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Jungle Cruise

July 30, 2021

Action, Adventure, Comedy

Join fan favorites Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt for the adventure of a lifetime on Disney’s Jungle Cruise, a rollicking thrill-ride down the Amazon with wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff and intrepid researcher Dr. Lily Houghton. Lily travels from London, England to the Amazon jungle and enlists Frank’s questionable services to guide her downriver on La Quila—his ramshackle-but-charming boat. Lily is determined to uncover an ancient tree with unparalleled healing abilities—possessing the power to change the future of medicine. Thrust on this epic quest together, the unlikely duo encounters innumerable dangers and supernatural forces, all lurking in the deceptive beauty of the lush rainforest. But as the secrets of the lost tree unfold, the stakes reach even higher for Lily and Frank and their fate—and mankind’s—hangs in the balance.

Rated: PG-13 Runtime: 2h 7min Release Date: July 30, 2021

Directed By

Produced by.

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We can't wait to go on an adventure with emily blunt and dwayne johnson in jungle cruise.

August 26, 2019

Join fan favorites Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt for the adventure of a lifetime on Disney’s JUNGLE CRUISE, a rollicking thrill-ride down the Amazon with wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff and intrepid researcher Dr. Lily Houghton.

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Jungle Cruise

2021, Adventure/Action, 2h 7m

What to know

Critics Consensus

Its craft isn't quite as sturdy as some of the classic adventures it's indebted to, but Jungle Cruise remains a fun, family-friendly voyage. Read critic reviews

Audience Says

Funny, full of action, and an all-around good time, Jungle Cruise is a ride well worth taking. Read audience reviews

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Join fan favorites Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt for the adventure of a lifetime on Disney's JUNGLE CRUISE, a rollicking thrill-ride down the Amazon with wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff and intrepid researcher Dr. Lily Houghton. Lily travels from London, England to the Amazon jungle and enlists Frank's questionable services to guide her downriver on La Quila--his ramshackle-but-charming boat. Lily is determined to uncover an ancient tree with unparalleled healing abilities--possessing the power to change the future of medicine. Thrust on this epic quest together, the unlikely duo encounters innumerable dangers and supernatural forces, all lurking in the deceptive beauty of the lush rainforest. But as the secrets of the lost tree unfold, the stakes reach even higher for Lily and Frank and their fate--and mankind's--hangs in the balance.

Rating: PG-13 (Adventure Violence)

Genre: Adventure, Action, Comedy, Fantasy

Original Language: English

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

Producer: John Davis , John Fox , Beau Flynn , Dwayne Johnson , Dany Garcia , Hiram Garcia

Writer: Michael Green , Glenn Ficarra , John Requa

Release Date (Theaters): Jul 30, 2021  wide

Release Date (Streaming): Aug 31, 2021

Box Office (Gross USA): $117.0M

Runtime: 2h 7m

Distributor: Walt Disney

Production Co: Flynn Picture Company, Walt Disney Pictures, Seven Bucks Productions, Davis Entertainment, TSG Entertainment

Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos

Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Cast & Crew

Dwayne Johnson

Frank Wolff

Emily Blunt

Lily Houghton

Edgar Ramírez

Jack Whitehall

McGregor Houghton

Jesse Plemons

Prince Joachim

Paul Giamatti

Verónica Falcón

Dani Rovira

Quim Gutiérrez

Sir James Hobbs-Coddington

Jaume Collet-Serra

Michael Green

Screenwriter

Glenn Ficarra

Dany Garcia

Hiram Garcia

Scott Sheldon

Executive Producer

Douglas C. Merrifield

Flavio Labiano

Cinematographer

Joel Negron

Film Editing

James Newton Howard

Original Music

Jean-Vincent Puzos

Production Design

Chris Hansen

Art Director

Set Decoration

Paco Delgado

Costume Design

Marisol Roncali

News & Interviews for Jungle Cruise

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Critic Reviews for Jungle Cruise

Audience reviews for jungle cruise.

Silly but enjoyable. Sort of dual remake of both "The Mummy" (1999) and the first "Pirates of the Caribbean".

Disney film that is enough to watch with the family and friends, but offers little return value. Between all the remakes of animated classics, Disney lacks a focus on new and fresh ideas. Jungle Cruise may not be the step in the right direction but it demonstrates they are still willing to take a risk. Blunt is well cast and she is rarely miscast, but it's Johnson who feels out of his element. The film is a mess of special effects mixed together with Pirates of the Caribbean. It's an odd choice the filmmaker and writers made for this mega budgeted film. I just don't understand why they make these films so massive and risk not turning a profit. This should've been a more character focused film with a splash of big adventure. I have heard they are planning a sequel, but I thought they closed this off well enough to avoid a sequel.

