HKDL’s classic attraction "Jungle River Cruise" has recently gone viral on Red Note and Threads, with the skippers' lively performances and humorous dialogue becoming a hot topic online. As part of the park's efforts to enhance the guest experience, the skipper role of the ride has evolved to combine both operation and performance since last year. This effort has been highly successful as the number of guest compliment letters for the ride has tripled over the past two years, and 99% of visitors gave a satisfactory rating in surveys, setting a record for the attraction.
One of the skippers who went viral on Threads, Snowman, has won over guests with his hilarious lines and dramatic, eye-catching gestures. Transferred from the Entertainment team, he has become a guest favorite in just six months. He received five guest compliment letters, and four "love letters" from children. One little girl even wrote, 'When I grow up, I want to marry Snowman,' showing how he has charmed both kids and adults alike.
Snowman shared: 'Finding a comedic moment that resonates with guests during an 8 to 10-minute boat ride is actually a big challenge. But when guests are fully engaged and give a round of applause as we return to the dock, that’s the most rewarding moment.' One of his most memorable experiences was getting the entire boat of guests to sing along together.
Snowman has involved in drama, advertisements and micro-film since he was 14 years old and even joined an improve theatre competition later. These experiences have trained him the ability in instant creativity, no matter how the guests reacted. Before becoming a skipper, he did extensive research on Red Note and Douyin and observed other skippers' performances. He also reviewed online videos with colleagues to refine his comedian skills.
Another standout skipper, CK, also transferred from the Entertainment team at the end of last year. In addition to receiving compliment letters, she was once gifted a boat-themed pin by an American guest for the fun experience she provided.
CK is fully engaged and energized on every cruise rides. Her passion for acting has begun since she was a child. Being a performer in dramas and musicals, inspired her to become a skipper. Whenever she pops out new gags, she tests them out to gauge guest reactions in cruises. Many guests enjoy going against the script. CK explained: 'Originally, the script had guests telling the elephant not to spray them with water. We changed it to telling them not to say hello to the elephant, or they’d get sprayed — and that made them even more eager to say hello, which really drew them into the story.'
CK also shared that one time a group of Indian guests stood up to bow at the sight of an elephant deity. While the skipper had to remind them to sit down for safety reasons, it became a learning moment about different religious customs.
Ricco Leung, HKDL’s manager, park operations, said Jungle River Cruise was introduced at HKDL’s opening. To enhance the guest experience, HKDL has been continuously reviewing and upgrading its attractions and services. The operations team noticed guests particularly enjoyed interacting with the skippers, leading to the decision to elevate the role through a selective recruitment process.
The upgrade involved multiple initiatives, including deepening skippers' understanding of the attraction's backstory and providing professional training. With the collaborative effort of HKDL’s Park Operations, Entertainment, Costuming, Design and Show Quality teams and Disney University, lessons are held to assist skippers to understand their roles; to add twists and turns to story scripts while leaving room for skippers to add personal touches; and to train skippers in the rhythms of sailing to uplift the engagement of guests in exciting adventures.
The Park also prioritizes cast members' job satisfaction, ensuring skippers take pride in their roles. Ricco shared that the compliments from guests are the most powerful encouragement to the park operations team and the skippers. A guest wrote that, “I have decided to visit HKDL again because of the skippers’ wonderful performance.”
Currently, the “Jungle River Cruise” has over 50 full-time and part-time skippers. One full-time skipper sets sail nearly 100 times per week on average. New skippers have to complete a one-week training program before starting their role, and each skipper is capable of navigating in Cantonese, Mandarin and English. Every three months, skippers undergo performance evaluations conducted by Park Operations team and director from Entertainment team, receiving feedback for improvement. As the evolving nature of their roles, the skippers' salaries have also been adjusted accordingly, greatly enhancing their sense of belonging.
Starting Jun 28, HKDL will kick off its 20th-anniversary celebration, inviting worldwide guests to join day-to-night party. Must-see experiences include a brand-new anniversary-only castle stage show, largest-ever parade and the grandest nighttime spectacular in HKDL’s history. Upgraded attractions like Jungle River Cruise and "Mickey’s PhilharMagic” —now featuring new Coco elements—are also not to be missed. Guests and Disney fans can indulge in a unique celebration of Disney magic and parties!
