You know how it is... one day you're happy-go-lucky, humming a jaunty tune, and the next day, you're scanning a bunch of Jungle Cruise photos. THE TWO EXTREMES. Life, she can be fonny.
Seinfeld was a "show about nothing", and one could almost say that this image is about nothing. If you use your Heuristically Programmed Algorithmic Computer to determine the exact center point of the photo, it's a bunch of dumb leaves. And I hate leaves! True story: a single leaf prevented me from winning the Indy 500. There's a boat to the right - no passengers, but a Skipper. And another boat to the left - they are at that little spur dock that guests can't access. What's the deal? Meanwhile, I've always liked the little hut floating on the water; the occupant is away, so we can go through his medicine cabinet - my favorite kind of snooping!
I can't even say that I dislike this photo - it's not terribly different from actual, official postcards that might cost you ten cents. Indian elephants are famous for loving water, swimming in it, drinking it, but most of all, squirting it at passing boats. It's a survival behavior learned by watching TV.
Major-
ReplyDelete"I've always liked the little hut floating on the water".
That's actually the 'swim-up bar' for the hippos-!
Thanks, Major.
I've never noticed the bird sitting on a perch, inside that little hut. I hope Wally Boag or Thurl Ravenscroft provided it's voice. I also don't remember seeing that little hammock before, either.
ReplyDeleteA single leaf also caused the Apollo 13 near-disaster. Also a TRUE STORY!
ReplyDeleteI think I see a Triffid lurking amongst the leaves. I'm sure that's what the photographer was keying on. Shhh. Be vewy, vewy quiet, or the Triffid will hear us!. The boat has a green, or teal, awning. I prefer red, but any of the striped awnings are nice to see.
It really is amazing how real these elephants look, at least in still photos. Their movements are kinda stiff and jerky (Stiff and Jerky were a famous zombie Vaudeville team. The duo killed 'em in the Catskills). There's also a crocogator on the extreme right. He seems to be squirting water out of his mouth.
Decent Jungle Cruise photos, Major. Thanks.
Disney still has a single original 1950’s or 60’s JUNGLE CRUISE boat . It was “saved” because it was taken off-line in the late 80’s because of a pending lawsuit and used as evidence or for an investigation. It was was later kept in the Disneyland boneyard and when the jungle cruise boats were replaced with new - larger ones and the other originals were junked , the sole survivor was forgotten about . But it still exists .
ReplyDeleteTime to update my statistics! Of the 15,042 Disneyland assets Major has posted that I have indexed, only 5.7% are Adventureland.
ReplyDeleteThe Jungle Cruise is hard to photograph, and these are good examples. The pic from the queue is pretty easy to do though. I’ve always thought that little hut would be a great place to hang out on one of those nights where you hid in the Park after closing. A large Coke with lots of ice and a bowl of Purina Canoe Chow (or Monkey Chow in a pinch), and watch the elephants.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of elephants, I love how parts of the internet thinks the animatronics are real elephants. This picture accents all the little bristly hairs, painstakingly inserted one at a time by “reverse electrolysis” into their rubber hides by the elves at MAPO. What a lot of work, but it pays off, and those elves work cheap.
Good stuff, Major! Thanks for this post!
JG
Nanook, those darn hippos, they get a swim-up bar, and I’ve never experienced one!
ReplyDeleteTokyoMagic!, yes, the bird was voiced by Wally Boag and made mother in-law jokes.
JB, see? This is why leaves are the worst. I am aware of “The Day of the Triffids”, but am ashamed to admit that I have never read it and don’t really know the story. Do the Triffids go to Hollywood and become big stars, only to have their egos push everyone they love away, but they eventually learn an important message about friendship? Those elephants have been in the water a long time, you’d be stiff and jerky too.
Mike Cozart, I hope that original Jungle Cruise boat is being stored properly and is not rotting away outside, like we’ve heard about for other old vehicles.
Jason Schultz, I’m going to be keeping you busy in 2026! But I know you are up to the challenge.
JG, you are right, these are nicer than many Jungle Cruise photos - there are no silhouetted heads in the way, and they are well-lit and clear. I’ll bet that they could rent out that little hut for BIG MONEY, except that there’s the problem of guests stepping into the river, where they would be instantly eaten by electric eels and electric hippos. And I have actually seen photos of “animals at play” that include Jungle Cruise elephants, with no realization that the photo shows animatronics from Disneyland.
Unfortunately the original sole surviving Disneyland Jungle Cruise Namptha Launch Boat was painted and decorated for Pixar’s INSIDE OUT for the “jungle cruise thru emotions” photo op for pixAr fest …. This was an idea from all the interns in Disneyland marketing ….
ReplyDeleteDISNEYLAND = bowling ball rolling down a staircase
I was anonymous
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I can't say I'm surprised, but that's a bummer.
ReplyDeleteMike Cozart, I thought it might be you!
ReplyDeleteI was kidding about the old jungle cruise boat being PIXAR-lated. It’s in deep storage .
ReplyDelete