jungle cruise disney world christmas

Jungle Cruise

Adventure Around Every Corner

Embark on a river cruise where dangerous beasts and dry wit abound. Board a canopied tramp steamer piloted by your trusty skipper, who will expertly navigate you through some of the world’s most treacherous waters.

Steam past lush foliage, butterflies and waterfalls on the Amazon in South America. Glimpse an abandoned camp overrun by curious gorillas on the shores of the African Congo.

Watch for angry hippos, hungry lions and “sleeping” zebras along the Nile and be on the lookout for a missing Jungle Cruise vessel and its helpless passengers. As the cruise continues down the Mekong River, you just might learn that the jungle always gets the last laugh.

It’s a 10-minute, 10,000-mile journey that you won't soon forget!

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Accessibility

• May Remain in Wheelchair/ECV
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• Sign Language
• Assistive Listening
• Handheld Captioning
• Supervise children at all times. Children under age 7 years must be accompanied by a person age 14 years or older.

Chart a course for high adventure on a scenic and comedic boat tour of exotic rivers across Asia, Africa and South America.

Adventure Around Every Corner

Steam past lush foliage, butterflies and waterfalls on the Amazon in South America. Glimpse an abandoned camp overrun by curious gorillas on the shores of the African Congo.

Watch for angry hippos, hungry lions and “sleeping” zebras along the Nile and be on the lookout for a missing Jungle Cruise vessel and its helpless passengers. As the cruise continues down the Mekong River, you just might learn that the jungle always gets the last laugh.

It’s a 10-minute, 10,000-mile journey that you won't soon forget!

Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen

Prepare your palate for exotic flavor adventures sure to tame your wildest appetite.

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The Highly-Anticipated Jungle Cruise Holiday UPDATE Is BACK in Disney World!

By Samantha Kendall Leave a Comment

It’s officially time for the holiday season in Disney World, and that means a TON of festive eats, drinks, experiences, and more.

Jungle Cruise

Sure, we love all the delicious snacks and exclusive merchandise that Disney releases this time of year, and the special holiday events can’t be topped. But, one of our absolute FAVORITE parts about Christmastime in Disney World comes when the Jungle Cruise is transformed into the Jingle Cruise ! This adventure ride has been given a holiday makeover, so come with us to check it out!

The Jingle Cruise is one of our favorite ride overlays that Disney busts out for the holidays, and we couldn’t wait to check it out this year! We hopped in line and prepared ourselves for some fun and puns.

You KNOW the holidays have arrived when you get to ride the JINGLE CRUISE! 🔔🎄 pic.twitter.com/3eXIg1Iqjw — Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) November 2, 2022

The queue for the ride is littered with holiday-themed jokes — check out the menu!

Holiday menu!

There are decorations throughout all the random theming elements — we noticed everything from baubles to ornaments to plastic Santa heads (???). And the Skippers are wearing their jolly Santa hats…in khaki of course!

Decorations in the queue

Once you board your boat (which all have festive names for the season — ours was Brrr Bertha!), you’ll start to notice the decor throughout the ride. The hut across from the boarding area was all decked out, and the iconic “jingle all the way” banner was back as well.

It’s time!

There were plenty of gift-wrapped presents scattered throughout the ride , some on the shore and some floating in the water. We noticed them in the gorilla scene and the rhino scene with the explorers.

Lots of presents throughout!

And of course, you can expect some holiday jokes as well! It wouldn’t be the Jingle Cruise without some punny Christmas humor.

Holiday theming

Now is your chance to check out this special holiday overlay of the Jingle Cruise, so if you’re heading to Magic Kingdom soon make sure you make this one a priority! The Jungle Cruise is a popular ride even on a regular day, so you might want to hop in line as soon as the park opens or consider purchasing Genie+ for the day .

Be sure to stay tuned to DFB for all your Disney World holiday news and more!

Everything Announced for the 2022 Holiday Season in Disney World

Don't miss a moment of holiday magic.

Holidays at Disney World: DFB's Merriest Guide is a one-of-a-kind resource that will help you get the most out of your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World.

• The COMPLETE schedule of events for the Holiday Season
• How to avoid the crowds on Disney World's busiest days (and when Disney World closes their parks due to capacity!)
• ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM.
• And, of course, we'll tell you where to eat!

Save 20% on the  Holidays at Disney World: DFB's Merriest Guide with code PEPPERMINT.

GET YOUR GUIDE NOW

MORE Disney World Holiday INFO!

Learn about mickey’s very merry christmas party get the latest information about the epcot international festival of the holidays, we’ll take this little golden disney book in our stocking, santa everything you need to know about disney world holiday dining and events, what we wish we’d known before going to disney world during the holidays, join the dfb newsletter to get all the latest holiday news right in your inbox click here to subscribe.

What’s your favorite part about Disney World during the holiday season? Let us know in the comments!

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Your Complete Guide to 2021 Christmas at Disney World

by Timothy Moore | Oct 18, 2021 | Animal Kingdom , Disney Springs , Disney's Hollywood Studios , EPCOT , Magic Kingdom , Walt Disney World Food , Walt Disney World Merch , Walt Disney World Resorts , WDW Blog

What is it like to celebrate Christmas at Disney World? Use our 2021 Christmas at Disney World guide for a comprehensive look at how to celebrate the holidays at Disney World this winter season.

There is no place more magical to spend the Christmas season than at Walt Disney World. Despite the gross Orlando humidity, Disney World transforms into a welcoming winter wonderland across all the parks and resorts .

Are you planning to observe Christmas at Disney World trip between November and January this year? Here’s everything you need to know.

Quick Link:  Check out our companion post with the FULL 2021 Disney World Christmas food and drink menu.

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2021 Christmas at Disney World

Celebrating Christmas at Disney World is a magical experience. Photo by Sara Bryce

Last year, Walt Disney World’s Christmas celebrations looked a lot different because of COVID-19 protocols. Christmas parties were cancelled, Santa meet-and-greets were altered, and the world-famous Candlelight Processional at EPCOT didn’t happen for the first time in Walt Disney World history.

While we’re certainly not out of the COVID woods yet, Christmas at Disney World in 2021 is beginning to look a lot like, well, the Christmas at Disney World we’re used to , with some continued alterations (like After Hours parties and socially distanced meet-and-greets).

Wait … before you head to the parks for Christmas, make sure you’re outfitted with some new 2021 Disney Christmas merch . Or, ya know, just put it on your Christmas list; Santa’s got some elves at shopDisney, right?

Your Guide to Christmas at Disney World

🏰 2021 christmas at magic kingdom.

• 🌐 2021 Christmas at EPCOT

🎥 2021 Christmas at Hollywood Studios

🦁 2021 christmas at animal kingdom.

• 🛍️ 2021 Christmas at Disney Springs

🏨 2021 Christmas at Disney World Resorts

🎅 meeting santa at disney world.

• 🛒  Disney World Christmas Merch

Magic Kingdom become a winter wonderland. Photo by Julie de la Fe

Magic Kingdom is easily the most popular Disney World Park any time of the year, but it really comes alive at Christmas. The decorations alone are reason enough to visit.

Subscribe to our print magazine by Nov. 30 to learn how the Holiday Services team transforms Magic Kingdom from Halloween to Christmas overnight. Tap here to start your subscription in time for the holidays.

In addition to the beautiful décor, Christmas at Magic Kingdom always entails limited-time treats , including food and beverages , throughout the park. While the Cinderella Castle used to light up with 200,000 individual white lights for what Disney called Dream Lights , it now comes alive through special projections that transform the castle to a true Christmas palace.

Dream Lights is no longer offered on Cinderella Castle. Photo by Brett Svenson.

This year, expect special projections on Cinderella Castle. Photo by Ernie Carr

Want to treasure the experience forever? You can usually snag a PhotoPass photographer for a photo in front of the massive Christmas tree on Main Street.

For a long time, Disney World was known for the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom , but there have been some significant changes since the start of COVID-19.

Love spreading Christmas cheer?  Then you’ll want to order our 2021 Disney World Christmas cards featuring the beautiful Cinderella Castle. You’ll get 20 glossy cards and envelopes featuring four different sets .

🎄 Spread Some Cheer

Disney World Christmas Party 2021: Very Merriest at Magic Kingdom

Disney’s Very Merriest After Hours includes seasonal favorites featuring Mickey and Minnie. Photo courtesy of Disney

This year, to experience the full Christmas magic of Magic Kingdom, you’ll have to pay an additional fee to attend the limited-capacity Very Merriest After Hours event . Very Merriest is offered on 24 select nights running from Nov. 8 through Dec. 21 . This is Disney’s current replacement for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

Very Merriest starts at 9 PM each night and lasts for a whopping 4 hours.

New this year for Very Merriest is “Mickey & Minnie’s Very Merry Memories,” a new form of holiday entertainment at Magic Kingdom.

Very Merriest Dates and Prices, 2021

Below is a full list of dates and prices for the 2021 Very Merriest After Hours party at Magic Kingdom. Tickets are on sale now and, if it’s anything like Boo Bash , these tickets will sell out  early .

• Nov. 8 ($189)
• Nov. 9 ($169)
• Nov. 11 ($169)
• Nov. 12 ($189)
• Nov. 14 ($189)
• Nov. 16 ($169)
• Nov. 18 ($169)
• Nov. 19 ($189)
• Nov. 21 ($229)
• Nov. 23 ($229)
• Nov. 28 ($209)
• Nov. 30 ($209)
• Dec. 2 ($209)
• Dec. 3 ($229)
• Dec. 5 ($209)
• Dec. 7 ($209)
• Dec. 9 ($209)
• Dec. 10 ($229)
• Dec. 12 ($209)
• Dec. 14 ($209)
• Dec. 16 ($209)
• Dec. 17 ($229)
• Dec. 19 ($249)
• Dec. 21 ($249)

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Magic Kingdom Christmas Ride Overlays

The Tomorrowland Speedway track featured colorful decorations and a holiday soundtrack in past years. Photo by Brett Svenson

In previous years, Magic Kingdom has had special overlays on multiple rides in Magic Kingdom, including Space Mountain and Tomorrowland Speedway . ( Subscribe to our print edition by Nov. 30 to get an in-depth look at the Christmas overlay on Tomorrowland Speedway back in 2019 .)

