Jungle Cruise (Disneyland)

Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise is a classic, immersive boat ride attraction located in Adventureland at Disneyland Park, where guests embark on a humorous and adventurous journey through exotic, simulated rivers of Asia, Africa, and South America. Guided by witty skippers, guests board one of 12 uniquely named boats and encounter animatronic wildlife, such as hippos, elephants, and crocodiles, set against lush, tropical scenery. The ride, inspired by adventure films, blends tongue-in-cheek humor, light-hearted thrills, and nostalgic charm, making it a beloved staple for visitors of all ages.

On your adventure you’ll cruise through four “rivers” inspired by real-world locations such as  the Amazon River (South America), the Congo River (Africa), the Nile River (Africa), and the Mekong River (Asia). Some of the highlights you’ll see, an Ancient Cambodian Shrine (Come face-to-face with leaping tigers, lethal cobras, and snapping turtles), Jungle Cruise Safari Camp (Cruise past a former camp overrun by explosively curious gorillas), Indian Elephant Bathing Ppl (Venture into this sacred pool where you'll see bathing Indian elephants. Feel free to take pictures - they have their trunks on), The African Veldt (Behold angry hippos and hungry lions guarding a sleeping zebra), and Schweitzer Falls (Be aware as you take in a true natural wonder - the backside of water.). 

The 12 boats in the Jungle Cruise fleet all have unique names, including Amazon Belle, Congo Queen, Ganges Gal, Hondo Hattie, Irrawaddy Woman, Kissimmee Kate, Nile Princess, Orinoco Adventuress, Suwannee Lady, Ucayali Una, Yangtze Lotus, and Zambezi Miss. Additionally, two boats, the Magdalena Maiden and Mekong Maiden, were decommissioned in 1997.

Jungle Cruise Backstory 

The Jungle Navigation Company was founded in the year 1911 by British colonist and jungle explorer Dr. Albert Falls. When Falls disappeared in 1928, the company was inherited by his granddaughter Alberta Falls. To prevent financial losses amid the Great Depression, in 1931, Alberta started the, “Jungle Cruise” tourism service to transport guests through the jungle’s rivers of adventure, a series of mystic passageways which connect exotic locales across the globe. 

The ride takes place in 1938, after Alberta arranged for a V.I.P. group to take this tour aboard the Kwango Kate. However, their unlucky skipper Felix Perchman XIII wrecked the boat along the African veldt, causing the expedition to be lost. Guests represent the patrons of the Jungle Cruise who depart from the Lost Delta of India and happen upon the lost expedition. 

Jungle Cruise History 

An original attraction at Disneyland. Inspired by adventure films like The African Queen and the True-Life Adventure documentary series produced by Disney. During the initial concept and production phases, several names were considered, including Explorer Boat Ride, Riverboat Ride, Jungle Riverboat Safari, Jungle Cruise Boat Ride, and Jungle Riverboat. Walt Disney wanted an authentic safari attraction with live animals. But he was talked out of using live animals it because of the small amount of space and the fact that most animals would be sleeping during the day and wouldn't be very interesting for people to see. Skippers originally followed a straightforward script that had a more serious tone and was more like a nature documentary when it first opened. Rumor has it that Walt Disney overheard guests comment they didn’t need to ride the attraction more than once because they’ve seen it already, so he advised the skippers to improvise jokes and puns to make it more appealing. 

Tips For Guests

• The best times to ride are early morning or late evening to avoid peak wait times, which can reach 30-60 minutes on busy days. You can check the Disneyland app for current wait times.

• Engage with your skipper's jokes for a more fun experience, and sit near the front or back for better views. 

• The queue features immersive theming like expedition gear, and the ride itself offers great candid shots of animatronics.

A Jungle Cruise type attraction can also be found at Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom (Jungle Cruise; October 1, 1971), Tokyo Disney Resort’s Tokyo Disneyland (Jungle Cruise: Wildlife Expeditions; April 15, 1973), and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (Jungle River Cruise; September 12, 2005). A film adaptation of the attraction directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Edgar Ramirez, Jack Whitehall, Jesse Plemons, and Paul Giamatti was released on July 30, 2021. 

General Attraction Information

Opening Date: July 17, 1955 (Original Attraction)

Location: Adventureland (Disneyland Park)

Height Requirements: Any Height

Ages: Any Age

Thrill Type: Slow Ride, Water Ride, Loud

Ride Duration: 7 to 9 minutes (approximately)

Lightning Lane Multi Pass Available: No

On-Ride Photo: No

Early Entry: No

Attraction Rating: 4.6 Stars (115 votes)

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