Between Books - The Jungle Cruise: The Wild History of Walt's Favorite Ride Second Edition

Two things can be true at once!

FACT: The Jungle Cruise: The Wild History of Walt’s Favorite Ride Second Edition is an interesting, fun, and factual chronicle of The Jungle Cruise which highlights the impact that cast members have had on the evolution of the beloved attraction.

FACT: The Jungle Cruise: The Wild History of Walt’s Favorite Ride Second Edition is a poorly delivered and executed book that has numerous misprints, odd prints, repetitions, and miscellaneous errors that distract from the reader’s experience while lowering the ability for a fan, like me, to claim it’s a truly authoritative history of the attraction.

The Jungle Cruise: The Wild History of Walt’s Favorite Ride by David “Dr. Skipper” Marley is a book that had not joined my Between Books yet. But with the printing of a second edition, I jumped online to Dr. Marley’s Etsy page to buy an autographed copy. It is likely the most excited I have been about a book in the mail for the last several years.

The Jungle Cruise: The Wild History of Walt’s Favorite Ride Second Edition by David “Dr. Skipper” Marley provides a historical account of the development, growth, and current state. Marley, a trained and practicing historian, uses the narrative history of the attraction, his own history with the boat ride, and oral histories to offer an entertaining and interesting account of the Disney original. The chapters are typically long and cover long stretches of park history. The book starts in Anaheim, but includes development and growth for the versions in Orlando Tokyo, and Hong Kong while addressing why some parks like Paris lack a jungle cruise. The book ends with a current state survey of the attraction, post inclusion edits and a world with a Jungle Cruise big budget movie. Marley, being a former skipper, does an excellent job of using the collective memory of the skippers and demonstrating the impact the attraction had on these cast members and the legacies they have left.

I for the most part really enjoyed this book. I am running around with my newest fun fact, The Jungle Cruise in the Magic Kingdom park is on the ground level of the park. It’s on the same floor as the utilidors! I mean it feels like the mind should realize that as we walk down the incline, but it took the book to point it out. There were numerous factual discoveries like these that I enjoyed. The text is generally entertaining, which can be in question when written by an academic. I did enjoy the use of interviews and skipper quotes throughout the text. Marley provides a text that often tickled this fan boy’s heart. He writes in a conversational style that is entertaining and often sparks joy.

Now the other truth. This book is an editing mess. If it was a Kindle book I would expect an update correcting the editing and printing errors that frankly gets in the way of the journey. These mistakes(shortened list for time) include,

• Printing errors that include incomplete letters and odd or inconsistent spacing

• Editing mistakes including incorrect or inconsistent use of punctuation (double or misspaced periods), use of italics, conflicting factual claims in the same sentence

• At least 3 instances with reprinted paragraphs printed on a span of 2 to 3 pages

• Gaps in sources, for example Marley clearly has an opinion about the movie, but his discussion of the budget and reactions lack cited sources

I did not expect this from a second edition, though mistakes can occur like this in self-published books. While I don’t have the first edition, it does seem from other comments that the editing mistakes, and thank you to an editor, occurred in the firs edition. I get it! Authors can simply get to close to their work. I will admit that both me and an editor missed numerous instances of the word “solider” in place of “soldier” in a past project. I am not super detailed writer, and I”m sure this blog is full of mistakes. But the problems become an obstacle to digging into the story of the jungle. I’d love to see Marley write a history for Disney Press, but his frank discussion would likely not fit within the publishing house’s goals. What I would really want is a publisher to work with Marley and fashion a really well done and executed third edition. Because at the moment, any endorsement I would make about this book includes the caveat, it is not edited or printed well. So you need to think carefully if the $40 is worth it to you.

Hey authors, I’m willing to read through drafts or proofs to help find obvious mistakes, because if I can see mistakes more critical readers will definitely find plenty.

Jungle Cruise I love you, but sometimes your books seem to be hindered by publication and editing. The Jungle Cruise: The Wild History of Walt’s Favorite Ride by David “Dr. Skipper” Marley is an interesting and often entertaining reflection on the Jungle Cruise and their skippers important to our fandom. It is also a inadequately produced volume, which has errors that limits the text’s authority. I found both enjoyment and frustration on these pages…because two things can be true.