This year, just two rides are getting Christmas overlays:

• Jungle Cruise
• Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor

Jingle Cruise is one of the most special parts of Christmas at Disney World. Brett Svenson

The Jungle Cruise overlay, called Jingle Cruise, is particularly popular during Christmas at Disney World. And unlike the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor overlay, which is exclusively available during Very Merriest, Jingle Cruise is open all day.

If you’re spending extra to attend Very Merriest, you should knock out Jingle Cruise ahead of time so you can focus on other attractions and entertainment during the After Hours event.

The Jungle Cruise transforms into the Jingle Cruise every year. Photo by Courtney Reynolds

Very Merriest Entertainment

The newest Christmas show at Walt Disney World is “Mickey & Minnie’s Very Merry Memories.” Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

The 2021 Very Merriest Christmas Party at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom offers plenty of fun for guests. For starters, you can enter Magic Kingdom 2 hours before the party , even if you don’t have a ticket or a Park Pass reservation for the day. This is the perfect time to head to Jingle Cruise, check out the seasonal décor, and ride some of your favorite attractions.

But you should prioritize attractions that don’t stay open during Very Merriest. You can then enjoy the ones that  do stay open for Very Merriest after the crowds thin out when Magic Kingdom closes to the general public.

Rides staying open for Very Merriest in 2021 include:

• Haunted Mansion
• Space Mountain
• Jungle Cruise (as Jingle Cruise)
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

While the shorter lines are great, you might not want to spend your precious time on those , especially if you are one to pay for Genie+ on regular Magic Kingdom days.

There’s so much to do during the 4-hour party. Photo courtesy of Disney

So what else is there to do during Magic Kingdom’s Very Merriest this year? Here are some can’t miss events:

• Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade:  You won’t want to miss this holly-jolly Christmas procession featuring Santa Claus himself.
• Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show:  Set to your favorite Christmas carols, this is a second, separate, exclusive fireworks show, meaning you can watch Disney Enchantment   and then Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show, all in one night.
• Club Tinsel Dance Party:  Cancelled last year because of COVID, this fun dance party in Tomorrowland is back. Just don’t get too sweaty while dancing, or you may ruin your Purple Wall photoshoot .

New this year is Mickey & Minnie’s Very Merry Memories , a special show in front of Cinderella Castle, inspired by past favorites like “Mickey’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” “Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration,” and “Celebrate the Season.” During this show, you’ll see all of the EARidescent Eight: Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald, Daisy, and Chip ‘n’ Dale.

Very Merriest Character Meet-and-Greets

It’s not just fireworks; Very Merriest is also about those distanced meet-and-greets. Photo courtesy of Disney

During this exclusive Disney World Christmas party, you might pass by your favorite Disney characters, including Mickey, Minnie, Jiminy Cricket, Winnie the Pooh, and the Country Bears .

If you’re a fan of Christmas carols, head to Frontierland to be serenaded by the Reindeer Wranglers .

Special Christmas Snacks at Disney World

Free snacks abound during Very Merriest. Photo courtesy of Disney

Very Merriest also includes exclusive holiday snacks and sips , meaning you won’t be able to get certain Christmas treats at Magic Kingdom unless you stick around for the After Hours party. Get the full list of 2021 Disney World Christmas food and drinks here.

We  do know that you will have access to FREE snacks like ice cream, popcorn, soda, and a “seasonal treat” during Very Merriest. As much as you can stuff in your face.

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🌐2021 Christmas at EPCOT

Christmas at EPCOT is unlike any other celebration. Photo by WDW Magazine

Magic Kingdom may be the most popular destination for a Christmas at Disney World, but EPCOT is my absolute favorite. And while you’ve got to shell out up to $249 for the special Disney World Christmas party at Magic Kingdom, access to the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays is included with the price of your admission to EPCOT.

Living With the Land Holiday Overlay

Living With the Land: Merry and Bright Nights brings twinkle to the greenhouses. Photo by Rain Blanken

Winter never happens in the greenhouses at Living with the Land, but all the happy plants inside still enjoy Christmas lights ! This futuristic garden has been decked out once again for another 14-minute boat ride.

2021 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays

This year, the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays runs from Nov. 26 through Dec. 30 . The big headliner for this year is that the Candlelight Processional is  back !

Tap here to get the complete guide to the 2021 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays , or skim the highlights below:

Candlelight Processional

Neil Patrick Harris is often a celebrity narrator for the Candlelight Processional. Photo by Courtney Reynolds

While guest choirs won’t be returning for 2021 given the ongoing COVID situation, the Candlelight Processional  will include Voices of Liberty and a choir of Disney Cast Members, plus celebrity narrators, including Pat Sajak, Blair Underwood, and Lisa Ling .

Get the full list of 2021 Candlelight Processional celebrity narrators here.

Candlelight Processional Dining Packages have returned for 2021 as well.

World Showcase Holiday Traditions

Holiday Storyteller: La Befana at the Italy Pavilion. Photo by Courtney Reynolds.

Stroll around World Showcase to be enchanted by holiday storytellers from Japan, Norway, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy, as well as a Hanukkah storyteller on the promenade . In addition, the 2021 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays includes a Chinese Lion Dance, the Canadian Holiday Voyageurs, and the Las Posadas .

Plus, you can wave hello to Santa Claus outside The American Adventure .

Is World Showcase your favorite form of travel?  Now you never have to be far when you order a copy of our special World Showcase edition of WDW Magazine , just $12 while supplies last.

Order your copy of the WDW Magazine February 2021 Issue. Photo by Rain Blanken

🌐 Order Today

Christmas Food at EPCOT

A Christmas feast from the Bavaria Holiday Kitchen. Photo by Julie de la Fe

Each year, the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays includes a wide variety of food and drink booths as part of the Holiday Kitchens . This year, EPCOT is adding one new booth, called Chestnuts & Good Cheer Holiday Kitchen . Get the full list of Holiday Kitchens here.

In addition, the festival includes a Holiday Cookie Stroll . Find five Christmas cookies, get your passport stamped, and receive a special treat (spoiler: it’s another cookie) as a reward.

Get our guide to locations, strategy, and all the cookies on the menu.

Collect stickers for the free cookie! Photo by Tina Chiu

Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt

Each of EPCOT’s four festivals usually includes some kind of scavenger hunt for kids (or the kids at heart) to play. For the Festival of the Holidays, it’s Olaf who is hiding all around EPCOT . You’ll need to purchase a map with stickers to play the game. Once you’ve found every Olaf location, you can turn in your completed map to redeem a prize.

You’ll find Olaf all around World Showcase. Photo by Tina Chiu

Having trouble finding Olaf? Here’s our handy guide on finding Olaf in the Olaf scavenger hunt this year.

Hollywood Studios decorations are the best part of a Disney World Christmas for many. Photo by Tina Chiu

Hollywood Studios is often overlooked for Christmas at Disney World, especially after the retirement of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights . But the film-themed park is actually one of the coolest places to go for unique Christmas decorations.

For an inside look at the meaning and history of Hollywood Studios’ Christmas décor —plus plenty of Easter eggs (hidden nods, not a weird amalgamation of two different holidays)— subscribe to the WDW Magazine print edition before Nov. 30 . Our Christmas at WDW issue this year features an exclusive look at the Golden Era decorations of Hollywood Studios. 

Sunset Seasons Greetings at Hollywood Studios

Sunset Seasons Greetings is the hallmark of Christmas at Hollywood Studios. Photo by Laurie Sapp

Aside from the decorations, the highlight of Christmas at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the return of Sunset Seasons Greetings , a nighttime projection show on the Hollywood Tower Hotel that transforms Hollywood Studios’ tallest attraction into a plethora of seasonal delights, including:

• A  Toy Story toy hotel
• The humble town from  Mickey’s Christmas Carol
• A Muppet gingerbread house
• A quaint corner of Arendelle

Changes to A Frozen Sing-Along

The Frozen Sing-Along gets a special Christmas finale. Photo by Rich Ramos

To mark the holiday season, Disney adds a festive finale to For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration . We don’t want to spoil the show, so we’ll just say your favorite snowman leads us in a song (and it ain’t Frosty).

A Meal at Minnie’s Holiday Dine at Hollywood & Vine

Foodies, rejoice: Hollywood & Vine’s Christmas menu is sensational. Photo by Laurie Sapp

The best way to celebrate Christmas is with a big, delicious meal. You can do that during the holiday season at Disney’s Hollywood Studios by dining at Hollywood & Vine for Minnie’s Holiday Dine . Advance Dining Reservations are strongly recommended.

The typical meet-and-greets are distanced, and last year, instead of a buffet, Disney offered a prix fixe meal. The restaurant is decked out in holiday décor, and you’ll leave with a special autograph card from your favorite Disney characters .

Santa Claus Motorcade

Mr. Claus has never been as stylish as when he rides down Hollywood Blvd. in a candy-apple red convertible . Before his car arrives, you’ll know he’s coming to town as he is led by a gaggle of dancing elves.

The Tree of Life Holiday Awakenings are stunning. Photo by WDW Magazine

Much like at EPCOT, Animal Kingdom embraces multiple winter holidays . The big news for 2021 is the return of the Merry Menagerie , which had been put on hold during the 2020 Christmas season due to the COVID-19 situation.

The décor throughout the park is really special, including African-themed décor in (where else?) Africa, Diwali decorations in Asia, kitschy décor in Pongu Pongu, and hand-crafted snowflakes made by artisans from the Augusta Training Shop , which provides jobs to adults in Augusta, Georgia, who have physical and/or cognitive disabilities.

