Q&A: Disney Imagineers share exclusive details about updates coming to the Jungle Cruise
An opening-day attraction at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, the “World Famous” Jungle Cruise has been beloved by fans since Disneyland opened in 1955 and Walt Disney World in 1971.
On Jan. 26, Disney announced in a Disney Parks Blog post that the attraction at Disneyland park at Disneyland Resort and Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World would be getting a refresh, introducing new characters, scenes and a cohesive storyline. The announcement promised “more humor, wildlife and skipper heart” and a reimagined experience that will “reflect and value the diversity of the world around us.”
For our Spring 2021 issue, we spoke with Susana Tubert, creative director, Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Live Entertainment, and Kevin Lively, story editor, Walt Disney Imagineering, to learn more about the changes coming to the beloved boat ride. Here is the full interview:
In an interview with D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, Chris Beatty emphasized that we’re not getting a re-envisioning of the entire attraction, but rather, a reimagining of “negative depictions of ‘natives.’” Will Trader Sam be getting an update? How will Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar and Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto be impacted, if at all?
Tubert: As we approached the re-envisioning of the Jungle Cruise, we focused less on solving for the “negative depictions” and threw ourselves into creating new story beats that will be fun for our guests and also draw on positive cultural representations of some new characters they’ll meet along the way. To that end, we committed to a couple of foundational guidelines that became our compass-pointing-north-direction as we embarked on this creative expedition together.
First, and foremost, we determined it was vital to sustain the legendary comedic tone of this beloved iconic attraction. And as we looked for opportunities to do so, we quickly realized that we could heighten the humorous side of the expedition if everybody aboard the Jungle Cruise discovered that it’s the jungle — and the animals — who always have the last laugh. Secondly, we set out to introduce a more inclusive perspective to the attraction so that guests who visit our parks from all over the world can see themselves reflected in our stories.
As far as Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at Disneyland Resort and Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Walt Disney World Resort, no plans are on the way to update them currently.
Kevin, you wore a conspicuous S.E.A. emblem on your jacket while delivering the announcement of the ride’s updates. Will S.E.A. play a prominent role in the ride’s new story?
Lively: As our story in the Skipper Canteen revealed, Dr. Albert Falls established the Jungle Navigation Company Ltd. as a way to move cargo for boats on the tropical rivers of the world — including for his fellow members of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers. While our new story is not exactly a S.E.A. adventure like Mystic Manor or Miss Adventure Falls, there will be some nods to that beloved organization and a new member to introduce.
Beatty confirmed, as shown in the concept art, that each of the new characters will have their own story, cultural heritage, and reason for being on the expedition. Might these explorers be members of S.E.A.? Can you tell us more about their backstories and what brought this group together?
Tubert: We had such a blast getting to know the skipper and explorers who suddenly find themselves holding onto a pole for dear life! They are all a little bit eccentric in their own ways, and yet they share a history with Alberta Falls and a common interest: to have a once-in-a-lifetime immersive experience in nature. In this instance, they soon come to realize that they may have gotten a little too immersed in the natural habitat of the jungle! So, Kevin, why don’t we introduce this crew of unlucky folks?
Lively: Sure! At the bottom of the pole, and sadly way too close to the rhino, is the newest skipper on the dock, Felix Pechman XIII. He recently left his home in Silver Springs, Fla., and landed a position as a skipper with the Jungle Navigation Company Ltd. In an unexpected turn of events, Alberta had no choice but to ask him to lead his very first boat tour with her VIP guests. Unfortunately, Pechman’s trademark bad luck has followed him to the jungle, and, well… we know where that landed them!
Amongst the other guests up on the pole (and directly above Skipper Felix) is Dr. Leonard Moss, an acclaimed Canadian botanist. Having successfully photographed and cataloged every plant in the frigid Nova Scotia peninsula, Dr. Moss decided that his next photo excursion should be to a warmer climate. What better place to capture and study the flora of the jungle than in Adventureland, right?
Tubert: One would think so! However, above him, is the celebrated Mexican artist, Rosa Soto Dominguez. Known in the art world as La Rosa, she was on her way back to Mexico City from her latest gallery opening in Paris when she received a special invitation from her very close friend, Alberta. As the two friends had not seen each other in some time, Rosa looked forward to their reunion in Adventureland when she would also get to paint some of the exotic wildlife, especially given her fascination with rhinos. As luck would have it, she ended up a little too close and personal with one.
Lively: Nevertheless, I think guests will enjoy knowing that Alberta’s next VIP guest is Japan’s preeminent entomologist and a member of the famed Society of Explorers and Adventurers. Dr. Kon Chunosuke has traveled to the jungle on a mission to find new specimens for his world-class collection of insects. When Alberta recognized the S.E.A. logo stenciled all over his supplies and equipment, she invited the entomologist to take one of her world-famous jungle cruises. As an admirer of Dr. Falls’ legacy as a world-renowned adventurer, Chunosuke was hopeful that this younger Falls would be able to lead the way to the legendary Myrmecoleon, also referred to as the “lion of ants.” Unfortunately, on this expedition with the first-time skipper Felix, he has only been able to find butterflies, mosquitos, and a rhino (which kind of looks like a horn beetle if you squint).
