5+ Ways to Learn with Disney’s Jungle Cruise

Deep inside the Jungle Cruise are four rivers, multiple animals, and the backside of water. Grab learning ideas for your homeschool!

Board your vessel for a trip down some of the world’s most treacherous waters. Ahead of you are three rivers and the (gasp!) back side of water.

Under the Adventureland sign, a little orange bird on your right, the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse on the left, just a little further now. Do you hear those birds now?

Take a left & down the steps.

Ready? Let’s go!

Disney in Our Homeschool

We love Disney World. When kids are young, it’s easy to see how they learned while we were there. Before we would make a trip to WDW, there were so many easy ways to incorporate Disney into our homeschool days, too.

But as they get older, the educational side of a trip to Walt Disney World lessens, and it gets more difficult to incorporate it into our homeschool. None of us are ready to give it up, though. That means we get creative.

Geography lessons go from learning that certain countries exist or where on the globe we find them to learning about their history & culture. A history factoid about why the center sidewalk of Liberty Square is brown becomes learning about the history of public infrastructure, the changes in homes, and modern conveniences.

For the last couple of years, (most) every Wednesday, we learn something about Disney. It may be a quick writing activity, a history or geography show, or an art activity. It’s low-key & we don’t make it part of any kind of class-for-credit now that my kiddos are in high school. It’s just a way to keep learning fun.

Touring Tips for Jungle Cruise

• Most of the queue is covered, so it’s a great spot for the afternoon or when it’s rainy.
• But it can feel really slow since it’s not a constant loading ride. The regular queue has a lot to look at. Just be prepared for the wait. (I also find it to be one of the warmer queues.)
• There’s no bad seat but if anyone has hearing difficulties, let the CMs know so they can position you on the better side for you.

Skip ahead to 0:29. Look familiar??

Did you know?

1. The corny “dad jokes” were not originally part of the Jungle Cruise. Instead, the ride had an educational bent. (Before it opened, Walt even wanted to use live animals!)
2. Some of those jungle plants? They’re actually upside down orange & walnut trees. The roots give the appearance of dead branches. (The imaginations of these imagineers!)
3. The 1951 African Queen movie was an inspiration for the attraction.

The Jobs of the Jungle Cruise

The Magic Makers

RELATED Adventureland: Adventure, Mystery, Splendor

Learning Geography with the Jungle Cruise

<insert corny Jungle Cruise joke>

As you set sail, your cruise will take you down four rivers, which means this is a perfect time to add some geography!

Certainly, the whats & wheres are important when it comes to geography. But the whys and the whos and the so-whats are also vital parts of our geography studies.  I include topics like culture, climate impacts, and historical importance. When we can tie locations into historical events, we create 3-D scenes of the events. Understanding the ways a river is a part of religious events or feeding a country helps us to understand why we need safe water.

• The Congo River basin — Home of the Deepest River
• 10 Nile River Facts for Kids or 30 Enchanting Facts about the Nile River
• Amazon River from Space (video & article)
• New Dams Endanger the Survival of the Mekong River

Language Arts Ideas

What would the Jungle Cruise be without its terrible puns?

• Fun with Puns (for elementary)
• Understanding Puns (6th-9th grade)
• The Power of Puns (teens)

And a few more resources

• Behind the Attraction: Episode 1
• Why is the Jungle Cruise such a beloved & repeat attraction? Disney Institute shares their thoughts. (teens/adults)
• For teens, this article discusses the reasons behind the newest revamp of Jungle Cruise
• Jungle Cruise board game
• A Jungle Cruise playlist to learn about the ride, the movie, and the rivers within the ride

Jungle Cruise: The Movie

• Activity pack
• Watch the hilarious, corny Jungle Cruise movie

Can’t be on the Jungle Cruise?

When we can’t be there, the next best thing is a great ride-through/walk-through video. And here are three for you — a Disneyland version from 1956, a current version of the Christmas-themed JINGLE Cruise, 2021 version from WDW.

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