 

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Dreaming Disney - The Jungle

It was sad news. Tales From the Jungle Crews which has really slowed in posting episodes the last few years is being fully retired, and the episodes will no longer be available. That’s a real kick in the pants as I’m still hungry for new chapters. With this turn, we must ask ourselves where do Disney fans hungry for Jungle stories go now?

Luckily, I adventured to The Jungle podcast. The official description is “Two former Jungle Skips talk Disney, Theme Parks, & Pop Culture. However, in true Skipper fashion, the conversation frequently heads into uncharted waters. Hosted by David "Dr. Skipper" Marley (Author, Disney Historian) & Trevor Kelly (Crooner, Senior Art Director).” The podcast drops every two weeks. The format is basically chit-chat between two long-term friends that focuses primarily on Disney news, Disneyland, Tiki events, and since we have two former Skippers, the Jungle Cruise. The chat is generally light-hearted with some fun opinions. The two know each other very well and able to get a little silly, which let’s be honest we can all use a little silly.

I mentioned that these two are two Disneyland former skippers. Dr. David Marley is a historian who currently teaches history courses. He has also written a number of books about the Jungle Cruise and is a speaker who appears at several Tiki events discussing I assume the Jungle Cruise. Trevor Kelly, is a crooner and podcaster that I listened to years ago on a show called Joey and Trevor Talk to Each Other, which much like The Jungle was two skippers chatting, or as I remember it more like shooting the poop. The Jungle is very much that type of show, where the topics could be the two mulling the latest Disney or Disneyland news, telling stories of their days in the jungle, or just them talking about whatever moves them that day. It’s that chit-chat type of format that for me is what I like. It’s chat going on in the background where I feel like someone is talking with me, even if I’m not live or in the room with them. It does not fill the gap left by Tales From the Jungle Crews, a show that transformed from chit-chat to one of the best oral history podcasts you can find. But it does give fans a little Jungle Crews content in an easy-to-digest format. And living so far from Disneyland, I like hearing local takes on the happenings around the park and the Disneyland Jungle Cruise. 

The Jungle is a fun chat between two friends. It’s a bonus they are informed former skippers who bring up the Jungle Cruise on the regular. The Jungle is fun mostly Disney talk that definitely provides me the coffee chat that I need, in a safe I’m still an introvert way, on a Monday morning.

Between Books - Disney Parks Presents Jungle Cruise

I looked over at the Between Wife and said, “this is about to be a world of screaming and crying!”

We were standing in the foyer for The Haunted Mansion. Many of the kids around us were nervous and bargaining to escape! The parents were reassuring their children because they were prepared. When the Ghost Host declared that one way of leaving was “his way” none of the kids lost it…they were ready! We truly cannot underestimate the power of books or YouTube videos in preparing our next generation of Disney fans. And I want those kids to make sure that when I have to be rolled down the dock, the Jungle Cruise will be there for me in my later years!

Disney Parks Present Jungle Cruise with narration by John Lasseter, illustrations by Edrwin Madrid, and words by Walt Disney Imagineering and the Jungle Cruise Skippers is a literary walk through of the Jungle Cruise attraction. The book is simple, Skipper John, as in Skipper John Lasseter, takes his crew through the show scenes of the Jungle Cruise, before the 2021 refurbishment and Alberta Falls. All the important scenes are depicted in Madrid’s fun and vibrant pictures. The narration from Skipper John clearly shows highs and lows in tone which I think would make reading aloud fun. I am sure I can hear on the accompanying CD, if I choose to find a way to listen.

This book is likely not the best way to prep a young skipper for the attraction. Now, I was going to say part of that is because the attraction was revised a few years after this was published. The but is we can see in the credits that Kevin Lively was involved, as he was the attraction reset. And the narration is universal as I can see the puns being used today in most cases. The chunks revised out were not used on these pages. And it’s not for the art, which while not exactly what you would see on the Cruise, is strong illustrated homages to it.