A great adventure film and while it is reminiscent of Indiana Jones and the Mummy, it has some original twists and the humor makes the film. Blunt and Johnson are great and Plemmons looks like he is seventh heaven chewing up the scenery!. Well Directed and written. Enjoyable from beginning to end. 09-06-2021

Disney turned a theme park ride that mostly involved sitting into a billion-dollar supernatural adventure franchise, so why not try another swing at reshaping its existing park properties into would-be blockbuster tentpoles? Jungle Cruise owes a lot to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, and actually owes a little too much for its own good. For the first half of the movie, it coasts on the charms of stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt and some light-footed visual misadventures. Then the second half turn involves a significant personal revelation, and that's where the movie felt like it was being folded and crushed into form to closely resemble the Pirates franchise. It gets quite convoluted and littered with lackluster villains, too many and too stock to ever establish as intriguing or memorable (one of them is a man made of honey, so that's a thing). I found myself also pulling away in the second half because of the inevitable romance. Their screwball combative banter between Johnson and Blunt gave me some smiles and entertainment and then, as they warm to one another, it sadly dissipated, as did my interest. The comedy is really labored at points. Johnson keeps referring to Blunt as "Pants" because she's a woman and she wears pants in the twentieth century. It was not funny the first time and it's not funny or endearing after the 80th rendition. The supernatural elements and curses feel extraneous and tacked on. With the Pirates films, at least the good ones, there are a lot of plot elements they need to keep in the air and you assume they're be able to land them as needed. The competing character goals were so well established and developed in those movies and served as an anchor even amid the chaos of plot complications and double and triple crosses. With Jungle Cruise, it feels like a lot of effort but also a lot of dropped or mishandled story and thematic elements. This feels more creatively by committee and the heavily green screen action is harder to fully immerse with. As a wacky adventure serial, there may be enough to keep a viewer casually entertained, but Jungle Cruise feels too beholden to the Pirates formula without bringing anything exciting or fresh on its own imagination merits. Nate's Grade: C

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New trailer released for disney’s “jungle cruise” starring dwayne johnson and emily blunt  coming to theaters and on disney+ with premier access july 30 .

This morning, Good Morning America gave fans an exclusive look at the new trailer for Disney’s “Jungle Cruise,” and now the full trailer—bursting with thrills, laughs and surprises—is available, along with a new poster and images from the trailer. “Jungle Cruise” will release simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access on Friday, July 30. 

Inspired by the famous Disneyland theme park ride, Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” is an adventure-filled, rollicking thrill-ride down the Amazon with wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff and intrepid researcher Dr. Lily Houghton. Lily travels from London, England to the Amazon jungle and enlists Frank’s questionable services to guide her downriver on La Quila—his ramshackle-but-charming boat. Lily is determined to uncover an ancient tree with unparalleled healing abilities—possessing the power to change the future of medicine. Thrust on this epic quest together, the unlikely duo encounters innumerable dangers and supernatural forces, all lurking in the deceptive beauty of the lush rainforest. But as the secrets of the lost tree unfold, the stakes reach even higher for Lily and Frank and their fate—and mankind’s—hangs in the balance.

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In the pantheon of Disney movies based on Disney theme park rides, "Jungle Cruise" is pretty good—leagues better than dreck like "Haunted Mansion," though not quite as satisfying as the original "Pirates of the Caribbean." 

The most pleasant surprise is that director Jaume Collet-Serra (" The Shallows ") and a credited team of five, count 'em, writers have largely jettisoned the ride's mid-century American colonial snarkiness and casual racism (a tradition  only recently eliminated ). Setting the revamp squarely in the wheelhouse of blockbuster franchise-starters like " Raiders of the Lost Ark ," " Romancing the Stone " and "The Mummy," and pushing the fantastical elements to the point where the story barely seems to be taking place in our universe, it's a knowingly goofy romp, anchored to the banter between its leads, an English feminist and adventurer played by Emily Blunt and a riverboat captain/adventurer played by  Dwayne Johnson . 

Notably, however, even though the stars' costumes (and a waterfall sequence) evoke the classic "The African Queen"—John Huston's comic romance/action film starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn ; worth looking up if you've never watched it—the sexual chemistry between the two is nonexistent, save for a few fleeting moments, like when Frank picks up the heroine‘s hand-cranked silent film camera and captures affectionate images of her. At times the leads seem more like a brother and sister needling each other than a will they/won’t they bantering couple. Lack of sexual heat is often (strangely) a bug, or perhaps a feature, in films starring Johnson, the four-quadrant blockbuster king (though not on Johnson’s HBO drama "Ballers"). Blunt keeps putting out more than enough flinty looks of interest to sell a romance, but her leading man rarely reflects it back at her. Fortunately, the film's tight construction and prolific action scenes carry it, and Blunt and Johnson do the irresistible force/immovable object dynamic well enough, swapping energies as the story demands.

