The Jungle Cruise Docks at Home

There is a question that comes up more often than you’d think among Disney parks fans. That is the old chestnut – “if you had to live in a ride, what ride would it be?” For some, it takes some thought. Do they want sleek and simple (Space Mountain), do they want moody (Haunted Mansion), or do they want mid-century modern with a generous dose of whimsy (it’s a small world)? For me, the answer is an easy one – the Jungle Cruise.

While I am tempted by the aesthetics of the Pirates of the Caribbean and the gothy-ness of The Haunted Mansion, I can’t help but be drawn to the natural wonders of this Adventure Land staple. The attraction is like a mini vacation – gorgeous foliage, wild animals, and waterfalls (both backwards and forwards). The ride lasts under ten minutes, but I always want it to last longer, which is often remedied by a visit to Jungle Cruise offshoots such as Trader Sam’s or the Skipper’s Canteen, but I always leave wanting more. ​So I took matters into my own hands.

As part of my book, Bring the Magic Home, I created a Jungle Cruise-inspired bedroom with a smattering of Easter eggs.

One of the first things I delved into was to create a set of pillows. In the evenings, while watching TV, I’d whip out my needle and thread, and I embroidered a trio of images, suffering numb fingers in the process. Two of the pillows I made from vintage burlap that I had lying around. The third – the middle one – I picked up at Marshall’s for about six bucks. Eagle-eyed Jungle Cruise guests will recognize the simple navigation map and the name “Pat,” both images are carved on the boats’ dashboards, right by where the skippers stand. The third is the logo for the Jungle Navigation Company, which is found in various places at Disney Parks around the globe.

The other time-consuming item I created for the room was the homespun replica of the mask above Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise entrance. The version of the room that included the mask – didn’t actually make it into the book; the final version featured a classic Marc Davis print of a bathing elephant instead. The replacement of the mask was for a good reason; it can be problematic to use iconography borrowed from other cultures. So it was a good call not to include this prop in the book. But I thought I would share the original (yet questionable) version here, paying homage to the old-school mask that, for now, still graces the entrance. I created my version by painting and cutting styrofoam forms picked up at Michaels. The arrows were made using Sculpey, long dowels, and raffia. The back was simply just painted cardboard.

Now, I have to share with you the tale of the bed (pictured above before the Jungle Cruise transformation began). I was looking for something that had that Adventurland vibe. I fell, and I mean FELL, in love with the West Indies Bed by Tommy Bahamas Furniture. First, I had no idea that there was a Tommy Bahamas line of home goods; I thought they only did wildly printed dad shirts. I may not wear Tommy Bahamas togs, but boy, did I want that bed.  Soon after,  I saw an Instagram post by my pal Valarie Marino (who was working on a piece for or Conde Nast Traveler)  that the honeymoon suite at the Polynesian Village Resort featured this exact same bed, . Mind blown. And of course, knowing that this bed frame was Imagineer-approved, it just made me crave it even more.

While I was smitten with the style of the bed, I was not prepared for the price – a king frame retails for $5379.00. There was no way I would spend that much on something to hold my mattress, but this was when my hyper-focusing and treasure-hunting skills came into play. I regularly checked eBay, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace to see if anyone was selling a King-size one at a much, much better price. After about a month of being a wee bit too invested in the search, I actually found one for $500, which is about what just the tax on buying it at retail would be. Sure, we had to drive over an hour to the rural town of Brentwood, California, to pick it up, but it was so worth it.

Anyhoo, when we got there, it turned out the sellers were huge Disney Parks fans and had plans of theming their yard in a whimsical way. My people! It was meant to be. And we got a bonus too. About a week after picking up the bed, they called to ask if we wanted the matching bench (retailing for $1700) for free! Talk about a score.

Okay, I kind of went on a tangent about the bed. The rest of the room is pretty easy to explain. I wanted to add a variety of Easter eggs that relate to the original attraction. There are skulls which once were seen in piles by the shore; a fez to pay homage to the guides who once were seen scurrying up a tree; a gold piranha tiki mug, acquired at Trader Sam’s, a wooden hippo; an old-school lantern;  a pith helmet; a ceramic elephant garden stool bought a yard sale for $20; and last but not least, a rug that is a nod to those poor sleeping zebras. I also included a pile of books related to adventuring, such as Captain Jack Cook in the Pacific, Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen, and the Field Book of Shore Fishes of Bermuda.

One of my favorite pieces in the room is the barrel. For some unknown reason, my parents had an antique wooden barrel in their basement, filled with old quilts and blankets. I emptied it out, flipped it upside down, and then added stencil paying homage to the infamous “backside of water”.  A couple of plants, some hula skirts repurposed as planter covers, and a few animal print accents completed the room.

Even though I can sleep in my own Jungle Cruise, I’ll still wait in that 30-minute line to ride the real thing.

Get the Look!

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West Indies Bed by Tommy Bahama Furniture: $5319 Available here.

Animal Print Pillow : $54 Available here.

Elephant Garden Stool: $89 Available here

Faux Zebra Throw Rug: $88 Available here.

Hurricane Lamp: $21 Available here.

Gold Piranha Disney Tiki Mug: $65 and up from eBay here.