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Meet Your New Disneyland Jungle Cruise Skipper…Disney Legend Josh Gad!

• by Michelle Snow
• February 28, 2023 February 28, 2023

Part of the fun of riding the Jungle Cruise attraction is the humorous Skippers who regale Guests with stories and jokes…but some Guests at Disneyland got a surprise recently when they boarded only to discover their Skipper was none other than Disney Legend Josh Gad!

The Details

Disneyland recently decided to make Gad’s dream of being a Jungle Cruise Skipper a reality and invited him to the park to take on the role. They even made him a special name tag.

As an honorary cast member for the day, he took Guests on a wild ride through the jungles of the park.

And there’s a saying in the world of social media: “Pictures, or it didn’t happen.” Well, Disney went one better and recorded it all on video.

Watch as Skipper Josh Gad navigates through the treacherous waters, and along with fellow cast member Kylie, keeps guests entertained with his quick-witted humor and sarcastic comments, adding a whole new level of fun to the ride.

“Watch your step as you get on the boat today,” says Gad to the Guests, “And watch ‘Frozen 2’ when you get home…”

I love the line at the end; “If you enjoyed this video, I’m Josh Gad. If you didn’t, I’m Josh D’Amaro .”

Here’s another look at the experience with a few different quips:

@disneyparks We made @realjoshgad a Jungle Cruise Skipper for a day and this is how it went 🗺️🌏 #JungleCruise #JoshGad #Boat #Disneyland #Disney #DisneyParks #Olaf #Guide #DisneyCastLife ♬ original sound – Disney Parks

If you can’t see it above, watch it on TikTok here !

Skipper Josh follows in the footsteps of other honorary Jungle Cruise Skippers, which include Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt .

The actor will next appear in 20th Television’s mini-series “ History of the World: Part II ” which debuts on Hulu March 6, and is a sequel to the classic Mel Brook’s film “History of the World: Part I.”

So what did you think? Would you have Josh as your Jungle Cruise Skipper as you travel to “the backside of water”? On a scale of one to two, let us know in the comments.

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The History and Evolution of the Disney’s Jungle Cruise

Since it opened in Disneyland Park in July of 1955, Jungle Cruise has become one of the most iconic attractions in Disney’s theme park catalogue. Everything from the distinctive ride vehicles, comical tableaus, animatronic animals, and even the purposely over-the-top skipper spiel have become iconic elements of the Disney theme park experience, explaining why the Jungle Cruise has been cloned to nearly every Disney resort around the world.

However, despite its beloved stature, the attraction has met its fair share of controversy over the years, which has led to numerous changes, including a major refurbishment in 2021 .

To analyze this attraction’s controversial history, we must first look at its origins, years before Disneyland was constructed.

The origins.

The origins of the Jungle Cruise can be traced back to the late 1940s, when Walt Disney Pictures began production on their True-Life Adventures series. Beginning with Seal Island in 1948, these somewhat staged wildlife documentaries followed various groups of animals in their natural habitats. The series was so successful with movie-goers and critics that it eventually evolved from two-reel shorts to full-length documentary films that quickly became a cornerstone of Walt Disney Studios.  

Guests would view the animals from skipper-guided ride-vehicles modeled after the titular boat from the 1951 hit film The African Queen, while traveling through a jungle designed by Disneyland landscape extraordinaire Bill Evans.  

Welcome to the Jungle

Jungle Cruise opened with the rest of Disneyland on July 17, 1955. However, a modern guest would be hard-pressed to recognize much of the attraction. Sure they would be familiar with Goff’s general concept, and if they squinted they could imagine how the rather light jungle Evans planted would grow into the lush greenery seen today, but many iconic elements of the attraction would be absent. There was no ad-libbed humor from the skippers, who played the entire experience straight. In fact, there was no humor period.  

The Jungle Cruise, like Disneyland overall, was a massive success upon its opening, quickly becoming an integral part of American pop culture. However, as the park’s first decade came to a close, Walt Disney felt his park needed some new blood. According to legend, he once overheard a child ask his mother to ride the Jungle Cruise and was aghast when the mother responded that they’d ridden it last time and didn’t need to again. Whether this story is apocryphal or not, in the early 1960s Walt brought over animator Marc Davis from the Studios to “plus up” some of Disneyland’s attractions.  

One of the first attractions Davis – who would go on to become one of the company’s most influential Imagineers – worked on was Jungle Cruise. A visual comedian by nature, Davis decided to liven up the attraction by adding the playful elephant pool and comical trapped safari sequences.

These comedic elements in-turn influenced the ride’s skipper narration, which became more and more comical over the years. Davis’ changes led to the attraction becoming even more popular.  

Disney World’s Jungle Cruise

The Jungle Cruise’s status as one of Disney’s premier attractions was further solidified when a version of the ride opened with Walt Disney World and Magic Kingdom in 1971.

The Orlando version of the ride was similar to its Anaheim counterpart, though not a direct clone, and served the same purpose as the anchor attraction of the park’s Adventureland section.

Jungle Cruise International

A near-direct clone of the Magic Kingdom version of the attraction opened with Tokyo Disneyland in 1983, but when Disneyland Paris, then known as EuroDisney, opened in 1992, the park became the first “castle park” not to feature a Jungle Cruise on opening day. This was due partially to the cold French climate not being hospitable to water rides and partially because there were several knockoff Jungle Cruises already built at various French amusement parks.

Disneyland Levels Up

While these alternate versions of the Jungle Cruise were being built around the world, the Disneyland original continued to be “plussed” over the years. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, various new animals and show-scenes were added to the attraction. The biggest changes up to that point came in 1994, when the attraction was rerouted and shortened to make room for the then-upcoming Indiana Jones Adventure attraction. In addition, the ride (and the entirety of Adventureland) were rethemed to be set in the 1930s to tie into Indy.  

While these changes were substantial, they were nothing compared to the original plans , which were going to see a portion of the Jungle Cruise take place inside the Indiana Jones show building, as part of a plan to build a massive complex that would house four attractions.  

Holiday Overlays

Following these mid-90s refurbishments, the Jungle Cruise continued to be one of Disney’s marquee attractions. As a testament to said importance, in 2013, both American versions of the attraction were given a holiday overlay and temporarily renamed The Jingle Cruise.

The overlay was so successful that it was greatly expanded for 2014, and remained in both parks through 2016. For reasons unknown, Disneyland dropped The Jingle Cruise from its Holiday offerings in 2017, though the overlay remains a Magic Kingdom staple to this day.  

Controversy in the Jungle

Despite Jungle Cruise’s ongoing popularity, in recent decades the attraction has become controversial due to its purported negative depictions of native people, specifically the “headhunter” party as well as the Trader Sam “head salesman” character.  

In January 2021,  Disney announced that it would be making significant story changes to the Jungle Cruise at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World to alleviate these issues. Carmen Smith, creative development and inclusion strategies executive at Walt Disney Imagineering, explained the changes in a statement to the Los Angeles Times , saying:  

As Imagineers, it is our responsibility to ensure experiences we create and stories we share reflect the voices and perspectives of the world around us. With Jungle Cruise, we’re bringing to life more of what people love – the humor and wit of our incredible skippers — while making needed updates.

Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger added , “The exciting changes we’re making to one of Disney’s most popular classic attractions, Jungle Cruise, reflect our commitment to creating unparalleled experiences that reflect, not only the best in storytelling, but also the values and rich diversity of our world.”

As part of these announcements, Disney made it clear that these changes to the attraction were not going to be related to the upcoming film based on the attraction.

Said film, simply titled Jungle Cruise , was released in July of 2021. The film starred Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Édgar Ramírez, Jack Whitehall, Jesse Plemons, and Paul Giamatti and was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. It was such a hit, a sequel is already in the works.

How do you feel about the upcoming changes to the Jungle Cruise? Do you agree that they’ve been years in the making? Beyond that, how do you feel about the attraction overall? Let us know in the comments below.  

Jungle Cruise

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The disney secret that lets you be a jungle cruise skipper.

Posted by: Melissa Cannioto April 25, 2022

If the “world-famous” Jungle Cruise isn’t one of your favorite Disney Park rides, then we think you’re in “the Nile”!

Disney’s Jungle Cruise boat ride has become one of the most popular attractions at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort, enchanting Guests for years with its witty skippers, exotic wildlife, and corny jokes.

But did you know there’s a way to become a Guest Jungle Skipper on the Adventureland attraction?

Credit: Disney

Deep in the lush jungles of Disneyland and Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland, the Jungle Cruise awaits daring travelers with a sense of humor . Opening back in 1955 at Disneyland Park and 1971 at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Guests can float down the Amazon, Congo, Nile, and Mekong rivers in ten minutes, coming across fierce natives, amazing animalslife, and Asian, African, and South American themes.

What makes the Disney boat ride truly special, though, is your Jungle Skipper, who not only steers the boat and narrates the expedition, but also makes the cheesiest jokes on the water. While the jokes are corny and the animals aren’t real, this timeless classic has proven popular lately with the release of The Jungle Cruise (2021) movie starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, now streaming on Disney+.

So, with wait times high and entertainment even higher, becoming a Guest Skipper is one of the most coveted roles at the Magic Kingdom theme park. But – it all comes down to luck and Cast Member pixie dust.

Credit: Disney Tips

Not many Walt Disney World Guests are honored with being Guest Skippers on the beloved Jungle Cruise . The sought-after role doesn’t just come with bragging rights – it also allows you to bypass the line!

Cast Members are known for making magic for Guests every day at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme parks, and choosing a Guest Skipper is no different. The tradition allows Cast Members to sprinkle some pixie dust on a Guest’s day, and provide them with a special memory they’ll never forget.

Those who have chosen for the Guest Skipper surprise all tell of Cast Members picking Guests at random from the line, giving them a special card, and taking them directly to the front of the queue. Usually, Guests with celebration pins like birthday or anniversary, or younger Guests are picked, but there is no end to Cast Member kindness!

Just look at the amazing Guest Skipper cards these lucky Guests receive! What a great Disney souvenir to keep.

Credit: @Marypoppins68 via Twitter

Of course, it would be beyond the realms of health and safety to let Guests actually drive the boat, but with a free license, free line skip, and honorary title, it is definitely a magical moment!

Remember, this is not typically something you can ask for. If you’re wanting a better chance of getting chosen, wear those birthday pins with pride, don your best Jungle Skipper gear, or, just be kind to Cast Members working at the Walt Disney World Resort.

We know we’d be jumping for joy if this happened to us! We can’t get enough of the Jungle Cruise’s audio-animatronic jungle animals and entertaining, comedic boat skippers, and the famous backside of water is certainly a sight to behold!

A variety of changes have been made over the years to the Adventureland ride, including enhanced audio effects, updates to the storyline, and the removal of culturally-sensitive material. The 27-foot long Jungle Cruise vessels that take you on your river journey were inspired by the film, The African Queen (1951), starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn.

Credit: WDWLive

If you want to catch a ride around the rivers on the Jungle Cruise, we highly recommend trying to snag a Disney Genie+ for it early on in the morning . Wait times have been dramatically increasing ever since Skippers Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt joined the Jungle Cruise world.

In true Jungle Cruise Skipper fashion, we’ll leave you with some of our favorite jokes from the Disney attraction:

• That waterfall is the run-off from a glacier, which is the only thing in the park that isn’t Frozen.
• There’s old Trader Sam, head salesman of the area. Business has been shrinking lately, so this week only, Sam’s offering a two-for-one special: two of his, for one of yours. Any takers? Anyway you slice it, you come out a-head…
• Oh oh look at the snake! Oh what is that kind called again? It begins with a P… – “Python!” – I remember, it’s Plastic! Plastic snake.
• For those of you who need cash (or an atm?) we’d like to remind you that there are banks all along our rivers
• And of course, O2H, O2H!

About Melissa Cannioto

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Meet viola davis' villainous chameleon in new 'kung fu panda 4' sneak peek [exclusive], your favorite spongebob squarepants villain is getting his own netflix movie.

