Skipper Stories: True Tales from Disneyland's Jungle Cruise

by David John Marley

In this unique oral history of Disneyland's iconic attraction, the World Famous Jungle Cruise, dozens of skippers, from the 1950s to the present, share harrowing, humorous, sometimes even horrific tales of their pun-fraught voyages and their behind-the-scenes hellraising. The Jungle Cruise is that most unusual of Disney attractions where the ride itself is secondary to the cast member. Once the boat leaves the dock, Disney no longer controls the experience; your skipper does. Former skipper and now history professor David John Marley presents the uncensored stories of six decades of Jungle Cruise skippers. Their never-before-spieled tales Welcome to the Jungle...

Genres: Nonfiction, Adult

254 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 24, 2016

Reviews

[Jenny Hawley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book because The Jungle Cruise is my favorite Disneyland attraction, but it was so choppy that it was hard to engage with it. I wish instead of just lots of little quotes/responses (many of which were only a sentence or two) there had been longer stories/interviews with one skipper at a time. It just felt very disjointed

[Becky Ginther · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was a really cool concept for a book - a sort of "behind the scenes look" from past skippers at The Jungle Cruise. And there were some good anecdotes, but overall I found the style and format a bit choppy and hard to follow.

It's broken down into topics, but once you get to a certain point in the book you realize he's basically quoting the same dozen or so skippers over and over again. They have a small paragraph about each topic but it's clear that sometimes it was pulled from a larger statement, or there was some background info on that skipper that you actually learn later which would have made it more interesting. I definitely would have preferred longer stories from one or two people. Or maybe an introduction section telling you about the skippers who would be sharing stories so you had that background info going in.

The stories themselves were mostly enjoyable. Some of them though had a weird vibe that felt very "inside joke" almost. It definitely came off like the Skippers were kind of a fraternity and thought themselves superior to other attractions cast members (and guests). Some of the practical jokes were entertaining while others actually felt kind of mean (like purposely drenching guests (page 171). And while the book did address the issue that female skippers were more of a rarity and didn't always get the best reception, some of the comments from (mostly older) male skippers about their female counterparts were a bit off-putting. I also didn't really need to hear about their code words for attractive female guests and stuff like that.

On the other hand it was cool to hear about how they reinvented the script, wrote their own jokes, or played harmless pranks. Or even just funny stories - one that stuck out to me was when Disney decided to put plush simbas all around the attraction to advertise The Lion King, but they all ended up in the water and just looked like they were drowning. And just interesting things about the attraction and its history, like when the Jingle Cruise was first introduced, how it came to be, and the skippers' reactions to it.

So overall I think the book had a lot of potential but the combination of some sections or skippers having a more juvenile vibe and the weird format made it a little bit of a rough read for me.

[Sean Vaughn McCormick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to begin by saying I am a HUGE fan of all things Disney and Disneyland in particular. I have enjoyed the Jungle Cruise in both American parks and have great respect and admiration for Skippers and the attraction itself that has been there since the beginning.

Having said all of that, I have very mixed feelings on this book. It doesn’t read like any other book. It is essentially a collection of testimonials from former skippers grouped into about a dozen chapters based on subject. I appreciate the painstaking research the author went to to collecting the input that made it into the book (from people that were there opening day to the people who worked there as recently as 2016).

It was interesting to learn tidbits about the attraction (like how different parts of the Jungle River are actually modeled after some of the greatest rivers on earth or the mechanics of all the different ways it can break down). I also enjoyed several of the guest interaction stories (the good, the bad and the ugly). However I was also appalled and learning about some of the hazing rituals and pranks that were pulled and the toxic fraternity/men’s club vibe that existed for decades before (hopefully) being eliminated now. Based on the stories I read, I conclude that skippers fall on a spectrum where the most wonderful and dedicated work on one end and the most monstrous work on the other. There doesn’t seem to be much in between.

I would recommend this book mostly for people who have worked at Jungle Cruise or a Disney Park—but I do not know that typical Disney fans will particularly enjoy this peek behind the curtain.

[Nigel Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a huge fan of Disney Parks the world over, I devour any “behind-the-scenes” book whether official or not & I consider the Jungle Cruise one of my favourite “classic attractions”. No trip to the Magic Kingdom is complete without a trip through through to start & end the day so I was looking forward to reading Skipper Stories.
I’m loathe to criticise too heavily as ultimately, the author has created the book as a tribute to a beloved time in his life & has researched extensively via interviews with a whole host of Cast Members/Skippers but the format makes the book a total slog & this unfortunately places Skipper Stories at the bottom of the pile of unauthorised Disney books.
I actually took this book on a 2 week vacation at Walt Disney Worlds Caribbean Beach Resort & a few days into the trip, had given up taking it to the pool or Typhoon Lagoon. Whilst many of the anecdotes are either fun or genuinely interesting, I found the format of clumping together interviews to be incredibly tiresome & needed a lengthy break to pick the book back up & read it here & there for maybe 10/15 minutes at a time.
Additionally, much of the dialogue permeates a certain element of patting oneself on the back giving off very distinct “oh aren’t we funny/whacky/naughty” vibes … pretty much expected when you know the ride & reputation of the skippers alas 200+ pages dedicated to telling the reader of the alleged notoriety of its cast members was far too excessive for this reader.
I still awarded 3 stars purely based on the fact the authors intention is well meaning & amidst the plodding format, I did learn quite a lot about a truly classic entertainment classic

