Jungle Cruise Update Coming

[BrianL]

That's not a problem in DL. I don't know if I mentioned it in this thread or the other, but the WDW boats are always at full-throttle while the DL boats idle at each scene. DL is a much better experience.

The DL version was shortened when they added Indiana Jones and also lost the temple scene. I don't know that I'd say it's better - it really all depends ont eh skipper and I've had great ones at both DL and MK.

 

[AvidDisReader]

Totally agree!

Of all the attractions in WDW, this one is most sentimental to me. I have a grand daughter who is introverted and way to serious. There was a trip several years ago when she was 3 and she wanted to drive the car in the Speedway. Her feet could barely reach the pedals. Well she had so much enjoyment she was laughing uncontrollably. Everyone who saw it could not help but break out laughing also. Her poor Dad, she had him take her on the ride 4 times (he is 6'3'' and folding into those cars was not an easy trick for him, the things we do for our kids). So does this attraction really fit with the whole Disney theme, no...But this one is special to me.

 

[Tink-osophy]

Of all the attractions in WDW, this one is most sentimental to me. I have a grand daughter who is introverted and way to serious. There was a trip several years ago when she was 3 and she wanted to drive the car in the Speedway. Her feet could barely reach the pedals. Well she had so much enjoyment she was laughing uncontrollably. Everyone who saw it could not help but break out laughing also. Her poor Dad, she had him take her on the ride 4 times (he is 6'3'' and folding into those cars was not an easy trick for him, the things we do for our kids). So does this attraction really fit with the whole Disney theme, no...But this one is special to me.

That's lovely!

I think, sometimes, we underestimate the value of the simple things in life (in Disney and beyond).

Often, when we want to hang onto the nostalgic aspects of Disney, it's because the replacements seem to be mostly of a type, missing certain elements and narrowing the range of options -- not because everything has to remain identical.

I think the challenge is to find the right balance - to understand and appreciate the history of a given attraction/land/etc - but not be beholden to that history

I wouldn't want disney to plow over the Haunted Mansiona nd the jUngle Cruise and Spaceship earth just to put up some flashy "flavor of the month" replacement ... but Disney also shouldn't be scared to make updates where they make sense and improve the overall experience. At the end of the day they need to maximize profits over the long term - so need to attract new customers by still appealing to those feelings of nostalgia from returning ones

 

[GAN]

Well, I don't know about that - maybe if you go back far enough. I can totally understand why some find this stuff problematic, but I also understand those who don't. For me, it's maybe not so much a matter of being "offended" so much as it is being "out of touch." I mean, I love the JC, but that setting and story, those depictions, they're jus tnot that common today. Kids don't grow up reading pulp adventure novels set in the jungle and how many adulst have even see The African Queen (they should - it's excellent!). I don't have an issue with the changes personally, but I'm not one to tell anyone that they should be offended by something - but I also won't tell anyone that they shouldn't be either.

Read "Into Africa:The Epic Adventures of Stanley & Livingstone" I loved this book. I think about it every time I ride JC

 

[ford91exploder]

Why am I getting a bad feeling about this so called 'update' which will probably be full on woke SJW bowdlerizing of the attraction especially the less 'politically correct' sections. JC is a product of it's time and should be left alone, perhaps with a video explaining that.

As to 'the African Queen' recommended. All of these share the same mythos which led to the classic 'Heart of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad.

 

[Disney Bobby]

Why am I getting a bad feeling about this so called 'update' which will probably be full on woke SJW bowdlerizing of the attraction especially the less 'politically correct' sections. JC is a product of it's time and should be left alone, perhaps with a video explaining that.

As to 'the African Queen' recommended. All of these share the same mythos which led to the classic 'Heart of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad.

I agree.

It's a jungle ride. It should look like the jungle. Everybody doesn't need to be included in everything.

 

[Alicefan]

Ummm...I don't think they are? The media is adding the headline about the content being offensive, not Disney. Disney has only talked about adding the skippers to the scenes.

How is it you know who added what?

Ummm...I don't think they are? The media is adding the headline about the content being offensive, not Disney. Disney has only talked about adding the skippers to the scenes.

umm...wasn't this the quote? "more humor, wildlife and skipper heart – and also reflect and value the diversity of the world around us."

 

[skeeter31]

How is it you know who added what?

umm...wasn't this the quote? "more humor, wildlife and skipper heart – and also reflect and value the diversity of the world around us."

Because the actual story from the source (Disney Parks Blog) focused much more on the changes to the CM storyline and some minor tweaks to the features of the ride. The media, however, made their headlines about Disney changing it for political reasons.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

I think all the beloved Disney supporters forget that the place isnt supposed to become a museum, as per the creator... yet in many ways it has. I respect that aside from ET and the makeup show, Universal has cycled through everything at least once.