Blunt's character, Lily Houghton, is a well-pedigreed adventurer who gathers up maps belonging to her legendary father and travels to the Amazon circa 1916 to find the Tears of the Moon, petals from a "Tree of Life"-type of fauna that can heal all infirmities. She and her snooty, pampered brother MacGregor (Jack Whitehall) hire Frank "Skipper" Wolff (Johnson) to bring them to their destination. The only notable concession to the original theme park ride comes here: Wolff's day job is taking tourists upriver and making cheesy jokes in the spirit of "hosts" on Disney Jungle Cruise rides of yore. On the mission, Johnson immediately settles into a cranky but funny old sourpuss vibe, a la John Wayne or Harrison Ford , and inhabits it amiably enough, even though buoyant, almost childlike optimism comes more naturally to him than world-weary gruffness. 

The supporting cast is stacked with overqualified character players. Paul Giamatti plays a gold-toothed, sunburned, cartoonishly “Italian” harbor master who delights at keeping Frank in debt. Edgar Ramirez is creepy and scary as a conquistador whose curse from centuries ago has trapped him in the jungle.  Jesse Plemons plays the main baddie, Prince Joachim, who wants to filch the power of the petals for the Kaiser back in Germany (he's Belloq to the stars' Indy and Marion, trying to swipe the Ark). Unsurprisingly, given his track record, Plemons steals the film right out from under its leads.

Collet-Serra keeps the action moving along, pursuing a more classical style than is commonplace in recent live-action Disney product (by which I mean, the blocking and editing have a bit of elegance, and you always know where characters are in relation to each other). The editing errs on the side of briskness to such an extent that affecting, beautiful, or spectacular images never get to linger long enough to become iconic. The CGI is dicey, particularly on the larger jungle animals—was the production rushed, or were the artists just overworked?—and there are moments when everything seems so rubbery/plasticky that you seem to be watching the first film that was actually shot on location at Disney World.

But the staging and execution of the chases and fights compensates. Derivative of films that were themselves highly derivative, "Jungle Cruise" has the look and feel of a paycheck gig for all involved, but everyone seems to be having a great time, including the filmmakers.

In theaters and on Disney+ for a premium charge starting Friday, July 30th. 

Matt Zoller Seitz

Matt Zoller Seitz is the Editor at Large of RogerEbert.com, TV critic for New York Magazine and Vulture.com, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism.

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Film Credits

Jungle Cruise (2021)

Rated PG-13 for sequences of adventure violence.

127 minutes

Dwayne Johnson as Frank Wolff

Emily Blunt as Dr. Lily Houghton

Jack Whitehall as McGregor Houghton

Edgar Ramírez as Aguirre

Jesse Plemons as Prince Joachim

Paul Giamatti as Nilo

• Jaume Collet-Serra

Writer (story)

• Glenn Ficarra
• Josh Goldstein
• John Norville

Cinematographer

• Flavio Martínez Labiano
• Joel Negron
• James Newton Howard

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'Jungle Cruise' — release date, plot, cast, trailer, and all you need to know.

Jungle Cruise stars Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson in a thrilling adventure into the unknown.

Jungle Cruise is Disney's new action-adventure family film, inspired by one of the original rides at Disneyland in California. Set in the early 20th century, the film follows an intrepid scientist as she embarks upon a mission to find a legendary tree deep within the jungle, whose petals are believed to have the power to cure any illness and break any curse. In order to get there, she enlists a slippery and cynical steamboat captain, and her extremely reluctant younger brother.

Here's everything you need to know about the film...

Jungle Cruise release date

Jungle Cruise will be released in cinemas on Friday July 30. As with other recent Disney releases like Cruella and Black Widow , it will also be available simultaneously to Disney+ subscribers via the Premier Access service for an additional one-off fee ( $30 in the US, £19.99 in the UK).

What is the plot of Jungle Cruise?

Dr Lily Houghton has spent many years studying reports of the fabled Tree Of Life, supposedly hidden deep within the jungle, whose petals are rumoured to have the power to cure any illness and break any curse. She wants to find the Tree and study its petals in the hope of advancing medical science — but it's the early 20th century, and very few people are willing to take a woman seriously on a matter like this.

Undeterred, Lily sets off to find it accompanied by her younger brother McGregor, who would much rather be safe on dry land enjoying a nice meal and a drink, but has nonetheless agreed to accompany his sister. Lily recruits steamboat captain Frank Wolff and his ramshackle vessel to help them get there, but the journey into the jungle is relatively uncharted and filled with danger.

However, Lily is not the only person looking for the Tree Of Life, as unhinged German aristocrat Prince Joachim is also determined to find it for his own purposes — and along the way she learns that Aguirre, a conquistador who set out to find the Tree Of Life many years before, met a terrible fate...