No, the reason is that like many of these Disney Parks Presents books, it is out of print and $30 plus for purchase. I just can’t justify that when the Little Golden Book edition is currently available at a much lower price point. I believe part of the reason this one is out of print is due to John Lasseter’s participation. He truly did enjoy his days as Chief Creative Officer and loved reliving his days as a Skipper. But now, like C.W. Wood, Lasseter is someone not spoken of in official Disney channels. That leaves this book as really one of the last major Disney publicity pushes of his time with the company. And of the four books in this series on Amazon…it’s the one that fails to display the cover image and is a little hard to find in searches (just a little hard).

Disney Parks Present Jungle Cruise with narration by John Lasseter, illustrations by Edrwin Madrid, and words by Walt Disney Imagineering and the Jungle Cruise Skippers is a book that as a Disney book fan and Jungle Cruise fan I am thrilled to have in my collection. It just isn’t the most cost-effective book for getting young fans ready for the BACK SIDE OF WATERRRRRR!

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Between Books - Jungle Cruise (a Little Golden Book)

I laugh at Jungle Cruise jokes, and so should you…and your kids!

Jungle Cruise a Little Golden Book by Brooke Vitale, illustrated by Paul Conrad and the Disney Storybook Art Team, and designed by Winnie Ho, is a delightful homage and tribute to the world-famous attraction. The book follows a family guided by Skipper Albert on the Amazon Belle through the jungle. Albert spiels as he passes familiar scenes. Conrad and the art team's images are fun and delightful original depictions of show scenes. The book is a true tribute to the ride, with even dock jokes provided to readers.

This book is a delight for Jungle Cruise fans. First and foremost, Vitale adapts traditional Jungle Cruise jokes to a younger audience, and most importantly, the essential jokes are there. And like any good skipper, Vitale makes sure to include the most essential jokes, like the Backside of Water! The team understood the assignment!

The ride featured here is clearly the Magic Kingdom, due to the inclusion of a temple. But the featured boat is Disneyland Park exclusive. In the end, the visuals are definitely Florida, but both coasts are included. Skipper Albert, that can't be important, right? It is if you listen to the radio broadcasts as you travel through the queue.

The book is a time capsule, as the scenes are kid-safe versions of the pre-2021 attraction. Alberta Falls and the Society of Adventurers and Explorers are not present in this edition. But I would argue this is just a good reason to update the Little Golden Book!

Jungle Cruise a Little Golden Book by Brooke Vitale and illustrated by Paul Conrad with the Disney Storybook Art Team, is a delight. When this grown adult says he laughs at Jungle Cruise jokes…well, I chuckled and smiled. I think this is a great introduction to the attraction for the youngster or a way to bring a favorite Disney experience home!

 

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Between Books - The Making of Disney's The Jungle Cruise

 

In the movie Elf, James Caan’s Walter Hobbs is a publisher who makes a mistake.  He approves a book for printing that is missing pages.  And now children around the world will never know how the adventures of a puppy and pigeon will end.  I mean it is fiction, right?  A publisher would never put out an embarrassing product when they could have stopped it from hitting the shelves.

Looking at you Disney!

I apologize author Michael Goldman.  I am not going to blame you!

Disney Edition’s The Making of Disney's The Jungle Cruise is truly one of the worst Disney books ever offered to the public.  Author Michael Goldman does the job he was contracted for.  He gives his readers the background of the Jungle Cruise ride.  He goes through the production of the movie, with text that is on par with what we would expect from D23 Magazine.  And there is are some interesting tidbits like the filming of Prima a completely CGI character.  And I love the references to Tales from the Jungle Crews, which shows me Goldman went past the Disney archives for material.  But the book is a major failure and Goldman can luckily blame Walter Hobbs, I mean Disney Editions, for this failure.

The Making of Disney's The Jungle Cruise was not sold as a physical book to support the movie.  And I can understand with the pandemic and changing schedules how this decision was made.  However, in producing this as an eBook only Disney has failed us.  The pages are full of colorful pictures and concept art.  And the book was laid out in an artistic presentation that if printed would honestly look great.  But instead in the Kindle app on an iPad, an enjoyable experience is a nightmare.  The text is too small.  The solution is clearly just expand the view and blow up the page.  Too bad the minute you do that the text and images become blurry.  Navigating the blown-up pages led to page skips and jittery page movements where at times I lost entire pages of text.  Sometimes, I would turn the page just to get a big white box until I again resized the page.  It is very hard to keep to the flow of the text when one is just worried they lost a page or had the page skip to a new location. The book was clearly prepared as basically a series of images not formatted for Ereading.  And none of the benefits of reading an electronic book are available like bookmarking or highlighting.  In short, Disney took a book they were maybe planning to print and turned it into a series of images which is mis sized and unreadable.

