A certain Disneyland animatronic was seen “packing up their trunks” and taking a road trip.
Though there are many amazing elements that Guests can enjoy while visiting the Disney Parks such as the delicious restaurants, exciting attractions, and incredible shows, one aspect stands above the rest: the audio-animatronics.
These detailed and incredibly-realistic programmable robots changed the game when it came to telling authentic stories and providing exhilarating experiences for Guests. Walt Disney himself stated that animatronics were crucial to making attractions come to life, calling them “our space-age electronic method of making inanimate things move on cue, hour after hour and show after show.” Over the years, Disney Imagineering has developed some seriously jaw-dropping animatronic figures such as the Shaman in Pandora – The World of Avatar’s Na’vi River journey or Expedition Everest’s Yeti whose reputation proceeds it.
Recently, Jerrod Maruyama, a frequent partner, and collaborator with the Disney Parks captured an image of one of the elephants from Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise taking a trip out on the main road:
On Ball Road today!
On Ball Road today! 😁 pic.twitter.com/d6OCTtYFT6
— Jerrod Maruyama (@jmaruyama) December 10, 2021
Nothing is known as to why this elephant animatronic was being transported but it may have something to do with both Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s Jungle Cruise rides being recently refurbished earlier this year.
As stated previously, Jerrod Maruyama has actually worked with both Disneyland and Walt Disney World and will be returning to EPCOT’s International Festival of the Arts next year which you can read more about here.
Disney’s official description of The Jungle Cruise can be found below and on their official site.
Board a canopied tramp steamer and leave civilization behind on a tongue-in-cheek journey through the globe’s most “treacherous” rivers—and oldest gags.
Highlights of your unforgettable adventure include:
- Ancient Cambodian Shrine
Come face-to-face with leaping tigers, lethal cobras and snapping crocodiles.- Jungle Cruise Safari Camp
Cruise past a former camp overrun by explosively curious gorillas.- Indian Elephant Bathing Pool
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.- Schweitzer Falls
Be awed as you take in a true natural wonder—the back side of water!Throughout your voyage, you’ll enjoy lively narration from your brave and trusty skipper. It’s a sometimes perilous, always hilarious 10,000-mile journey you won’t soon forget!
A Classic Cruise
The original Jungle Cruise opened on July 17, 1955 at Disneyland Park. Based on Disney’s award-winning True-Life Adventure films, the attraction had a more educational tone. In the early 1960s, Walt Disney introduced more drama and asked animator Marc Davis to sketch some humorous gags.
Over the years, more “wildlife”—and new wisecracks—were added. These updates, along with our talented skippers, make for fun surprises on every trip down the river.
Have you ever seen a Disney animatronnic on the road? What do you think of this one?
Let the expert team at Academy Travel help you plan your next magical vacation to Disneyland Resort, including Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, and the Downtown Disney District. Or what about Walt Disney World Resort’s four theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios — and the Disney Springs shopping and dining district!