Tubert: And up top is Siobhan “Puffin” Murphy, who traveled all the way from Dingle, Ireland, to pay a surprise visit to her distant cousin twice removed on her father’s side, Alberta. Siobhan was nicknamed “Puffin” because of her love for the adorable puffin birds that nest in the rocks of her seaside hometown. She had dreamed for years to embark on an excursion to the jungle to see all the birds that she had only ever seen in picture books.
While there are many divergent opinions as to the inciting events that led everyone to their current predicament up on the pole, many believe that it was Puffin’s love of exotic birds that drove Skipper Felix to get a little too close to an oxpecker perched on a particularly grumpy hippo.
The live skipper’s role is one of the most beloved parts of the attraction. How will the new story affect their role and that iconic spiel?
Lively: The overall attraction will have the same heart and soul as the current attraction. Your expedition will still be led by a live skipper delivering classic puns. With the addition of the Skipper Felix, his passengers, and their fractured boat; new opportunities will arise for his “live” coworkers to make some witty comments about the situation.
The story of Alberta Falls was brought to prominence with the opening of Skipper Canteen at Magic Kingdom. Will Alberta be given a more prominent role in the updated ride’s story?
Tubert: That’s correct! Alberta has played a prominent role in the Skipper Canteen at Magic Kingdom and now we are excited to introduce her to our Disneyland guests. Here is a bit of background: Alberta was born in 1911. Her mother, Sneh, was a world-renowned artist from India and her British father, Albert Falls Jr., was an art scholar. When husband and wife toured the world together, Sneh led master classes in ancient Indian folk art forms while Albert gave academic lectures on the history of Eastern Art. Young Alberta was always considered a rambunctious “free spirit” who was most at home during the family’s summer visits to grandma and grandpa Falls in Adventureland. She climbed trees, swam in the river, and enjoyed a special bond with her explorer grandfather and her “adopted family” of skippers who enjoyed the fearless little girl’s adventurous nature.
By the time Alberta grew into adolescence, her summer-long visit in Adventureland marked the start of a stay that would last a lifetime. She began to accompany her grandfather on his trips around the world where she was introduced to renowned botanist Dr. Moss in Nova Scotia and then-budding artist Rosa Soto Dominguez in Mexico City. On one of their wild adventures to New Zealand, Alberta picked up a new travel companion, a kakapo flightless parrot.
When Dr. Albert Falls vanished in 1930, Alberta took control of the company and vowed to preserve the reputation of the Jungle Navigation Company. Moreover, to ensure that her grandfather’s legacy would be remembered by people all over the world, she began to promote the guided tours that we know today as the Jungle Cruise.
It’s been shared that the new ride updates will be the same at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Will the spiel differ between the two parks in order to support connections to those different spots?
Lively: We view the two boathouse queues as the east and west docks of the Jungle Navigation Company Ltd., connected by the same river. The skippers may work their shift on the West dock, but then swing by Skipper Canteen and call it a night on the East dock. So, it’s one big shared story! The spiel will always feel very much in the moment, based on what your skipper happens upon during the voyage.
Carmen Smith, executive creative development and inclusion strategies for Walt Disney Imagineering is working to help ensure the updates reflect cultural relevance and authenticity. Has it been challenging to balance the pressure to maintain the ride’s legacy while also adapting to contemporary cultural sensibilities?
Tubert: We know that our guests love to experience new stories that are both culturally authentic and uniquely Disney. The development process was not as challenging as it may seem, given these two points of view are not mutually exclusive. Throughout the development process, we did a deep dive into the three regions represented in the attraction and held ongoing review meetings with Carmen and a team of highly respected cultural advisors. We also engaged the team from Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park to learn more about the animals’ behavior. It was a very enriching experience. Ultimately, it was important to us to ensure that the story continues to feel organic within the mythology and tone of the Jungle Cruise.
Will there be any Audio-Animatronic animals added to or updated within the attraction?
Lively: For the first time in our Jungle Cruise attraction, we will be adding chimpanzees to the storyline. It’s hard to believe that we’ve gone this long without spotting chimps in the jungle, isn’t it? By working with partners at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, we are finding fun, yet authentic ways to capture the wild spirit of this group of animals. Chimps are the perfect animal to show that the jungle always gets the last laugh.
The attraction’s boats received one particularly prominent update in the ‘90s, replacing the white hulls and striped canopies with the current look. Will there be any aesthetic or mechanical updates to the boats as part of this update?
Lively: We have no plans to update the fleet at this time. However, guests will see a pair of boats that they haven’t seen in a while (Kwango Kate and Mekong Maiden). We just had to find a big enough monkey wrench.
Beatty confirmed that integration of the forthcoming “Jungle Cruise” movie won’t be part of this update, but did say guests might spot some Easter eggs. Does the new story leave the door open for integration of film elements in the future?
Lively: Our new storyline isn’t connected to the story or the characters of the “Jungle Cruise” film, starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. However, our story and their story exist in the same timeline — just further down the river. While we have no current plans to add major film elements into the attraction, we are always listening to guest feedback and evaluating our attractions. But as with any good adventure, everybody should keep their eyes open for the most subtle details. After all, we never take rocks for granite.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Tubert: Our team of Imagineers is proud to be part of the Jungle Cruise legacy. Each of us is aware and appreciative of the love for the iconic attraction and we can’t wait for everybody to join us on the new adventures through the jungle! “Exploratio Continua!”
Lively: And Kungaloosh!
