You may have heard the big news that the Jungle Cruise will undergo some big enhancements! Many fans have big questions about this news. Here’s what we know.
Disney has announced that fan-favorite attraction Jungle Cruise will be enhanced at Disney World and Disneyland. This news came as quite a shock for many!
Jungle Cruise will be updated to give the attraction its first story, complete with new and updated scenes, new characters, and more!
D23 sat down with Walt Disney Imagineer Chris Beatty to learn more about the fantastic new enhancements coming to the “back side of the water” and gave us some answers to some of our big questions.
Will the new Jungle Cruise film be integrated into the update?
The Jungle Cruise film is debuting later this year, and fans are excited to see Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt bring this attraction to life.
With the timing of this news, fans are wondering if this update has something to do with the upcoming film release.
Beatty says the film will not be integrated into the enhanced attraction. “These adjustments are really focused on enhancing the existing attraction storyline and addressing some areas that needed refreshing along the way…integrating the film into our classic Jungle Cruise is not part of this effort.”
Fans of the film don’t need to worry though. Beatty shares the Imagineers will definitely be placing some Easter eggs in the newly updated attraction.
Why change the attraction now?
Disney is constantly evolving and changing, and sometimes, that includes even the most popular attractions.
“We want to make sure everybody has the best time–that Guests from all over the world can connect with the stories we share and that how we bring those to life are respectful of the diverse world we live in. And when they get off the attraction, they know that we have done our homework because these are the details that matter.”
D23
If you’ve ridden the Jungle Cruise, you know there are a few scenes that don’t fit that standard and could certainly use a refresh. Beatty specifically called out the scenes with negative depictions of “natives” as needing an update.
“I want to make sure people know we are not changing the whole Jungle Cruise. This is not a re-envisioning of the entire attraction. It’s the Jungle Cruise you know and love, with the skippers still leading the way,“ Beatty stated.
Beatty went on to share that the current ride has many different scenes, but the new updates will link the story together.
Take the rhino pole scene for example. Have you ever wondered who those explorers were or where they came from?
The newly updated attraction will expand their storyline, and each one will have their own story and cultural heritage.
An animatronic skipper will be added to this scene as well, which will add a whole new hilarious element we can’t wait for!
Timeline
As of now, there is no announced date or timeline given for when the ride will start to undergo refurbishment. Keep checking back here with Kenny the Pirate and we will be sure to update you as the news becomes available!
What are your thoughts on the enhancement of this fan favorite attraction? Is it time for a change, or should they leave it alone? Let us know your thoughts on Kenny the Pirate’s Facebook page, or join our crew and continue the discussion!
Discover more from KennythePirate.com
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.