Welcome to those of you joining me from Pursuing The Magic and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 5th stop on our Magical Blogorail.
This week's Magical Blogorail loop is all about our Disney "Dream Job". While others might have something they know they would like to do, and be able to answer it without hesitation, for me it wasn't so easy. There are so many things that I'd like to do that it seems impossible to narrow it down to just one. Would I want to be "a plaid" and work in Guest Relations answering Guest's questions all day long and being helpful there (maybe even escorting a star or celebrity around once in a while)? Maybe I could put my extensive customer service skills into play and work in any one of the Disney shops scattered all over Disneyland, like 'Pieces of Eight' in New Orleans Square? Maybe I could work in the Hollywood Tower Hotel and send Guests plummeting 20 stories or whatever it is, laughing maniacally the entire time that they scream? Should I get dressed up in a hairy and hot costume and snub my nose at heatstroke on a daily basis as a Disney character? Or I love Hidden Mickeys! Maybe I should want to be the guy that designs them and hides them all around The Resort. The possibilities are endless!
So I got to thinking that maybe the better way to look at it would be to look at Cast Members around Disneyland and see which ones seemed to be having the most fun, and which job seemed like something that would be the best fit for my corny and goofball personality. Once I had narrowed it down like that the answer seemed to jump right out at me. Out of all of the possibilities that presented themselves to me, ultimately I think that if I had my choice I would choose to be a Jungle Cruise Skipper!
Hopefully the premise of the Jungle Cruise is a familiar one to most people at this point. Guests are taken on guided tour around the jungle on a river by one of Disneyland's intrepid Jungle Cruise Skippers, who are charged with pointing out all of the jungle's many denizens such as the Bengal Tiger (who can leap twenty feet, but since you're 19 feet away he'll jump right over your head), the African Bull Elephant (different from the Indian elephant because we're in Africa), our friends the hippos (who are only dangerous when their ears are wiggling), and native head-hunters (two of their heads for one of yours!).
But what the Jungle Cruise may be best known for, or maybe most infamously known for would be a better way of putting it, is the constant litany of cheeseball jokes that the skipper is charged with throwing at Guests during the entire cruise. We won't go through them all here, though we just previewed some of them, but suffice it to say they're some of the corniest we've ever heard; which is what makes them so darn cool! I would love to be the guy floating around the river yelling them out at Guests while they pretended to laugh and be amused. In perfect honesty, I can think of few things that would be more fun.
Oh those rhinos - always getting their point across "in the end"...
And don't even get me started about how great it would be yell out, "It's the Eighth Wonder of the World - the backside of water!" to thunderous applause and a sitting ovation. Sometimes I stand in front of the mirror at home and yell it at myself when noone else is around or listening, just so I can see what the words sound like as they're rolling off of my tongue.
Is it wrong that I yell out "It's the backside of water!" louder than the skipper on the boat?
Even Weird Al Yankovic got in on the act recently on his new CD with a song called "Skipper Dan", which is all about some poor sod who had visions of grandeur in acting, only to be saddled with a gig on the Jungle Cruise. I've included it here for your viewing pleasure:
So when it all boils down to it, there's really no comparison. Given my choice, I'd yell out, "Show me the jungle!" anytime. And should anyone wish to, feel free to begin calling me Skipper Chad at your earliest convenience so that I'm used to hearing it when Disney calls me up. And pay no attention to those lions; they're much too busy watching over that sleeping zebra to pay you any mind; with my trusty mis-firing gun, no harm will come to any of us. Away we go!
© Disney
While it may seem as though I'm criticizing the Jungle Cruise, rest assured that I'm not. It's by far one of my favorite attractions at Disneyland, I've ridden it hundreds of times, and I'm sure I will ride it thousands more. I love this attraction, all of its skippers and boats, and even all of its corny jokes and I wouldn't want it to be any other way. And given my choice and opportunity one day, I would love to be a Jungle Cruise Skipper. Hopefully everyone took my humor as totally tongue-in-cheek and won't get too riled by it. The Jungle Cruise is, and always will be, one of my favorites, and I'd be honored to tread its shallow waters and jokes any day. It's one of the best!
Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is The CanaDisney Blog.
Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to make a stop along the way and wish to reboard:
1st Stop ~ Disney Babies Blog
2nd Stop ~ Cooking With Mickey
3rd Stop ~ Meet The Magic
4th Stop ~ Pursuing The Magic
5th Stop ~ Days In The Park
6th Stop ~ The CanaDisney Blog
22 comments:
I've always thought Jungle Cruise Skipper would be a lot of fun...They always seem to be enjoying themselves anyway...
Love it, Skipper Chad! I think you'd be a great Jungle Cruise Skipper - filled with bad puns and cheese!
What a great post, Chad. I didn't even realize Weird Al was still around - while you can tell he thinks it would be a less-than-thrilling job, I know you'd love it!
I think you need to start practicing in the back yard - might scare the neighbors when you start shouting about rhinos, but sacrifices must be made, Skipper Chad!
Skipper Chad, I have to admit that I think that would be a fun job and I could totally see you doing that. Every time they get to the backside of water I always want to yell it out. LOL! Maybe it has something to do with the Weird Al song, I don't know.
Thank Deej - they sure do! Always seem to be enjoying themselves :)
Thanks Jenn :)
I certainly already have the bad puns and cheese down ;)
Skipper Chad. I like it.
We recently had a skipper that was completely amazing. His jokes were fresh and funny (and of course cheesy), and when we got to the backside of water and the majority of the boat started to shout out the punchline, he just stopped the boat and said, "You didn't REALLY think I was going to say that did you?" Not one of his jokes were the old standby's you always hear.
As for me, my dream job would find me as a CM working at Club 33.
Thanks Heidi!
And yeah, he's still around and going stronger than ever! Saw him in concert a couple of years back and it was TOO fun!! :) I think he's being pretty tongue-in-cheek about it - my kids love that song, and we ALL love the attraction so we have a lot of fun with it. :)
Indeed they must Tricia. Indeed they must :)
Thanks Beth :)
Deal! ;)
Thanks Kristen! :)
You should just let her rip! I know that we do every time LOL - and maybe it does ;)
I love, love the Jungle Cruise too. Funny, when I was a kid, I did not like it much. My mom regularly told cheeseball jokes and I really wanted to stay away from them. But now, I love to get on the ride and watch others to see if they are even processing the jokes. Often times people are either dead pan, do not care, or are simply not listening. I am laughing away at all of my favorite jokes while so many others just sit in silence. Sign. I want to go cruise now!
Thanks for the great post!
You make it sound like so much fun. I could never do it, but I think you would make an awesome skipper! :)
Too funny! I think this would be such a great job and you certainly would be outstanding at it! I'm with Beth, if you become a JC skipper, I will fly out with Beth to take spin on your boat!
You know you are forever going to be known as Skipper Chad now don't you? I think you should go for it, it's perfect!!
Thanks Jen :)
That's awesome! I like it when the skippers "break character" and throw you curveballs :)
And that makes complete sense - Club 33 would be glad to have you ;)
Thanks Natalie, and you're very welcome!
It's ALWAYS a good time - I think you and I are on the same page with this one :)
Thanks Melissa! I think it would be SO much fun! ;)
Thanks Beth! I think I'd be nervous if BOTH of my two favorite Beths were on the boat at the same time though ;)
Yes Donna, I kinda get that feeling :) But that's okay... ;)
And thanks for the vote of confidence :)
Being a Skipper IS as fun as it looks. Out of everything I do there it is my favorite. And interactive guest always makes the cruise that much more fun.
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