Hey all, I really apologize for being so idle (yet again), but between my new love for photography, my running out of topics/inspiration, and my 2 year old, I've not been ready to post. Sorry, but I'm a bit rusty, but here goes :) ...
During all of my trips to Walt Disney World in the 80's an the 90's, I found the Jungle Cruise to be a complete waste. I can remember my Dad getting us in line for it and me groaning about why were we wasting our time. Uninspired skippers, awful special effects, and long lines had caused a complete distaste for the attraction. I can recall every skipper sounding like a college kid that couldn't wait to get out of work and/or do something else. That all changed in 2000.
In 2000, during my Walt Disney Imagineering interview trip (blog entry here: http://kcmwwodp.blogspot.com/2008/09/so-you-want-to-be-imagineer.html) I took my first visit to Disneyland. I was given the tour by friends of the family that had migrated west and lived very close to the park. First day, first ride: the Jungle Cruise. I can recall boarding my boat and lightly groaning to myself. Little did I know what I was in for.
For the next 8 minutes or so, I was entertained by a young girl that I swear was destined for stardom as a standup comic or acting. I remember that she just had this cool confidence and wit, and did the spiel a bit over the top, even poking fun at some of the old and tired jokes (the "Backside of water" one comes to mind). I'm sure that some of the jokes were the same ones from WDW, but they were told with such comic timing, enthusiasm, or sarcasm that I was blown away. Not all of the jokes were the same; I can definitely remember one in particular: As a kid, I watched a LOT of Merry Melodies. One gag that was repeated over and over in some of the various narrated shorts was one where they were trying to portray a vulnerable, helpless animal calling out for it's mother. The narrator would get very quiet and deliver a line, as if not trying to disturb the little critter: "let's listen as it calls out for her", followed by the shy and timid creature responding with an incredibly boisterous "HEY MA!!!!". As we entered the hippo pool, the guide repeated the exact same gag: "Let's listen out for the baby hippo as it calls out for it's mother." [Leans out of the boat] "HEY MA!" I was floored. Following that, she actually took a SHOT at the hippo charging the boat. WDW seemed to give up the pistols a looong time ago, so this was so cool to me, and I got a total rush of nostalgia as if I was back in 1982 WDW.
On my next trip to Disneyland a few years later, I was definitely not disappointed and I made sure I rode it about 4 times. Each skipper had a unique take on the spiel and delivered beautifully. One skipper did his spiel very slow and deliberate, with lots of sarcasm and fantastic timing like a Steven Wright. Another skipper did this hilarious over-the-top laugh a la Jerry Lewis after every joke. Every one was hysterical and had what I can best describe as an "edge", where they added just enough sarcasm and had some fun at their audience's expense, but didn't cross over into being insulting like I've witnessed at Universal Studios.
Since those trips, I've done the WDW JC many more times, and I've very rarely been impressed. The Disneyland version is far superior. I don't know what they're putting in the skipper drinking water out there, but their skippers are unreal.
Anyways, I posted a list of the Jungle Cruise jokes that I could find here: http://www.kurtmiller.net/Disney/JungleCruiseJokes.htm. Enjoy!
If you liked this post, then I'm Kurt and this is the WWODP site. If you didn't, my name is Phillis and this is MSNBC.
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