[Peter Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the many stories shared in this book, but then I expected that I would. Throughout the progress of the book, you start to get to know many of them, especially the more popular ones. But that was part of the problem I had reading the book. The way the book was designed left for a very choppy experience. The chapters are themed, and the stories all relate to that theme, so you just get quotes and stories from various skippers related to the subject. You don't get the skipper's name, though, until the end of the quote or story. It made it more difficult for me to identify each of them as I read. I wish it had been set up where each skipper had a chapter for all their stories, that way the reader could build a relationship with each skipper. For me, it would have given me a better reading experience.

But I don't want to give the impression I didn't enjoy the book. I really, really did!

[Allie Ring · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a former (WDW) skipper, it was fun to read this book and recollect my own memories I totally forgot about, since it's been appx. 100 years.

That being said, it felt like I was reading a Boys Club book. (Which makes sense, because women weren't allowed to be Skippers at DL until the 90's.) But because of this, I felt super disconnected at times, and found myself cringing a little throughout some of the stories mentioned by former Skippers.

I might be in the minority, but I did enjoy how the book was split up into quotes and excerpts (even if some did jump around a bit). I found it more conversational and easier to digest.

Overall, a quick and fun read for a bit more insight to the wild world that is the best bote ride in the kingdom. I did read this for a guest appearance on Book of the Mouse Club Podcast. Which if you're interested in listening, you can find it anywhere you listen to podcasts and is specifically episode #105.

[Tony Loyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall I found this book disappointing. I wanted the nitty gritty, I wanted the crazy adventures and pranks, I wanted what was promised. The whole book felt kind of gutless to me, very tame and dull. As a self-proclaimed aficionado of Disneyland I cannot express how excited for this book I was and in the end, very let down. There were some good stories in here (most weren't) and some interesting tidbits of information, but overall, it was not enough to warrant a book, at least not with what was contained inside. Also, I found the layout of stories very unengaging, I think I would have preferred it if it was each skipper talking about their experiences instead of spread all over the place into sections. There are other books in this series but after reading this one, I think I will have to pass.

[Amberlee Lively · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey, fellow Disney fans! If you always laugh at the iconic "backside of water" joke on the Jungle Cruise, this book is for you. This book shows you what it's really like to work on the Jungle Cruise, from the good, the bad, and obviously the funny. This book is unique because it's almost like reading a series of Yelp reviews or little interview quotations, from actual, real-life Jungle Cruise Skippers. Each chapter introduces you to a new aspect of the Jungle Cruise, with content from Skippers dating back to the park's early days of operation. Do not hesitate to buy this book for some laugh-out-loud Jungle Cruise stories!

[Sarah Wise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to enjoy this book as much as I enjoy the Jungle Cruise itself, but the formatting did not do any favors for the individuals who shared their stories and memories. It’s clear individual thoughts are broken up to fit into different chapters, resulting in frequent snippets that don’t actually say anything and had me asking why it was included at all. Occasionally you got a genuinely funny or poignant story, or some interesting insight into the culture, but most of the time it just felt like a group sharing inside jokes that don’t hold much interest for the casual observer.

[Saklani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is very fun and has some great stories. The author contributed a lot about his own time, so one gets the feeling that was the reason for the book, but it's still worth a read. There's some good history and amusement to be had. Also, the Jungle Cruise is a great ride!

[Courtney]

Book of the Mouse Club Podcast August Selection. This rounds out our "Adventureland Attraction" series. Subscribe or follow wherever you listen to podcasts to hear our discussion of this book where we're joined by a former Jungle Cruise skipper!

[Emily Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as the August 2024 selection for my podcast, Book of the Mouse Club (a book club podcast dedicated to Disney themed books). You can find the show wherever you get your podcasts. Listen to episode #105 for my review and discussion of the book!

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could care less about the off site parties the skippers had. I also didn’t need to know that they pee in the water. I was hoping for more interesting experiences, this was not it.

[JR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great part of Disney Oral History

I worked at Disneyland for 7 years in Adventureland, so I can really connect and relate. Makes me miss working there.

[Lizz Axnick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Format made reading a bit difficult. The material was a lot of fun though

[Starlak · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book but didn’t. I felt like it was a bunch of skippers reminiscing - stories that you had to be there for to find funny.

[Katy]

Fun read. I loved all the stories.

[Kiki Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book about one of my favorite rides. Could stand some better editing but a fun read.

[Trey Northcutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Digging into the history of the World-Famous Jungle Cruise is one of the highest honors I get to have as a Skipper. While I wasn’t initially too wild about the organization of the book, I highly enjoyed kicking back and reading some wonderful, relatable stories from the Skips that paved the way for what I do now. It really gives you a sense of pride - ready to face whatever challenge the operation throws at you next. Less a narrative, more a celebration of a subculture.