Learn more about Diwali celebrations at Animal Kingdom in our December 2021 Christmas issue of WDW Magazine.  Subscribe by Nov. 30 to make this special issue a part of your subscription!

🛒 Subscribe Today

Merry Menagerie

The Merry Menagerie at Christmas at Animal Kingdom. Photo by Brett Svenson

Speaking of Discovery Island, this is where you will find the Merry Menagerie during the holiday season, back again for 2021. These artisan-sculpted puppets include your favorite winter animals, including foxes, penguins, reindeer, and polar bears.

Festive Flotillas

For 2021, Christmas at Animal Kingdom includes four special flotillas, one of which carries Santa Claus himself:

• Donald’s Dino Bash Festive Flotilla
• Chip & Dale’s Festive Flotilla
• Discovery Island Drummers Festive Flotilla
• Santa Claus Festive Flotilla

Tree of Life Awakenings

A breathtaking sight in Animal Kingdom. Photo by Laurie Sapp

The special holiday-inspired Tree of Life Awakenings transform the Animal Kingdom weenie into a wintry magical icon . There are multiple versions to these Holiday Awakenings, including “The First Snow” and “Seasons of Light.”

Get an inside look at the Holiday Awakenings in our 2020 WDW Magazine Christmas edition, available now as a back issue while supplies last.

Order your special Christmas issue today.

🎄 Order Today

 🛍️ 2021 Christmas at Disney Springs

The Disney Parks Tree at Disney Springs. Photo by Julie de la Fe

In years past, Disney Springs was home to the Christmas Tree Trail . Last year, the shopping center pivoted to the (much longer) Christmas Tree Stroll , which allows for more social distancing. The Christmas Tree Stroll returns for 2021 and is a great way to celebrate Christmas at Disney World without a park ticket.

Get our complete guide to the Christmas Tree Stroll at Disney Springs.

In addition to the Christmas Tree Stroll, you can swing by Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar for the Holiday Takeover . Get festive drinks and enjoy the change in scenery.

2021 Grand Floridian Gingerbread House. Photo by Tatjana Lazar

Each year, all of the Disney World Resort hotels undergo a magnificent transformation for the holidays. Perhaps the most memorable experience is the giant gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa , but each resort boasts its own unique theming.

You can also get a boatload of 2021 Disney World Christmas snacks at the resorts.

To experience Christmas at the Riviera, subscribe to our monthly print magazine by Nov. 30 .  Our Christmas 2021 issue dives deep into what waking up at this resort on Christmas Day is like.

Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

Santa can be found all over Walt Disney World Resort each year, though locations are subject to change. Subscribe to our print magazine by Nov. 30 to get our special Christmas 2021 at Disney World issue , with a complete Character Greeting guide to meeting Santa at Disney World.

You can find Santa:

• Floating down the Discovery River on a holiday flotilla at Animal Kingdom
• Taking a joy ride down Hollywood Blvd. in his red convertible during the Santa Claus Merry Motorcade at Hollywood Studios
• Waving hello from The American Adventure at EPCOT
• Joining the parade at Magic Kingdom
• Visiting Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney Springs for special occasions and individualized meet-and-greets (socially distanced)

Christmas Merch at Disney World

For 2021, there is Christmas merch  everywhere you look.  You can take a look at our Christmas merch roundup here, or check out this video roundup from our Disney World merch correspondent Ashley!

This year, the theme of the Disney World Christmas merch seems to be FLUFFY. We spotted some great merch at Fulton’s General Store at Port Orleans – Riverside, but it’s also available at World of Disney. Here’s a sampling of what we’ve found so far.:

Disney World Christmas merch. Photo by Tatjana Lazar

We saw this green Christmas Disney sweater for $84.99 .

We saw this fluffy Christmas Minnie sweater for $64.99 .

We saw this fluffy Christmas Goofy sweater for $64.99 .

We saw this Christmas Disney sweater for  $79.99 .

No matter how you celebrate Christmas at Disney World—or any other seasonal celebration—you’re sure to have a magic time.  Happy holidays!

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A Word of WARNING About the Jungle Cruise Holiday Overlay in Disney World

November is officially here, but will that change Disney World’s crowds and wait times?

We’re gearing up for the first-ever Jollywood Nights in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and another year of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party , and we’re taking a look at how crowds are before those events begin later this month. Let’s see what the Disney World wait times looked like on November 3rd, 2023.

If you have plans to visit Adventureland in Magic Kingdom sometime before the end of the year, you should know that one attraction is different this time of year. The Jungle Cruise becomes the Jingle Cruise for the holiday season, and the ride is full of festive touches and seasonal puns .

But along with that fun holiday overlay comes some high wait times for the attraction. If you’re planning to ride, be prepared to wait in a pretty long line! As you may know, the Jungle Cruise has a high wait time pretty much year-round, but that limited-time holiday overlay may cause the wait time to increase, so keep that in mind!

Magic Kingdom

95 minutes was a popular wait time in Magic Kingdom yesterday, with Jingle Cruise, the holiday overlay of Jungle Cruise, sticking close to that number all day. Ultimately, though, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train did have the highest wait time of 105 minutes .

Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini : 5 minutes Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin : 5 minutes Carousel of Progress : 5 minutes Dumbo the Flying Elephant : 5 minutes Mad Tea Party : 5 minutes Magic Carpets of Aladdin : 5 minutes Prince Charming Regal Carrousel : 5 minutes Tomorrowland Speedway : 5 minutes Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover : 5 minutes it’s a small world : 5 minutes Big Thunder Mountain Railroad : 10 minutes Haunted Mansion : 13 minutes Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh : 15 minutes Mickey’s PhilharMagic : 15 minutes Astro Orbiter : 25 minutes Space Mountain : 30 minutes Peter Pan’s Flight : 50 minutes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train : 75 minutes Jingle Cruise : 95 minutes Pirates of the Caribbean : Temporarily Closed Enchanted Tales with Belle : Closed Jungle Cruise : Closed

Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini : 5 minutes Carousel of Progress : 5 minutes Dumbo the Flying Elephant : 5 minutes Mad Tea Party : 5 minutes Magic Carpets of Aladdin : 5 minutes Prince Charming Regal Carrousel : 5 minutes Tomorrowland Speedway : 5 minutes Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover : 5 minutes it’s a small world : 5 minutes Mickey’s PhilharMagic : 15 minutes Haunted Mansion : 20 minutes Pirates of the Caribbean : 20 minutes Astro Orbiter : 25 minutes Big Thunder Mountain Railroad : 25 minutes Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh : 25 minutes Space Mountain : 30 minutes Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin : 35 minutes Peter Pan’s Flight : 40 minutes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train : 50 minutes Jingle Cruise : 95 minutes Enchanted Tales with Belle : Closed Jungle Cruise : Closed

Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini : 5 minutes Carousel of Progress : 5 minutes Prince Charming Regal Carrousel : 5 minutes Dumbo the Flying Elephant : 15 minutes Mad Tea Party : 15 minutes Mickey’s PhilharMagic : 15 minutes Tomorrowland Speedway : 15 minutes Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover : 15 minutes Magic Carpets of Aladdin : 20 minutes Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin : 30 minutes Astro Orbiter : 35 minutes Haunted Mansion : 35 minutes Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh : 35 minutes it’s a small world : 35 minutes Space Mountain : 40 minutes Enchanted Tales with Belle : 45 minutes Pirates of the Caribbean : 45 minutes Big Thunder Mountain Railroad : 60 minutes Peter Pan’s Flight : 60 minutes Jingle Cruise : 95 minutes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train : 95 minutes Jungle Cruise : Closed

Carousel of Progress : 5 minutes Mad Tea Party : 15 minutes Mickey’s PhilharMagic : 15 minutes Prince Charming Regal Carrousel : 15 minutes Magic Carpets of Aladdin : 20 minutes Tomorrowland Speedway : 20 minutes Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover : 20 minutes Astro Orbiter : 35 minutes Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini : 35 minutes it’s a small world : 35 minutes Dumbo the Flying Elephant : 40 minutes Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin : 50 minutes Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh : 50 minutes Big Thunder Mountain Railroad : 55 minutes Pirates of the Caribbean : 55 minutes Enchanted Tales with Belle : 60 minutes Space Mountain : 60 minutes Peter Pan’s Flight : 75 minutes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train : 80 minutes Jingle Cruise : 95 minutes Haunted Mansion : Temporarily Closed Jungle Cruise : Closed

Carousel of Progress : 5 minutes Mickey’s PhilharMagic : 15 minutes Prince Charming Regal Carrousel : 15 minutes Mad Tea Party : 25 minutes Tomorrowland Speedway : 30 minutes Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover : 30 minutes Astro Orbiter : 35 minutes Dumbo the Flying Elephant : 35 minutes Magic Carpets of Aladdin : 35 minutes Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh : 40 minutes it’s a small world : 45 minutes Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin : 60 minutes Pirates of the Caribbean : 60 minutes Space Mountain : 70 minutes Peter Pan’s Flight : 75 minutes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train : 80 minutes Big Thunder Mountain Railroad : 85 minutes Jingle Cruise : 95 minutes Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini : Temporarily Closed Enchanted Tales with Belle : Temporarily Closed Haunted Mansion : Temporarily Closed Jungle Cruise : Closed

Carousel of Progress : 5 minutes Mickey’s PhilharMagic : 15 minutes Prince Charming Regal Carrousel : 15 minutes Tomorrowland Speedway : 20 minutes Mad Tea Party : 25 minutes Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover : 25 minutes it’s a small world : 25 minutes Big Thunder Mountain Railroad : 35 minutes Dumbo the Flying Elephant : 35 minutes Magic Carpets of Aladdin : 35 minutes Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh : 40 minutes Astro Orbiter : 45 minutes Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini : 45 minutes Enchanted Tales with Belle : 45 minutes Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin : 55 minutes Pirates of the Caribbean : 55 minutes Peter Pan’s Flight : 80 minutes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train : 85 minutes Space Mountain : 85 minutes Jingle Cruise : 95 minutes Haunted Mansion : Temporarily Closed Jungle Cruise : Closed

