As previously shared, changes are on the way for Disney’s classic attraction, Jungle Cruise. At both Walt Disney World and Disneyland, Disney has announced enhancements are coming to the attraction along with a new storyline. While we’re awaiting the arrival of what’s to come, we’ve wondered how long the attraction may be closed for the reimagining. Good news from Disney Imagineer, Zach Riddley, as he’s announced the attraction will remain open during the changes!
As shared via Zach Riddley Instagram: “You may start to notice some monkey business along the river as work begins on Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom. The good news for all of you visiting @waltdisneyworld is the attraction will remain open to guests while our teams update scenes in a phased approach over the next several months. We can’t wait to share the enhancements with our guests as we build on the story of the Jungle Cruise at both Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Park.”
The Jungle Cruise is receiving quite a facelift at both Magic Kingdom Park in Walt Disney World and Disneyland in California. In an effort to promote inclusivity and Cultural sensitivity, several changes will be made to both the Jungle Cruise and Splash Mountain. One of the biggest change is the fleshing out of the attractions backstory. Last month details were released on the backstory and new character, Alberta Falls.
Today Disney introduces us to the “Jungle Navigation Company”, featuring a cast of all new characters. Take a look at the post from the MyDisneyExperience and Disneyland Apps below.
As first reported in the Disney Parks Blog, one of the updated scenes coming soon to the Jungle Cruise includes a few new faces! Before you come across them on an expedition with the “Jungle Navigation Company” later this year, you can get to know them here: Introducing Alberta Falls – Proprietor of the Jungle Navigation Company.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.And now, the five unfortunate folks run up a familiar rhino pole…
Felix Pechman XIII.
• Closest to the rhino is Felix Pechman XIII who recently left his home in Silver Springs, Florida, 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.
Dr. Leonard Moss
• 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.
Rosa Soto Dominguez
• 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.
• 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.
Dr. Kon Chunosuke
• Next is Japan’s preeminent entomologist and a member of the famed Society of Explorers and Adventurers, Dr. Kon Chunosuke. He traveled to the jungle on a mission to find new specimens for his world-class collection of insects.
• As an admirer of Dr. Falls’ legacy, 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, he has only been able to find butterflies, mosquitos, and a rhino.
Siobhan “Puffin” Murphy
• Up top is Siobhan “Puffin” Murphy, who traveled all the way from the small island of Dingle, Ireland, to pay a surprise visit to her distant cousin twice removed on her father’s side, Alberta.
• Siobahn was nicknamed “Puffin” because of her love for the puffin birds that nest in the rocks of her seaside hometown. 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.
Be on the lookout for these all-new Adventureland characters when they debut in the Jungle Cruise—taking place later in 2021 at Magic Kingdom Park in Florida and Disneyland Park in California. For more information on changes coming to the attraction, be sure to check out the Disney Parks Blog!
These characters are to be completely separate from the storyline of the live action film originally scheduled for release last July, now being released this summer.
As previously shared, Disney is building on the original story of the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland park and Magic Kingdom Park. Now Disney is revealing details about more humor, wildlife and skipper heart coming to the classic attraction. As part of a much larger effort, this updated experience will welcome new characters from around the world. Check out the details as shared below by DisneyParksBlog.
Jungle Cruise fans might be familiar with her name; however, wouldn’t you know it, we recently uncovered a copy of an interview with Alberta Falls that was featured in a 1938 issue of The Daily Gnus about her and the World-Famous Jungle Cruise. We hope you’ll enjoy getting to know her!
The enhancements include several new scenes guests will experience along the river, all interconnected. Our world-famous skippers will continue to share the unique adventure and interactions guests expect on the Jungle Cruise.
The new scenes will heighten our skippers’ legendary comedic tone, beginning with a trapped safari party that finds itself up a tree after their journey goes awry. Unexpected scenarios along the way will give the jungle and animals the last laugh!
For those looking to dive deeper, we’re also expanding the attraction’s backstory, centered around Alberta Falls, granddaughter of world-renowned Dr. Albert Falls, as the proprietor of the Jungle Navigation Company Ltd.
Jungle Cruise fans might be familiar with her name; however, wouldn’t you know it, we recently uncovered a copy of an interview with Alberta Falls that was featured in a 1938 issue of The Daily Gnus about her and the World-Famous Jungle Cruise. We hope you’ll enjoy getting to know her!
Announced yesterday, the Jungle Cruise attraction at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland will be receiving new scenes and an updated storyline.
While these changes seemingly line up with the release of the Jungle Cruise movie, now set to release in 2021, it has been confirmed that there will be no significant tie between the new changes and the Jungle Cruise movie.
Here is a quote from Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Portfolio Executive Chris Beatty:
I’m excited about the movie, and having Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt be a part of that film. But these adjustments are really focused on enhancing the existing attraction storyline and addressing some areas that needed refreshing along the way. I’m sure the film is fantastic and we’re very excited about it, but integrating the film into our classic Jungle Cruise is not part of this effort. Does that mean that as Imagineers we won’t put Easter eggs in there? We’ll definitely do that. But we are not adding a major storyline or character from that film.
While there may be Easter eggs that nod to the new movie in the attraction, there will be no large connection between the two enterprises. Read the entire interview here.
Disney has announced a Disney Parks classic attraction will be receiving updates at both Magic Kingdom Park and Disneyland Park.
From a Disney Cast Member;
At Disney Parks, we continue to look for ways to enhance classic attractions and elevate the experience for all of our guests. Today, we’re excited to share that we are building on the story of the Jungle Cruise at both Disneyland park at Disneyland Resort and Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort to include new adventures that stay true to the experience we know and love – more humor, wildlife and skipper heart – and also reflect and value the diversity of the world around us. There are no bigger fans of this attraction than our Imagineers so I’ve invited Kevin Lively – former Jungle Cruise skipper – to share a transmission from the world’s most remote tropical rivers!
Continuing a tradition that Walt Disney started more than six decades ago when he first enhanced the Jungle Cruise, the new creative concept for our river’s journey will be original to Walt Disney Imagineering, just like the attraction itself. Here’s a first look at some of the “gnu” magic we’re adding:
Imagineers are excited to invite current Jungle Cruise skippers at Disneyland park and Magic Kingdom park to a Jungle Navigation Company Roll Call, where they will be among the first to hear more about the new adventures and wonders coming down the river. Recently, Imagineers had the chance to provide a sneak peek to a few skippers at Magic Kingdom park – check out the Walt Disney World Ambassador team on Instagram, @WDW.Ambassador, to see additional reactions, and stay tuned for more details about the enhancements in store for the Jungle Cruise, coming later this year.
