when did the Jungle Cruise get funny?

[chartle]

Ging into the way back machine, I believe in the early 70's Steve Martin was a Jungle Cruise captain. And he also worked in the Magic Shop.

Doubt it, in 69 he was already writing for TV. And winning Emmys. I remember in '77 it was a little corny but not like the stand up routine they do today.

 

[msmama]

I love the puns.

What's even funnier now though, is that my son (almost 5) doesn't get puns. Last trip, he came home totally serious and telling EVERYONE that he saw the back side of water!!

 

[bumbershoot]

He definitely worked at the magic shop, but in the 50s.


I think it's hard for kids to get puns, and that might be why people don't remember it being, um, punny, from their early rides.


Our WDW JC guide cracked us up entirely by cutting the lights inside the already dark temple and softly singing "there's no earthly way of knowing...which direction we are going..." from Willy Wonka. Well, it made the adults laugh! The little kids (and bigger kids who hadn't yet seen Willy Wonka) weren't so appreciative.

 

[Madhattr]

First time I rode was '65 at Disneyland. Wasn't funny but scary to this child. Wonder if that might have had anything to do with lightening it up?

 

[MomofKatie]

He definitely worked at the magic shop, but in the 50s.

He's not quite that old, despite the prematurely gray hair!

Martin was born in 1945. A biography site lists him working at DL selling guidebooks on the weekends during the very late 50's, then getting a job at the Magic Shop in 1960, when he was just 15. He isn't credited with ever working as a JC skipper, but who knows? He might have been for a time. He did work at Knott's Berry Farm while attending college, as a member of a comedy troupe that performed there.

 

[theworldneedscolor]

We rode twice on our last trip. The first guide was so-so. The second guide was hilarious! I don't know the jokes well enough to have them memorized, but he seemed to be doing quite a bit off the books. I was dressed up as Harry Potter for the Halloween costume, and he made a ton of jokes about it. Also, the ride got backed up at the end for about 10 minutes, and he was definitely off-script. Very, very funny. I tried to tape the ride for my dad, who loves this sort of thing, but I forgot to press record

 

[ColoradoDis]

I had a great flight attendant on Southwest Airlines a few weeks ago. So funny. As we were landing, he said "yes, I may have worked at Disney and I may have shown you the backside of water on the Jungle Cruise". The plane full of people applauded!

 

[matthewclabaugh]

"and now... the back side of water"

 

[figmentdreamer]

i have always loved this ride. some rides are defiantly more enjoyable than others though. When ever i ride it now i think of that Weird Al song

 

[jsilvers]

He isn't credited with ever working as a JC skipper, but who knows?

He briefly appears as one in the Disneyland 50th anniversary film, but that probably doesn't count?...

 

[Becky925]

I love JC puns and all, I'm not sure I'd care without them. If you've enjoyed this comment my name is Becky and this has been the When did the Jungle Cruise get funny thread, if not my name is Jerri and this has been another Fast Pass + thread.

 

[larryz]

I love JC puns and all, I'm not sure I'd care without them. If you've enjoyed this comment my name is Becky and this has been the When did the Jungle Cruise get funny thread, if not my name is Jerri and this has been another Fast Pass + thread.

 

[kaligal]

He isn't credited with ever working as a JC skipper, but who knows?

Steve Martin knows...and has stated that the rumor isn't true. He isn't sure how it started, but it isn't true.

Casual Disney fans repeat it from time to time, though. It is repeated often enough that I can see why people think it is true.

 

[larryz]

Steve Martin knows...and has stated that the rumor isn't true. He isn't sure how it started, but it isn't true.

Casual Disney fans repeat it from time to time, though. It is repeated often enough that I can see why people think it is true.

What about Robin Williams...?

 

[mattsdragon]

When did Jungle Cruise get funny?

Some would say never.








Not me, I love JC, but I thought that answer was in their own self-depracating manner.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I had a great flight attendant on Southwest Airlines a few weeks ago. So funny. As we were landing, he said "yes, I may have worked at Disney and I may have shown you the backside of water on the Jungle Cruise". The plane full of people applauded!

My husband flew SW last month on Army duty and came home telling me he was sure his flight attendant on the trip out had been at JC at some point because his delivery was so dry and full of puns. Maybe it was the same guy!

 

[PetePanMan]

I also love the bad jokes and puns but I know some who don't find them funny

 

[cerilene]

Our WDW JC guide cracked us up entirely by cutting the lights inside the already dark temple and softly singing "there's no earthly way of knowing...which direction we are going..." from Willy Wonka. Well, it made the adults laugh! The little kids (and bigger kids who hadn't yet seen Willy Wonka) weren't so appreciative.

We had a skipper that did that and I was the only person on the boat that busted out laughing. In fact, there were several people who gave me strange looks. It was so funny though.

 

[Timandalicia]

I am not sure I like the attempt at humor.....seems like the CM's just blah blah blah the entire time......some are full of puns but not very funny... I do not remember this as a child....was this always the intention of this ride?

They used to not have a specific script. They would get jokes from each other so a lot if them were the same, but it was up to the captain. It became the job for handsome twenty something men, and was a big deal if you got that position. Then, they kept pushing the envelope on sexual innuendo and the improv got shut down. Now, everybody goes off the same script. So you either missed some of the adult humor, thank goodness, when you were younger, or had captains that had less to say. It might be annoying to you now because since the script was implemented, there is no need to hire talent. Also, with no improv, they are stuck with saying the script over and over, and they lose their verve.

 

[ryalluvdiz]

I love JC puns and all, I'm not sure I'd care without them. If you've enjoyed this comment my name is Becky and this has been the When did the Jungle Cruise get funny thread, if not my name is Jerri and this has been another Fast Pass + thread.

Love it!