What are your critics saying about Jungle Cruise

What to Watch critic Leigh Monson had the below to say about Disney's newest adventure. 

" Jungle Cruise is the kind of film that used to be the embodiment of blockbuster cinema, a silly, over-the-top adventure with characters who are having just as much fun exploring their surroundings and each other as you are watching them. The effortless chemistry of the two leads elevates a high-concept romp to something truly special, and we can only hope that any eventual imitators learn the right lessons."

Who is in the cast of Jungle Cruise?

Emily Blunt ( A Quiet Place , Mary Poppins Returns ) stars as Dr Lily Houghton, alongside Dwayne Johnson ( The Fast And The Furious , Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle ) as Frank 'Skipper' Wolff and Jack Whitehall ( Bad Education , Fresh Meat ) as McGregor Houghton.

The film also stars Jesse Plemons ( Judas And The Black Messiah ) as Prince Joachim, Edgar Ramírez ( The Undoing ) as Aguirre, and Paul Giamatti ( Billions ) as Nilo Nemolato, the unscrupulous harbourmaster who manages the port where Frank is based.

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Screen Rant

Jungle cruise: 10 behind the scenes facts about the movie.

Disney's Jungle Cruise is a much-loved ride, but what went into creating its movie adaptation? Take a look at these great behind-the-scenes facts.

Disney's  Jungle Cruise   has been ready to release for some time, but fans will finally get the opportunity to enjoy the film in the summer of 2021. A lot went into creating the company's potential next big blockbuster and there are numerous behind-the-scenes stories about how it all came together.

RELATED:  Jungle Cruise & 9 Other Disney Parks Attractions Which Broke Down With Guests On Them

Whether it's other productions that influenced the movie, or perhaps the way in which talent was brought on board for the project, there's a lot of interesting tidbits as to how  Jungle Cruise  came about at all. Of course, Disney has a strong legacy to live up to as well, and there's a lot of information out there in regards to how the film compares to the original Disney Parks attraction.

It Features Jokes From The Orignal Jungle CruiseRide

The Jungle Cruise attraction is famous due to the script that the Skippers deliver with all of their charm and charisma. There are some trademark jokes and storylines from the Disney park attraction , and to meet fan's expectations, some of these jokes are present in the film adaptation.

Most notably, the joke that every  Jungle Cruise  fan waits for is the "backside of water" pun, which is delivered towards the end of almost every journey. Cnet  mentions how the trailer reveals that this iconic line will also be included in the film, demonstrating Disney's behind-the-scenes work to honor the iconic ride.

Linked To "Behind The Attraction"

Disney's  Behind The Attraction  on the Disney+ streaming service goes further in showcasing how the movie and the attraction will be intertwined. And the new documentary show is actually linked to the production of the film, as well.

Not only does it feature some exclusive footage, but the docu-series is also produced by Dwayne Johnson, who is one of the stars of  Jungle Cruise.  The Disney+ show is therefore being used as both a promotional show and a way for The Rock to showcase the love that went into the production.

It's One Of Disney's Biggest Sets

During the filming of the production, Cinemablend reported that The Rock actually took to social media to reveal the set that Disney had produced for  Jungle Cruise.  It appears to be one of the biggest that the company has ever created for their shoots, showcasing their attention to detail.

RELATED:  10 Other Disney Rides Besides Jungle Cruise We Want Movie Versions Of

Looking to include as many real-world elements as possible, the set also looks like it's heavily inspired by the original ride itself. This is reassuring to fans who are looking for the authenticity and charm that they are familiar with from the original attraction.

The Original Version

Disney's current  Jungle Cruise  wasn't the first time that a film went into development with the same name. In 2004, it was first announced that there could be a new project from Mandeville Films based around the ride, and as AWN announced, confirmation that Al Gough and Miles Millar were in talks to write the movie came in 2006.

Later, it would be reported by  IGN that the project would be a high priority with a producing team also put in place. However, it wasn't meant to be, with the film seemingly collapsing before a new iteration of the idea was eventually announced by the House of Mouse.

It Includes Disney's Second Gay Live-Action Character

Disney made it very clear that LeFou, the famous villainous henchmen , would be one of their first official gay live-action characters and was featured in  Beauty And The Beast .  They would later go on to confirm that Jack Whitehall's character in  Jungle Cruise  would also be gay, marking their second LGBTQ+ inclusion.

According to Advocate.com , the writing team made sure to include a pivotal coming-out scene for the character, but there has also been some backlash around the decision of casting Whitehall. Indiewire mentions that some have suggested that a straight man should not have been placed in the role and that the character plays on stereotypes, rather than portraying an LGBTQ+ character in an authentic manner.

Jaume Collet-Serra's Work

The director chosen for the piece is Jaume Collet-Serra, who usually works within two very distinct genres: thrillers and horror. His filmography is certainly impressive, but it includes an array of features that certainly wouldn't appeal to Disney's family-friendly audience.

