1
Credit: Inside the MagicAfter confirming that Jungle Cruise will be closed indefinitely at the Walt Disney World Resort, new updates have surfaced, revealing that even more guests will seemingly be barred from riding the historic opening day Adventureland attraction.
Disney’s Big Changes
The Walt Disney World Resort is seemingly at a turning point, with most eyes on how the House of Mouse will combat claims that it’s losing out to Universal Orlando Resort and becoming too expensive for the average family.
The neighboring theme park resort to the Disney World park, Universal, is about to gain its third major gate. In 2025, Universal’s Epic Universe will join Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure and completely change the theme park landscape of the Sunshine State.
As for the cost side of things, it is no secret that a Disney World vacation comes with a hefty price tag.
From the launch of Disney Genie+ three years ago (soon to be the Lightning Lane Multi Pass/Single Pass) and the controversies over the complete overhaul of the Disability Access Service (DAS), guests are feeling the strain of embarking on a trip to The Most Magical Place on Earth.
Disney World is not the most visited theme park resort in the world for no reason. Despite soaring costs, it still remains a popular destination, and ardent fans will always find a way to go–these reports on debt and Disney vacations say a lot.
Still, a desire for change at the parks is at a fever pitch. Many wish for a fifth theme park gate (one has been teased), while others want improvements across the core offering–Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
And it is coming–in a fashion.
The D23 Expo 2022 in Anaheim, Southern California, teased some new additions, including the “Beyond Big Thunder” project and the changes at Animal Kingdom. The latter was officially confirmed a year later at Destination D23, with DinoLand, U.S.A., becoming the Tropical Americas at the Disney resort.
While the “Beyond Big Thunder” project is seemingly off the ground, thanks to recently filed permits, there has been no official confirmation on when work will commence on the historic Magic Kingdom expansion or the theming or Intellectual Property (IP) that will be showcased.
Change is happening in the park, though, and not everything is as clear as it may seem.
Magic Kingdom’s Attraction Changes
At present, Peter Pan’s Flight in Fantasyland is closed for an extended period. It is unclear why the closure is happening, although if an earlier permit for installing set elements is anything to go by, it could mean the long-contested scene involving the Indigenous people may be removed.
Across the way in Frontierland, the Country Bear Jamboree permanently closed in January 2024 after entertaining guests for over five decades. The new iteration of the experience, the County Bear Musical Jamboree, will open to Magic Kingdom guests on July 17, 2024. The attraction will include new songs and a new culturally appropriate bear.
However, neither Peter Pan’s Flight nor Country Bear Jamboree is the most confusing closure of Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
On August 26, shortly after Peter Pan’s Flight reopens on August 21, Jungle Cruise in Adventureland will close. And it will close indefinitely.
At the time of publication, the Walt Disney World Resort calendar only goes as far as September 9. Jungle Cruise has no operating times through this date, meaning it will be closed until then, if not longer. Of course, Disney could update the availability of this ride like they did with Kali River Rapids and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith.
However, an interesting update has surfaced.
Jungle Cruise is not currently listed as an available attraction for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
For context, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party commences on August 9 and runs through October 31, while Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party takes over the Disney park from November 8 through December 20. They are both hard-ticketed events, meaning attendees must purchase a separate ticket for admission.
Jungle Cruise is absent from Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party list of attractions, but the story is a tad more confusing when it comes to the Christmas Party.
The attraction section of the Christmas Party event page states that guests can enjoy the Jingle Cruise.
Related: Disney’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Coaster Comes Under Fire, Closed off to Guests
“Get ready to laugh on a Jingle Cruise packed with holiday-themed puns,” says the official Walt Disney World Resort website. “Jingle Cruise can be enjoyed during the party or all day long at Magic Kingdom Park.”
However, when looking at the attractions available in Adventureland, neither Jungle Cruise nor Jingle Cruise is listed.
Since 2013, Disney has been changing Jungle Cruise to Jingle Cruise for the holidays. The seasonal overlay arrived at the attraction in early November last year, so it can be expected to make an appearance around the same time this year if it begins operating before then.
It is unlikely that the indefinite Jungle Cruise closure is related to anything major. The attraction was significantly updated a few years ago, with Disney Imagineers removing culturally insensitive elements and replacing them with non-offensive material.
Similar seasonal party confusion happened earlier this year when Disney shared that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure would be available for the Halloween event before the company officially announced its opening date.
In related news, it was recently confirmed that both Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and TRON Lightcycle / Run will operate a standby line during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Both attractions currently run with virtual queue access only during regular Disney park hours.
What do you think is going on with Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!