Disney will revamp its Jungle Cruise theme park attraction to remove what it describes as “negative representations of native peoples” and “reflect and value the diversity of the world around us”.
The changes were described in a blog post on the Disney Parks website, which included the conceptual art of the redesigned attraction, a simulated boat ride originally developed for Disneyland when it opened in California in 1955. It has since been replicated in theme parks. Disney in Florida, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
In a statement quoted by USA Today, Disney added that its designers “are addressing negative representations of native peoples while adding a humorous plot … this group of adventurers [will] be diverse – in the context and in the areas of interest ”
Partly inspired by the 1951 film The African Queen, Jungle Cruise has long been criticized for including caricatures of indigenous people and also of a character, Trader Sam, who offers “heads” to sell. A post by the design group Thinkwell calls the elements of attraction “terribly racist”.
Disney’s Jungle Cruise redesign follows its decision, announced in June 2020, to reshape its Splash Mountain attraction. Originally inspired by the now repudiated 1946 film, Song of the South, Splash Mountain is being modeled on its 2009 animation, The Princess and the Frog, the first to contain an African-American princess.
A film version of Jungle Cruise, starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, had its release postponed until July 2021.