Carousel of Progress : 5 minutes Tomorrowland Speedway : 5 minutes Prince Charming Regal Carrousel : 10 minutes Mad Tea Party : 15 minutes Magic Carpets of Aladdin : 15 minutes Mickey’s PhilharMagic : 15 minutes Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini : 20 minutes Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover : 20 minutes it’s a small world : 20 minutes Astro Orbiter : 35 minutes Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin : 35 minutes Dumbo the Flying Elephant : 35 minutes Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh : 35 minutes Enchanted Tales with Belle : 50 minutes Pirates of the Caribbean : 50 minutes Big Thunder Mountain Railroad : 55 minutes Space Mountain : 65 minutes Peter Pan’s Flight : 80 minutes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train : 85 minutes Jingle Cruise : 95 minutes Haunted Mansion : Temporarily Closed Jungle Cruise : Closed

Carousel of Progress : 5 minutes Mad Tea Party : 15 minutes Mickey’s PhilharMagic : 15 minutes Prince Charming Regal Carrousel : 15 minutes Dumbo the Flying Elephant : 20 minutes Haunted Mansion : 20 minutes Tomorrowland Speedway : 20 minutes Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover : 20 minutes Magic Carpets of Aladdin : 25 minutes Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini : 30 minutes it’s a small world : 45 minutes Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin : 50 minutes Big Thunder Mountain Railroad : 60 minutes Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh : 60 minutes Pirates of the Caribbean : 60 minutes Space Mountain : 60 minutes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train : 80 minutes Jingle Cruise : 95 minutes Jungle Cruise : 95 minutes Peter Pan’s Flight : 95 minutes Astro Orbiter : Temporarily Closed Enchanted Tales with Belle : Temporarily Closed

Carousel of Progress : 5 minutes Mad Tea Party : 15 minutes Mickey’s PhilharMagic : 15 minutes Prince Charming Regal Carrousel : 15 minutes Dumbo the Flying Elephant : 20 minutes Tomorrowland Speedway : 20 minutes Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover : 20 minutes Big Thunder Mountain Railroad : 25 minutes Magic Carpets of Aladdin : 25 minutes it’s a small world : 30 minutes Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh : 35 minutes Astro Orbiter : 40 minutes Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini : 40 minutes Pirates of the Caribbean : 40 minutes Enchanted Tales with Belle : 50 minutes Peter Pan’s Flight : 60 minutes Space Mountain : 60 minutes Haunted Mansion : 65 minutes Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin : 95 minutes Jingle Cruise : 95 minutes Jungle Cruise : 95 minutes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train : 105 minutes

Carousel of Progress : 5 minutes Mickey’s PhilharMagic : 15 minutes Prince Charming Regal Carrousel : 15 minutes Tomorrowland Speedway : 15 minutes Dumbo the Flying Elephant : 20 minutes Magic Carpets of Aladdin : 20 minutes Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover : 20 minutes Astro Orbiter : 25 minutes Mad Tea Party : 25 minutes Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini : 30 minutes it’s a small world : 30 minutes Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin : 45 minutes Enchanted Tales with Belle : 45 minutes Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh : 45 minutes Space Mountain : 45 minutes Pirates of the Caribbean : 50 minutes Big Thunder Mountain Railroad : 55 minutes Haunted Mansion : 65 minutes Peter Pan’s Flight : 75 minutes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train : 75 minutes Jingle Cruise : 80 minutes Jungle Cruise : 95 minutes

Carousel of Progress : 5 minutes Mickey’s PhilharMagic : 15 minutes Tomorrowland Speedway : 15 minutes Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover : 20 minutes Dumbo the Flying Elephant : 25 minutes Enchanted Tales with Belle : 25 minutes Mad Tea Party : 25 minutes Magic Carpets of Aladdin : 25 minutes Prince Charming Regal Carrousel : 25 minutes Astro Orbiter : 30 minutes Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini : 30 minutes Pirates of the Caribbean : 30 minutes it’s a small world : 30 minutes Jingle Cruise : 45 minutes Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh : 45 minutes Big Thunder Mountain Railroad : 55 minutes Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin : 60 minutes Space Mountain : 60 minutes Haunted Mansion : 65 minutes Peter Pan’s Flight : 75 minutes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train : 85 minutes Jungle Cruise : 95 minutes

Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini : 5 minutes Carousel of Progress : 5 minutes Dumbo the Flying Elephant : 5 minutes Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin : 15 minutes Mad Tea Party : 15 minutes Magic Carpets of Aladdin : 15 minutes Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh : 15 minutes Mickey’s PhilharMagic : 15 minutes Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover : 15 minutes Haunted Mansion : 20 minutes Astro Orbiter : 25 minutes Big Thunder Mountain Railroad : 25 minutes Tomorrowland Speedway : 25 minutes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train : 45 minutes Space Mountain : 60 minutes Jingle Cruise : 65 minutes Jungle Cruise : 95 minutes Peter Pan’s Flight : Temporarily Closed Pirates of the Caribbean : Temporarily Closed Prince Charming Regal Carrousel : Temporarily Closed it’s a small world : Temporarily Closed Enchanted Tales with Belle : Closed

Carousel of Progress : 5 minutes Dumbo the Flying Elephant : 5 minutes Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini : 10 minutes Magic Carpets of Aladdin : 10 minutes Prince Charming Regal Carrousel : 10 minutes Mickey’s PhilharMagic : 15 minutes it’s a small world : 15 minutes Mad Tea Party : 20 minutes Tomorrowland Speedway : 25 minutes Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh : 30 minutes Astro Orbiter : 35 minutes Haunted Mansion : 35 minutes Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover : 35 minutes Pirates of the Caribbean : 60 minutes Peter Pan’s Flight : 65 minutes Big Thunder Mountain Railroad : 70 minutes Space Mountain : 70 minutes Jungle Cruise : 95 minutes Jingle Cruise : 105 minutes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train : 105 minutes Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin : Temporarily Closed Enchanted Tales with Belle : Closed

Carousel of Progress : 5 minutes Dumbo the Flying Elephant : 5 minutes Prince Charming Regal Carrousel : 10 minutes Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini : 15 minutes Mickey’s PhilharMagic : 15 minutes it’s a small world : 15 minutes Mad Tea Party : 20 minutes Magic Carpets of Aladdin : 20 minutes Tomorrowland Speedway : 25 minutes Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh : 30 minutes Astro Orbiter : 35 minutes Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover : 35 minutes Haunted Mansion : 50 minutes Pirates of the Caribbean : 60 minutes Peter Pan’s Flight : 65 minutes Big Thunder Mountain Railroad : 70 minutes Space Mountain : 70 minutes Jungle Cruise : 95 minutes Jingle Cruise : 105 minutes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train : 105 minutes Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin : Temporarily Closed Enchanted Tales with Belle : Closed

Both Test Track and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure were tied with 90-minute waits . Compared to the higher wait times we’ve seen before, that’s not too bad.

Gran Fiesta Tour : 5 minutes Journey into Imagination : 5 minutes Living with the Land : 5 minutes Mission: SPACE : 10 minutes Spaceship Earth : 10 minutes The Seas with Nemo and Friends : 10 minutes Turtle Talk with Crush : 15 minutes Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure : 25 minutes Frozen Ever After : 45 minutes Test Track : 60 minutes

Gran Fiesta Tour : 5 minutes Mission: SPACE : 15 minutes The Seas with Nemo and Friends : 15 minutes Turtle Talk with Crush : 15 minutes Journey into Imagination : 20 minutes Living with the Land : 20 minutes Spaceship Earth : 20 minutes Test Track : 35 minutes Frozen Ever After : 65 minutes Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure : 65 minutes

Gran Fiesta Tour : 5 minutes Spaceship Earth : 10 minutes Living with the Land : 15 minutes Mission: SPACE : 15 minutes Turtle Talk with Crush : 15 minutes Journey into Imagination : 20 minutes The Seas with Nemo and Friends : 25 minutes Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure : 35 minutes Frozen Ever After : 45 minutes Test Track : 70 minutes

Gran Fiesta Tour : 5 minutes Journey into Imagination : 10 minutes Living with the Land : 15 minutes Mission: SPACE : 15 minutes Spaceship Earth : 15 minutes The Seas with Nemo and Friends : 15 minutes Turtle Talk with Crush : 15 minutes Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure : 55 minutes Test Track : 65 minutes Frozen Ever After : 75 minutes

Gran Fiesta Tour : 5 minutes Living with the Land : 5 minutes Spaceship Earth : 5 minutes Journey into Imagination : 10 minutes Mission: SPACE : 15 minutes The Seas with Nemo and Friends : 15 minutes Turtle Talk with Crush : 15 minutes Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure : 55 minutes Test Track : 60 minutes Frozen Ever After : 85 minutes

Gran Fiesta Tour : 5 minutes Spaceship Earth : 5 minutes The Seas with Nemo and Friends : 5 minutes Journey into Imagination : 10 minutes Mission: SPACE : 10 minutes Turtle Talk with Crush : 15 minutes Living with the Land : 20 minutes Frozen Ever After : 75 minutes Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure : 80 minutes Test Track : 90 minutes

Living with the Land : 5 minutes The Seas with Nemo and Friends : 5 minutes Mission: SPACE : 10 minutes Spaceship Earth : 10 minutes Gran Fiesta Tour : 15 minutes Turtle Talk with Crush : 15 minutes Journey into Imagination : 25 minutes Test Track : 40 minutes Frozen Ever After : 75 minutes Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure : 80 minutes