RELATED:  10 More Disney Attractions Asides From Jungle Cruise That Would Make Great Movies

However, it's clear from Collet-Serra's work that the director understands how to convey tension and drama on screen. And he clearly impressed Dwayne Johnson though with his passion and work ethic , with the Spanish filmmaker being brought on to work on The Rock's next major project,  Black Adam . 

Indiana Jones Inspiration

In recent interviews, the cast and crew have revealed that the aesthetic and characters are hugely inspired by  Indiana Jones .  Now another movie series in the Disney archives, it's hard to argue that many of the best scenes from the franchise have been cemented in cinema history.

Syfy.com also notes that Emily Blunt's character, in particular, is heavily influenced by Harrison Ford's original performance in the series. It's easy to see the many parallels between the two productions though, with both featuring jungle-based adventures, on the search for lost lands and hidden artifacts.

Blunt Ghosted The Rock

During the promotional tour, Dwayne Johnson also revealed to NME  how Emily Blunt was brought on board to the project in the first place. Having always been her fan, The Rock reached out to Blunt in the hope of tempting her into the cast. However, the actress ghosted his video messages.

It would take the director to really get Blunt to see his side, and clearly, Johnson won't let his co-star forget about the situation, although it all seems to have been taken in jest. Regardless it was the  Indiana Jones  comparisons that finally convinced the award-winning star.

Legacy Of Pirates Of The Caribbean

The Pirates Of The Caribbean   franchise is really the benchmark for live-action Disney projects. Not only was it influenced by the ride itself , but it also brought the live-action side of the production company to new heights. The impact of that is clear to see on  Jungle Cruise. 

Johnson and Blunt revealed to  Inside the Magic that, alongside  Romancing The Stone ,  Pirates Of The Caribbean  was something the crew constantly called back to when looking to find success with  Jungle Cruise.  It's an important part of the House of Mouse's recent film history, and a lot of lessons can be taken from it, including the reliance on practical sets and props.

Nods To The African Queen

The African Queen  is a very important film in the jungle genre and one that, according to  EW , originally influenced Walt Disney when creating the  Jungle Cruise  ride at his parks. But the Oscar-winning production has made its mark on the live-action adaptation, as well.

The  Behind The Attraction  Disney+ show even made mention that the costumes that both Blunt and Johnson wear in the final film are hugely inspired by The African Queen.  The well-respected production, therefore, has its fingerprints all over this modern take.

NEXT:  Disney's Revival Era Films, Ranked By Box Office Earnings

Jungle Cruise (2021)

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The History and Evolution of the Disney’s Jungle Cruise

Since it opened in Disneyland Park in July of 1955, Jungle Cruise has become one of the most iconic attractions in Disney’s theme park catalogue. Everything from the distinctive ride vehicles, comical tableaus, animatronic animals, and even the purposely over-the-top skipper spiel have become iconic elements of the Disney theme park experience, explaining why the Jungle Cruise has been cloned to nearly every Disney resort around the world.

However, despite its beloved stature, the attraction has met its fair share of controversy over the years, which has led to numerous changes, including a major refurbishment in 2021 .

To analyze this attraction’s controversial history, we must first look at its origins, years before Disneyland was constructed.

The origins.

The origins of the Jungle Cruise can be traced back to the late 1940s, when Walt Disney Pictures began production on their True-Life Adventures series. Beginning with Seal Island in 1948, these somewhat staged wildlife documentaries followed various groups of animals in their natural habitats. The series was so successful with movie-goers and critics that it eventually evolved from two-reel shorts to full-length documentary films that quickly became a cornerstone of Walt Disney Studios.  

Guests would view the animals from skipper-guided ride-vehicles modeled after the titular boat from the 1951 hit film The African Queen, while traveling through a jungle designed by Disneyland landscape extraordinaire Bill Evans.  

Welcome to the Jungle

Jungle Cruise opened with the rest of Disneyland on July 17, 1955. However, a modern guest would be hard-pressed to recognize much of the attraction. Sure they would be familiar with Goff’s general concept, and if they squinted they could imagine how the rather light jungle Evans planted would grow into the lush greenery seen today, but many iconic elements of the attraction would be absent. There was no ad-libbed humor from the skippers, who played the entire experience straight. In fact, there was no humor period.  

The Jungle Cruise, like Disneyland overall, was a massive success upon its opening, quickly becoming an integral part of American pop culture. However, as the park’s first decade came to a close, Walt Disney felt his park needed some new blood. According to legend, he once overheard a child ask his mother to ride the Jungle Cruise and was aghast when the mother responded that they’d ridden it last time and didn’t need to again. Whether this story is apocryphal or not, in the early 1960s Walt brought over animator Marc Davis from the Studios to “plus up” some of Disneyland’s attractions.  

