Jungle Cruise

Adventureland
Magic Kingdom

Introduction | Attraction | Touring Tips | Kids and Characters
Dining | Shopping | Interesting Facts

INTRODUCTION

Travel on the world's most exotic rivers to see realistic Audio-Animatronic animals and ancient ruins. Be prepared for surprises along the way, including some very punny jokes! Jungle Cruise is located in Adventureland, across from the Enchanted Tiki Room, just beyond the Swiss Family Treehouse.

ATTRACTION

Queue -- As you wind your way around a deceptively long queue that snakes back and forth through the last outpost of the Jungle Cruise offices, be sure to note the architectural details. For example, there's a chalkboard with a list of missing boats and persons, with names like "Ilene Dover" and "Anne Fellen." Also listen to the overhead chatter of the Cast Members to help while the wait time away. The really bad jokes they tell give you an idea of what you're in for on the cruise itself!

Jungle Cruise -- You board canopied launches patterned after the boat in the movie The African Queen that have whimsical names like "Bomokandi Bertha", "Irrawaddy Irma," and "Amazon Annie." After the launch leaves the dock, the skipper then pilots you through the dangerous waters of four "rivers": the Amazon in South America; the Congo in Africa; the Nile in Egypt; and the Mekong river in Cambodia in Southeast Asia. Along the route, a variety of realistic (and some not-so) Audio-Animatronic animals and natives are encountered, including a herd of bathing elephants in the Elephant Pool (left), some lions enjoying their dinner, angry hippos who might attack at any moment, and a shrunken head salesman. The launch also passes by a waterfall and several spraying fountains, so you may just get a little damp on this 9-minute excursion. In addition to being sprayed, you will also be peppered by a barrage of bad jokes and puns from your skipper! The cruise concludes with more funnies as guest disembark at the same point from which they started.

There's a list of some of the awful jokes told on the Jungle Cruise on Yoda's Jungle Cruise Jokes page at:

http://www.csua.berkeley.edu/~yoda/jungle.htm

To compare, take a look at our page on the Disneyland version of this attraction HERE.

Shrunken Ned's Junior Jungle Boats -- Adjacent to the Jungle Cruise is Shrunken Ned's Junior Jungle Boats, coin-operated, remote-controlled replicas of the boats sailing on the Jungle Cruise. For a few quarters, you get several minutes of fun trying to navigate your own launch in and around the tiki god statues and spears strewn about a small pond. Watch out for the sudden flames, too!

TOURING TIPS

Hidden Mickey Alert: In the cave Temple, look for the Mickey-shaped arrangement of three plates.

Riders in wheelchair/ECV may remain in them at this attraction but will need to wait for the "Bomokandi Bertha" boat.

The Jungle Cruise is a FastPass attraction. Queues at this attraction continue to be long during busy periods, though. If you obtain a FastPass here, walk over to ride the Pirates of the Caribbean while waiting for your FastPass window to open.

The cruise takes on a whole different feel when ridden in the evening in the dark -- this is also a less crowded time to take the ride.

This attraction has one very dark patch during which you cruise through a cave. It may not be advisable for folks with a fear of the dark or claustrophobia.

Assistive Listening Devices from Guest Services Can Be Used Here.

Ears to the World, Disney's show translators, are available here for guests with limited English fluency. Guests may choose from one of five languages: French, German, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish. Ask at Guest Relations at the park entrance.

KIDS AND CHARACTERS

Tip: Because of several dark spots and a slightly scary trip with a darkened cave, young children might prefer to take this cruise during daylight hours.

If you're lucky and your little one is the only child on a particular cruise, the skipper may just let him or her take the wheel (pictured at left)!

Disney Characters are typically not found in the Jungle Cruise, but there are several character "meet and greet" locations in Adventureland. Be sure to check the daily Times Guide for times and exact locations.

Magic Kingdom Characters At A Glance
Character Meet and Greet FAQ!

DINING

There is no place to dine in the immediate vicinity of the Jungle Cruise. However, El Pirata y El Perico, a counter service restaurant that's opened seasonally, is located not too far away, still in Adventureland. Check the Times Guide for opening hours.

Magic Kingdom Restaurants At A Glance
Menus From Around the World
Vegetarian and Other Special Diets

SHOPPING

Bwana Bob's sells rubber snakes, Safari Mickey Mouse shirts and hats, sunglasses and film.

The Crow's Nest sells cameras, film, film accessories, videos and picture frames.

Magic Kingdom Shopping at a Glance

INTERESTING FACTS

Jungle Cruise opened at the Magic Kingdom in 1971.

The first version of the Jungle Cruise was very serious, based on Walt Disney's True Life Adventure series. It wasn't until a few years later that the Jungle Cruise "skippers" began adding jokes and funny stories.

Rumor is that the beached plane you see while on your jungle tour is really just half a plane -- the other half is in the Casablanca scene in the Great Movie Ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

The Jungle Cruise boats are 27 feet long, and reach a top speed of 3.2 feet per second, using a 4-cylinder Chevrolet engine.

If you have comments or tips to share with others about touring the Magic Kingdom, please email me. Thank you.