The Seas with Nemo and Friends : 5 minutes Living with the Land : 10 minutes Gran Fiesta Tour : 15 minutes Journey into Imagination : 15 minutes Mission: SPACE : 15 minutes Turtle Talk with Crush : 15 minutes Spaceship Earth : 20 minutes Test Track : 65 minutes Frozen Ever After : 75 minutes Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure : 85 minutes

Living with the Land : 5 minutes Spaceship Earth : 5 minutes The Seas with Nemo and Friends : 5 minutes Mission: SPACE : 10 minutes Gran Fiesta Tour : 15 minutes Journey into Imagination : 15 minutes Turtle Talk with Crush : 15 minutes Test Track : 30 minutes Frozen Ever After : 65 minutes Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure : 90 minutes

Gran Fiesta Tour : 5 minutes Journey into Imagination : 5 minutes Living with the Land : 5 minutes Spaceship Earth : 5 minutes The Seas with Nemo and Friends : 5 minutes Mission: SPACE : 15 minutes Turtle Talk with Crush : 15 minutes Test Track : 30 minutes Frozen Ever After : 60 minutes Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure : 90 minutes

Gran Fiesta Tour : 5 minutes Journey into Imagination : 5 minutes Living with the Land : 5 minutes Spaceship Earth : 5 minutes The Seas with Nemo and Friends : 5 minutes Turtle Talk with Crush : 15 minutes Mission: SPACE : 20 minutes Test Track : 45 minutes Frozen Ever After : 50 minutes Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure : 90 minutes

Gran Fiesta Tour : 5 minutes Journey into Imagination : 5 minutes Living with the Land : 5 minutes Spaceship Earth : 5 minutes The Seas with Nemo and Friends : 5 minutes Mission: SPACE : 15 minutes Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure : 25 minutes Frozen Ever After : 30 minutes Test Track : 45 minutes Turtle Talk with Crush : Closed

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Na’vi River Journey surprised us and jumped up to a 120-minute wait ! Neither ride in Pandora gets a holiday overlay, so it seems yesterday was just one of those strange times when Na’vi beat out Flight of Passage for the highest wait of the day.

It’s Tough to Be a Bug : 10 minutes Avatar Flight of Passage : 125 minutes Dinosaur : Temporarily Closed Expedition Everest : Temporarily Closed Na’vi River Journey : Temporarily Closed Kali River Rapids : Closed Kilimanjaro Safaris : Closed The Boneyard : Closed

Dinosaur : 5 minutes It’s Tough to Be a Bug : 10 minutes Kilimanjaro Safaris : 30 minutes Na’vi River Journey : 45 minutes Avatar Flight of Passage : 60 minutes Expedition Everest : Temporarily Closed Kali River Rapids : Closed The Boneyard : Closed

Dinosaur : 5 minutes Kali River Rapids : 5 minutes TriceraTop Spin : 5 minutes It’s Tough to Be a Bug : 10 minutes Kilimanjaro Safaris : 45 minutes Na’vi River Journey : 90 minutes Avatar Flight of Passage : 95 minutes Expedition Everest : Temporarily Closed

Kali River Rapids : 5 minutes TriceraTop Spin : 5 minutes It’s Tough to Be a Bug : 10 minutes Dinosaur : 20 minutes Kilimanjaro Safaris : 40 minutes Na’vi River Journey : 65 minutes Avatar Flight of Passage : 110 minutes Expedition Everest : Temporarily Closed

It’s Tough to Be a Bug : 10 minutes Kali River Rapids : 10 minutes TriceraTop Spin : 10 minutes Dinosaur : 35 minutes Kilimanjaro Safaris : 65 minutes Avatar Flight of Passage : 70 minutes Na’vi River Journey : 120 minutes Expedition Everest : Temporarily Closed

It’s Tough to Be a Bug : 10 minutes TriceraTop Spin : 10 minutes Kali River Rapids : 15 minutes Expedition Everest : 50 minutes Dinosaur : 55 minutes Na’vi River Journey : 60 minutes Kilimanjaro Safaris : 65 minutes Avatar Flight of Passage : 75 minutes

TriceraTop Spin : 5 minutes It’s Tough to Be a Bug : 10 minutes Kali River Rapids : 10 minutes Kilimanjaro Safaris : 35 minutes Dinosaur : 40 minutes Expedition Everest : 40 minutes Na’vi River Journey : 75 minutes Avatar Flight of Passage : 90 minutes

TriceraTop Spin : 5 minutes Kali River Rapids : 10 minutes Kilimanjaro Safaris : 20 minutes Dinosaur : 30 minutes Expedition Everest : 45 minutes Avatar Flight of Passage : 60 minutes Na’vi River Journey : 65 minutes It’s Tough to Be a Bug : Closed

Kali River Rapids : 5 minutes TriceraTop Spin : 5 minutes It’s Tough to Be a Bug : 10 minutes Kilimanjaro Safaris : 35 minutes Expedition Everest : 40 minutes Dinosaur : 45 minutes Avatar Flight of Passage : 75 minutes Na’vi River Journey : 85 minutes

Kali River Rapids : 5 minutes It’s Tough to Be a Bug : 10 minutes Dinosaur : 15 minutes Kilimanjaro Safaris : 20 minutes Expedition Everest : 35 minutes Na’vi River Journey : 65 minutes Avatar Flight of Passage : 80 minutes TriceraTop Spin : Temporarily Closed

Kali River Rapids : 5 minutes TriceraTop Spin : 5 minutes It’s Tough to Be a Bug : 10 minutes Dinosaur : 15 minutes Expedition Everest : 30 minutes Na’vi River Journey : 40 minutes Avatar Flight of Passage : 50 minutes Kilimanjaro Safaris : Closed

Kali River Rapids : 5 minutes TriceraTop Spin : 5 minutes Expedition Everest : 10 minutes It’s Tough to Be a Bug : 10 minutes Dinosaur : 15 minutes Na’vi River Journey : 60 minutes Avatar Flight of Passage : 80 minutes Kilimanjaro Safaris : Closed

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Halloween may be over, but that won’t stop Tower of Terro r from having the highest wait time of 145 minutes . This likely means that not all the elevator shafts were in operation for most of the day, causing the wait time to remain high.

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue : 5 minutes Alien Swirling Saucers : 10 minutes Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run : 10 minutes Muppet Vision 3D : 10 minutes Toy Story Mania : 10 minutes Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway : 15 minutes Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith : 20 minutes Twilight Zone Tower of Terror : 40 minutes Slinky Dog Dash : 45 minutes Rise of the Resistance — WDW : 75 minutes

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue : 5 minutes Muppet Vision 3D : 10 minutes Alien Swirling Saucers : 25 minutes Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run : 30 minutes Toy Story Mania : 30 minutes Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith : 40 minutes Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway : 50 minutes Rise of the Resistance — WDW : 55 minutes Slinky Dog Dash : 90 minutes Twilight Zone Tower of Terror : 100 minutes

Muppet Vision 3D : 10 minutes Star Tours – The Adventures Continue : 10 minutes Alien Swirling Saucers : 35 minutes Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway : 50 minutes Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith : 50 minutes Toy Story Mania : 50 minutes Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run : 65 minutes Rise of the Resistance — WDW : 65 minutes Twilight Zone Tower of Terror : 75 minutes Slinky Dog Dash : 85 minutes

Muppet Vision 3D : 10 minutes Star Tours – The Adventures Continue : 20 minutes Alien Swirling Saucers : 30 minutes Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith : 45 minutes Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run : 55 minutes Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway : 60 minutes Slinky Dog Dash : 70 minutes Toy Story Mania : 70 minutes Rise of the Resistance — WDW : 75 minutes Twilight Zone Tower of Terror : 90 minutes

Muppet Vision 3D : 10 minutes Star Tours – The Adventures Continue : 20 minutes Alien Swirling Saucers : 35 minutes Toy Story Mania : 40 minutes Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run : 55 minutes Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway : 60 minutes Rise of the Resistance — WDW : 75 minutes Slinky Dog Dash : 115 minutes Twilight Zone Tower of Terror : 120 minutes Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith : Temporarily Closed

Muppet Vision 3D : 10 minutes Star Tours – The Adventures Continue : 10 minutes Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy : 15 minutes Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith : 20 minutes Twilight Zone Tower of Terror : 25 minutes Alien Swirling Saucers : 35 minutes Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway : 50 minutes Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run : 65 minutes Rise of the Resistance — WDW : 80 minutes Toy Story Mania : 95 minutes Slinky Dog Dash : 100 minutes

Muppet Vision 3D : 10 minutes Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy : 15 minutes Star Tours – The Adventures Continue : 15 minutes Alien Swirling Saucers : 35 minutes Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run : 35 minutes Twilight Zone Tower of Terror : 45 minutes Toy Story Mania : 50 minutes Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway : 60 minutes Slinky Dog Dash : 60 minutes Rise of the Resistance — WDW : 65 minutes Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith : 65 minutes

Muppet Vision 3D : 10 minutes Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy : 15 minutes Star Tours – The Adventures Continue : 20 minutes Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run : 40 minutes Alien Swirling Saucers : 45 minutes Rise of the Resistance — WDW : 50 minutes Toy Story Mania : 55 minutes Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway : 60 minutes Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith : 65 minutes Twilight Zone Tower of Terror : 95 minutes Slinky Dog Dash : 105 minutes

Muppet Vision 3D : 10 minutes Star Tours – The Adventures Continue : 10 minutes Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy : 15 minutes Toy Story Mania : 30 minutes Alien Swirling Saucers : 35 minutes Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run : 45 minutes Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway : 50 minutes Rise of the Resistance — WDW : 70 minutes Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith : 80 minutes Slinky Dog Dash : 95 minutes Twilight Zone Tower of Terror : 145 minutes