One of the first attractions Davis – who would go on to become one of the company’s most influential Imagineers – worked on was Jungle Cruise. A visual comedian by nature, Davis decided to liven up the attraction by adding the playful elephant pool and comical trapped safari sequences.

These comedic elements in-turn influenced the ride’s skipper narration, which became more and more comical over the years. Davis’ changes led to the attraction becoming even more popular.  

Disney World’s Jungle Cruise

The Jungle Cruise’s status as one of Disney’s premier attractions was further solidified when a version of the ride opened with Walt Disney World and Magic Kingdom in 1971.

The Orlando version of the ride was similar to its Anaheim counterpart, though not a direct clone, and served the same purpose as the anchor attraction of the park’s Adventureland section.

Jungle Cruise International

A near-direct clone of the Magic Kingdom version of the attraction opened with Tokyo Disneyland in 1983, but when Disneyland Paris, then known as EuroDisney, opened in 1992, the park became the first “castle park” not to feature a Jungle Cruise on opening day. This was due partially to the cold French climate not being hospitable to water rides and partially because there were several knockoff Jungle Cruises already built at various French amusement parks.

Disneyland Levels Up

While these alternate versions of the Jungle Cruise were being built around the world, the Disneyland original continued to be “plussed” over the years. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, various new animals and show-scenes were added to the attraction. The biggest changes up to that point came in 1994, when the attraction was rerouted and shortened to make room for the then-upcoming Indiana Jones Adventure attraction. In addition, the ride (and the entirety of Adventureland) were rethemed to be set in the 1930s to tie into Indy.  

While these changes were substantial, they were nothing compared to the original plans , which were going to see a portion of the Jungle Cruise take place inside the Indiana Jones show building, as part of a plan to build a massive complex that would house four attractions.  

Holiday Overlays

Following these mid-90s refurbishments, the Jungle Cruise continued to be one of Disney’s marquee attractions. As a testament to said importance, in 2013, both American versions of the attraction were given a holiday overlay and temporarily renamed The Jingle Cruise.

The overlay was so successful that it was greatly expanded for 2014, and remained in both parks through 2016. For reasons unknown, Disneyland dropped The Jingle Cruise from its Holiday offerings in 2017, though the overlay remains a Magic Kingdom staple to this day.  

Controversy in the Jungle

Despite Jungle Cruise’s ongoing popularity, in recent decades the attraction has become controversial due to its purported negative depictions of native people, specifically the “headhunter” party as well as the Trader Sam “head salesman” character.  

In January 2021,  Disney announced that it would be making significant story changes to the Jungle Cruise at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World to alleviate these issues. Carmen Smith, creative development and inclusion strategies executive at Walt Disney Imagineering, explained the changes in a statement to the Los Angeles Times , saying:  

As Imagineers, it is our responsibility to ensure experiences we create and stories we share reflect the voices and perspectives of the world around us. With Jungle Cruise, we’re bringing to life more of what people love – the humor and wit of our incredible skippers — while making needed updates.

Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger added , “The exciting changes we’re making to one of Disney’s most popular classic attractions, Jungle Cruise, reflect our commitment to creating unparalleled experiences that reflect, not only the best in storytelling, but also the values and rich diversity of our world.”

As part of these announcements, Disney made it clear that these changes to the attraction were not going to be related to the upcoming film based on the attraction.

Said film, simply titled Jungle Cruise , was released in July of 2021. The film starred Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Édgar Ramírez, Jack Whitehall, Jesse Plemons, and Paul Giamatti and was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. It was such a hit, a sequel is already in the works.

How do you feel about the upcoming changes to the Jungle Cruise? Do you agree that they’ve been years in the making? Beyond that, how do you feel about the attraction overall? Let us know in the comments below.  

Jungle Cruise

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8 Fascinating Facts About the Jungle Cruise

Set sail across the rivers of the world with us and learn some incredible facts about the world-famous Jungle Cruise at both Disneyland and Disney World.

Scenic landscapes, plenty of thrilling Audio-Animatronic animal sightings, iconic ride vehicles, and plenty of punny dad jokes –– the Jungle Cruise truly has it all! This classic Adventureland attraction that’s located at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World is a nostalgic trip for many Disney fans, especially ones who remember its debut almost 50 years ago.

Originally a highly popular opening day attraction at Disneyland Park , this riverboat ride sailed into the Magic Kingdom in 1971 and quickly became a favorite among visitors to the Orlando resort. Jungle Cruise has become so popular and so iconic over the years that it’s even inspired a movie.

Even if you’ve ridden the Jungle Cruise countless times over the years, we’re willing to bet there’s still quite a bit you might not know about this classic attraction. Below, we’re sharing a few of our favorite fascinating facts about Jungle Cruise at both Disneyland Park and Magic Kingdom Park!