I love the Jungle Cruise.  I love the movie.  Too bad this book is a true disaster.  If Disney Editions had just put some effort into the user acceptance testing they would have found how horrible of an experience they were providing to their audience.  Maybe then they could have fixed the formatting issues and let readers enjoy the images and text.  This book is a disaster and the only reason I have not returned it is I got it on sale.  Honestly charging full price for this book is a greater price gouging ploy than a family of four staying at the Galactic Starcruiser.  This is a book you can skip over and avoid the frustration that reading it brings.

 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that Between Disney receives a percentage of sales purchased through links on this site. 

Between Books - From Jungle Cruise Skipper to Disney Legend

I am a really big fan of the World Famous Jungle Cruise!  In fact the other day I told someone I dressed up to hangout with them, I was wearing my Jungle Cruise shirt just for them.  Okay, it was mostly for me.  And reading Theme Park Press' latest offering with a Jungle Cruise theme was just as much for me as slipping on that comfy and stylish tee.

From Jungle Cruise Skipper to Disney Legend: 40 Years of Magical Memories at Disney by William "Sully" Sullivan at first glance appears to be an autobiography of a former skipper with memories going back to Disneyland's opening year.  But it is really much more.  It is a story of a young Skipper in Sully who left his job to try out this Disneyland thing he saw on television.  Sullivan started as a ticker taker at the Jungle Cruise and then began to work his way through a multifaceted Disney career.  Yes, he did move from ticket taker to Skipper, but that was just the beginning.  He would serve as a supervisor on Main Street USA, develop security plans for the 1960 Winter Olympics, helped run operations at the 1964 New York World's Fair (though he never met Mary Blair) and other tasks as assigned by the Boss himself Walt Disney.  Eventually, Sullivan would leave California and join the Florida team joining the development of Epcot and eventually becoming the Vice President of the Magic Kingdom, having again started as a ticket taker.  The book alternates between chapters written by Jim Korkis that provide context to Sullivan's experiences and those with Sullivan speaking about his life.  

I have often called General Douglas MacArthur the soldier of the 20th Century.  He was born in a Western outpost when horses were still standard equipment, fought through 2 global conflicts and ended his career with an arsenal that included the atomic bomb.  Ironically this is how I feel about Sullivan!  He was the employee of the first 40 years of Disney parks operations.  He started as part of the ticket book system, followed Walt Disney as he expanded his entertainment pursuits, and ended with one price ticketing.  Sullivan's career does more than define him as a person, but describes the history of Disney Parks as one observes him.  The reader discovers quickly that Sullivan is a man who said yes when asked to do things outside of his expertise.  And this tendency served him well as he went from assignment to assignment.  All of these experiences made him a well-rounded executive who was focused on the the consistency of guest service across his areas of responsibility and those who worked for him.

With Jungle Cruise in the title, one does want the book to be funny.  Honestly, there are no rolling around on the ground belly laughs.  Though you will likely crack several smiles.  Readers will learn a lot about Disney history, even if they are experienced Disney historians.  I now know about orange ties and baby alligators in the early days of Disneyland thanks to Sully.  Sullivan started in the Jungle Cruise and though he did not stay for long his recollections are filled with the fun of what he was doing.  He liked working for Disney and enjoyed having a good time.  And why would he not have enjoyed working for the Boss.  His employment in the parks would lead him to meet his wife and enjoy what honestly reads as a highly satisfying professional career.  And he will always be a skipper! 

Really, if I wanted to use a word for From Jungle Cruise Skipper to Disney Legend it would be charming.  One cannot be caught on Sullivan's words as he discusses Walt Disney and the need to train staff to treat guests the Disney way.  It is full of admiration and care.  Sullivan's admiration becomes infectious very quickly.  

Sure, the Jungle Cruise is what gets you in the door as you pick up From Jungle Cruise Skipper to Disney Legend: 40 Years of Magical Memories at Disney by William "Sully" Sullivan.  But gets you to stay is the historical evolution of 40 years of Disney parks.  For those years when a major advancement in the history of the parks occurred, Sullivan was generally there with his can-do attitude and commitment to Disney quality.  And as a reader you will feel overjoyed to spend some time immersed in Sullivan's world. 