Muppet Vision 3D : 10 minutes Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy : 15 minutes Star Tours – The Adventures Continue : 15 minutes Alien Swirling Saucers : 30 minutes Toy Story Mania : 40 minutes Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway : 60 minutes Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run : 65 minutes Twilight Zone Tower of Terror : 85 minutes Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith : 90 minutes Slinky Dog Dash : 120 minutes Rise of the Resistance — WDW : Temporarily Closed

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue : 5 minutes Muppet Vision 3D : 10 minutes Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy : 15 minutes Alien Swirling Saucers : 25 minutes Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run : 25 minutes Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith : 45 minutes Twilight Zone Tower of Terror : 60 minutes Toy Story Mania : 70 minutes Rise of the Resistance — WDW : 75 minutes Slinky Dog Dash : 110 minutes Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway : Temporarily Closed

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run : 5 minutes Star Tours – The Adventures Continue : 5 minutes Muppet Vision 3D : 10 minutes Alien Swirling Saucers : 15 minutes Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy : 15 minutes Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway : 15 minutes Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith : 45 minutes Toy Story Mania : 60 minutes Slinky Dog Dash : 65 minutes Twilight Zone Tower of Terror : 75 minutes Rise of the Resistance — WDW : 80 minutes

Alien Swirling Saucers : 5 minutes Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run : 5 minutes Star Tours – The Adventures Continue : 5 minutes Toy Story Mania : 10 minutes Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway : 15 minutes Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith : 40 minutes Slinky Dog Dash : 55 minutes Twilight Zone Tower of Terror : 55 minutes Rise of the Resistance — WDW : 60 minutes Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy : Closed Muppet Vision 3D : Closed

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Would you wait 145 minutes for the Tower of Terror? Tell us in the comments!

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Five Reasons Why We Love the Jingle Cruise

It is currently the only attraction at Walt Disney World to receive a holiday overlay this year. Since 2013, the Jingle Cruise been providing holiday cheer while sailing the yuletide. Some people find it cheesy and perhaps even thrown together. But there are many that love it – myself included. So let’s board a boat, and wave to the nice people on the dock, to see why we love the Jingle Cruise.

The Queue Decorations

I do not mind waiting in line one bit for The Jingle Cruise. The queue is full of old fashioned Christmas decorations from around the 1930s. Many of the items remind me of decorations my grandmother had. The tropical Christmas tree in the center of the queue is my favorite. There’s some great details too. There’s a Secret Santa list and other holiday cheer involving the Jungle Cruise skippers. The festive fun of this attraction starts the moment you walk into its queue.

The Queue Music

I love Big Band Jazz and music from the 1930s and 1940s. I think part of what gave me my love for the genre is The Bubble Room . I grew up here in Central Florida and The Bubble Room was an over-the-top kitschy restaurant that I went to with my family as a child, for special occasions. They played Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald, and with its whimsy décor it felt like a magical place to adolescent me.  That era of Christmas music plays over the airways of the Jingle Cruise.

Note: The Bubble Room in the Central Florida area closed long ago, but the original location in Captiva Island, Florida is still around – for those that are interested.

The Boat Names

Each Jungle Cruise boat that hauls guests through the rivers of the world has a name. But during the holiday season each boat is given a holiday name. Seeing the boat names pass by as you wait for your turn can be part of the fun of the Jingle Cruise. Names like Icicle Irma, Poinsettia Sal, Yulelog Lolly, and Candy Cane Connie sail the yuletide this time of year.

The Holiday Humor

It wouldn’t be a voyage on the Jingle Cruise without the pun-laden script of the Skippers. And this time of year, you’re in for lots of holiday humor.  As you embark on your journey you’ll wave goodbye to the nice people on the dock, and the naughty ones too. You’ll pass by a tree that’s been wrapped up with a boa on top. And maybe your Skipper will make a New Year’s joke, if they don’t drop the ball. You get the idea.

Classic Scenes Get a Holiday Makeover

The Jungle Cruise is full of classic scenes that have been part of the ride for decades. Many of these classic scenes are given a holiday makeover. But not all the scenes get into the holiday spirit. It’s nice to round a bend waiting to see if the next scene will be at its merriest, or just its silliest.

Have you sailed aboard The Jingle Cruise? Do you have a favorite part?

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Born and raised in the land of sunshine and dreams come true, Dani is a proud Orlando Native who loves sharing her hometown with others. She's worked in nearly all of Orlando's theme parks, on board Disney Cruise Line, and in hotel management. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @thisfloridalife

• Haunted Mansion
• Trader Sam's
• Skipper Canteen
• Jungle Cruise (Magic Kingdom)
• Edit source
• View history

Christmas is a real-world Christian holiday. It is the backdrop for the Jungle Cruise overlay, the Jingle Cruise along with other Christmas themed overlays at the Disney Parks.

• 1.1 Background
• 1.2.1 Origins
• 1.2.2 Missing Tour
• 1.3 Tropical Snowstorms
• 2.1.1 Adventure Trading Company
• 2.1.2 Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye
• 2.1.3.1 Jingle Cruise
• 2.1.4 Skipper Canteen
• 2.2 Trader Sam's
• 5 References

History [ ]

Background [ ].

Christmas is a Christian holiday held on December 25th, traditionally to celebrate the birth of the Christian messiah Jesus Christ, though the date is not actually affiliated with the birth of Christ in the bible or history. The date was chosen by Christian imperialists during their subjugation of Western Europe as a means of eradicating the winter solstice celebration of Yule that was actually held in that time by natives of the conquered land. Practices of the Christmas celebration were blended with native festivities and the Roman celebration of Saturnalia.

By the 20th century, mainstream Christmas traditions involved colourful decor and gift-giving. The most recognizable figure of the celebration is Santa Claus , a magical figure based on various pagan entities from across the world, the historic St. Nicholas of Myra (270- 343), and who was designed in his mainstream form by the company Coca-Cola as part of a 1931 marketing campaign. Claus is a magical gift-bringer from the North Pole who travels the world in a flying sleigh pulled by eight magical reindeer to deliver presents to good children.

The Jingle Cruise [ ]

Origins [ ].

The Jungle Navigation Company was an early 20th century colonial company originating from the British Empire . In 1935, the Jungle Navigation Company held their first, "Jingle Cruise", a holiday-themed tour of the supernatural Rivers of Adventure . Their boat the Ganges Gertie had particular significance during this event, having been renamed to the, "Garland Gertie" for the event. [2] The practice of continuing the Jingle Cruise would continue for the following years, being an event promoted by flyers and The Daily Gnus newspaper.

During one of these tours (potentially even the inaugural Jingle Cruise), an air shipment of holiday decoration missed its marker and was dumped in the rivers. Because of this, the jungles became polluted with Holiday decor that the Jungle Navigation Company condoned as an improvised decoration (despite the harm it caused to the local wildlife). Other events in this incident included a troop of gorillas ransacking a JNC camp holding Christmas presents and cooking-ingredients within the Congo Basin , a tiger seemingly killing a skipper in the Cambodian ruins of the Mekong river, the famous, " Lost Safari " of the African Veldt being spotted run up a makeshift Christmas tree by a rhino , and the events having been reported by Daily Gnus journalist Tallahassee Glover .

During or between this event and 1938, the prevalence of Christmas influence brought in by the Jungle Navigation Company influenced the Indigenous peoples who called the jungles claimed and colonized by the JNC their home. Amongst these were the Umbala tribe of North Africa who were traditional enemies of the Jungle Navigation Company, leading attacks on the British business for intruding on their territory . During the holidays, the Umbala sometimes still performed these attacks but could also be found dancing to Christmas music in ugly-sweaters, and drunkenly cheering on Jingle Cruise boats as they passed.

Holiday themed pollution would appear to become a standard tradition of the Jungle Navigation Company's Jingle Cruise celebrations. The company's South American Indigenous affiliates, " Trader Sam " and his cousin Chief Nah-mee would make a business of these tours. Sam would sell commodities such as champagne to boat-riders for the coming New Year's Eve while Nah-mee assumed a Santa costume and the identity of, "Trader Sam-ta" to trade shrunken-heads as Christmas presents. JNC member Nigel Greenwater would make special Christmas broadcasts on his radio company The Global Broadcasting Service as a tie-in for the Jingle Cruise.

Missing Tour [ ]

In 1938, the Jingle Cruise coincided with a VIP Jungle Cruise aboard the Kwango Kate being lost along the rivers of adventure and stranded on the African Veldt. The marooned passengers were encountered by at-least two tours with unknown results.

Tropical Snowstorms [ ]

Trader Sam would oversee Christmas-themed overlays of his Polynesian bars, one opened in Adventureland in the mid-1930s and the other in the Great Ceremonial House of a Polynesian Village around 1960. These celebrations coincided with paranormal incidents of snowstorms affecting the tropical jungles. Some of these snowstorms appeared connected to snow-flakes and blizzards being blasted from the nearby volcanoes. Patrons of the bar included the likes of excavator Sallah Mohammed Faisel el-Kahir , the British, " Witch Doctor " Colonel Nedley "Shrunken Ned" Lostmore and Adventurers Club members such as Otis T. Wren, Prof. Fletcher Hodges, Colonel Critchlow Sunchbench, Emil Bleehall , Samantha Sterling, their butler, "Graves", and club ventriloquist's dummy, " Slappy ". [3]

Jungle Cruise appearances [ ]

Adventureland [ ].

In 2023, Patrick Begorra 's tree was given some miniature holiday decorations.

Adventure Trading Company [ ]

In the Daily Gnus newspaper were advertisements for the JNC's Jingle Cruise .

Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye [ ]

In a message to Sallah, Indiana Jones compares the popularity of tourism in the Temple of the Forbidden Eye to that of Santa Claus. The Temple of the Forbidden Eye is also passed by on the Jingle Cruise with skippers sometimes acknowledging Jones' relationship with the holidays.