1. Jungle Cruise Was Inspired By a Nature Documentary

If you enjoy the worldly settings of the Jungle Cruise, from the tropical jungles to the shores of the Nile, you have a real-life nature documentary to thank! In fact, it was one of Walt Disney’s very own True-Life Adventures documentaries that inspired this beloved attraction. 

The  True-Life Adventures nature documentary series produced by Walt from 1948 to 1960 earned numerous Academy Awards and was hugely influential, both in the scientific community and the entertainment industry. However, it was one particularly successful film that spawned the Jungle Cruise: The African Lion.

This 1955 installment in the  True-Life Adventures  series was shot over a 30-month period in Kenya, Tanganyika, and Uganda, capturing the life of lions within the African ecosystem. It was so memorable for the time that it won the Silver Bear (Documentaries) award at the 6th Berlin International Film Festival, and it was loved by critics of the time. Publications like  The New York Times ,  Variety , and  Los Angeles Times all raved about  The African Lion .

So, Walt took the educational and awe-inspiring footage from this documentary and used it as inspiration for the Jungle Cruise! You can actually spot the film’s inspiration in both the Disneyland and Disney World versions of the ride – s ome of the vignettes along the boat routes are actually recreations of specific scenes from The African Lion.

2. The Attraction’s Boats Were Inspired By Another Film

Photo by Cliff Wang

While the scenery and Audio-Animatronic animals of the Jungle Cruise drew inspiration from  The African Lion , another film inspired the iconic boats that ferry guests through the waterways of the attraction – and it’s  not a documentary!

One particular Disney Imagineer, Harper Goff, had an affinity for the 1951 adventure film  The African Queen . This film, which stars Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn (and the titular “character”, a steamboat named the  African Queen ), was referenced by Goff in quite a few ideas relating to the Jungle Cruise. Ultimately, he drew inspiration from the steamer in the movie for the boats of the Jungle Cruise, creating a smaller but quite similar ride vehicle.

While there’s no official “African Queen” boat in the lineup at Magic Kingdom or Disneyland, Disneyland does have a Jungle Cruise boat that hints at this inspiration: the Congo Queen.

3. The Jungle Cruise’s Iconic Jokes Are a Relatively Recent Addition

When you climb aboard the Jungle Cruise, you’re bound to crack a smile. Every trip down the rivers of the world is filled with hilarious wisecracks made by the skippers. But what many guests might not realize is those puns and jokes are a pretty new addition!

If you rode on the Jungle Cruise when it was brand-new at Disneyland in 1955, you wouldn’t be laughing. The boat tour was originally conceived as an informative, serious tour designed to teach passengers about the artificial animals they were seeing. After all, it was inspired by a documentary –– and Walt wanted the attraction to be just as educational.

Unfortunately, guests didn’t find an educational boat ride very entertaining. So, in the early 1960s, the ride was overhauled and the skippers’ spiel was retooled, with generous helpings of humor added. Ever since, the Jungle Cruise’s popularity has skyrocketed, and it’s now beloved  because it’s so funny!

4. Each Version of the Jungle Cruise Features a Different Fleet of Boats

The Senegal Sal boat in action at Walt Disney World. Photo by Judd Helms

Each time you ride the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland or Disney World, you might find yourself boarding a different boat –– with a different name. The Jungle Navigation Company has a whole fleet of vessels docked at each one of its wharves, and if you’ve never paid close attention to the boat names, you might be surprised that each theme park has a different fleet with different ship names.

At Disneyland, there are a total of 12 boats in the Jungle Cruise fleet. There are never more than nine boats out on the water at any given time (typically, that’s eight guest boats and one training boat). The boat names are:

• Amazon Belle
• Congo Queen
• Hondo Hattie
• Irrawaddy Woman
• Kissimmee Kate
• Nile Princess
• Orinoco Adventuress
• Suwannee Lady
• Ucayali Una
• Yangtze Lotus
• Zambezi Miss

At Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, there are a total of 15 boats in the attraction’s fleet. Similar to Disneyland’s version of the Jungle Cruise, however, there are never more than nine boats out at once. The boat names are:

• Amazon Annie
• Bomokandi Bertha
• Congo Connie
• Ganges Gertie
• Irrawaddy Irma
• Mongala Millie
• Nile Nellie
• Orinoco Ida
• Rutshuru Ruby
• Sankuru Sadie
• Senegal Sal
• Ucayali Lolly
• Wamba Wanda
• Zambezi Zelda

Oh, and we can’t forget about the  other two versions of the Jungle Cruise! Tokyo Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland also have their own versions of this classic attractions, with their own fleets. Here, the boat names are alliterative, and many are repeats (or inspired by) the boats at Disneyland and Disney World.