I think the challenge is to find the right balance - to understand and appreciate the history of a given attraction/land/etc - but not be beholden to that history

I agree with the sentiment and I do not want attractions to be museums. I go to Disney twice a year, and I appreciate the evolving nature of it so that it keeps it fresh.

At the same time, it's that same group and mentality that brought us "Tiki Room under New Management" and "Stich's Great Escape". One of those which has been corrected (thanks to a fire that I am pretty sure Mr Iger set himself in the middle of the night) and the other has resulted in closed space for now.

It's that same group and mentality that brought us "gentle, loving pirates in the tropics" and "Figments sad future".

I mean good things can happen. As much as I miss parts of HS, I love SDD and Galaxy's Edge. (Jury is still out on MMRR). But IT SEEMS TO ME that they do better when they bulldoze and start fresh vs when they attempt to update a classic. I could be wrong, but I am struggling to think of a classic where the changes have amounted to a big improvement. Overhauls and updates and even re-skins have done reasonably well (like the improvements to the projections in HM). But changes... not so much.

Again, not saying they should not do it. I am just saying I hope they tread carefully where feet have failed many times.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I agree with the sentiment and I do not want attractions to be museums. I go to Disney twice a year, and I appreciate the evolving nature of it so that it keeps it fresh.

At the same time, it's that same group and mentality that brought us "Tiki Room under New Management" and "Stich's Great Escape". One of those which has been corrected (thanks to a fire that I am pretty sure Mr Iger set himself in the middle of the night) and the other has resulted in closed space for now.

It's that same group and mentality that brought us "gentle, loving pirates in the tropics" and "Figments sad future".

I mean good things can happen. As much as I miss parts of HS, I love SDD and Galaxy's Edge. (Jury is still out on MMRR). But IT SEEMS TO ME that they do better when they bulldoze and start fresh vs when they attempt to update a classic. I could be wrong, but I am struggling to think of a classic where the changes have amounted to a big improvement. Overhauls and updates and even re-skins have done reasonably well (like the improvements to the projections in HM). But changes... not so much.

Again, not saying they should not do it. I am just saying I hope they tread carefully where feet have failed many times.

Well, the reason Figment first changed was because the sponsorship contract required them too - i think Disney would have been fine leaving it as it was. But yes a lot of the updates haven't necessarily been great. I do think a lot of the gradual additions to the Haunted Mansion have been good and when they added the explosion effects at Big Thunder in Disneyland that was good - so it can be done, but needs to keep what made the original attraction special in the first place and add to it/lean into that - which I believe they are doing here from the announcement- but we shall see in the finished product

 

[BrianL]

Like anything, sometimes they hit and sometimes they miss. Sometimes I think the "misses" are pretty overblown. Most everything is pretty enjoyable regardless. It's hard when something replaces a bleoved attraction but I always try to judge things for what they are, not what they aren't.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Because the actual story from the source (Disney Parks Blog) focused much more on the changes to the CM storyline and some minor tweaks to the features of the ride. The media, however, made their headlines about Disney changing it for political reasons.

This exactly. Disney released some conceptual art showing the apes taking over a boat and the skippers being run up the pole by the rhino. They also released a video of current skippers talking about their thoughts about the changes after seeing an Imagineering presentation. It was the media headlines that highlighted what was "problematic" (media headline words, not mine or Disney's) and was therefore going to be removed.

 

[BrianL]

This exactly. Disney released some conceptual art showing the apes taking over a boat and the skippers being run up the pole by the rhino. They also released a video of current skippers talking about their thoughts about the changes after seeing an Imagineering presentation. It was the media headlines that highlighted what was "problematic" (media headline words, not mine or Disney's) and was therefore going to be removed.

I think it can be inferred what the reasons are, at least some of them. Anything that gets the JC some love though is fine with me!

 

[Lumpy1106]

Like anything, sometimes they hit and sometimes they miss. Sometimes I think the "misses" are pretty overblown. Most everything is pretty enjoyable regardless. It's hard when something replaces a bleoved attraction but I always try to judge things for what they are, not what they aren't.

<cough>Under New Management<cough>
Whew was that a stinker. Correct me if I'm wrong, but at the same time they UTM'ed the WDW version, they completely shut down the DL show - and people liked the shut down show better! Glad to have those both back in original form. Would I be upset if they changed them? NO, unless the update was horrific - like UTM...for example.

 

[BrianL]

<cough>Under New Management<cough>
Whew was that a stinker. Correct me if I'm wrong, but at the same time they UTM'ed the WDW version, they completely shut down the DL show - and people liked the shut down show better! Glad to have those both back in original form. Would I be upset if they changed them? NO, unless the update was horrific - like UTM...for example.

