Jungle Cruise

Located in the Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland, the Jungle Cruise is a slow-moving, slow-loading river ride that takes guests through a series of animal adventures. Expect to see hippos submerging, elephants bathing, giant insects, headhunters and more.

The Jungle Cruise is appropriate for all ages, although young children may be frightened during a dark indoor scene near the ride’s end. Note the ride’s operation times on your daily schedule, as it typically stops running well before the park closes for the night.

Lines can build for the slow-loading Jungle Cruise. In my experience, the posted wait times tend to be – if anything – somewhat optimistic. Consider snagging a Jungle Cruise FASTPASS and killing some time by riding Pirates of the Caribbean, where lines move much more quickly, and the Magic Carpets of Aladdin, which rarely have a line.

My Thoughts
The Jungle Cruise was certainly a good idea – transport guests via river on a journey to faraway lands, complete with somewhat lifelike animals. However, after the inception of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, guests can now take a similar journey to see actual living animals, rendering the Jungle Cruise somewhat pointless. That said, this ride is still fun for young children and worth visiting as a piece of Disney history.
 
None of the animals look particularly realistic, and I could certainly do without the scenes featuring the “natives,” but the ride is helped along by the skippers’ corny narration. The constant jokes may drive some crazy, but I do like their energy and appreciate that after decades of riding this attraction I still hear a new joke every now and then.

Perhaps the biggest point in favor of the Jungle Cruise, though, is the atmospheric value it brings to Adventureland. The ride is chock full of lush trees and plants and contributes to making this “land” perhaps the most well-themed one in the park. I also love the miniature boats next to the ride’s exit, which can be driven around various Tiki obstacles for the very reasonable price of one dollar.

Overall . . .
The Jungle Cruise is not one of my favorite Walt Disney World attractions, nor even one I need to ride on every visit. However, it’s nice to know it’s there, adding atmosphere and making kids happy.

Recommend this product? Yes

Best Suited For: Families