Actor Josh Gad has finally fulfilled his dreams of becoming a jungle cruise skipper. In a video released by Disney Parks , Gad was seen taking guests on a boat ride and navigating through treacherous waters of the jungle. The four-minute-long video showed the actor entertaining the guests with humorous quips as they cruised through the jungle.

Before beginning the cruise, Gad narrates his longtime dream of becoming a jungle cruise skipper and with an invitation from Waltz Disney Company, he finally got to live out that dream with the help of cast members. In the video, Gad is seen transformed into a jungle cruise skipper dressed in the full khaki uniform, complete with a fedora and a name tag. Just like a natural-born jungle cruise skipper, the actor wows the guests of his boat ride with quick-witted humor and sarcastic comments as he narrates the experience of the voyage to his laughing guests.

Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise is located in Adventureland at Disneyland Park. The cruise is a 10,000-mile journey taken on a canopied tramp streamer. Some of the main attractions of the cruise are the Indian Elephant Bathing Pool, the African Veldt (hippos, hungry lions guarding a sleeping zebra), Jungle Cruise Safari Camp, and Schweitzer Falls, with guests viewing the front and back side of the waterfalls.

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'Jungle Cruise' Has a Storied History

Since its opening on July 17, 1955, the Jungle Cruise world has continued to expand with more wildlife being added over the years. The Jungle Cruise even expanded beyond the park with the release of the 2021 movie of the same name starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt and a part two in works . The Disney adventure film took inspiration from the theme park ride while also drawing from real historical concepts like the main antagonist of the film, the German Prince Joachim ( Jesse Plemons ) who was based on real-life Prince Joachim of Prussia who was the youngest child of Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm . Although, the real-life prince never went on a mission to find a magical savior.

The movie follows a British scientist, her brother, and a jungle cruise skipper as they embark on a treacherous journey to find a life-saving magical tree. Dr. Lily Houghton (Blunt) and her brother MacGregor (Jack Whitehall ) enlist the help of Francisco “Captain Frank Wolff” (Johnson) to journey to the Amazon River in search of the mythological Tears of the Moon. The movie, much like the ride, was a fun and exciting family-friendly experience.

Watch Josh Gad become a real-life skipper below:

• Jungle Cruise

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No Lion, the Skipper Is the Real King of the Jungle Cruise

Bad jokes and puns are part of a Disneyland job that has been immortalized in a new film. Those who’ve held the role at the theme park never really leave it behind.

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By Kathryn Shattuck

In 1916 Brazil, Skipper Frank Wolff runs the cheapest jungle cruise on the Amazon. And undoubtedly the cheesiest, as he introduces tourists to the river’s wondrous sights with a spiel overflowing with doozies.

“If you look to the left of the boat, you’ll see some very playful toucans. They’re playing their favorite game of beak-wrestling. The only drawback is, only two can play.”

“The rocks you see here in the river are sandstone. But some people just take them for granite. It’s one of my boulder attractions.”

And the highlight of the tour: “Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for the eighth wonder of the world,” he says, building toward the climax, as his rickety steamboat passes behind a makeshift waterfall. “Wait for it … the backside of water!”

Frank’s guests may groan and roll their eyes at his droll banter in Disney’s “ Jungle Cruise ,” starring Dwayne Johnson as the swaggering skipper and arriving July 30 on Disney+ and in theaters. But the skippers and their spiels — corny jokes and bad puns, the cringier the better — have been the real stars of the Jungle Cruise attraction since the first one opened at Disneyland in 1955. Take them away and the seven-minute fantasy boat trip along rivers in South America, Asia and Africa, inspired in part by “The African Queen,” might be just another ride down a fake waterway with fake scenery.

It’s also one of the rare performing jobs at a Disney theme park where the skippers can weave their own personalities into the script — from dry and geeky to animated and flamboyant — and get guests in on the action. “It’s this alchemy that happens” that few attractions can replicate, said Alex Williams, a former skipper who now works for the Disney fan club D23.

With the new movie as well as the ride’s freshly reimagined story line, the Jungle Cruise is in the spotlight now, and no one is feeling it more than the skippers themselves.

“We’re all just really excited about being able to share this experience with everyone and being the inspiration for the movie,” said Flor Torres, a “lead” on the attraction.

“Once a skip, always a skip.” That’s the motto of skippers who’ve held a job requiring them to maneuver a boat while performing a stand-up routine dozens of times across an eight-hour day.

“People really take that to heart,” Torres added of the motto. “I know skippers that have worked here maybe 20, 30 years ago, and they still come by and talk to us like they were just here yesterday.”

A handful have wisecracked their way to bigger stages, like Ron Ziegler , the White House press secretary for President Richard M. Nixon; the filmmaker John Lasseter ; Steve Franks, a screenwriter and the creator of the TV series “Psych”; and, it’s said, the actor Kevin Costner. (Alas, stories that Robin Williams and Steve Martin honed their humor at the helm are apparently only myths.)

Other former skippers have recounted their experiences on podcasts like “Tales From the Jungle Crews” and “The Backside of Water,” or provided pandemic uplift in Freddy Martin’s “World Famous Jungle Cruise” video and its sequel .

And a bold few have revealed some not-Disney-approved antics in books like “ Skipper Stories : True Tales From Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise,” a compilation of six decades of anecdotes from former skippers, including the author, David John Marley.

To wit: The ritual of becoming a “real skipper” by peeing in the river at night. The Jungle Justice inflicted on skippers who abused their break time (they found themselves suddenly scheduled for upward of 90 minutes of nonstop cruises without water or a bathroom stop). The off-hours party where $2,000 was spent on alcohol and condoms.

A good skipper is an extrovert, a nut and somewhat of a rogue. At least that’s how Bill Sullivan , who joined the Jungle Cruise in 1955, once put it . His own skipper colleagues included a man who arrived one morning with chameleons around his neck.

They didn’t have much of a script in the beginning so the men wrote their own, Sullivan, who eventually became vice president of the Magic Kingdom, recalled in 2008. (Women didn’t become skippers until the mid-1990s.)

The spiel had been repeatedly fine-tuned by the time Franks landed his gig in the late 1980s. And venturing from it was ill-advised.

“You would hear these stories about supervisors hiding in the jungle, listening for people going off-book, but if that was true, they would have canned me on Day 2,” he said. “I knew I wanted to make movies, and I was doing stand-up at the time. And as soon as we got around the first corner, I was working in material.”

Franks stayed at Disneyland for eight and a half years, writing the script for Adam Sandler’s “Big Daddy” while monitoring the Enchanted Tiki Room.

Crews may have been rowdier back in the day, but “today we’re much more conservative, a little less the Wild West,” said Kevin Lively, one of two skippers chosen to represent Disneyland at Tokyo Disney Resort’s 25th anniversary celebration in 2009. (There’s also a Jungle Cruise at Walt Disney World and Hong Kong Disneyland.)

Lively now works as a Disney Imagineer, developing skipper spiels and contributing “gnu” magic to the attraction, which has replaced racist elements like spear-throwing African “headhunters” with a story about Felix Pechman XIII, “the unluckiest skipper on the dock.”

And when the “Jungle Cruise” movie needed an injection of humor, Lively was on it.

“I shotgun-blast puns and references and Easter eggs to them, and let them kind of just run amok,” he said. “There’s stuff in there that I think all these skippers will get, which just makes me over-the-moon happy. They really showed their love of the attraction in that film.”

Skipper Frank’s ersatz Amazon tour wasn’t in the original script, said Jaume Collet-Serra, the movie’s director. But once the filmmaker had ridden the actual Jungle Cruise and witnessed reactions to that “backside of water” joke, he knew what he had to do.

Treat the audience to a mini-Jungle Cruise experience.

“I was like, let me give them what they want for two minutes and then I’ll give them more, but at least they’ll be happy early,” he said. “You know, ‘Here is what you came for — now let the movie begin.’”

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REVIEW! We’re Back at Disney World’s World-Famous Jungle Cruise…Restaurant!

By Quincy Stanford 5 Comments

You’ve heard of the Jungle Cruise, you’ve heard of the backside of water, but have you heard of Jungle Navigation Co. Skipper Canteen !? That’s right! We’re bringing you a review from the punniest and most adventurous restaurant in Magic Kingdom.

Skipper Canteen Spread

We’re headed over to Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland to try out a restaurant we’ll be calling Skipper Canteen for this review (since that full name is SUPER lengthy). This is the only table service restaurant in Adventureland and easily the home of most of the more interesting meals that you can find in Magic Kingdom. We love this restaurant and think it’s a rock-solid addition to Magic Kingdom, yet many guests take it for granite. It’s definitely one of the boulder choices for dining in Disney World’s original park. (We should apologize now: buckle up — it’s gonna be a lot of Jungle Cruise jokes!)

Hello and welcome to the world-famous Jungle Cruise…restaurant. We tend to enjoy visits to Skipper Canteen due to its immersive theme and unique menu. You’d be hard-pressed to find similar eats anywhere else in Disney World! This restaurant is themed around the “World Famous” Jungle Cruise attraction featuring “World Famous Jungle Cuisine” and there are SO many details to see in the theming.

Skipper Canteen

Get ready for a menu of surprising dishes inspired by African, Asian, and Latin cuisine. Plus, we might have a laugh along the way! And now ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the moment you’ve all been waiting for…the start of…our review! 😉

The atmosphere at Skipper Canteen is inspired by the Jungle Cruise attraction , so this is a very good spot for those who LOVE the iconic attraction…or puns…puns too.  Lots of puns.

The story of the restaurant is that the granddaughter of the Jungle Cruise’s Dr. Albert Falls, Alberta Falls , took over the family business (That’s Jungle Navigation Co. !).

Jungle Navigation Co. was originally a cargo shipping venture before they started offering Jungle Cruises to tourists. Now, Skipper Canteen offers meals for passengers before or after their Jungle Cruise!

Skipper Canteen has three different dining rooms : the Falls Family Parlor is themed as a comfy space for the Falls family and is absolutely loaded with awesome animal details that are playful nods to the attraction (seriously — look up and down especially in here!).

And there’s the once-secret meeting room of the Society of Adventurers and Explorers or S.E.A. .

We were seated in the Crew Mess Hall! This is the first room you enter and the largest of the three. As you can see, most of the seating area contains standard tables and chairs and some booths .

We love sitting in any of the dining rooms but the main room certainly feels lively!

Another fun aspect is that your server will actually be a Jungle Cruise Skipper ! So, in addition to serving up “World Famous Jungle Cuisine,” you’ll probably also get served some JOKES. Truth be told, Skippers can vary wildly here. We’ve had some just NOT breaking character and letting the dad-jokes rip the entire meal (love it!) and other times that the “Skipperiness” is barely detectable. Basically, your mileage may vary with your server.

If you have a moment before or after your meal, we DEFINITELY recommend walking around and taking a look at some of the hidden details and jokes around the restaurant — like that barrel full of the backside of water!

And remember to HAVE FUN! Your host, server, and even food runners might have some fun bits and jokes for you. Plus, it’s a relaxed atmosphere that still has dynamite food offerings.

Speaking of dynamite food offerings, we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. Or afoot of ourselves. (They’re not all winners, folks!)

As we’ve seen at most table service restaurants in Disney World at this time, the menu is available through a QR Code . Paper menus are available upon request.

At our table, we were given a cloth napkin and utensils .

As we’ve said, the Skipper Canteen menu is pretty unique. You’ve got four appetizer options. We’ve had lots of servers recommend the Falls Family Falafel in the past.

Skipper Canteen Menu

As for entrees, the Perkins Thai Noodles are a favorite of ours. For more adventurous eaters there’s the oddly NOT fun-named Sustainable Fish (it IS noted as “not piranha” sooo…). This is one or two (depends on what’s available) WHOLE fried fish. If you don’t mind picking through a lot of bones, this is quite good. We’re going to try something a little different today though! You’ll have to keep reading to find out what!

And here’s a glance at desserts. If you didn’t pick up on it from looking at the menu, you should definitely keep an eye out for jokes here as well! The whole menu is loaded with them!

Even the kids’ meal options are more on the adventurous side!