Review Copy Provided by Theme Park Press

Between Books - Marc Davis: Walt Disney's Renaissance Man

As I have become more and more familiar with those that make the magic, the late Marc Davis has become my favorite Imagineer.  His ability to mix fun with interesting designs continues to help The Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, and The Haunted Mansion.  I have often said on my list of literary wants is a volume that captures all of his interests from animation to the theme parks and beyond.  And now we can finally say that title exists.

Marc Davis: Walt Disney's Renaissance Man provides an artistic biography of Davis' life.  The artist's journey is documented by numerous authors, including some who knew the man, including John Canemaker, Andreas Deja, Pete Doctor, Marty Sklar and Marc Davis (yes, I said Marc Davis).  Each author takes up an aspect of his career from his own early animal studies, Davis the art teacher, animation, Imagineering, Davis' fine art and more.  Davis' own chapter is an excerpt from an unpublished book in which he discusses anatomy and motion.  Author Mindy Johnson provides a chapter that will delight Disney fans, "The Divine Miss Alice", which provides a biography of Davis' widow Alice who is a legend in her own right.  The entire volume is wonderfully illustrated with Davis' work, much of it coming from the Alice Davis Collection.

First and foremost what strikes a reader is the art.  The book has over sized pages which show off a master artist and draftsman's efforts.  A common theme amongst the authors is Davis' flawless representation of movement, and his personal sketches of football games and dancers shows that clear ability to visually communicate movement with static pictures.  The inclusion of early drawings, including those done on Butcher paper are exciting, as one feels they are uncovering Davis' early works.  And the included Disney Theme Park images will delight.  My personal favorites include concept art for the Western River Expedition which show that Davis planned a ride full of puns.  But the concept art for the Haunted Mansion art gallery found on pages 138 and 139 made me wish the page was even bigger so the crease did not have to interfere with my view of the masterpiece. Speaking of masterpieces, the book provides something that Disney fans are not used to, numerous samples of Davis' fine art.  These pieces, be it a tree study or a spirit house from his Papua New Guinea trips show Davis' ability to work in numerous formats and styles.

The chapter text, usually 3 to 5 pages long, present Davis' well-rounded life.  My favorite chapters show a teacher, a man at play, and a husband.  "Marc as Teacher" by Bob Kurtz presents Davis the instructor.  One really can see the ease at which Davis could quickly form an image with expert lines.  And you get insight to his teaching style.  For me a highlight is seeing something I thought no longer exists, photographs of some of his chalkboards.  "Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands" shows a man looking to learn more about his world and his art.  But his sketches, including a canoe mishap allow us to see a man with a sense of humor.  And of course, his art from his trips is spectacular.  And along with his whimsy, the accompanying text shows that even in his later years he still had a vivid imagination.  Finally, "The Divine Miss Alice" gives us a biography of Alice Davis.  I have personally gotten so used to hearing Alice Davis talk about Marc Davis that it was refreshing to see her own work highlighted.  Additionally, the images help document a true romance.

Marc Davis: Walt Disney's Renaissance Man is a book I have wanted on my Between Book shelf for awhile, well before it even existed.  This volume is a must have for Marc Davis fans, Disney animation historians and Disney Parks enthusiasts.  In one volume Davis fans can reference his entire art career and see why Walt Disney considered Davis his Renaissance Man. 

 


Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Between Books - Funny Things Happen When You Workd for a Mouse

 

Funny Things Happen When You Work for a Mouse: One Man’s True Life Adventures While Working at Disneyland by Andrew B. Remnet outlines the author’s cast member career during the 1980’s.  Remnet opens the story of his vast experiences within the park as a member of the North Orange County Regional Occupational Program or ROP while taking the Entertainment Park/Tourism Careers course.  Remnet began his career working the Tomorrowland/Fantasyland Skyway for a summer.  This was followed the following summer moving from Attractions to Foods at the Tomorrowland Terrace.  This educational experience allowed Remnet to move into a permanent part time position where he worked a variety of positions including the Camera Shop, the Jungle Cruise, Big Thunder Mountain, Star Tours and the Mark Twain.  Remnet shares his favorite stories and experiences including interactions with celebrities, rude guests and dangerous situations.

