Jungle Cruise: Tips For Guests Needing Mobility Access
5 min read
Jungle Cruise is one of the original thirteen Magic Kingdom attractions in operation from opening day on October 1st, 1971. My intention with this post is not to document the Jungle Cruise but rather to provide tips for Guests needing mobility access at the attraction. However, there are many websites and YouTube videos that you could go to which explain all the pertinent details about the river cruise and its long-lasting appeal.
As mentioned above, the Magic Kingdom was the first of the Disney World parks, opening in October 1971. Mobility access for all wasn’t as essential then. However, that changed with the passing of The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when it became law in 1990.
All Disney Theme Parks Have Significantly Progressed Toward Better Mobility Access At Attractions
Over the years, all Disney theme parks have significantly progressed toward better mobility access at attractions. But, generally speaking, the newer parks planned for better mobility access right from the beginning.
For more information about mobility access, refer to my easy-to-understand Disney World attraction guide. That post contains links to each of the Disney theme parks regarding mobility access, plus detailing what the disability symbols mean at attractions. As an example, check out my Magic Kingdom symbol guide.
However, since Magic Kingdom is the oldest, many attractions have needed retrofitting, permitting wheelchair and ECV access. Fortunately, the Jungle Cruise and one of their boats, the Bomokandi Bertha, now meet that criteria.
Boarding before required you to step down and into the bobbing vessel. Likewise, you’d have to step up and out when leaving. As you can see from the image below, there is a substantial distance between the dock and the vessel seat. Also, you have to step down again to reach the deck before sitting. So even before I started having mobility issues, I had problems getting in and out of the boat safely and without difficulty.
To The Seat Of A Jungle Cruise Boat
Boarding The Bomokandi Bertha Jungle Cruise Boat Is Now Effortless
It’s effortless when boarding the Bomokandi Bertha. You drive onto the ramp and let the Cast Members do the rest. Before the mobility-accessible conversion, there were no provisions for riding a wheelchair or ECV aboard this boat or any of the Jungle Cruise boats.
When It’s Your Turn To Board The Bomokandi Bertha
When it’s your boarding turn, a Cast Member will call to you and lead you onto the access ramp. Once positioned in place, turn off your device and lock the brakes. Next, a Cast Member will raise the ramp, and close it, thus securing your mobility device.
Finally, the Cast Member will pivot you toward the front of the vessel by rotating the revolving platform and locking it for the ride. Lastly, the entire platform mechanism lowers down to the deck. Other Guests will then be allowed to board the boat.
Note The Front Basket Of The Mobility Scooter In The Picture
When Your Jungle Cruise Tour Completes
When your Jungle Cruise tour completes, the entire process begins but in reverse. Other Guests will depart the boat first. Then, the platform is raised to dock height and pivoted so you’ll face the ramp before exiting onto the dock. So again, there is no need to back up to leave.
Rotating Platform Allowing The Guest To Disembark The Boat
Gets Ready To Ride Off The Platform
Now For The Bad News!
Now for the bad news! Typically there are eight to nine boats in operation at one time. However, the Bomokandi Bertha is the only vessel with boarding capabilities for a wheelchair or ECV. Therefore, you may not be the only Guest waiting in line in a wheelchair or mobility scooter.
Jungle Cruise boats run in a continuous loop, with each boat cycling through about every ten minutes. So, factoring in the times for Guests embarking and disembarking the vessel, it could be more than fifteen minutes before the Bomokandi Bertha returns to the loading dock. Putting it into perspective, if there were three other wheelchairs or ECVs in front of you, you could be waiting about an hour for your turn.
Their Turn To Board The Bomokandi (Brrrr) Bertha
In Summary
My trips to Disney are usually in late November or early December when all the parks get the holiday decoration treatment. It’s especially true for the Jungle Cruise when renamed Jingle Cruise.
During The Christmas Holiday Season
All the boats receive holiday festive names. For instance, the Bomokandi Bertha becomes the Brrrrr Bertha for the holidays. I like being at the Magic Kingdom at night at this time of the year. Everything is so festive with holiday lights and Christmas decorations.
I think that you’ll like the Jungle Cruise tour if you don’t mind waiting a bit to board the boat. For those Guests in a wheelchair or ECV, the attraction now has complete mobile accessibility. It’s an entertaining attraction, especially if you have a good, engaging skipper. Cheezy jokes are the norm, but it’s fun. Isn’t that why you’re at the Magic Kingdom?
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