Skipper Canteen has a variety of beverage options including a few signature cocktails. The Schweitzer Slush is great for kids (created by famed explorer Dr. Albert…Slush!). They USED to have some really great souvenir cups here that the two specialty beverages were served in. We haven’t seen these offered for a while now.

And, being a table service restaurant in Magic Kingdom , there is a selection of beer and wine. You can also find those great sangrias here still!

Today, we opted to try the Jungle Navigation Co. Shandy cocktail for $10 . This drink is an interesting mix of Blue Moon Belgium White Ale and Simply Lemonade .

Jungle Navigation Co. Shandy

This was nice and refreshing! There were some citrus hints but they weren’t overwhelming. Overall, it was a very enjoyable twist on a shandy but not as sweet as one made with Sprite. If you enjoy citrus beers, this is a fun drink to try that goes down easy! Well- you know what they say…safari, so good-ee. So I guess we’ll be moving on to our meal!

Our first appetizer was the Jungle Green Salad for $10 . Be warned, this salad comes right from the depths of the jungle! At least, that’s what the menu says anyway.

Jungle Green Salad

This salad is made with Skipper Bill’s Iceberg Wedge with Shishito Peppers, Radish, Hearts of Palm, Cucumbers, and Pistachios with an Ají Pepper-Yogurt Dressing .

The hearts of palm were nice and salty and added a great tanginess to the salad. The shishito had a little bit of a kick, but nothing too crazy. If you’re totally spice averse, you might not like them but we did!

The dressing was a little spicy as well but there wasn’t very much of it so the vegetables and lettuce helped to cool the heat. We liked the kick in the dressing but weren’t the biggest fans of the yogurt flavors. Note that this salad does have nuts!

Our other appetizer was the ever-recommended Falls Family Falafel for $10 .

Falls Family Falafel

This is a “secret recipe” of Chickpeas, Garlic, Onions, Lemon Juice, and Herbs served with House-made Edamame Hummus and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds .

For a plant-based dish, this was FULL of flavor and so, so tasty! It wasn’t too spicy and we loved the crunch from the pumpkin seeds. Plus, it was filling! This option could easily be a light entree for someone or great for sharing.

The falafel was flavorful and honestly, kind of reminded us of hushpuppies. We could mostly taste the onion and the lemon. Our reporter is a big garlic fan and her only wish was for MORE GARLIC.

Both of the appetizers were great portion sizes. We will say that for most appetizer options (and the rest of the menu, TBH), you need to be comfy with adventurous flavors. They are very fun and bold! We think plant-based eaters will especially appreciate these options. Too often Disney’s plant-based options seem a bit like they were trying too hard to cram a plant-based anything on the menu. But this is something plant and meat-eaters alike would genuinely enjoy — we did!

Alright, on to the entrees! First up, we’ve got the “Hardy Har Char” Siu Pork for $25 .

“Hardy Har Char” Siu Pork

This dish is Char Siu-marinated Pork served with Seasonal Vegetables and Jasmine Rice and it was HUGE.

This one wasn’t spicy as it had more of a sweet barbecue-like sauce. Think more like a VERY red sweet and sour sauce. The serving was four BIG pieces of pork, a big ol’ pile of jasmine rice, and those seasonal veggies. We had bok choy which was lightly seasoned and a nice addition to the dish. In the past we’ve had broccolini with this dish as well.

The rice was cooked perfectly and the bok choy was simply done so that you could really taste its natural flavors. Grab a bite of pork with the rice and you’re set with some awesome flavors. The pork is mega flavorful and well-seasoned. Would now be a good time to mention that Skipper Canteen is sponsored in part by the hippo farmers of America? Hippo: The other-other white meat.

We would also note that the pork might be the safest bet on the menu for picky eaters. The sauce is sweet and nothing is overly seasoned so it may be better for pickier palettes.

Aaaand our other option was the Curried Vegetable Crew Stew for $19 . According to the menu, it’s “a favorite of the Crew Stew Crew (especially Stu).”

Curried Vegetable Crew Stew

Expect bites of Seasonal Vegetables and Pineapple Tofu in a House-made Curry Sauce served with Coconut Rice . And, yep, it’s a plant-based dish!

There was a little kick to the curry, but it wasn’t overwhelming. We spotted cauliflower, carrots, haricot verts, red bell pepper, and pineapple chunks as our seasonal vegetables and they were super flavorful and delicious.

The coconut sticky rice was OUT OF THIS WORLD. We loved the slight coconut flavor and it almost had a creamy texture with a nuttiness that was amazing. The green onions were a nice touch too. We could’ve just eaten a big ol’ bowl of this rice. We want the recipe!!!

The tofu was lightly fried and had a fun pineapple flavor that we enjoyed and the Methi bread was awesome. We could eat that bread all day long. If you’re looking for a fun and unique dish, try the stew! We would definitely order it again. Again, another thoughtfully-crafted plant-based dish. Score another one for Skipper Canteen!

For dessert, we had Panna-Connie’s Congo Lime Delight for $9 .

Panna-Connie’s Congo Lime Delight

This unique treat is a Lime “Panna Cotta” served with Mango-Lime Sorbet and Fresh Fruit . And it’s the finale of what turned out to be our almost entirely plant-based meal (minus the pork 😉).

The sorbet was delicious. It was sweet and tart with little candied lime zest on top. The panna cotta was VERY tart, almost to the point that it needed more sugar. It didn’t have the sweetness we were looking for to balance the sour.

The lime flavor mostly came through in the aftertaste and it was pretty fresh and cool — it just could’ve been a little sweeter! The sugar crumble was yummy so we would’ve loved more of that too. If you really love citrus this will hit the spot, but you might want something sweeter for dessert too. Panna cotta fans will enjoy this, especially if they don’t mind a little tart. It was a good portion so it could be easily shared!

And now, probably the most dangerous part of our journey- the return to civilization! I certainly hope you’ve enjoyed our cruise, err, meal. Make sure you have all personal belongings with you… cameras, purses, small children… anything left on board will be thrown screaming to the elephants. 😉

Nosh or Not

You SHOULD eat at Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen if…

• You are looking for a fun atmosphere or LOVE the Jungle Cruise. The theming at this spot is absolutely amazing and fans of the Jungle Cruise or a more immersive dining experience will probably have a blast!
• You enjoy more adventurous flavors and dishes. Magic Kingdom is not known for its revolutionary or adventurous options in general, but Skipper Canteen has some of the more unique plates in Disney World.
• You’re a plant-based eater (or don’t mind skipping the meat). Skipper Canteen has a very wide variety of actually QUITE good plant-based options compared to most Disney World restaurants.

You should SKIP Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen if…

• You don’t have a lot of time. Skipper Canteen can be a longer dining experience so if you only have one day in Magic Kingdom, you may want to skip it. Head to a quick service location instead!
• You have picky eaters in your group. Skipper Canteen is not a very easy spot to take picky eaters. The options are mostly unique and very flavorful!
• You want to eat outside. Skipper Canteen does have very neat dining spaces — but they’re all indoors!

We absolutely love dining at Skipper Canteen. The food is adventurous and tasty, the service is playful, and we can’t help but LOVE every single Jungle Cruise-inspired detail. Whether you’re looking for a great bite or a great belly laugh, you’ll leave Skipper Canteen smiling and happy.

We’re not sure we’ve ever had a bad meal here and the atmosphere is so light and carefree. There is a lot to look at all around the restaurant and the unique food makes for a super fun dining experience. You might walk right past this Adventureland joint but you really shouldn’t! Sure, skip Skipper Canteen if you have a busy day or a party full of picky eaters; but if you have time to sit and don’t mind more adventurous flavors, you should consider making this reservation a part of your plans!

Overall, we love this place. The atmosphere and the food are amazing and the Cast Members are so hilarious and kind. We’ve never felt rushed here and a Skipper Canteen meal is very relaxing. Do note, the prices are on the high side for some items (but also, they’re not TOO bad by Disney standards!), but you could split a few dishes and still get to enjoy the awesome vibes.

We’ll certainly be back at Skipper Canteen and you know we make a habit of visiting all the other restaurants in Disney World too! Well folks, we’ve laughed. We’ve cried. We’ve almost died! I love you like family. Now go away. I’m sorry, that was rude. Please go away. 😉

Click here to see another review of Skipper Canteen!

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June 3, 2021 at 1:37 pm

I LOVE this restaurant!! I’m a very picky eater and you’re right, the pork is the perfect option. It’s simple but very flavorful without being spicy. And if you love chocolate, I highly recommend the Kungaloosh! for dessert, it’s truly amazing!

June 3, 2021 at 5:07 pm

Sounds interesting, but also sounds like it is an hour plus dining adventure. Don’t know if I could allocate that much time to dining when it is so expensive just to get into the park.

June 3, 2021 at 8:28 pm

It’s always a good idea to ask about secret menu items – currently, it’s cheese bread balls served with a pesto cream sauce. Soooo good!

June 4, 2021 at 8:39 am

yep, this is a great place to eat, found it a few years back when every other table service was booked, I travel in a scooter and the staff was very helpful. THE FOOD was GREAT

July 13, 2021 at 11:04 pm

The food is so good!!! I was there last week with my family and they loved it too!!!

Greetings from Texas!!!

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Break out the tissues, jungle cruise skipper has emotional last ride.

Posted by: Krysten Swensen May 9, 2024

Are you ready, ladies and gentlemen, to see something truly spectacular? Here it is, the eighth wonder of the world — the backside of water! O2H, O2H, O2H!

Okay, so is the backside of water truly the eighth wonder of the world? No. But when you ride Walt Disney’s World Famous Jungle Cruise, it sure as heck is.

Credit: Disneyland Resort

Related: Disney’s Iconic Jungle Cruise Attraction Gets an Update

Whether you ride the Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom, Disneyland Park, Hong Kong Disney, or Tokyo Disneyland, the attraction — and its corny jokes — never gets old. However, it’s not really the jokes that make the ride what it is , but the talented and friendly cast members who deliver the zingers in the most perfect way.

A great Jungle Cruise Skipper can really make or break the ride, and for one group, their Skipper made their night unforgettable.

Credit: Disney

Richard Barnes recently visited the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort. He rode the Jungle Cruise, where his Skipper’s name was Maddie. Maddie did a fantastic job, but at the end of their journey, she began to get emotional.

Maddie shared that Richard’s group was her last group of guests, and this was her last night working on the ride. She was a part of the Disney College Program, and her time there had come to an end. The entire boat applauded Maddie and the fantastic job she did , causing the tears to flow.

Maddie made Richard’s experience so incredible that he couldn’t help but share the magical and heartwarming moment.

Last night the Jungle Cruise was our last ride of the night before closing. Skipper Maddie emotionally announced that we were her final guests and this was her last ride as er College Program had come to an end.  The Jungle Cruise has been my favorite attraction since the park opened and Skipper Maddie gave us the best experience we have ever had on the ride which ended in tears and cheering from all onboard. If anyone knows Skipper Maddie please let her know she will always be the most memorable and our most favorite Skipper we ever had. We need more cast members like Maddie. I think Walt would be very proud. 

Credit: Walt Disney World Annual Passholders Facebook

Related: Walt Disney World’s Most Complimented Cast Member Continues to Deliver Magical Memories

Disney Dining spoke with Mr. Barnes, and he could not say enough good things about Maddie. He said that she is a cast member who truly cares and reminded him of why he fell in love with Disney parks in the first place. He also said that she is a cast member others should aspire to and thanked her again for the memorable trip.

If you are visiting either Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort and have a fantastic interaction with a cast member, there is a way to let Disney know ! You can go into your My Disney Experience or Disneyland Resort mobile apps and leave a cast member compliment. Disney will ask for the cast member’s name, what area they work in, and a couple of other details to correctly identify the person.

Cast members who receive a lot of cast compliments will receive special recognition from Disney, and you can truly make their day brighter by acknowledging how hard they work.

Great job, Maddie! We are sure that everyone will miss you and the amazing job you did aboard Disney’s World-Famous Jungle Cruise!

