Kevin Lively, a former Jungle Cruise skipper who now works for Walt Disney Imagineering, announced the news during the "Safari So Good - 60 Years of the World Famous Jungle Cruise" panel at the expo. The Jungle Navigation Co. Skipper Canteen will open later this year in the old Adventureland Veranda space in the Magic Kingdom's Adventureland.
Lively also revealed some of the backstory for the new restaurant. Its owner, Alberta Falls, is the daughter of the late founder Albert Falls, a member of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers. (You will fully appreciate the "Albert Falls" reference if you remember that the Jungle Cruise's Schweitzer Falls is named for physician Albert Schweitzer, known for his medical work in Africa.)
Lively also said that narrative changes will be coming to the Magic Kingdom's Jungle Cruise ride to support the new restaurant.
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Their approach now is backwards. Make Jungle Cruise fit the restaurant. The restaurant itself will have the better story. Again, people probably won't care when the theming is the ultimate attraction.
Any idea as to whether it will be a full service restaurant (reservations) and any booze news?
The backstories are often more interesting then the main narrative. They give more depth to the story and make the overall experience much more fulfilling. The backstories add a whole new level of theming and storytelling and is one of the main reasons why the Disney parks have such a huge fanbase. So why stop?
I wonder if there is going to be a secret "cannibal" menu?
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