Walt Disney World Jungle Cruise skippers wow fans at Tokyo Disney

 

Walt Disney World Jungle Cruise skippers wow fans at Tokyo Disney By Dewayne Bevil | Sentinel Staff Writer

March 29, 2009 

 

The journey to Tokyo required stamina, comedic timing, a long flight and a boatload of puns for two Jungle Cruise skippers at Walt Disney World.

Cast members Beth Schafer and Alex Williams represented the Magic Kingdom this month at a global gathering of skippers as part of Tokyo Disney’s 25th anniversary celebration. In Japan, Jungle Cruise is extremely popular, Schafer said.

“To them, it has this weird almost cult-classic following,” she said. “When they heard that Jungle Cruise skippers from around the world were coming — and we were billed as the best from around the world — they just thought it was the greatest thing.”

The enthusiastic response included autograph requests and long lines forming for rides.

 

“They screamed like we were the Jonas Brothers or something,” said Schafer, 25.

On Jungle Cruise, which opened with the Magic Kingdom in 1971, guests ride a tramp steamer past assorted animatronic animals and angry natives. The skipper narrates the voyage with one-liners — you might say corny ones — about the scenes.

Williams and Schafer were among 35 Magic Kingdom workers who competed to be named the top skippers. They performed the trademark spiels before company bigwigs and won a nine-day trip to Japan.

 

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