5. You Can Spot an Attraction Easter Egg in the Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom

As you cruise down the Amazon River in the Jungle Cruise at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, you can spot a little –– okay, maybe not-so-little! –– Easter egg hiding on the shore. 

The crashed airplane that’s stuck onshore is both a real plane and a Disney World Easter egg. It’s part of a once-functioning Lockheed Model 12 Electra Junior, a popular plane used in the 1930s (and one that perfectly suits the era and theming of the Jungle Cruise).

If you were a fan of The Great Movie Ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios , you’re  especially going to love this detail. Disney actually did have the entire plane –– the half you see on the shores of the Jungle Cruise is just one portion. The other half used to be located in Disney’s Hollywood Studios at The Great Movie Ride. It was an integral piece of the Casablanca scene! 

6. The Murky Waters Are a Purposeful Design Choice

Have you ever wondered why the waters of the Jungle Cruise’s rivers are so brown? When you think of natural rivers, you likely envision shades of blues… not a murky brownish green. Well, it turns out that like so many other careful choices at Disney’s theme parks, that brown water hue isn’t accidental; it’s quite intentional.

The brown water is actually a clever Imagineering trick. It’s designed to portray a realistic look at swampy waters –– after all, the Jungle Cruise isn’t sailing through pristine or crystal-clear waterways! –– but it’s also a trick that conceals what’s underneath the water. The attraction’s ride vehicles do sit on a track, and with the rivers sitting at a depth of just four feet in most areas.

That murky water passengers sail through is dyed brown, dark green, or muddy blue. The coloring serves two purposes: It provides a more realistic portrayal of swampy waters, of course, and it also conceals the fact that the cruise ships are on a track in a pool that’s less than four feet deep in most areas.

So, if you’ve ever wondered why you can’t see through the  very thick and murky waters of the Jungle Cruise on either coast, that’s why they’re the exact shade of brown you see in the parks!

7. Eagle-Eyed Guests Can Spot Easter Eggs Hidden in the Queue

Did you know that there are a whole bunch of little nods to Disney history to be found before you even board a Jungle Cruise boat? The next time you join the queue for the attraction at Disney World, you’re going to want to spend your time in line taking a close look at your surroundings. In the queue for the Magic Kingdom’s version of the Jungle Cruise, you’ll find a host of Easter eggs and references.

For example, there’s a pair of crates sitting alongside some barrels, looking like cargo that’s ready to be shipped out. Take a look at the addresses on the crates, and you’ll notice they’re labeled for “Thomas Kirk, Esq., M. Jones, Cartographers Ltd. Field Office, Island of Bora Danno” and “Kenneth Annakin, Director of Imports, Wyss Supply Company, Colony of New Guinea.” If you’ve ever watched the classic Disney film  Swiss Family Robinson , these are references to the film’s actors.

Tommy Kirk played Ernst Robinson (and then went on to play Merlin Jones in  The Misadventures of Merlin Jones ); the “Bora Danno” mention refers to James MacArthur, who played Fritz Robinson in the Disney film and, later, Danny Williams on Hawaii Five-O . Ken Annakin was the director of  Swiss Family Robinson , while “Wyss Supply Company” is a nod to the original book’s author, Johann Wyss.

8. The Jungle Cruise Transforms During the Holidays

A look at some of the Jingle Cruise additions each holiday season. Photo by Cliff Wang

If you haven’t stopped by Adventureland in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom to ride Jungle Cruise during the holiday season, you need to! Each year, the attraction transforms, getting a special overlay just for the most festive time of the year and changing its name to Jingle Cruise.

The Jingle Cruise overlay first occurred in 2013, and it appeared at both Disney World and Disneyland. During that first year, the Jingle Cruise was pretty simple; the queue areas at both parks were decked out in seasonal decorations, and the boats themselves also got some holiday-themed touches. The skipper spiel was updated to include some new holiday-themed jokes, too.

However, in the years that followed, Jingle Cruise became more elaborate, and it’s now a beloved holiday tradition at Magic Kingdom (sorry, Disneyland guests –– Jingle Cruise hasn’t returned to the West Coast since 2017!). Now, the overlay’s story goes that decorations and gifts were scattered across the jungle after an accidental drop from a cargo plane flying overhead. Each of the boats in the Jungle Cruise fleet gets a festive Christmastime name, along with twinkling lights and garland, too.

So, next November, make plans to catch the Jingle Cruise when it arrives! The Magic Kingdom exclusive is a must-see at least once.

Hopefully, this Jungle Cruise trivia has helped you appreciate this ride that’s given all of us a good guffaw. Want to learn more about this iconic attraction? You’re going to want to grab a copy of our Jungle Cruise Attraction Special Issue ! Chock-full of insights and behind-the-scenes details, you’ll get to discover even more than the backside of water.

The post 8 Fascinating Facts About the Jungle Cruise appeared first on WDW Magazine .