Jungle Cruise [ ]

In Disneyland's Jingle Cruise, there is a box of Jingle Cruise decorations left behind in the jungle which came to reside in Trader Sam's Gift Shop! . In the Magic Kingdoms' Jungle Cruise, there is a life-preserver from the Garland Gertie in the Amazon River Base from the inaugural Jingle Cruise. There is also a photograph of, "Junior Skippers" setting up the first Jingle Cruise in 1935. [4]

Jingle Cruise [ ]

Skipper canteen [ ].

On the bulletin board is an advertisement for the Jingle Cruise tours, a box of Christmas decorations on a shelf, and a couple of books referencing the Holidays in the library. [5]

Trader Sam's [ ]

Around the holidays, the bars of Trader Sam go through Christmas-themed overlays.

• Blizzard Beach is loosely connected to the Jungle Cruise's continuity via its story connections to sister-park Disney's Typhoon Lagoon , a water-park connected to the characters of Trader Sam and Captain Mary Oceaneer .
• British author Charles Dickens ' 1843 Christmas novella A Christmas Carol is often referenced in the Jingle Cruise.
• With Polynesian theming, Disney will sometimes use, "Mele Kalikimaka" as a stand-in for, "Merry Christmas" in reference to the 1949 song Mele Kalikimaka . Mele Kalikimaka is not actually any Hawaiian language's natural translation of the phrase, instead being the English, "Merry Christmas" being applied to the Hawaiian language's phonetic system.
• The winter holidays of New Year's Eve and Hanukkah are referenced in lesser capacities at Jungle Cruise holiday overlays.
• Amongst the dumped cargo in the African Veldt from the 1938 Jingle Cruise was a crate addressed to Nilo Nemolato , a character from the Jungle Cruise film .

Gallery [ ]

References [ ]

• ↑ https://www.mousewait.com/disneyland/lands-talk/745792/The-back-side-of-the-Jungle-Cruise-tree
• ↑ https://wdwnt.com/2021/08/photos-new-life-ring-props-come-to-jungle-cruise-at-magic-kingdom/
• ↑ https://www.disneytouristblog.com/christmas-trader-sams/
• ↑ https://wdwnt.com/2021/08/photos-new-trophy-wall-alberta-falls-and-map-murals-added-to-jungle-cruise-queue-at-the-magic-kingdom/
• ↑ https://touringplans.com/blog/s6_skippercanteen/
• 1 Lope de Aguirre
• 2 Frank Wolff
• 3 Dr. Lily Houghton

Jungle Cruise Reimagining Info & Reopening Date

Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World and Disneyland will receive a reimagining in 2021 with new characters, a continuous storyline, changes to show scenes, and more. This post will share timeline info & details, concept art, and commentary with our thoughts. ( Updated May 27, 2021. )

Per the Disney Parks Blog, these new adventures will stay true to the Jungle Cruise experience fans know and love. The ride reimagining will add more humor, wildlife, and skipper heart, while also reflecting and valuing the diversity of the world around us.

The new creative concept for our river’s journey will be original to Walt Disney Imagineering, just like the attraction itself. Here’s a first look at some of the new things Disney is adding to the iconic Jungle Cruise…

Imagineers are adding more humor, wildlife and skipper heart to the classic attraction, and as part of a much larger effort, this update to Jungle Cruise will welcome new characters from around the world. The new scenes will be interconnected, and be heightened by Jungle Cruise Skippers’ legendary comedic tone.

Last month, Disney released new info about what this will entail. First, the attraction will remain open at Magic Kingdom during the reimagining, as Imagineering utilizes a “phased approach” to the project. This is not a huge surprise, as this is exactly how the annual Jingle Cruise overlay is accomplished each year at Christmas.

Disney has since announced that the Disneyland version of Jungle Cruise will reopen on July 16, 2021. The Magic Kingdom updates are progressing swiftly (with the Trader Sam Gift Shop scene described below now installed) and all changes will be completed this summer.

The way the attraction’s scenes are staged makes it more conducive to changes that can be accomplished overnight or in the span of a day or two. It’s likely many of the new scenes won’t be overly elaborate or substantial departures from what’s currently there, but rather one-for-one exchanges of figures and props. Most of that can be fabricated off-site, with old props removed and new ones installed overnight.

Above is concept art for the replacement scene, where Trader Sam has opportunistically “reimagined” lost & found as a gift shop as a quick and easy way to make some extra cash from tourists.

In this scene, Trader Sam is betting on an established reputation as the best merchant in the jungle, and while he’s out lost and finding some new inventory, the animals are getting the last laugh and “reclaiming” the jungle. Personally, I love this scene. It’s on-brand with the Jungle Cruise humor and self-deprecating, as Disney pokes fun at its commercialism and opportunism with rides exiting into gift shops.

There also appears to be a lot to see in this scene, which is always great for re-rideability as guests will want to revisit the attraction to spot all of the gags. Also, it’s tough to argue with any scene that features five (5) monkeys. Finally, and slightly ironically, the very scene that pokes fun at Disney’s commercialism also extends it via a new on-ride photo. All wins in my book!

I’m guessing some fans might object to Trader Sam no longer being a visible character, but I like it. For one thing, the two versions of Trader Sam looked very different at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. For another, he’s also an invisible presence at the bar bearing his name, so this works as an extension of that. There’s a certain mystique about a character who has an outsized presence, but is never seen. Reasonable minds might disagree with that assessment, though.

Next, Imagineering has released a 1938 issue of The Daily Gnus about Alberta Falls and the World-Famous Jungle Cruise to tease the upcoming project. There are fun tidbits in there that reflect how Imagineering will be expanding the Jungle Cruise’s backstory. This will be centered around Alberta Falls, granddaughter of world-renowned Dr. Albert Falls, as the proprietor of the Jungle Navigation Company Ltd.

The article also introduces a number of new characters, including Victoria Marie Falls, Siobhan “Puffin” Murphy, Dr. Leonard Moss, Rosa Soto Dominguez, and S.E.A. Member Dr. Kon Chunosuke. If you’re interested in more info about these characters, check out the My Disney Experience app, which will give you detailed bios.

Most notably, this establishes a direct connection to the Society of Explorers and Adventurers, or S.E.A. That’s a secret society of fictional and real-life explorers that began at Tokyo DisneySea two decades ago and has grown into a shared universe of characters and story points that has spread as far as Typhoon Lagoon.

Notably, a Society of Explorers and Adventurers show was just announced for Disney+ as the first project for the Magic Kingdom Universe. Previously, an S.E.A. connection to Jungle Cruise was implied via other attractions and restaurants, but this will be the organization’s first appearance in Jungle Cruise itself (at least, to my knowledge).

It’s likely there will be plenty of other plot modifications beyond the S.E.A. connection. Here’s how Kevin Lively, Imagineer and former Jungle Cruise skipper described the storyline changes: “As part of this story update, we’ll get to follow a skipper and his passengers as their journey goes awry.

That’s right, for the first time ever, the skipper role will not only be that of a live, experienced, and witty guide, but also represented by a show figure within the attraction itself. In fact, the expedition will be up a tree (literally!) after their sunken boat splits apart and chimps board the wreckage, with monkey business ensuing.”

“But that’s not even half of the hull story. Fans of the Jungle Cruise attraction may recall some boats that used to make their way around the river but haven’t been seen for a while–specifically the Mekong Maiden and Kwango Kate. Ever wonder what happened to them? Well, you might go ape when you find out! Ultimately, the jungle gets the last laugh.”

The reimagined storyline will begin with a trapped safari party that finds itself up a tree after their journey goes awry. Unexpected scenarios along the way will give the jungle and animals the last laugh!

Disney has stated that more details about the enhancements will be revealed soon, and that the Jungle Cruise reimagining is coming later in 2021. Kevin Lively also shared this video:

In an interview with D23 , Imagineer Chris Beatty further clarified the nature of the Jungle Cruise 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, and at the same time, we’re addressing the negative depictions of ‘natives.’ So that’s one of the scenes we’re going to go in and change.”

“And for the first time, we are actually linking scenes together…So we’re not really re-envisioning that scene, we’re just adding a narrative and storytelling to bring things to life and connect that moment with other happenings along the river.”

Chris Beatty explained that Jungle Cruise would be relying and building upon the hilarious scenes added by future Disney Legend Marc Davis and skippers’ spiels: “We’re keeping a lot of the classic jokes that the fans know and love, like the backside of water. But it will give our skipper some new material to play off of.”

Additionally, the changes won’t be inspired by the upcoming film, said Beatty. “I’m excited about the movie, and having Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt be a part of that film. But these adjustments are really focused on enhancing the existing attraction storyline and addressing some areas that needed refreshing along the way. I’m sure the film is fantastic and we’re very excited about it, but integrating the film into our classic Jungle Cruise is not part of this effort.”

After the backlash and fan petitions in response to last summer’s announcement that that Splash Mountain will be rethemed to the Princess and the Frog at Walt Disney World and Disneyland , the company is undoubtedly aware that any changes to an iconic attraction will be controversial, even ones done carefully and with thematic integrity.

Accordingly, Disney has provided “testimonials” about that changes from Imagineers:

As with Splash Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland , it seems unlikely that Jungle Cruise will change in Japan. In part this is because Oriental Land Company–and not Disney–owns those parks, but also because that incarnation of the attraction changed a few years ago. It now has a different storyline, plus different day and night versions, unique lighting schemes, and projection mapping effects.

Hong Kong Disneyland could change eventually, although the story and show scenes there are also very different.

We don’t have a ton of commentary about the Jungle Cruise story rewrites and scene changes. In fairness, we are also most definitely not Jungle Cruise purists who view it among the pantheon of all-time classics. (Honestly, we prefer the Tokyo Disneyland version–even though we can’t understand it–thanks to superior visuals and effects.)

To the contrary, our view is that Jungle Cruise is way too taste-specific and skipper-dependent. It has a cult following among longtime fans and has achieved iconic status via longevity, but doesn’t have as much mainstream appeal . While that’s obviously not the impetus for these changes, we’re cautiously optimistic about anything that makes the attraction more coherent, consistent, and enjoyable to first-timers.

