Jungle Cruise Snoozles™
It's BIRTHDAY TIME again, and this time we can send our good wishes in STU's direction! I feel a little guilty that today is a Snoozle day, but it's tradition, and Stu has a sense of humor about such things, so I don't think he'll be too upset. I'm really having a hard time guessing a date for the picture that Sue B. provided. 1970s? I guess there's aren't many clues. How about that "harvest gold" naugahyde upholstery? Sue thought that this picture might be flopped, but the girl and birthday boy are both using their right hands, so I'm guessing that it's OK. Unless they're lefties! The cake appears to have tropical trees snails on it, which provides some delightful crunch. And slime! Happy Birthday, Stu!
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The poor Jungle Cruise; it didn't do anything to hurt anyone. It brings people joy and happiness day after day. BUT... the fact remains that there are a LOT of Snoozles from that attraction. Today's scans come from a batch of slides that I am reasonably sure are from not long after Disneyland opened, based on clues from some of the other photos that you will see soon. As we've learned, the plants for the Jungle Cruise jungle were planted as early as possible in order to give them time to fill in and mature as much as possible. It looks pretty good, though of course it would only get better and better over the years.
Why did the guest take this picture? Maybe they thought they saw a critter. But all they captured was some bamboo, various palms, and other assorted stuff. The eucalyptus trees in the distance really sell "tropical jungle"! For a "photo of nothing", it's actually sort of pretty.
Next is a mis-timed photo, although I could imagine somebody thinking that the flowering tree was novel enough that it was worth a precious film frame. Any idea what that plant is? Behind it is the abandoned temple with a golden idol. You can steal the idol, but because the temple is small, only a bowling ball-sized stone will roll out after you. Just hop out of the way! I like the sighting of a scruffy monkey up on the branches, those were only there for a short time; in old footage, we have seen that some of the monkeys would shake the branches, because that's what monkeys do.
13 comments:
The standing girl in the birthday pic is sucking on the candles. I guess she needs to get every last bit of frosting off of them. I wonder if the bowl in the center of the table was made in a ceramic class? My grandmother had one just like it, which my aunt had made in a college ceramics class. Although this one looks like it has another bowl set on top of whatever is in the bowl. Or is the thing all one piece and just "tiered." We will never know!
I'm guessing that the eucalyptus trees in the second pic, are a part of the "wind break" that was left in place when the park was being built, and can still be seen behind City Hall.
That flowering tree in the last pic is a hibiscus. I just found out today that you can eat those blooms.
Thank you, Sue and Major! And a very happy birthday to Stu!
Happy Birthday Stu-! I suggest you follow the lead of 'Big sister' and suck as much icing from the birthday candles as possible-!
Major-
It appears from Big Sis' sweater buttoning pattern, the image IS correct. Those Hallmark Luncheon Napkins featuring Raggedy Ann & Andy, seen sitting next to that tiered vase with a very tired plant date from 1974. So... draw your own conclusion as to when the image may have been taken.
I can't say I remember seeing those monkeys perched in the tree branches, but seems like a cool feature.
Thanks to Sue and The Major.
Happy birthday, Stu(numbers). Lucky you; Sue found you a cake with "tropical tree snails" on it. Yum!
Thank goodness they're tropical tree snails, not Himalayan yak snails! Whose shells are much thicker and way too crunchy. Plus you get the occasional slimy yak hair stuck in your teeth.
That is one strange candle sitting on that candle holder. It seems to be coated with sand, or something. And it's got alien eggs dangling from it! I think the image is NOT flopped (sorry, Sue). The only clue I can see is the buttons on older sister's shirt. They are on the correct side for a girl's shirt. [Edit: Thanks, Nanook for the verification.]
The first pic would make an excellent background for an AI generated photo. Pick your critter of choice and write a simple text prompt... Wallah!
Second pic: The blooming tree might be a hibiscus of some sort; not sure though. [Edit: Thanks, Tokyo!, for the verification.] Scruffy monkeys are native to only a small part of the Indian subcontinent. It was quite a feat for Walt to procure one for the Jungle Cruise. Originally, it was meant as an anniversary present for Lillian, but it made a mess of her living room. So, off to the Park it went, like so many of Walt's presents.
Thank you, Sue and Major.
Happy birthday, Stu! We were able to book the Scruffy Monkeys band for your party!
Thanks, Major, for the jungle cruise!
Zach
Happy Birthday Stu!
I think it's a 70s b'day party simply because mom looks 70s. Don't know why but that's my guess.
I'll admit to taking many Snoozle-worthy vacation photos, similar to all those Jungle Cruise ones we see. Beautiful scenery was rarely captured in a little snapshot. I have boxes full of them. :-)
Happy birthday Stu! Many happy returns of the day!
