It's very fun!

CDIZNEY-
That is also a very smart way to go- I'm just surprised that they were able to find a manager for you to speak to. We never seem to be able to find one when we need one

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

Thanks scrapbookingpro, I always wanted to know that. I'm pleased to hear there will be a new parade at MGM, I wish there would be a new one at the magic kingdom. How long have you been a CM? I really loved the old Mickeymania parade 11 years ago. What do you do in Festival of the Lion King are you one of the animal characters? I think the acrobatic monkeys and the girl who is the bird on the wire are awesome.

 

[scrapbookingpro]

Thanks scrapbookingpro, I always wanted to know that. I'm pleased to hear there will be a new parade at MGM, I wish there would be a new one at the magic kingdom. How long have you been a CM? I really loved the old Mickeymania parade 11 years ago. What do you do in Festival of the Lion King are you one of the animal characters? I think the acrobatic monkeys and the girl who is the bird on the wire are awesome.

I've been a CM for just over 6 years, so Mickeymania is a little before my time, but I've seen lots of pics from it! I started at Tapestry of Nations and then went straight to Lion King.
I'm a puppeteer at Lion King. I am too tall to be one of the animals- Disney has strict height specifications on many performance roles. I am tall (5'10") and the tallest you can be for that show is 5'9" So, anyways, I do puppets. You may or may not know that Simba, Pumba, the Elephant and the Giraffe in the show are all puppets and require puppeteers to bring them to life every show. Many people think they are animatronics, but they're not!

Thanks for asking! It's fun to chat about shows and parades

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

Really!! I thought those big ones were animatronics, I didn't realise they were puppets. I was just watching the Jammin' Jungle Parade this morning - we videoed it on our honeymoon in 2004, perhaps I saw you today on my tape without realising. How many days a week do you work?

 

[scrapbookingpro]

HA! That would be funny if you did! I work Mon-Fri. I would be the girl that's taller than everyone else!

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

In that case you are probably on my video - we went on a Wednesday in 2004!!! I'll look out for a tall girl next time. Are you really taller than all the other girls?