About Krysten Swensen

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Jungle Cruise

The Jungle Cruise is an iconic attraction that has survived the test of time. Opening with Disneyland in 1955 it’s been operating for over 66 years. It has been so successful that the ride has been replicated to multiple Disney parks.

Originally inspired by Walt Disney’s True Life Adventure series and the movie African Queen it appealed the ideas of exploration and discovery of the 1960’s.

In 2021 both the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Jungle Cruise rides were reimagined. The Imagineers took advantage to incorporate more S.E.A. references into the attraction.

Attractions

Walt disney world.

Image from WDWMagic

Update 20/07/2021 - Some of the S.E.A. logos have been removed from the queue.

Image from MousePlanetAVP

Hong Kong Disneyland

In 2015 Hong Kong Disneyland created a S.E.A. based Jungle Cruise overlay - Curse of the Emerald Trinity . It introduced us to Professor Garrett Reed .

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The skippers are a broad group of characters from the Jungle Cruise . They are traditionally the roles of the cast-members assumed in Jungle Cruise attractions.

• 1 Description
• 3.1 Background
• 3.2 Development history
• 4.1.1.1 Skipper School
• 4.1.2 Main Street Cinema
• 4.1.3 Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar
• 4.1.4 Tropical Hideaway
• 4.2.1 Horrors of the Amazon
• 4.2.2.1 Jungle River Cruise: Curse of the Emerald Trinity
• 4.2.2.2 Jungle River Cruise: Pirate Takeover!
• 4.3.1 Jungle Cruise: Wildlife Expeditions
• 4.3.2 Skipper's Galley
• 4.4.1 Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar
• 4.4.2.1 Jingle Cruise
• 4.4.3 Magic of Disney Animation
• 4.4.4 Shrunken Ned's Junior Jungle Boats
• 4.4.5 Skipper Canteen
• 4.4.6 Virtual Jungle Cruise
• 5.1.1 Jungle Cruise
• 5.2 Paraphernalia
• 5.3.1 Jungle Cruise Adventure Game
• 5.4.1 Disney Parks Presents: Jungle Cruise
• 5.4.2 Skipper Survival Guide
• 5.5.1 Kinect: Disneyland Adventures
• 8 References

Description [ ]

"Skipper" is used to refer to riverboat pilots in the Jungle Cruise. Typically, these skippers are sailors of the Jungle Navigation Company . In most parks, the skippers are characterized as inept, incompetent and sometimes outright corrupt but with a sly and/or campy sense of humour. Their main occupation comes from guiding the JNC's, "Jungle Cruise" tours on the Rivers of Adventure . The skippers are typically shown wearing khaki clothing with fedoras, sometimes decorated with leopard-print bands and emblems of the Jungle Navigation Company.

Skippers [ ]

• Admiral Bartholomew Wrongway : Wrongway was a guest skipper of the JNC in 1938.
• Albert Awol : Albert Awol was a skipper who by 1938 became the voice of AWOL Airwaves on the Disney Broadcasting Company .
• Al B. Lost : Al B. Lost was eccentric skipper of The Amazon Queen .
• Cap'n Kevin : Kevin was a capable skipper who was awarded the, "Dr. Albert Falls Memorial Award for Jungle Excellence" in 1928. Kevin had an apparent intimate relationship with the mystic JNC affiliate, Trader Sam .
• Captain Daniel :
• Col. Brody :
• Charlie Allnut : Charlie Allnut was an avid boatsman in East-Africa during World War I . He would have some connection to the JNC's affairs, piloting their boat the Zambezi Miss alongside his wife Rose Sayer .
• Felix Pechman XIII : This was a man from Silver Springs , Florida who was plagued with bad luck. He was hired around the year 1938 where he would lose a V.I.P. safari and be attacked by a black rhino .
• Frank "Skipper" Wolff : Francisco Lopez de Heredia was a mixed-race 16th century conquistador who was cursed with immortality and a binding to the Amazon rainforest by the Puka Michuna tribe for the crimes of his superior, Lope de Aguirre . By 1916 he was a jungle navigation company, "Skipper" going by the name of Frank Wolff in Porto Velho .
• Jack : The skipper who piloted the Mekong Maiden around the mid 1930s.
• Jay Friesner : Friesner was a dock-crew skipper who was dubbed skipper of the year in 1938.
• Jonas Brisbane : Jonas Brisbane was a skipper of the JNC who desired membership in the Society of Explorers and Adventurers , an international colonial organization. To impress the society, he pillaged the Amazon rainforest and showed off stolen treasures, captured creatures and the grave-robbed corpse of a witch-doctor . Brisbane was punished for his crimes by the resurrected witch-doctor who seemingly spirited him away.
• Kungaloosh Kate :
• Prof. Robert :
• Richard Reyes : Reyes was a skipper at the Skipper Canteen who was named Skipper of the Year in 1938. [1]
• Skip Dockmonkey : Skip Dockmonkey was a jokester skipper for the JNC infamous for his negligence and disastrous accidents. Somehow, he rose up the ranks of the company and became manager.
• Skipper Abigail : A skipper who won the 3rd annual All River Canoe Race in 1937.
• Skipper Adam : Adam was a Jungle Navigation Company skipper at the Amazon River Base in 1938. He was known for (attempting to) maintain plants.
• Skipper Alex : Recipient of the Dr. Albert Falls Memorial Award for Jungle Excellence.
• Skipper Alice:
• Skipper Amy: Recipient of the Dr. Albert Falls Memorial Award for Jungle Excellence Official Honorary Skippers.
• Skipper Anna : Skipper Anna was victor of the 1938 annual poem competition with her poem, "Banana in the Savanna".
• Skipper April :
• Skipper Arthur : During the Holiday season of 1938, was mentioned over the radio as travelling to the North Pole.
• Skipper Becka : Becka was victor of the 17th Annual Amazon 3,977 River Race .
• Skipper Ben : Skipper Ben was a skipper at the Amazon River Base in 1938 and had a New year's resolution to, "Eat more".
• Skipper Beth : Skipper Beth was a skipper in the 1930s who got lost in the jungle, leading to her asking Santa for a new compass. [2]
• Skipper Bill : The head of plant-studies at the JNC's headquarters.
• Skipper Bob : A Wildlife Expeditions skipper who took, " Friends of the Jungle " Marc and Alice down the river one November and encouraged them to abandon crocodile-skin products.
• Skipper Brennan : This was a skipper involved in the Disney film, "The Jungle Cruise".
• Skipper Brian : Skipper Brian was a skipper at the Amazon River Base in 1938. He considered himself to be unfunny and was recipricantt of, "The Dr. Albert Falls Award for Jungle Excellence Official Honorary Skippers". [3]
• Skipper Carl : Carl was a skipper who got married in 1938. While originally he planned his bachelor party to be in the African elephant staging-grounds, it was instead moved to the Indian elephant bathing pool .
• Skipper Casey : Skipper Casey was a skipper in 1938 who worked in the Amazon River Base. They had a fear of the company's customers though they wished to overcome this.
• Skipper Claire: Recipient of the Dr. Albert Falls Memorial Award for Jungle Excellence.
• Skipper Dan : Skipper Dan was a frequently alluded to skipper, who may have been a failed actor/comedian.
• Skipper Dave : Skipper Dave was a JNC skipper who was also a correspondent for the colonial newspaper, The Daily Gnus . Around the summer of 1936, he was amongst the JNC skippers competing to find, "Adventureland's Funniest Joke".
• Skipper Dottie : A woman in 1933 who performed repairs on boats such as the Amazon Annie .
• Skipper Doug : Skipper Doug was considered the resident gourmet of the Jungle Navigation Company.
• Skipper George :
• Skipper Gerry : [4]
• Skipper Greg : Greg was a skipper in 1934 who provoked a swan resulting in, "The Bird Incident of 1934".
• Skipper Kim : Skipper Kim was a skipper of some status, active by 1938.
• Skipper Phil : A skipper in 1937 who created models of airplanes.
• Skipper Harper : A cartographer who worked in the JNC headquarters.
• Skipper Jason :
• Skipper Jennifer : A woman skipper and clown who worked in 1933.
• Skipper Joe : Skipper Joe was victor of the 1935, " K.P. Rafferty All-Skipper Pun Championship".
• Skipper John : Skipper John was an eccentric skipper who worked for the Jungle Navigation Company in the early half of the 20th century. He is a fictional counterpart to the real-world John Lasseter .
• Skipper Jonathan : Victor of the 1937 River League Hose Run Big Derby .
• Skipper Karl : Karl was once named, "Rookie of the Year".
• Skipper Kaz : Kaz was victor of the, " Smiley 's Chili Croc Cookoff" with their dish, “3 Bean Ginger Delight".
• Skipper Lisa : Skipper Lisa was a JNC skipper at the Amazon River Base in 1938. She had the New Year's Resolution to read more. [5]
• Skipper Leilani : A skipper who won the 3rd annual All River Canoe Race in 1937.
• Skipper Marc : The head of animal-studies at JNC headquarters.
• Skipper Marge : Marge was a black woman skipper who repaired engines in 1937.
• Skipper Mary Kate : Mary Kate was a skipper at the Amazon River Base in 1938. She had a low, "Passenger Return Rate" and had a New Year's resolution about wanting to improve it to 75%.
• Skipper Mikee : This skipper worked at the Amazon River Base in 1938. He was illiterate with poor writing skills.
• Skipper Missy : Skipper Missy was the sister of Albert Awol and an announcer for the Global Broadcasting Service in 1938.
• Skipper Miquel : Skipper Miquel worked for the Jungle Air Mail Service with birds such as Amelia , Wiley and Flash in 1935.
• Skipper Nico : The winner of the 1937 River League Bubble Gum event.
• Skipper Pam : Recipient of the Dr. Albert Falls Memorial Award for Jungle Excellence.
• Skipper Phil : A Skipper who built models.
• Skipper Ron : Skipper Ron was a skipper at the Amazon River Base in 1938.
• Skipper "Runaway" Robert : Skipper at the Amazon River Base. Robert was found to be slightly eccentric, stating his time in the JNC to be over 13 years. However, records show he was only a skipper in the year 1938.
• Skipper Sammy :
• Skipper Selena :
• Skipper Shane :
• Skipper Shaun : Shaun was winner of the 1937 Adventureland Film Festival with his film, "A Bigger Bote". In 1935, he moved to Hollywood and attempted to pitch a Jungle Cruise motion picture.
• Skipper Shawn: Recipient of the Dr. Albert Falls Memorial Award for Jungle Excellence.
• Skipper Shelly : A skipper who won the 3rd annual All River Canoe Race in 1937.
• Skipper Steve: Recipient of the Dr. Albert Falls Memorial Award for Jungle Excellence Official Honorary Skippers.
• Skipper Will : A skipper who illustrated menus for the Skipper Canteen.
• Skipper Winston : Skipper Winston was a skipper, historically affiliated with the Jungle Navigation Company's, "First joke".
• Skipper X : Skipper X was a food-critic for The Daily Gnus newspaper.
• Skipper Zander : Zander was a skipper at the Amazon River Base in 1938. He had quit school but regretted this action during his career as a colonial skipper.
• Walt Disney : An alternate-history Walt Disney is sometimes referenced as having been a skipper, typically adorned in a grey suit and white naval-cap. This fictionalized Disney has assorted connections to the Jungle Cruise and Jungle Navigation Company including being shown as a member of the JNC's founding families or being referenced as a JNC employee as, "W.E.D.".
• Wayne Szalinski : An eccentric scientist during the 1980s-1990s who used a time-machine to transport guests back in time for river-rafting jungle tours of the Age of Dinosaurs.

History [ ]

Background [ ], development history [ ].

Skippers used to have the nickname of, " Jungle Bunnies ". [6]

Appearances [ ]

Disneyland [ ], jungle cruise [ ].

The skippers are the tours of this attraction. Skipper Pechman XIII also appears in the African veldt.