With a title like Funny Things Happen When You Work for a Mouse one might expect over the top humor.  And honestly, it is not that funny.  There are no belly laughs.  No this is a very factual and easy to read chronicle of the highlights of Rement’s time as a cast member.  There are interesting discussions including his interactions on the Jungle Cruise with celebrities like Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Wagner.  And his time on Big Thunder Mountain includes a Michael Jackson story and participation in the filming of the Disneyland Fun sing-a-long video which includes a continuity error that he accidentally caused.  Another aspect that many will find interesting is his thoughts on the Disneyland social hierarchy as Remnet’s popularity was boosted in one day as he moved from food service to The Jungle Cruise.  There are some stories of questionable behavior including warm-up rides of Big Thunder Mountain and trying to get phone numbers from guests on Jungle Cruise.  But these are also very innocent and non-offensive.  

Funny Things Happen When You Work for a Mouse gives readers a cast member view of Disneyland in the 1980s.  The book recounts Rement’s experiences in a friendly way that can be shared with multiple ages.  For the three dollars I paid for it on Kindle, the price felt worth the risk.  Though I would not buy a print copy. And after reading you may want to stay away from fried foods for a few days.

Dreaming Disney - Mahna Mahna Tour

The Between Kids love silly YouTube videos.  I cannot be the only walks into the office to only find kids watching videos of talking animals. 

Sometimes being a good Betweenland parent I'll sit down with them and redirect away from the animal videos to something more my style....Jungle Cruise ridethroughs.

The Mahna Mahna Tour, which has been featured on Tales from the Jungle Crews, is one of our absolute favorites.  It has Muppets, it has references to other Disney attractions, and it has some standard Jungle Cruise puns we all love.

I hope you enjoyed your tour of the rivers of the world as much as the Between Family has! 

Until next time, Mahna Mahna!

Between Books - More Mouse Tales

More Mouse Tales: A Closer Peek Backstage at Disneyland by David Koenig picks up where his earlier book Mouse Tales left off.  He continues to explore the Disneyland Park and share stories of accidents, deaths, guest and cast member misbehavior and in general provides a look into the aspects of Disneyland that Disney executives would like to keep hidden from the typical guest.  Koenig shares his stories in a land by land tour of the park, linking his collected tales, from past cast members and non-Disney sources, to the attraction or show the incident occurred.  Other topics he details include a deeper look into Disney security, the business of parks and being a cast member.  Koenig laments the late 1990s in which Disney managed invested less in park infrastructure and staffing, to the detriment of the guest experience and safety. 

This book follows the same model as Mouse Tales and like the original is highly enjoyable.  Honestly, I preferred Mouse Tales more when I originally read it, but that was a time when this sort of insider look to me was a somewhat new experience.  I do believe that More Mouse Tales could serve as an enjoyable entry point to Koenig’s writings.  As with the first offering, I found this book helped me have a deeper enjoyment of the parks as it helped me see behind the scenes so I could bore my family members with useless trivia.  Especially interesting to me was Koenig’s discussion of The Jungle Cruise and changes in management and battles over spiel philosophies.  Koenig offers another informative and entertaining book that should find a home in any well rounded Disney library.   

Dreaming Disney - Tales from the Jungle Crews

I can’t stop listening.

I’ve tried.  I’ve admitted I have a problem.  I’ve walked away from it, but I can’t stop listening.

My newest addiction is the podcast “Tales from the Jungle Crews.” 

Former Jungle Cruise Skipper Kyle interviews other past skips about their experiences with the attraction to create an oral history.  In many ways, Skipper Kyle is building this history for himself as he relives some of the best experiences of his life, but he lets the audience in and I’m thrilled he has.  In this informal and relaxed setting the stories from the Jungle Crews flow naturally as two to three friends having a conversation.  Some of the stories, many, of them may not be Disney Legal approved, but for The Jungle Cruise fan these are the stories we want to hear.  The skippers share their best behind the scenes stories (including some that may get you fired), tales of celebrity encounters, their best non Disney sanctioned spiels and of course their rehire status.  Rehire status may seem like an innocent question, but it often serves as the best story catalyst to get to the answer of no-rehire status.  