This appears to be part of Disney’s new focus on inclusion, but the changes also pretty clearly go well beyond that. As we’ve been saying for months now, there are a variety of updates in store for older attractions, many of which are small scale and could be accomplished overnight or with a brief closure.

No matter how much fans protest or petition, this was an inevitability for some of the scenes and script in Jungle Cruise. You might also recall the outrage to the Auction Scene Changes in Pirates of the Caribbean when that was announced a few years ago; the update happened anyway. Expect the same for other attractions in the not-too-distant future.

The bigger surprise to me is not that Jungle Cruise changing, but that there’s an accompanying announcement from Disney. I thought they would’ve learned their lesson on that one–but maybe the hope here is that hardcore fans will see there’s more substance to this overhaul (and it’s not outright replacing a fan-favorite with something different entirely), and will give Disney the benefit of the doubt or take a “wait and see” approach.

My expectation was that Jungle Cruise would close with mentions of “synergy” or enhancements related to this year’s Jungle Cruise featuring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and the problematic aspects would quietly change along with movie tie-ins being added. It’s pretty clear from the announcement my guess widely missed the mark with the Jungle Cruise changes. As much as I love the Rock, I’m not particularly eager to see him in Audio Animatronics form, so I’m happy that isn’t happening.

Between dodging that bullet and based on what we know thus far about this Jungle Cruise reimagining, I’m perfectly willing to withhold judgment until seeing the finished product. There’s definitely promise to the ideas, and plenty of potential for Jungle Cruise to improve.

The other interesting aspect of this announcement is that Imagineering indicates the changes (presumably for both Disneyland and Walt Disney World) will be added to the attraction in 2021. Given everything else, that means it’ll almost certainly be finished by October 1, 2021. That’s a fast turnaround time, and it also comes during a year when there’s no guarantee that physical distancing or barriers will be removed from boats. As it stands, the guest experience on Jungle Cruise is significantly impeded. (To the point that it’s the one attraction we avoid right now.) I’m surprised Disney would want to debut the changes with all of that still potentially in place.

Moreover, there’s still no timeline set for the Splash Mountain reimagining, and rumors that the finished project could be years away. Jungle Cruise being announced much later but being finished much earlier suggests to me that perhaps the changes aren’t as substantive as implied. Then again, the tone and appearance of Jungle Cruise can be dramatically changed in a limited amount of time–just look what happens each year literally overnight for Christmas with Jingle Cruise! We’ll keep you posted on future developments with Jungle Cruise, and other attraction updates at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland.

Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews . To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!

YOUR THOUGHTS

What do you think of Jungle Cruise being reimagined ? Excited for new show scenes and some script rewrites? Are you likewise cautiously optimistic, or apprehensive about the changes? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!

Written by Tom Bricker

The Disney Company is ate up with White guilt. I’m going to miss Coca-Cola and Disney. As a White person, my money is no good there.

@Maggie enjoy your self-loathing, while the rest of us go on. And no, no matter what you think in any twisted acrobatic line of reasoning, the is nothing whatsoever racist about historical facts. What happened, happened. Depictions of the real world are not racist and not offensive, unless you’re embarrassed by your own past or behavior. Most people claiming offense have never been to any of these places and really don’t know what they are talking about. And no, no person can claim that if you don’t agree with them 100% even though they cannot explain what they think is racist, that then in turn you are racist. It seems that most folks don’t even know the difference between race, ethnicity, nationality, etc.

I came in here to leave a comment lamenting the fact that I’m leaving Disneyland on July 16th and won’t get to see the new attraction….

But after reading a few comments by MrNico and Tom Thompson I really can’t stay silent and be part of their statements by complicit consent. Although it takes a lot of strength to acknowledge it, it IS racist to believe that just because you aren’t bothered by a scene or because historical research was done means that it isn’t offensive. It took me a long time to understand this despite my diverse group of friends, and it is even harder for it to be absorbed if there aren’t many dissenting voices (such as in traditionally white, upper-class spaces). Now, I cannot judge anyone who posts here because all of our backgrounds are different, and I do not know where you come from or what your status is, and because judging people is wrong. But unfortunately, so are phrases like ‘I don’t see color’ and ‘we need to move past this.’ People of color do not have the luxury of moving past this, and those phrases contribute to the problem. As an alternative, what would be more appropriate to say is that you DO see color, that you acknowledge that you may come from a historically advantaged perspective, and that you will work in your life to make small differences so that others who did not will have less challenges ahead of them. You don’t need to run out and donate to a local charity group to do this (though that would be amazing). All you have to do is support positive changes like this re-imagining by enjoying the nostalgic memories you have of the ride, and feeling good that the next generation’s nostalgic memories of the ride won’t leave them embarrassed in 50 years time to have been on it.

Frank V: What is even more disappointing is that with Reimagining Tomorrow, Disney has embraced Critical Race Theory. Instead of just starting from square one, they are going back to hundreds of years ago to make more victims and make more people to blame for those victims. Just like with Coca Cola, I’m far too white for them even though I think like Martin Luther King that it shouldn’t be the color of our skin, but what’s inside us. That just makes me feel like they don’t want my money any more. We may be selling our DVC points. We’ve already given up all Coca Cola products. That makes going to WDW tough since nearly every non-alcoholic beverage they sell (other than milk) is made by Coke.

From The Washington Post today

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2021/05/06/disney-woke-snow-white-fox/

@Mickey1928, I like it! We all bleed the same red blood, after all. Let’s enjoy the parks and buy each other a beer to toast to Walter E Disney in thanks for all the joy he’s given the world.

To my fellow Disney fan Mom-o-twins First I agree totally with you about people talking about how much they spend while threatening that Disney will lose their business. Quite frankly I find it vulgar and disappointing. Where I disagree is I don’t think we need to see racism everywhere. It’s wrong to assume it’s “angry white people”. This isn’t a racist thing. I’m sure there are those of all colors who are offended and many from all colors who aren’t offended. I know people on both sides and they don’t break down by color. There are too many sides of this issue (updating rides) to do a fair and full discussion about why someone would or wouldn’t want a ride changed. But we all must take a breathe and not get caught up with this racism witch hunt the media and the politicians would have divide us so they can attain /hold wealth and power. It’s only pigmentation. They want us at each others throats at a time when we should be working together preparing for that giant asteroid with our name on it out there. We need to unite the world over so we’re ready for those visitors from another universe in case they’re not so friendly and come looking for cheap labor. Those are some of the truly serious problems ahead. Submitted with love for all my Disney friends. True Disney fans are the best people on the planet.

@Sarah_best, NO, asking someone why they are offended is the only way to understand it and empathize with them. Being condescending and insipid like you’re doing is the biggest part of the problems we are having these days. Far too many folks think they can just claim offense at anything random and be showered with gifts and special treatment. In sorry you don’t understand what the word racism means, but seems like so many don’t… But if we meet in the parks some day, I’ll be happy to buy you a Dole Whip or a churro.

@MrNico No, I’m saying you’re intentionally being rude and offensive by not believing a person of color when they tell you something is racist.

@Sarah_Best that’s a long-winded way for you to say “I don’t know”. But I’m not surprised.

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Guest Wreaks Havoc On Disney World Trip Because of Joke

in Disney Parks , Featured , Walt Disney World

Guest behavior can make or break the Disney experience, and one former Disney World cast member detailed how a guest ripped apart her former colleague for a misunderstood joke. 

Unfortunately, even “The Most Magical Place on Earth” is subject to the same behavioral indiscretions as any other public place. While there is certainly a code of conduct that helps create the right Disney Park environment . One of the primary reasons that Disney’s conduct exists is to ensure that guests have the Disney vacation for which they have paid a lot of money. 

This said, not all guests necessarily stick to this, and as a consequence, guests and cast members alike are affected by the havoc that ensues. 

Recently, a former Disney cast member who used to work at Disney World as part of the Disney College Program explained one of the worst instances of a guest mistreating a CM she’d ever seen. Thankfully, this particular anecdote didn’t happen to her, though it did unfortunately happen to her friend.

The ex-CM, who goes by Skipper Meaghan on YouTube, shared the story.

Meghan used to work on Jungle Cruise, the classic Disney ride that allows guests to “Chart a course for high adventure on a scenic and comedic boat tour of exotic rivers across Asia, Africa, and South America.”

While working that ride, she encountered a guest who didn’t take kindly to a standard Jungle Cruise joke that her friend made.

Meaghan explained,  “If a guest is taking their sweet time sitting down and we’re kind of waiting for everyone to sit down before we can send the boat out, then sometimes skippers will say something to the effect of ‘sit, sit, sit’,’ and when they finally sit they go ‘stay!’ and then they go ‘good tourists.” 

However, when Meaghan’s friend made this joke one day, a man simply didn’t respond in an apt manner for something that was meant to be humorous.

The man stayed quiet through the ride, but after it was over, he walked up to the skipper of the moment—Skipper Meaghan’s friend—and began wreaking havoc and insulting the skipper on duty.

The man reportedly “lashed out” at a young female Disney cast member , yelling at her, saying, “I don’t like you, I don’t like your stupid voice, and I don’t like your fat butt.”

Skipper Meaghan explained that her friend broke down soon after this incident, as one might expect from a young, college-aged woman.

It’s important to note that this method of dealing with a joke one doesn’t like at a Disney Park is simply unacceptable.

While, as guests, our feelings are perfectly valid, it’s worth remembering that cast members are there to make magic and will likely respond well to criticism, as Meaghan herself also mentioned.

If a part of the Disney experience doesn’t live up to expectations because of a joke that didn’t land, guests can do as Meaghan suggested and offer the suggestion in a polite and courteous manner.

Have you ever heard a joke at the Disney Parks that you didn’t like? Let us know in the comments!