Skipper School [ ]

This was an interactive live-show performed when the ride was being refurbished. [7]

Main Street Cinema [ ]

The JNC is indirectly referenced in a posting from the Disneyland Casting Agency . Said posting asks for jungle skippers to assist in Jungle Cruise services and to apply under, "T. Sam" (Trader Sam). [8]

Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar [ ]

The employees of this bar are referred to as, "Skippers". There are also several photos, letters and other references to the Skippers in Trader Sam's possession. One of the drinks is called the, "Skipper Sipper" with a description saying it will unfortunately cause those who drink it to join the ranks of a skipper. [9]

Tropical Hideaway [ ]

The JNC skippers can be seen from the terrace of this dining-service. The menus will have, "Skipper's Tip" suggestions. [10]

Hong Kong Disneyland [ ]

Horrors of the amazon [ ].

JNC skipper Jonas Brisbane was the protagonist of this attraction.

Jungle River Cruise [ ]

Skippers serve as the tour-guides for this attraction.

Jungle River Cruise: Curse of the Emerald Trinity [ ]

In this overlay, the skipper stole one of the three jewels of the Emerald Trinity from the Temple of Immortality . Before they can escape with the jewel, the deities within the Canyon of the Gods reclaim the jewel and attempt to kill the skipper who makes a narrow escape.

Jungle River Cruise: Pirate Takeover! [ ]

In this overlay, the skippers ran tours attacked by pirates.

Tokyo Disneyland [ ]

Jungle cruise: wildlife expeditions [ ].

The skippers are tour-guides of this attraction. Here, they have more of an ecological focus and have three magical medallions called the Tiger of Courage , Elephant of Wisdom and Monkey of Cleverness

Skipper's Galley [ ]

This dining-service is named after the skippers. In the backstory, it is a dining-service which was opened by a Jungle Cruise skipper. [11]

Walt Disney World [ ]

Jock lindsey's hangar bar [ ].

Jock Lindsey's flight-log mentions being taken to see Schweitzer Falls by a skipper, likely in the 1940s.

The skippers are the hosts of this attraction. Skipper Pechman XIII also appears in the African veldt.

Jingle Cruise [ ]

In this overlay of the attraction, the skippers where khaki-coloured Santa hats. In the backstory, the JNC transported a large amount of holiday decor for its bases as the company's skippers are homesick during the holidays. This cargo was scattered throughout the jungle due to a cargo plane mishap.

Magic of Disney Animation [ ]

The fictional film, " The Jungle Cruise " had Skipper Lassetter and Skipper Brennan on its cast-list.

Shrunken Ned's Junior Jungle Boats [ ]

This attraction was themed to being a training-service for future skippers run by the Jungle Expedition Skipper Training School .

Skipper Canteen [ ]

This restaurant is named after the skippers and themed to being the JNC's headquarters.

Virtual Jungle Cruise [ ]

A CGI male skipper representation of Dr. Wayne Szalinski from Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) appeared in this attraction as skipper, dressed in a blue shirt and pith helmet . Using a time-travel, "Gizmo", he brought guests to the time of the dinosaurs only to lose his device along the rivers, and race to get it back before the guests died in the KT Extinction event.

In other media [ ]

The skippers are the inspiration for Frank Wolff in this film.

Paraphernalia [ ]

The enchanted tiki room & the adventurous jungle cruise [ ].

Thurl Ravenscroft portrayed a skipper in this vintage recording.

Jungle Cruise Adventure Game [ ]

Guests assume the roles of skippers in this board-game.

Printed materials [ ]

Disney parks presents: jungle cruise [ ].

Skipper John is narrator of this book.

Skipper Survival Guide [ ]

Video-games [ ], kinect: disneyland adventures [ ].

The skipper Al B. Lost is the guide for players in the Jungle Cruise mini games.

• It should be noted that the employees of Disney Parks portraying the skippers are often grossly underpaid with their income not supporting basic living-conditions, and their work requirements often involving poor work-conditions. [12] [13] [14] [15]
• Like other Disney parks employees, it is customary for the skippers to point using two fingers. This is as many depictions of Walt Disney in the parks had to edit out his chain-smoking, making it appear as if he was using a two-fingered point.
• Actor Kevin Costner once worked as a skipper.
• Skippers are one of the few instances of cast-members in a Disney attraction being central to the property's story and iconography. The other most notable instance would be the bellhops in the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
• Being employed by the JNC after crashing in the Congo aboard a plane .
• Being, "In-laws" with the gorilla troop.
• Having lost an expedition to the Umbala Tribe.
• Partaking in cannibalistic meals with Trader Sam and Chief Nah-mee, often eating his family-members.
• Complaining about woman drivers in California .
• Suggesting men leave their mothers-in-laws on the boat to be fed to crocodiles.
• Mentioning training the piranhas to be trained as woman-eating.
• Suggesting men ship their mothers-in-laws into the jungle as a JNC service.
• As a publicity stunt for the Jungle Cruise film, actors Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Emily Blunt acted as, "Guest-skippers" for the Jungle Cruise with Jack Whitehall feeding them dialogue. [16]
• The Universal Studios attraction Jaws also had skippers, possibly as an allusion to the Jungle Cruise.

Gallery [ ]

References [ ]

• ↑ https://insidethemagic.net/2019/11/jungle-cruise-skippers-honored-magic-kingdom-bb1/
• ↑ https://www.mousesteps.com/2020/11/10/jingle-cruise-photos-and-video-2020-at-magic-kingdom/
• ↑ https://allears.net/dining/photos/skipper-canteen/interior/
• ↑ https://allears.net/2023/08/23/25-things-you-didnt-know-about-jungle-cruise-in-disney-world/wdw-2023-mk-magic-kingdom-jungle-cruise-hidden-details-secrets-34/
• ↑ https://blogmickey.com/2023/11/100-photos-jingle-cruise-holiday-overlay-returns-to-jungle-cruise-for-2023-holiday-season-at-magic-kingdom/
• ↑ https://d23.com/5-fascinating-facts-disney-legend-bill-sullivan/
• ↑ https://insidethemagic.net/2016/01/video-jungle-cruise-skippers-host-skipper-school-in-disneylands-adventureland-during-rides-refurbishment/
• ↑ http://www.mainstgazette.com/2016/07/now-casting.html
• ↑ https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2015/04/12/review-trader-sams-grog-grotto-and-tiki-terrace-at-disney-worlds-polynesian-village-resort/
• ↑ https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2018/12/19/first-look-welcome-to-the-tropical-hideaway-in-disneylands-adventureland-opening-friday/
• ↑ https://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/tdl/restaurant/detail/331/
• ↑ https://insidethemagic.net/2022/04/disney-cast-members-underpaid-pay-gap-study-finds-ab1/
• ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/dec/08/florida-disney-employees-higher-wages-cost-of-living-soars
• ↑ https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-dreier-flaming-disneyland-employee-survey-20180228-story.html
• ↑ https://www.newsweek.com/disneyland-resort-workers-paid-so-little-they-struggle-afford-food-and-risk-824309
• ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjU7TkLaSo8
• 1 Lope de Aguirre
• 2 List of Secrets and Easter Eggs in Trader Sam's
• 3 Frank Wolff

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The Disney Jungle Cruise Spiel

The Disney Jungle Cruise Spiel:

We have made this list in an effort to preserve the many hundreds of witty jokes that have been “spieled” on Disney’s Jungle Cruise for the last 60+ years since Disneyland opened. Many of the very best lines are lost over time as even the official Disney scripts change every few years. We hope that this will be a permanent repository for some of the best (and worst) humor ever delivered in the “Tropical rivers of the world.” Did we miss a joke? Join us and share it! We’ll add it !

Those of you adventurers entering the world-famous Jungle Cruise, please notice there are two lines, one on the right and the other on the left. If you’d like to keep your family together, please stay in the same line. However, if there is someone in your family you’d like to get rid of, just put them in the opposite line and you’ll never see them again.

Ladies and gentlemen, your attention, please. Would the party that lost the roll of 50 $20.00 bills, wrapped in a red rubber band, please report to the turnstile … we have good news for you. We found your rubber band.

To speed things up, we ask that you tell the loaders — the men who will be helping you into the boats — how many there are in your party. For instance, if there are four people in your party, say “Hi, Mr. Smiling Boat Loader, there are four people in my party…” and he will save you four seats. If there are eight people in your party, say ” Hi, Mr. Smiling Boat Loader, there are eight people in my party…” and he will save you four seats.

Those of you who have just entered the Jungle Cruise are probably resigned to the fact that, being at the end of the line, you have a long wait. Well, we aim to please here at the world-famous Jungle Cruise. So, on the count of three, I want everyone to turn around. One … Two … Three. There- those at the back of the line are now at the front. Doesn’t that make you feel better?

Your attention, please. We do not allow cutting in line here at the world-famous Jungle Cruise. Anyone caught with a pair of scissors will be asked to leave.

There are 87 varieties of poisonous snakes on the North American continent. We at the Jungle Cruise are proud of the fact that we have 82 of these varieties in the wooden rafters directly over your heads. Fear not, though, they will NOT attack a moving target, so please try to keep the line moving. If the line won’t move, simply run in place.

Today only, ladies and gentlemen, we will be allowing veterans to board the world-famous Jungle Cruise without waiting… veterans of the Civil War, that is, in full dress uniforms, accompanied by their great grand parents and their horse. Everyone else will have to wait in line.

Some of our scouts here at the world-famous Jungle Cruise claim they have spotted tigers in the waiting area the last couple of days. But we know that’s ridiculous. After all, tigers are striped, not spotted.

We have some pretty smart animals back in the jungle. Take monkeys, for example. You ask them to name one of their relatives, and they go ape. And snakes, they’re pretty clever too. Ask them what the 19th letter of the alphabet is and they’ll say S-S-S-S-S. Tigers are known for their intelligence, but you can’t trust them. Yeah, you never know when they might be a lyin’ (lion). But I think rhinoceroses are by far the smartest animals in the jungle. Just last week, I asked what four minus four is, and he said nothing.

Adventurers and adventurettes, horseplay is not allowed while waiting to board the world-famous Jungle Cruise. If you want to play with your horse, you’ll have to do it elsewhere. We do, however, allow you to monkey around in line just as long as you don’t go bananas.

It’s a four-hour wait from there. Have you been upstairs yet?

Other Assorted Jokes:

What do you get when you cross an elephant with a rhinoceros? Eckiphino. Well, that’s not really what you get, but you must understand, this is a family attraction.

Why did the elephant ride on the Jungle Cruise? Frankly, I don’t know, but I wish someone would find out- he’s sunk five of our boats in the last week alone.

Why did the ape get a job? He was tired of monkeying around. Why did the elephant quit his job? He was tired of working for peanuts.

Knock, Knock… Who’s there? … Toucan. … Toucan Who? … Toucan not fit through the turnstiles at the same time.

Knock, Knock… Who’s there? … Safari. … Safari Who? … Safari, so good. You’ll be on the Jungle Cruise in just a few minutes.

Boat Loading:

That cushion in that back of the boat is actually a whoopee cushion. Don’t believe me, go ahead sit down. (People sit, Skipper makes farting sound over PA.) How embarrassing and in front of people you don’t even know.

(To the boat loader) So how does that new vacuum of yours work? Boat loader: It sucks!

Watch your step as you enter the boat. If you’re entering from the back, come up to the front. If you’re in the front, just follow the simple instructions of your simple-minded loader.

Please listen to the boat loaders. They used to work in a sardine factory until they got canned. They didn’t mind too much though- they worked for scale.

Come all the way to the front- up by me. There’s no truth to the rumor that you get a longer ride in back.

Slide all the way forward now… That’s the only way we have of keeping the cushions clean!

Some of you might want to come up and sit on our sacrificial altar (pointing to the center cushion). We like to balance out the boat so when we sink, we go down evenly.

Please move in together as close as possible and try to cover up all of the blue seat cushions. There have been extensive scientific studies that have proven that the color blue attracts deadly flying piranhas. (Using color of boat for blue.)

Please remember that the tighter you get the better the heating system on the boat works.

(As people load in the back) There’s no dancing in the back there, folks… no dancing… you will have to be seated. Dancing is only allowed on the promenade deck.

If you could just sit in the doorway there- it keeps the wild animals out and the chickens and turkeys in.

I get paid for the number of people I take out… not the number I bring back!