This show is so highly addictive.  I won’t be able to look at ducks in the rivers again.  Aerosmith will now forever break me into smiles.  And I’m pretty sure that I will be yelling, “This belongs in a museum!” to entertain myself for months to come.  I have heard ghost stories from the park that I have never heard.  And I love hearing about Jack Lindquist the celebrity.

I do have to give a word of warning.  The former Skips clearly loved working the attraction.  They also were fans of keeping the magic when working for the ride.  And though they attempted to keep most of their questionable activities off stage, sometimes this podcast gets a little blue.  Simply, if you see the Explicit tag on some episodes, believe Skipper Kyle, because the contents will either include profanity or a story that you don’t want to explain to the children. 

I’ve expressed my love of The Jungle Cruise before.  But it’s worse now, I’ve decided that I have missed out on an important life experience.  "Tales from the Jungle Crews" has confirmed my belief that the Skippers are the cast members having the most fun. 

I wonder how my fellow commuters in Betweenland would feel if I started spieling during the morning train ride.  They will be stuck with me for 25 minutes!  I mean they will be entertained for 25 minutes!

Dreaming Disney - Skipper Dan

A few years ago a friend who visited the Walt Disney World Resort for the first time with his family.  While he was there on his one day adventure, my wife got a text from him saying he had found my dream job.  He was riding The Jungle Cruise!  And I have to admit that sounds pretty awesome!  I have just enough corn to my personality that I would really enjoy being a skipper even if the guests on my boat did not.  And I personally became interested in all things Jungle Cruise after reading Mouse Tales, because it made me think that the cast members having the most fun are the skippers, even if they just keep going around again and again and again through the never changing jungle.

So it’s only fitting that the king of all musical parody pay tribute to the hapless skippers.  On his 2011 album Alpocalypse, Weird Al Yankovic honors all skippers in the song “Skipper Dan.”

If you are a Disney fan living in Betweenland this is just funny.  Of course the real question is did the combination of satire and truth lead me to give up on The Jungle Cruise dream?

Nope, I’m still Dreaming Disney and hope you are too.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present the backside of water.

Between Books – Mouse Tales

Mouse Tales: A Behind -The-Ears Look at Disneyland by David Koenig provides readers a glimpse behind the magic of the Disneyland Resort.  Koenig uses non-Disney sources including former cast interviews (often anonymous), news articles, police blotters, and legal proceedings to provide an overview of Disneyland topics that would never be included in official Disney presentations.  These topics include cast member experiences, poorly behaving guests, crime and crime prevention, lawsuits against Disney and deaths within the park.  Koenig digs in-depth within these topics and provides context to issues such as why you should not stand up on rides, what happens when a guest or cast member is hurt or dies or property and why Disney has been so successful in fighting lawsuits. 

I really enjoy this book.  And I cannot recommend it enough.  When I read it the first time several years ago it made me want to dig deeper into information about the Disney parks including information that Disney may not wish to promote.  Koenig’s writing is highly entertaining and he helps bring to life information that could only be found in largely dry non-Disney documents and sources.  It is a book you just will not want to put down.  Reading this book sealed the deal for me; I don’t want to work Big Thunder Mountain.  No I want to be a tour guide on the Jungle Cruise.  They just have more fun!  Or at least they used to.  I read this book before I had visited Disneyland for the first time, and because of Koenig’s descriptions of deaths that have occurred involving the Matterhorn and the Mark Twain, I probably approached those rides with a very different view than the average tourist.  Let us just say my kids have been reminded not to stand or else when riding the very safe and fun Matterhorn.  And while I am not a lawyer, Koenig helped me to appreciate how Disneyland has been a target for lawsuits, since surely Disney will settle before trial due to their deep pockets.   And he explains how Disney has successfully fought past frivolous lawsuits while resolving many incidents at which they were at fault outside of the courts. 

Mouse Tales for me is a must have in your Disney library.  It’s fun, informative and highly readable.  Koenig’s book is one that will make you want to know more about Disney parks and will likely lead to your Disney library multiplying even if you live Between Disney.    

 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that Between Disney receives a percentage of sales purchased through links on this site.