Well, like I said, they can't all be winners, but Under New Management wasn't bad because it wasn't the original, it was bad because it was, well, bad. I just don't like the idea that anything they change is automatically inferior to what it replaced by virtue of it just not being that thing.

 

[Eric Smith]

I agree.

It's a jungle ride. It should look like the jungle. Everybody doesn't need to be included in everything.

How do either of the changes make it look less like a jungle?

 

[Lumpy1106]

How do either of the changes make it look less like a jungle?

Concept art shows a strip mall with a Target and an In N' Out Burger.






OK, no, J/K. FL could really use an In N' Out though, and it would be REALLY nice to be able to do a quick trip to a Target to re-stock the DVC. Maybe shouldn't be in the JC though.

I digress...

 

[TiggerBouncy]

Well, like I said, they can't all be winners, but Under New Management wasn't bad because it wasn't the original, it was bad because it was, well, bad. I just don't like the idea that anything they change is automatically inferior to what it replaced by virtue of it just not being that thing.

Yup, and again I am all for this. I just am careful to say I hope they tread carefully. They are not all winners, but I can count more losers than winners in the "update a classic" category. As I mentioned, they do better with a complete bulldoze and start fresh (think Soarin, Test Track, and pretty much all of Hollywood Studios right now. Also Replacing the old toon town section). Although many miss Mr Toad, Winnie the Pooh has always been well accepted.

Updates to technology generally are not poorly received. Like the special effects in Haunted Mansion, or the additional effects to Runaway Mine Train.

They just don't have as good a track record with updated classic rides. UNM was a disaster. The "updates" to pirates are generally not appreciated. Stitch - another unmitigated disaster. When they muck around with changing the story of a classic, at the very minimum they get a lot of backlash from die hard fans, and at a maximum they generally end up ruining the ride altogether (with most historical cases leaning toward the later).

 

[Tiki Birdland]

Yup, and again I am all for this. I just am careful to say I hope they tread carefully. They are not all winners, but I can count more losers than winners in the "update a classic" category. As I mentioned, they do better with a complete bulldoze and start fresh (think Soarin, Test Track, and pretty much all of Hollywood Studios right now. Also Replacing the old toon town section). Although many miss Mr Toad, Winnie the Pooh has always been well accepted.

Updates to technology generally are not poorly received. Like the special effects in Haunted Mansion, or the additional effects to Runaway Mine Train.

They just don't have as good a track record with updated classic rides. UNM was a disaster. The "updates" to pirates are generally not appreciated. Stitch - another unmitigated disaster. When they muck around with changing the story of a classic, at the very minimum they get a lot of backlash from die hard fans, and at a maximum they generally end up ruining the ride altogether (with most historical cases leaning toward the later).

Changes are best when they're carried out by people to really love the original. For example, you could really see how Jason Segal really loves The Muppet Show - the one the Muppet fans really love. His 2011 movie was the best that's been released since the 70's. And that includes everything since. I will say they've done a good job with the little vignettes outside of HoP. And, some of the youtube videos.

From what I've seen of the JC changes proposed, I'm optimistic for the changes. I hope the jokes and pun keep coming!

 

[Tink-osophy]

Yup, and again I am all for this. I just am careful to say I hope they tread carefully. They are not all winners, but I can count more losers than winners in the "update a classic" category. As I mentioned, they do better with a complete bulldoze and start fresh (think Soarin, Test Track, and pretty much all of Hollywood Studios right now. Also Replacing the old toon town section). Although many miss Mr Toad, Winnie the Pooh has always been well accepted.

Updates to technology generally are not poorly received. Like the special effects in Haunted Mansion, or the additional effects to Runaway Mine Train.

They just don't have as good a track record with updated classic rides. UNM was a disaster. The "updates" to pirates are generally not appreciated. Stitch - another unmitigated disaster. When they muck around with changing the story of a classic, at the very minimum they get a lot of backlash from die hard fans, and at a maximum they generally end up ruining the ride altogether (with most historical cases leaning toward the later).

Toad's Wild Ride to Winnie the Pooh is a good example. I loved TWR as a kid, but I can see that WtP was an effective, updated replacement, still appealing to a similar crowd,

Mickey & MInnie's Runaway Railroad, on the other hand, whilst it looks fun -- and I can understand why they didn't want to invest in all the work (I can imagine) the Great Movie Ride needed -- I am sad that the movie-making attractions at Hollywood Studios have mostly gone. It's not just that Star Wars isn't a big pull for me, it's all part of a narrowing of the range/type of attractions.

As for Jungle Cruise, I'm really interested to see what they do with it. I hope they retain, but freshen the personality and humour of it, but it's hard to argue that it doesn't need a boost!