Don’t worry if it’s crowded now… there’ll be lots of room on the way back.

How many of you are on the Jungle Cruise for the first time? Good! So am I.

Let’s get one thing straight… if we start to sink, the captain will be going down with the boat. I’d like you to meet your new captain (looking at nearby guest)… What did you say your name was?

Those of you sitting in the back are going to get a charge out of this trip. Yeah- you’re sitting on thebattery. Some people find that revolting, but I think that there is a positive and negative side to everything. Shocking, isn’t it.

Pulling away from the dock:

Were out of here like a bad LA football team.

Well, folks, there’s the Jungle, and as Captain EO used to say (in a high voice) “Fire up the thrusters! We’re going in!”

Welcome aboard the Leaki Tiki. Adventure lovers, my name is (name) and I’ll be your captain- unless we run into trouble- in which case your new captain will be taking over. (Looking at nearby guest)… What did you say your name was?

Hello, everyone. I’d like to welcome you aboard the world-famous Jungle Cruise. My name is (name) and I’ll be your skipper for as far as we get.

Hello, everyone, and welcome aboard the Jungle Cruise. My name is (name), and I’ll be your skipper, guide, social director, and dance instructor for the next three months.

Hello everyone and welcome aboard the World famous Jungle Cruise. My name is (name) and I’ll be your SKIPPER today — on a three hour tour. (pause) On a three hour tour. (the last line should sound like the gilligan’s island song a bit more than the first one)

Where are you from (sir/madam)? (Guest answers) Sorry? (Guest repeats) Oh- I heard you the first time, I was just sorry.

Everyone turn around and wave good-bye to the folks back on the dock… They may never see you again.

Now, let’s everyone turn around and wave good-bye to those people on the dock we’ve left behind. (In low voice) Come on folks… pretend like you’re having a good time.

OK… before we go much further, everyone raise your right hand and repeat after me. “I hope…. we do return.” Good! Better turn and take one last look at the dock- you may never see it again!

Before I came to the Jungle, I worked in an orange juice factory, but I got canned because I couldn’t concentrate. My boss almost beat the pulp out of me…

You know they saw you can always judge the quality of a ride by it’s line, well how long did you folks wait? My point exactly. (Good at night with short lines)

Hello and welcome to the world famous Jungle Cruise. My name is (name) and I’ll be your captain, cruise director and dance instructor for the next five exciting days and six romantic nights.

A Jungle Cruise version of the Haunted Mansion spiel:

Your cadaverous pallor betrays an aura of foreboding, almost as though you sense a disquieting metamorphosis. Is this boat actually leaving the dock? Or is it your imagination? And consider this dismaying observation: this boat is completely surrounded with water, and I’m you skipper. Which offers you this chilling challenge: to find a way out! Of course you could always swim away!!! (flash lights on and off and make the sound of thunder at night)

Other Disney Attraction spiels to repeat for rowdy crowds and annual passholders:

Ala Pirates of the Caribbean: (In a high voice) I think you knows too much. You’ve seen the cursed treasure. You know where it be hidden. You may not survive to pass this way again. (Deep echoing voice) DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES. . .

(In high pitched pioneer voice from Thunder mountain) No hold on to those hats and glasses folks. Cause this here is the WILDEST RIDE IN THE WILDERNESS!

“Cinnamon Toast and Taco’s In the door.” In case you have ever wondered what the spanish speaking announcement is saying in the line for the Matterhorn Bobsled ride – that’s the translation, folks!

Welcome to Fantasmic, tonight our friend and host Mickey Mouse uses his vivid imagination to create magical imagery for all to enjoy. Nothing is more wonderful than the imagination, for in a moment you can enjoy a beautiful fantasy- or an exciting adventure. But beware, because it can also turn your greatest fears into an overwhelming nightmare. Are the powers of Mickey’s imagination strong enough, or bright enough to withstand the evil that invades Mickey’s dreams? You are about to find out. So sit back, relax and experience fantasmic. A journey beyond your wildest imagination. . .

Rain Forest:

As we leave the last outpost of civilization, we travel deep into the mouth of the Irrawaddy river of Asia into a tropical rain forests, where it rains some 365 days a year. (Alternate: We’re now leaving the last outpost of civilization and entering the jungle by way of the Irrawaddy river of Burma.)

As you can see, countless varieties of plant life grow in abundance here. In fact, we’ve counted more than 100 varieties of rare bromeliads in this area. Many of these tropical plants get their nourishment simply from the air.

Now please watch out for these carnivorous vines (pointing). Last week, one of them reached into the back of the boat and pulled a woman right out. It was awful! And just before she disappeared, she was feeling just vine.

(Pointing) In fact she was sitting right where that (lady/man/girl/boy) in (color) is sitting!

Feel that mist on your faces… Don’t worry that’s only the monkeys in the trees.

Feel that mist on your faces… Don’t worry that’s only poisonous bacteria that will eat you all alive

Indiana Jones Ride:

Look here we have a bunch a very strange jungle species, ya see that one there (pointing to a male) the one with the wider hips that’s the female of the species.

Look here we have a bunch of Asian albino hairless apes. Ya watch (waves to people, they wave back) monkey see, monkey do.

Over there is what we call the Indiana Jones Adventure and the Temple of the Four-Hour Line.

Those folks over there are all lost, looking for the Jungle Cruise I think. Hey guys! The Jungle Cruise is that way!

Ancient Shrine:

See those crocodiles over there we have trained the to stay perfectly still so you can take better pictures.

Do you know what the difference between the crocodiles and alligators are. The crocodiles are made of plastic and the alligators are made with fiberglass.

You know the crocs are always looking for a hand out. Ya but be careful, I once had an English teacher on board and she didn’t listen to me and now she’s teaching shorthand.

Just so you know, all of the animals at the world famous Jungle Cruise are real. Except for the ducks. They are mounted on rails, just like the boats.

Elephant Pool:

Look here…it’s the republican national convention. You can take picture because they all have their trunks on. Oh by the way… If you want to see the Democrats they’re back at the Hunchback of Notre Dame Festival of Fools.

And it looks like a whole herd has come down to bathe! Don’t scare them now… of course, the big shot gets the private shower… but I kind of like the little squirts myself.

And look at all the elephants out here today! This comes as a complete surprise to me cause I had no idea these guys were going to be here. If you want to take pictures go ahead- all the elephants have their trunks on.

And just ahead, you’ll notice an alligator playing with an elephant. That’s something you don’t see everyday. (Long pause) But I do.

See that elephant right there, that’s the richest elephant in the whole jungle. Yeah – it’s ‘Donald Trunk’.

Hey look (pointing at the elephant facing away from the boat). There’s a full moon in the jungle tonight.

Bengal Tiger:

(In low voice) That’s no house cat over there. Bengal Tigers can jump over 20 feet, and we must be at least, well… 19 feet away! Don’t worry, he’ll jump right over us.

That Bengal Tiger over there weighs about 500 pounds. He’s looking right at you (sir/ma’am)- better keep smiling.

That Bengal Tiger can jump up to 35,000 feet…out of a plane that is.

Everyone look at that huge Bengal Tiger! Bengal Tigers weigh 500 pound and can jump over 20 feet.

Squirting Elephant:

As we leave the elephant pool, we head into… uh-oh- a big one is coming up on the right and it looks like he’s aiming for us! (Elephant squirts over bow and goes down again, then comes up) Oh no! He’s coming up again – you folks on the right get down! Well… I guess he didn’t have time to reload. (Or) Well… I guess he didn’t have enough trunk space.

OK, we’re leaving the elephants now and pressing further into the… Wait a second, it looks like one of the larger elephants did not want to be disturbed. He’s coming up again… you folks in the back get down! (After elephant does not squirt) Sir in the (middle/back)- that was very clever the way you hid behind your (child / wife / that lady… do you know her?)

As we leave the elephant pool, we head into… uh-oh- a big one is coming up on the right and it looks like he’s aiming for us! (Elephant squirts over bow and goes down again, then comes up) Oh no! He’s coming up again- you folks on the right get down! (Elephant comes up but does not squirt — make a silly laugh at them) I guess he forgot to reload.

Safari Outpost:

You know, a lot of safaris camp around this area. Hmm…. that could be one up ahead. (Points) Uh-oh… this one has some uninvited house guests! They do have a unique way of washing the dishes. (Points to water) Those gorillas sure did a sloppy job parking that jeep! But I guess monkeying around comes naturally to ’em.

You know, a lot of safaris camp around this area. Hmm…. that could be one up ahead. (Points) Uh-oh… this one has some uninvited house guests! One of those gorillas is going to have an eye opening experience. Should be mind blasting. I couldn’t get that jeep started. They got it to turn over.

Well, safari so goodi. Let’s move along.

Nothing to be concerned about. Just a bunch of gorillas having a good time. I wouldn’t get too close, though. They may look like a nice bunch, but let me tell you- those guys are really animals.

Now please, if you’re wearing yellow, don’t make any noises like a banana… it drives them ape! They find it very appealing.

Ah, that explains things! It looks like that safari has some uninvited house guests! (pause) (Yelling to gorillas) Hey! Where’d you guys learns to parallel park anyway? (Back to guests) Ah, they’re not listening. I guess they’re too busy monkeying around.

Since we are in an area filled with rare tropical foliage, I’d like to take a moment to point out some of the plants to you. There’s one, there’s one… (Point left, point rear left, point right, etc)

I’d like to take a moment to point out the plant life and tell you everything I know about them. (point with silence)

Anybody know the names of those? Anybody? Oh well.

See that bamboo over there? It grows to be 6 stories tall, but people say it can grow to 7 stories but that’s a whole other story.

Gorillas & Crocodile:

Now there’s a croc with a snappy personality! Ha- he’s going to get himself a knuckle sandwich if he’s not careful.

Well, will you look at that- some of the camp’s food made it downstream. But I don’t think it’s going to waste.

Look there that’s something you don’t see every day… I do.. Every day every 15 minutes

Schweitzer Falls:

(Skipper has back to falls, distracted by the gorilla/croc scene) Uh- oh, lean in back there! Lean in! (Motions to guests and spins wheel around) Whew! That was close!

And now, we’re approaching the beautiful Schweitzer Falls, named after that famous African explorer, Dr. Albert Falls.

This is the backside of Schweitzer Falls, named for the backside of the famous explorer, Dr. Albert Falls.

Ahead is beautiful Schweitzer Falls, and I (wheel appears to jam and skipper tries to free) Oh no! You folks in the back lean in! Duck! Whew! That was close! (Best to use body language with all foreign crowds)

Don’t worry about the waterfall; it won’t get you wet. The water in the falls, like everything else at Disneyland, is completely synthetic. To the left is the beautiful Schweitzer Falls, and if you look over here to your right…. and then back to your left, you can have a second look at Schweitzer Falls.

Nile River:

We’ve turned on to the Nile river of Africa, the longest river in the world, winding across more than 4000 miles.

We’ve now turned down the Nile River the longest river in all of Anaheim that’s right a whole 200 feet.

We’ve now turned down the Nile River and if you don’t believe that you must be in denial.

Bull Elephants: Up on the Elephants bank, we have African bull elephants. Those enormous ears and great tusks distinguish them from the Indian elephants we saw earlier.

Do you know how you can tell that that’s an African elephant? (wait for response)… It’s because we’re in Africa

On the left bank there- it’s a huge bull elephant. The large sloping forehead and enormous ears mark the African bull; the second most feared animal in the jungle. On the other, THE most feared animal in the jungle- his mother in law

Look there, that’s Skippy (alt: Speedy, Dumbo) the fastest elephant in the jungle watch (lights first elephant then flashes it to the elephant on the right) Pretty amazing huh?

African Veldt:

Look at that family of baboons, there’s Pat & Shirley Baboon, Daniel Baboon, and the hair stylist Vidal Baboon .

Don’t worry kids! That zebra is just sleeping. Those lions are his friends!

The Lions are protecting the sleeping zebra.

Do you know why it’s so hard to eat zebra? You keep getting white meat – dark meat – white meat – dark meat.