The birthday boy has been playing in the mud, look at his shoes. Hope he is still celebrating birthdays today.
The Jungle Cruise probably is the hardest attraction to photograph. The action keeps shifting from one side to the other while the canopy and our fellow passengers are always in the way, and the boat is moving as well. Just a challenge all around.
I like the photo of nothing, I recognize at the far right one of the walnut trees converted to a mangrove, and I agree, those eucalyptus are probably the ones behind City Hall. Hard to get a fix on this view otherwise.
I don’t recall monkeys in the trees, but it seems logical they would be there. Just in front of the hibiscus tree is one of the rare lowbiscus bushes.
Thanks for the holiday jungle tour, Major!
JG
Happy birthday, Stu, and many happy returns of the day!
This looks like the family sun room, with the patio furniture and garden-themed decor. When Mom ordered little Billy's cake and told the bakery he loved to watch the race cars go, they misheard her and though he loved to watch the escargot. Nice to see Raggedy Ann & Andy again! Thanks, Sue, for another great party picture!
With the Jungle Cruise being the first attraction a lot of people see in the morning if they're going clockwise around the park, I guess it's not surprising some folks are still figuring out their picture-taking skills.
Thanks everybody!!!
Snails! The birthday cake of champions! Thanks, Sue! (And Major!)
It's also fitting that we're snoozing aboard the Jungle Cruise today, as that's the first attraction we hit every time we're in the parks!
Thanks again!
TokyoMagic!, are you telling me that you’ve never licked the frosting off of a birthday cake candle?? If so, you are a better man than me! I could see that bowl being made in ceramics class (even though it’s pretty fancy for that), or purchased at a shop, I remember plenty of hand-crafty items in stores when I was a kid. Macrame owls, “string art”, and yes, ceramic doo-dads. I’m sure you’re right about the eucalyptus trees, they just look funny in a tropical jungle. Hibiscus! Well I would have never guessed. I thought hibiscus were a bit more trumpet-shaped. But I know nothing.
Nanook, Raggedy Ann and Andy, I appreciate their long-lasting fame, but I have no real connection to those characters. Amazing that they have been around for so long, though perhaps they are less-known in 2026. I think those monkeys were removed fairly early on, maybe Walt thought they were too crude.
JB, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are some sort of unique snails to the Himalayas. Covered in white fur of course. Sue will be relieved that her photo is not flopped! Candles - another thing I used to see in shops. Carved candles, dipped candles, huge pillar candles, all sorts. It might very well be covered with sand, I feel like I’ve seen that. The alien eggs are a bit weird. “Wallah”, makes me think of “The French Mistake” from “Blazing Saddles”! Scruffy monkeys make great pets, except that they require a pack of cigarettes each day, which can get expensive. Lillian had one, there were plenty of packs around the Disney household.
zach, I prefer the Rabid Baboons to the Scruffy Monkeys, but I’ve always lived on the edge!
JG, ha, I look at photos from my own childhood, and we often have grass stains on the knees of our pants, and as for sneakers, forgetaboutit. My poor mom must have had her hands full trying to keep four kids presentable. My brother had a cowlick that drove her crazy, it just would not stay down. Jungle walnuts are the most desired of all walnuts! “Lowbiscus”, Chuck will be mad that you got dibs on that one.
Melissa, our house in Virginia had a sun room, it was great. And now that I think of it, it resembled this room somewhat. Ours was messier though! Mmmmm, an escargot cake, brilliant. Teach those kids some class! I’m trying to think if our family went clockwise, but I don’t think we did. We definitely always rode the train, first thing.
Stu29573, I figured you’d be partying with all of your bigshot Hollywood friends, so I’m glad you took a break to check in! I hope you have a very happy day.
Happy Birthday to another Virgo! Stu, enjoy your day.
I never saw those 'scruffy monkeys' during my days in the Jungle. But it was essential to point out the Hibiscus, Lowbiscus, and much rarer Sonofabiscus! KS
^ Hahaha! (Was that really a part of the spiel?)
Nanook, 1974 is also the year that Avon started selling items with the 'Butterfly Fantasy' pattern (which varied over the years, slightly)....like the cup/vase that's holding the spoons, on the table. So that may also confirm the time period. (I'm not certain that one item is Avon, but it's definitely the pattern used on some of the items Avon sold from 1974 on.)
"Tropical snails" and "Sonofabiscus" - LOL
Stu, I hope you had a WONDERFUL birthday, especially with all of our comedic Jr. Gorillas in attendance. Please save a tropical snail for me, I'll be right over.
Thanks, Major, for hosting.
Happy birthday, Stu! Wishing you 29573 kinds of fun today.
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