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Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade | ||
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 |
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Sometimes one theme isn’t enough. Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle parade has two. The first theme involves a collection of large, colorful animals, designed to look as if they were created by folk artists from found objects. Some are giant puppets. Some carry drummers. And some are unusual rickshaw taxis carrying park guests. |
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The second theme involves safari vehicles, showcasing Disney characters, with one also carrying park guests. The animals and vehicles are interspersed. There are some colorfully costumed stilt walkers, as well as some walking Disney characters interacting with parade audience. The whole thing takes place to the beat of a soundtrack with a distinctly African flavor. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Jungle Book characters King Louis and Baloo |
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The parade makes a loop around the Animal Kingdom. Depending on when you visit, the loop could start between Creature Comforts and Pizzafari or at the Tusker House gate Harambe. The parade lasts around 15 minutes. If you don’t want to see the parade, pay attention to the parade time anyway—because you won’t be able to use the bridges from Discovery Island to Africa and Asia while the parade is going. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Giraffe puppet |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Park guests in a rickshaw taxi |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Minnie’s polka-dotted Jeep, with a bubble-blowing bathtub atop its trailer |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Camel drummer |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Chimpanzee puppet |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Crocodile rickshaw taxi |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007 Goofy’s camper |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2009 Goofy’s grill, pulled behind his camper |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Amphibian puppet |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Parrot drummer |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Tiger rickshaw taxi |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2009 Donald’s duck-billed Jeep pulling his boat |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Frog puppet |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Kangaroo drummer |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2009 More park guests on safari—with Mickey Mouse standing and waving at the rear of the vehicle |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Mickey in his safari outfit |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 The End |
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The parade is over, but you may still have one question: Who were the 25 or so park guests riding in the opening unit, rickshaw taxis, and the Mickey finale vehicle? They were selected before the parade and each given a Kodak disposable camera to capture the experience. It’s a matter of being at the right place at the right time. |
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Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade premiered October 1, 2001. Here’s how the official Walt Disney World website described the parade in in 2001: “New for our 100 Years of Magic Celebration! It’s a rompin’ and rollin’ afternoon event in Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park. Mickey and the gang have packed up a caravan of crazy, colorful safari vehicles to blaze some trails through this wildly imaginative world. Adding to the rhythm of the ride is a herd of giant rolling drums cleverly disguised as exotic animals.” It was one of four parades that premiered that day at the four theme parks of Walt Disney World as part of the “100 Years of Magic” marketing campaign. The “celebration” marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of Walt Disney on December 5, 1901. At Magic Kingdom Park, the new Share a Dream Come True parade featured floats that resembled giant snow globes populated by live Disney characters. At Epcot, the Tapestry of Dreams parade reused music and many of the giant puppets from the Millennium Celebration’s Tapestry of Nations parade. At Disney-MGM Studios, the Disney Stars and Motor Cars parade was based on the clever premise that characters from the worlds of Disney, Pixar, and Star Wars travel in cars that reflect who they are. “100 Years of Magic” should not be confused with “Disney 100 Years of Wonder,” the global marketing campaign of 2023 marking the 100th anniversary of Walt Disney’s arrival in Hollywood and the founding of the Disney Brothers Studio. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Goofy on the temporary safari vehicle |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2011 Mickey on the temporary safari vehicle |
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The safari vehicles had an understudy. Another truck could take the place of one of the character vehicles when maintenance was needed. After all, the show must go on. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2010 Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade |
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Beginning with the 2004 holiday season, the parade received an annual holiday overlay, becoming Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade. Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade had its final performance on May 31, 2014. That’s a run of 11 1/2 years. It was one of only two parades at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The first was March of the ARTimals, which lasted just over one year beginning in mid-1998. The park would soon have heavy construction for Pandora – The World of Avatar and the Rivers of Light arena. Earlier the same year, the park’s Camp Minnie-Mickey had already closed. A parade would just be in the way, especially backstage. Even after the construction was complete, no parade returned to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2022 Goofy’s camper with Minnie’s Jeep behind it |
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You can still see Goofy’s camper and Minnie’s Jeep. They’re now parked at the Volo Museum, a museum campus (with vintage car sales showrooms) in Volo, Illinois, northwest of Chicago. |
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© 2022 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated November 25, 2022 |
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