Look it’s Simba and Nala from the Lion King.

How do you tell the difference between the male and female Zebras? The males have black and white stripes and the females have white and black stripes.

(Pointing) By the look of those baboons up there, something’s up on the great African veldt. Ah-ha! It looks like that pride of lions has made a kill, and the clean-up crew, those hungry vultures, are waiting for their share. This region points out the basic law of the jungle- “survival of the fittest.”

Oh, it looks like the entire baboon family has come down to the water’s edge today, along with the other residents of the African veldt. See the striped animals over there? Those are zebras. And the big tall ones with the long necks? Those are giraffes. And the black ones over here with horns- well, I’ve never seen them before. They must be gnu!

We’re about to enter the Africa veldt, an immense grassland home to an endless variety of wildlife- baboons, wildebeests, giraffes, gazelles, gnus, g-lions, g-zebras. (hard g-sounds)

Here’s a little advice. Never play poker in the jungle, because there are lots of cheetahs around. If they say they’re not a cheetah, then they’re probably just a lion.

Okay, I have a confession to make. I was once the second giraffe on the grassy knoll.

Up on the grassy knoll, a fake giraffe is choking on a plastic leaf.

Just for your information, all of the animals here on the veldt are real. But their feet have been bolted to the ground for your safety.

(Pointing to Lions eating zebra) Over there is the original hard rock cafe.

Over there is an example of the first Law of the Jungle: Don’t be a zebra.

Watch out for those vultures folks, they are always looking for charrion bags.

Trapped Safari (Rhino):

There’s that lost safari we’ve been looking for. Obviously mixed up in some kind of native uprising. That rhino seems to be getting his point across, and I’m sure that guy on the bottom will get the point in the end! Hey I know that guy on the bottom, his names Juan. Ya, and it looks like that rhino is going to get a hole in Juan. Well, bottoms up, fellows!

Uh-oh… look! That safari’s in a tight spot there. But that rhino seems more than willing to give them a lift.

On the bottom, there’s Ahontis. Looks like the Rhino is trying to poke Ahontis.

Well- you know what they say… safari, so good-ee. So I guess we’ll be moving on.

Hippo Pool:

We are now turning onto a pool of dangerous hippos, so please, sit still and don’t rock the boat. These huge creatures are quite curious and could easily upset our boat. So please, don’t do anything that might attract them!

Last week, they overturned six of our boats… only FIVE of them were MINE, though!

Don’t worry, the natives tell me that they are only dangerous when they wiggle their ears and blow bubbles….

Don’t worry, the natives tell me that they are only dangerous when they climb up in the trees and start doing big hippo cannon balls right down on top of us

How many of you are willing to go on? (Show of hands) How many of you want to turn back? How many of you are apathetic about the situations? Uh-oh… it looks like one of them’s going to try to charge our boat! (shoots) Looks like we’ve scared them off. I bet he’ll have a headache tomorrow!If we’re all real quiet, you can sometimes hear the baby hippos calling for their mothers. (Low voice) Shhh- be real quite now… listen …. (leaning out of boat, yells) “Hey mom!”

Uh oh, that large hippo is going to attack us! Watch out! (shoots) I just saved your lives, folks. (pause) YOUR WELCOME! (If applause) Please. . . . Don’t. . . . Stop. . .. . Please don’t stop!

Now as we enter the Hippo pool, I want to tell you about a ancient ritual that they have… They place their young in the trees to feed on the leaves until they are 6000lbs and then they cannon ball through the jungle foliage to the boats below and sink them to the bottom of the jungle rivers a whole 2.5 feet down. Oh, look there’s one now (shoots up into the trees).

Entering HeadHunter Country:

We are now entering the most dangerous part of our journey. Shhh. . . This is a bad place to be headed.

Over there are the remains of my last crew. (pointing to the skull canoe) You can tell they had a good time. Look, they are still smiling! That’s what happens after about 10 hours at Disneyland, folks. Those smiles are just plastered right on their faces.

We’re entering headhunter country now… be very quiet. In that canoe over there… the remains of my last crew. They had a good time, even to the end- they’re still smiling.

Shhh… we’re entering headhunter country now… don’t make a sound. In that canoe over there… some of the native’s arts and crafts. Art’s the one on the top!

We’re not out of danger yet- this is headhunter territory. Remove your jewelry please. The natives have been complaining of indigestion.

I wouldn’t worry too much about the headhunters. They normally only attack children wearing glowing jewelry (for night cruises)

Native Village:

The natives seem to be celebrating the kill of that lion… maybe we can sneak by. Don’t attract their attention.

I studied their language in college lets see if I can translate for you… Put your right foot in, shake it all about, Put your right foot out, shake it all about…

Hey look it’s the Village People, let’s see what they’re saying.. Y-M-C-A…

This group is trying to come up with a name for themselves for their upcoming CD, they have two choices, either the Village People or Fine Young Cannibals.

Attacking Natives:

Keep your eyes on these bushes on the right there. (Turns around quickly) They’re on the LEFT this time.

(Pick the color of the shirt of a child) Head hunters always attack kids wearing (blank) colored shirts

Uh-oh, it looks like a native war party on the left. You folks, please get down on the floor. (Makes whooshing sound into mike) Ah, those are spears by the way.

sshhh sshhh shhh sshhh shhh (eventually changes from shhh sound into a panting sound. Then in a surfer dude’s voice) WHOA! Great sound effects!

Women and children- stand up! All the men- get down! If they hit you with a spear, just pull it out and throw it back at them- we’re not allowed to keep souvenirs. We certainly don’t want you to be stuck with it for the rest of the trip.

On the left, a friendly group of native traders. Ukka Mucka Lucka… Ubonga Swahili Ungawa… Wagga Kuna Nui Ka… It’s a good thing I speak their language. (Turns to guest) They want to trade their coconuts for your (wife/child/husband)… I think we should hold out for at least four.

Okay ladies and gentlemen the natives usually attack from the right hand side of the boat. (Native attack) Wait one minute here! What are you guys doing on the left side of the boat? You know I told you to attack from the right and another thing what are you doing just standing looking stupid with those spears in your hand your supposed to throw them! Get back down and try that one again! (Timing is right so the natives go back down on skippers command)

If you get hit by a spear, pull it out at throw it back. You can’t keep souveniers. We wouldn’t want you to get stuck with one.

Beautiful Schweitzer Falls is upon us again. The overhanging rock formation will afford us a different view this time. I have a special treat for you, folks. You may never have seen this before… there it is- the backside of water!

Now hold onto your seat cushions because we’re about to do something really special- no extra charge. Are you ready? We’re now going UNDER water!

On that old stump there are spectacular toucans, some of the most colorful birds in the jungle.

Toucan do much better than one can.

Over there are three toucans- also known as a six pack of birds.

Rapids of Kilimanjaro:

Uh-oh, up ahead- the treacherous rapids of Kilimanjaro. Very sharp and dangerous rocks through here… notice the huge waves crashing against our hull. (Makes crashing wave sounds in mike)

Ho hum… here we are at the famous rapids of Kilimanjaro. We’ll probably have to shoot them. (Leans over and shoots rapids with thumb and index finger.)

(Steering wheel back and forth) Notice the skill and finesse your skipper uses to guide the boat through safely. Those of you who wish to take pictures, feel free.

If we start sinking, we’ll have to lighten our load. (Turns to guest) You folks over there want to get your belongings together? You may be leaving us shortly.

That last rock on the right is a 1:100 scale model of the Matterhorn Bobsled ride! (check it out, it really looks like it. .. )

Hang on… we’re coming across some white water here. One of those jagged rocks could easily rip the bottom right out of our boat. If we start to go down, just grab for the bright red seat cushions. (color not on boat) They’re the only ones that float.

We’re now entering the incredibly dangerous white water rapids of Kilimanjaro. Grab hold of something solid, like those safety bars of the person next to you because we’re going to be bouncing up and down a lot! (jumps up and down, side to side) Whew! Did you feel the sheer power of that?

On the right here are some fascinating rock formations. Really interesting. It’s sad though. I come through here all the time, point these out to people, but they just take them for granite. (Alternate: See that rock right there, it’s actually made of limestone, but many of my crews just take it for granite.)

Python/Water Buffaloes:

Hey look there, what kind of snake is that? (People answer with the names of kinds of snake) No, it a plastic snake.

Python’s are one of the less intelligent animals in the jungle. If they were smart do you think that he would be hugging that dead tree stump when food is all around him.

Up ahead is our pet snake, Monty. (pause) Monty is a python

Yup, there’s one little python, sitting in a tree, H…I…S…S…I…N…G

Uh-oh… Look ahead there! A huge python. It looks like he tried to put the squeeze on that baby water buffalo… Actually, he’s very affectionate, and if we get much closer, he could get a crush on you!

And on the left, a huge python, one of the jungle’s most fascinating and studied creatures. After all, look at all the animals that totally get wrapped up in the subject!

That huge python is over 24 feet long and known to swallow little children whole!

Trader Sam:

There’s old Trader Sam, head salesman of the area. Business has been shrinking lately, so this week only, Sam’s offering a two-for-one special: two of his, for one of yours!

There’s old Trader Sam… Three explorers came through here last week and Sam invited them for dinner. When he told them what the menu was, they completely lost their heads.I got their late. All I got was the cold shoulder and some finger food.Trader Sam was thrown out of college, ya, he was caught buttering up one of his professors, now he’s a psychologist. You can tell who is clients are, he a shrink to the ones on the left and the ones on the right are his basket cases.

Return to Civilization: Thank You for riding and have a good day. And as Michael Jackson would say (In a feminine voice)

Thank You for riding and have a good day. And as Charley Browns teacher would say (In the teachers weird voice) Wa, wa, wa…etc. And now as Millie Vanilli would say (mouths the words) Thank You for riding and have a good day.

And now, probably the most dangerous part of our journey- the return to civilization! I certainly hope you’ve enjoyed our cruise. However, if your in-laws are still with you, you’ve missed a golden opportunity. However, bring them back later tonight for our “in-law” special… halfway for half fare, no questions asked.

Well we’ve laughed and we’ve cried. We’ve almost died! I love you like family. Now get out! I’m sorry, that was rude. Please get out.

And now, the most dangerous part of our journey- the return to civilization and those California freeways. Talk about a jungle!

The Jungle Cruise was brought to you in part today my the letters, “e”, “r” and the number “101”

You know, many times people ask me how many people work at Disneyland. (Counting the visible cast members) Hmmm, I’d say about one out of seven!

As we approach, please notice that there’s a dock on the left, and a dock on the right. But don’t let it confuse you. It’s a paradox.

Make sure you have all personal belongings with you… cameras, purses, small children… anything left on board will be thrown screaming to the crocodiles.

Any children left on board become property of the Walt Disney company after 24 hours.Please make sure you have all you belongings with you including your small children, if you leave them we will be forced to take them back to It’s a Small World and glue their feet to the floor and make them sing that hideous song over and over and over.

Please keep your hands inside the boat, I sure don’t want my new dock ruined. If you liked your ride my name is (name) if you didn’t my name is Tom and I work on the Submarine Voyage.

Unloading: Two of the world’s largest pygmies will assist you from the boat.

Please take your kids by the hand and watch your step.

You will be helped off the boat by two of the black footed albino pigmies over on the dock. These guys weigh over 500 pounds and can jump OVER TWENTY FEET!

OK rise like bread folks, no loafing around. I know my jokes are stale and crumby, and I’m sure I could do butter but its the yeast I can do on the sourdough I make here. I think I get my rye sense of humor from my dad. It’s no wonder. He’s Danish. I was born under a croissant moon and I used to be the toast of the town, until one day I just got spread too thin. Hey, where are you going, I’m on a roll! Oh well I guess you have to jam. OK, everybody stand up please.

Those of you on the dock side will be helped out by the front, those of you on the water side should turn around and you’ll be helped out by the rear… of the boat that is. This is adventureland, not fantasyland!

The jungle cruise has been brought to you today by the hippo farmers of America. Hippo: The other-other white meat.

When I count to three, everybody stand… the last one standing is a baby hippo. Ready? One… two… four! Look at all the baby hippos!

