Disney is removing racially insensitive scenes from its classic Jungle Cruise ride, and fans say it's 'about time'

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Disney is removing racially insensitive scenes from its classic Jungle Cruise ride, and fans say it's 'about time'
A view of the classic Jungle Cruise attraction.Don Kelsen/Getty Images
  • Disney has announced that it'll be revamping its classic Jungle Cruise attractions.
  • The new version of the ride will be similar to the old one but without racially insensitive scenes.
  • Many Disney fans are welcoming the changes, saying it's "about time" Disney took this step.
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Disney has announced that it will remove racially insensitive scenes from its classic Jungle Cruise attractions at Disney World and Disneyland - and many fans are thrilled.

The company announced the change via the Disney Parks Blog on Monday, noting that the updated rides will "stay true to the experience we know and love," while also reflecting and valuing "the diversity of the world around us."

Chris Beatty, Walt Disney Imagineering's Creative Portfolio Executive, also discussed the changes with Disney's D23 fan club, noting that the company felt it was time to "refresh" the attractions and address "negative depictions" of native peoples throughout the rides.

The ride currently takes parkgoers on a boat tour - led by skippers who share puns and jokes - through scenes meant to represent animal-filled rivers in Asia, Africa, and South America. There are also animatronics throughout the ride that show tourists hiding from animals and "a tribe of headhunters," according to the Disney World website.

In response to the announcement, fans of the theme parks are saying it's "about time" Disney took this step.

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Disney announced on Monday that it will be updating Jungle Cruise rides at its US theme parks

"We want to make sure everybody has the best time - that guests from all over the world can connect with the stories we share and that how we bring those to life are respectful of the diverse world we live in," Beatty told D23. "And when they get off the attraction, they know that we have done our homework because these are the details that matter."

"When you look at the Jungle Cruise, as it is today, there are just a couple of scenes that don't do that and needed a refresh," he continued. "But I want to make sure people know we are not changing the whole Jungle Cruise. This is not a re-envisioning of the entire attraction. It's the Jungle Cruise you know and love, with the skippers still leading the way, and at the same time, we're addressing the negative depictions of 'natives.' So that's one of the scenes we're going to go in and change."

According to Beatty and the Disney Parks Blog, this updated version will adopt a new storyline that allows parkgoers to learn more about the skippers, or captains leading their ships. Animatronics in the ride will also be updated to represent a more diverse group of people. Disney will not, however, be including any nods to the upcoming "Jungle Cruise" movie set to be released in July 2021.

Disney has not yet shared a timeline for when it will update the rides.

Many Disney fans say it's 'about time' the Jungle Cruise rides are updated

Numerous Twitter users, including reporter Ashley Carter, said they welcome the changes.

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Disney has not shared plans to retheme its Trader Sam's bars - which are themed after the Jungle Cruise character of the same name - at its Florida and California theme parks.

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