Jungle Cruise disappointed at first

Image: Disney

Jungle Cruise is unquestionably one of the most iconic rides in the industry, but it took has morphed from the original intent. In fact, it has changed in two major ways. The more storied aspect is that Walt Disney wanted live animals to populate the attraction. It was a rare instance where his Imagineers said no to their boss. The ultimate outcome was unexpected. Had Jungle Cruise included animals, Disney likely never would have constructed Animal Kingdom, the park that fulfilled one of Uncle Walt’s dreams.

The infamous humor of Jungle Cruise was a change that happened more quickly. Initially, Jungle Cruise had a serious tone, one that mirrored the 1950s television program, Walt Disney’s True-Life Adventures. It was a fitting premise for an Adventureland attraction. The skippers narrated as if they were hosting a nature documentary. There was just one little problem. The self-serious subject matter was deadly dull.

Image: Disney

The scenery at Jungle Cruise was rife for sardonic humor. Cast members didn’t want to step on any toes, but they could tell that the guests on each boat grew bored by the standard spiel. Some of them started to sprinkle in jokes to keep everyone awake. Over time, park planners accepted that the funny version of Jungle Cruise was the superior one. They created a script to emphasize the comedic elements of the ride, evolving it from a snooze into an unforgettably punny ride experience.

Indiana Jones and the two rides

Image: Disney

As mentioned, Adventureland never seems to have enough attractions. When Disneyland prepared to add Indiana Jones to the themed land, they had grand plans. Their goal was to introduce two different Indy rides, the one that you know and love and a roller coaster that you don’t know.

That’s because Michael Eisner winced at the budget demands for two new attractions. Indiana Jones Adventure cost $100 million on its own. A roller coaster would have added another $50 million. We know this because the ride did get built, just not at Disneyland. Eisner elected to split the plans, constructing the adventure at Disneyland and the roller coaster at Disneyland Paris. The French know it as Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril, but in some alternate history of Disneyland, you would know it as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril. Ah, what could have been.

Image: DisneyBy the way, here’s one other fun fact about Indiana Jones Adventure. Imagineers were so detailed in their planning of the attraction that they even hired linguists! Yes, some folks at Disneyland were paid to create a new language just for the ride. It was called Marabic, and several signs at the attraction had special Marabic messages for theme park tourists to decode. You can even find some older internet sites that still have Marabic decoders. It’s just another example of how much cast members care about delivering the best possible ride experience at Adventureland.