Do stand up… off your seats, on your feets. All right… if you don’t stand, you’ll have to go again! I knew that would get you up. Look down and watch your step as you exit. If you feel faint, don’t hesitate to throw your arms around the necks of the unloaders… that’s ladies only, please!

If you feel your feet getting wet as you leave the boat, you’ve probably gone out the wrong side. Don’t fall in the water as you leave… we’ll have to charge you extra.

Well folks, I hope you all enjoyed your trip around the jungle. I had such a good time- I’m going to go again! (low voice)… and again, and again, and again…

Bye now.. come back and see me again when you have the courage… and enjoy the rest of your stay in the Magic Kingdom. Aren’t you going to say good-bye, after all we’ve been through together?

Please be sure to tell your friends how much you enjoyed the Jungle Cruise… it helps keeps the lines down. Please don’t go out the window- you’ll get a window pane. That would be a shuttering experience. It would be enough to make a venetian blind.

Please exit the boat the same way you entered… pushing and shoving.

Watch your step, and please don’t step on small children indiscriminately. Pick the one you want and make sure you get him!”

If the unloaders grab you on the elbow or wrist as you pass, that’s their way of saying they love you. You can repay them by stomping on their foot or kicking them in the shin. Of all the groups I’ve taken on this ride, you’re the most … recent.

If you want to see me later, you can catch me at the Comedy Club at Pleasure Island. I’ll be the one in the restroom handing out mints and washing the combs in that blue water.

We hope you enjoy the rest of your day here in this magic and enchanting land that we call … work. If you would like to see me on the David Letterman Show next month… please write him a letter and tell him you would like to see me there!

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Author:  Nate Naversen

I am the founder of themedattraction.com, a site we started back in 1996 to tell the world about theme park design. I have over 25 years experience in themed entertainment design.

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This is the latest in a series of articles on Theme Park Tourist in which we'll talk to Cast Members at Walt Disney World to understand their roles and the part that they play in "creating the magic" for guests.

The interviews will offer an insight into Cast Members' day-to-day roles, the training that they undergo and the aspects of their jobs that they find the most rewarding. We might even uncover a funny story or two.

Back in 1955, the Jungle Cruise was an opening day attraction at Disneyland in California. Loosely based on the Real Life Adventures series, it was designed to be a trip down exotic rivers, during which guests would encounter all manner of animals. Walt Disney himself loved Adventureland, and the Jungle Cruise was one of his favorite attractions.

The ride evolved after the park's debut, with the original, documentary-style spiel delivered by the boats' "Skippers" being replaced by a more lighthearted one in 1962. Suddenly, the Skipper was an integral part of the experience, delivering bad puns and jokes by the bucketload.

The Magic Kingdom's version of the Jungle Cruise opened with the park in 1971, and is one of the rare attractions that carries both a rich history and a certain level of prestige for the Cast Members that work on it. Amy Ziese was one of those Cast Members, having worked on the Jungle Cruise in 2006 and 2007 - one of a number of different roles she held at Walt Disney World.

Amy was kind enough to speak with Theme Park Tourist about her experiences during that time - and you can read her thoughts below.

Landing the role

Amy was already working at Walt Disney World when the Jungle Cruise role became available: "I applied for the role because I was interesting in spieling with the added element of humor. There really wasn't much of an interview for this since I transferred from an existing role."

"When I put in a request with casting to go to Jungle Cruise, they pointed out that it was a spiel heavy attraction and asked if that was something I wanted to do. I assured them that I understood what the attraction entailed and that I was still interested. Several weeks later, when a spot opened up for me, I transferred to the Jungle Cruise."

Training up

Disney is keen to ensure that every guest gets the best experience possible when riding the Jungle Cruise - and training for Cast Members helps towards that goal. Amy recalls: "The very first thing I did was a two day orientation on the Magic Kingdom in general, and the Adventureland/Liberty Square attractions area specifically. Those two days involved a lot of walking and listening to guides talk about the history and heritage of the park and the areas where I would be working. We were also able to experience all the area attractions as guests so that we would know how to describe them to the guests if asked."

"After that I went through a six day training process to become a Skipper. The first five days were the actual training days. I learned all about the various dock and land positions, including how to handle the boats designated for wheelchairs or guests with disabilities, and dealing with common area guest situations. I was also given a copy of the official spiel to learn and practice the various jokes from the attraction."

"Each scene has a wide variety of jokes and wordings of said jokes, so half the battle is simply deciding what you want to say. After that, I took multiple 'dead trips' in order to practice my spiel. A dead trip is an empty boat that helped me learn the attraction without having to actually interact with guests. Eventually we began loading my boat with guests and I learned how the spiel was delivered to a live audience."

"My sixth day of training was the assessment day. I met a second trainer, and he took me through each position one at a time to make sure I knew what I was doing. During this practical assessment I also took a trip with guests so the trainer could see that I not only knew my spiel but I knew the safety aspects of driving the boat as well."

"After rotating through all the positions and demonstrating proficiency, I took a paper exam. The questions covered the history of the attraction, safety protocol, and some more trivial information about the area and attraction. After I passed both of those steps, I met with an area manager and we discussed expectations and he answered any questions I had at the time."

Day-to-day duties

Cast Members on the Jungle Cruise don't ride around on the attraction's boats all day long, as Amy explains: "I worked both land positions and delivered the boat spiel on a daily basis. The specific dock positions and boats varied day to day, but over a given week I experienced every position available."

The management team at the Magic Kingdom were very keen to see Skippers stick to the approved spiel provided to them by Imagineering. "You were only in the wrong if you got caught," says Amy. "Many of us slipped our own jokes into the spiel if we felt that we would get a better reaction by using a line not officially approved by the company."

"Those Skippers who venture off script do so at their own risk. There are people who work at the theme parks whose entire job consists of experiencing attractions in street clothes and watching the Cast Members only to report what they see and hear to upper management. A Skipper never knows if one of these people are on their boat, so doing an offensive joke is not recommended."

The upsides

The audience played a big role in making Amy's job enjoyable. "When you got a good, responsive boat who enjoyed even the corniest of approved jokes, that was always the best," she says. "It also made for a good day if you had friends around you during your shift. I had a bit where I would interact with a friend of mine if he was in the boat in front or behind me while waiting to unload. While those weren’t officially scripted, they were funny and clean, so we got away with it."

"Like the Haunted Mansion Cast, the Skippers of the Jungle Cruise have a certain personality to play into. While many attractions require only a friendly face and certain level of competency with the buttons, the Jungle Cruise takes a bit more. The best Skippers are outgoing, lively, funny, and a bit goofy. If you’re looking for creative and witty antics, this is the place to find them. Despite its challenges, the life of a Skipper is a lighthearted one, sprinkled through with ample humor and kitschy charm."

Founder of Theme Park Tourist and a lifelong fan of everything Disney and Universal. He loved everything about Theme Parks and his goal in starting the site was to create a resource that could help fans make the most of their park trips, and to make visiting theme parks a little more affordable by capturing as many money-saving tricks as possible.

Each member of our family will select specific jokes prior to riding. If the captain says the joke during the ride, the person who picked that joke will celebrate by yelling, laughing WAY TO HARD, slapping their legs, etc. Nothing mean-spirited. Its all in good fun. We hope that the captain realizes what we're doing. Sometimes when they know we're "joke fishing" they will try and tell as many jokes as they can hoping one of them is the one we're looking for.

One time, we had a captain do his entire spiel like the late comedian Mitch Hedberg. VERY FUNNY for the few of us who knew of him!

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Disney Parks

Disneyland resort cast couple embarks on dream honeymoon to every disney park around the world in 24 days.

Published: June 4, 2024

For Donald Isbell and Nika Ogden, two cast members from Disneyland Resort, their mutual passion for Disney wasn’t the only reason they fell in love. However, it was the reason that inspired them to pack their bags and visit every Disney Park around the world… in 24 days. 

Donald, a workforce data solutions analyst, met Nika, an Adventureland cast member, three years ago. After making countless dreams come true for guests and saying “I do” on April 6, 2024, Donald and Nika set off to make their own dream honeymoon come true.

One wedding, three continents, and 24 days was all it took for Donald and Nika to visit every Disney Park around the world for the ultimate Disney experience. From complimentary admission to nearly every Disney Park, dining discounts, hotel discounts, merchandise discounts and fellow cast member magic, the couple credits their uniquely Disney cast member perks as one of the main catalysts that helped them to celebrate their nuptials in such a special way.

“It wouldn’t have happened without Disney. We are getting a honeymoon far beyond anything that we could have imagined,” shared Donald ahead of their travels.

The global journey began hours after the couple’s wedding, where the newlyweds kicked off their celebration at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. To make their day even more special, Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons stepped in to create some magical moments for the cast member pair. 

“The [Disney Fairytale Weddings] surprises were the absolute best kickoff for the adventure that was about begin right after the wedding,” shared Donald a few days after returning home from their trip.

The honeymoon park hopping began the very next morning right in Donald and Nika’s backyard. The two cast members set out on a mission to ride all the major Disneyland Resort attractions that are also found at other parks around the world. From Space Mountain to Jungle Cruise , Donald and Nika were determined to do it all.

“I’m so excited to ride all of the Jungle Cruise [attractions],” shared Nika before leaving on their honeymoon. “As a Jungle Cruise skipper, to be able to say that I’ve been on all the Jungle Cruise [attractions] around the world is so cool. And I get to lead one back in California!”

In appreciation of the couple’s dedication to making magic, Disney Ambassadors of Disneyland Resort Jada Young and Raul Aquino Rojas met with Nika and Donald on the first day of their honeymoon in Disneyland park. The Disney Ambassadors celebrated the couple with a hand-delivered note from Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock, congratulating the couple on their big day and wished them safe travels ahead. 

From there, Donald and Nika set off for a jam-packed three weeks of travels, visiting Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Paris and Orlando while soaking up every bit of Disney magic each experience had to offer.

From making Winnie the Pooh shaped dim sum in a Disney cooking class at Hong Kong Disneyland , to viewing the “Disney Electrical Sky Parade” with over 500 drones at Disneyland Paris , to experiencing the Behind the Seeds tour in the Living with the Land attraction at EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resor t , Donald and Nika had the opportunity to make one-of-a-kind memories while truly getting to know cast members in all parts of the globe. The couple was also greeted with a personal note from Walt Disney World Resort President Jeff Vahle in Orlando, congratulating them on their special celebration. 

“Every time we saw a cast member, it’s like we met our friends in other places,” explained Donald. “Even if we don’t speak the same language, or we don’t work the same attractions, or even at the same park, everybody’s coming to Disney for the same thing. We’re all still cast members.”

To make Donald and Nika’s celebration extra special, the Disney Global Ambassador team united worldwide to show the couple each Disney Park through the eyes of a fellow cast member. With some Disney Ambassador magic, Donald and Nika experienced all that World of Frozen in Hong Kong has to offer, explored the Castle Club at the Disneyland Hotel in Paris, shared heartfelt conversations with all the Disney Ambassadors and so much more alongside their newest friends.  

“Meeting [Disney Ambassadors Serena and Shannon] in Orlando was really cool,” said Donald. “We had a heart-to-heart where we walked down [Main Street, U.S.A.] and talked about careers and the different things we experienced at each park. They’re both wonderful people and had [many] kind words for us.”

For this cast couple, their wedding and 24-days of theme park magic is just the start of how their lives will continue to grow with Disney.

“I think just by becoming a cast member, I realized all of the opportunities that were available to me. Being able to have this job that also allows me to explore my passions is something I can feel good about,” said Nika. “I really like baking so I asked, ‘How can I do that at Disney someday?’ because I know that I like working there and I know that I like the people. Then I was looking into the [Disney] Aspire program and going ‘Okay, if I wanted to go back to school, [Disney] Aspire is there.’”

With a camera roll full of memories and hearts filled with love, Donald and Nika shared that the magic Disney made for them on their honeymoon journey truly made it an extraordinary trip. They assure that this is just the start of continuing to make dreams come true as cast members and together as couple for a lifetime.