NEWS: Disney 3D Prints Jungle Cruise Prop and It Could CHANGE the Future of Rides

Disney is changing across the entire company! Walt Disney World is expanding, Disneyland is moving forward, and the company just signed an AI content deal.

The Walt Disney Company continues to innovate and change with the times. Now, according to CNET, Disney is working towards 3D printing rides!

Disney really does live by the idea of “If you can dream it, you can do it!” That famous phrase, which was actually written by Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald, feels very appropriate during this era of change. From AI to 3D printing, technological innovations are going to change the theme parks we love so much. One ride that’s being impacted? The World Famous Jungle Cruise.

CNET shared that Haddy, a 3D-printing business based in Florida, has shared “it can build worlds”. Jay Rogers, co-founder and CEO of Haddy, shared that the company is installing its first boat in a Disney park. He confirmed it is a Jungle Cruise boat during Disney Demo Day at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, in November 2025.

While 3D printing isn’t new, using it to create an entire attraction vehicle just might be. 3D printers can take small pellets, strands of polymer, or liquid resin and turn them into fully real designs! You can create small designs to massive ones, like entire boats.

CNET shared that Haddy’s Jungle Cruise boat is a prop canoe, and it “will be placed on the ride soon, where it’ll become part of the scenic journey alongside those fake animals on the banks of the Amazon-Congo-Nile-Mekong river.”

They also confirmed that Haddy worked closely with Walt Disney Imagineering to “adapt plans for the boat, ensuring it captured the spirit of the existing props while using 3D-printing technology.” The company has been working with Disney thanks to the 2025 Disney Accelerator Program. This program, which has been running for several years, selects different start-ups that will receive financial, platform, and mentor support from The Walt Disney Company.

Not only can 3D printing be cost-effective, but it can also be more easily recycled! Once a 3D product has reached the end of its life, it can be melted down and reused for a new product. Rogers confirmed, “It’s not just faster to make, it’s faster to develop.” During Disney Demo Day, Haddy showcased different projects they’ve worked on, like this gate.

Rogers said the traditional process of building can take weeks and months. That includes designing, creating, and securing the mold, and repeating the molding process an average of 30 times per boat before manufacturing the boat that will go in the parks. Rogers said that it would take Haddy “70 robot hours in manufacturing.” This might lead some to be concerned about the personal, magical touches that a 3D printer might remove.

CNET Senior Editor James Bricknell, an expert on 3D printing, doesn’t have those concerns. Bricknell said, “It’s a brilliant idea. You can make them look any way you like, just like the normal boats, but instead of injection molding, you can make each one individual for much less cost.”

Michael Hundgen, portfolio executive creative producer of Walt Disney Imagineering, said, “We’re not just creating technology for technology’s sake; we’re doing it to help our creative teams bring the stories from the company to life.” While they’re working on testing this technology in current attractions, this does lead us to wonder how it will be implemented in upcoming projects.

In Disney World alone, the Imagineering team is working on a new Monsters, Inc. Land, a Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster retheme, the Magic of Disney Animation, a new Cars land, Villains Land, and a new Pueblo Esperana land. Plus, that’s just mentioning the major projects at one Disney resort. As they continue to work on new lands and projects, this technology could lead to faster development and quicker opening dates. If everything goes to plan, of course.

We’re eager to see how this technology impacts projects moving forward, as well as small details throughout the attractions we already love. As always, be sure to keep following AllEars for more Disney news, updates, and more.

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