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Break Out the Tissues, Jungle Cruise Skipper Has Emotional Last Ride

Passengers on a jungle-themed ride, including a child in a green dress pointing excitedly, as a guide in a hat speaks into a microphone.
Credit: Disney

Are you ready, ladies and gentlemen, to see something truly spectacular? Here it is, the eighth wonder of the world — the backside of water! O2H, O2H, O2H!

Okay, so is the backside of water truly the eighth wonder of the world? No. But when you ride Walt Disney’s World Famous Jungle Cruise, it sure as heck is.

Jungle Cruise ride at disneyland resort in california

Credit: Disneyland Resort

Related: Disney’s Iconic Jungle Cruise Attraction Gets an Update

Whether you ride the Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom, Disneyland Park, Hong Kong Disney, or Tokyo Disneyland, the attraction — and its corny jokes — never gets old. However, it’s not really the jokes that make the ride what it is, but the talented and friendly cast members who deliver the zingers in the most perfect way.

A great Jungle Cruise Skipper can really make or break the ride, and for one group, their Skipper made their night unforgettable.

Jungle Cruise Disneyland

Credit: Disney

Richard Barnes recently visited the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort. He rode the Jungle Cruise, where his Skipper’s name was Maddie. Maddie did a fantastic job, but at the end of their journey, she began to get emotional.

Maddie shared that Richard’s group was her last group of guests, and this was her last night working on the ride. She was a part of the Disney College Program, and her time there had come to an end. The entire boat applauded Maddie and the fantastic job she did, causing the tears to flow.

Disney After Hours Jungle cruise walt disney world woke

Credit: Disney

Maddie made Richard’s experience so incredible that he couldn’t help but share the magical and heartwarming moment.

Last night the Jungle Cruise was our last ride of the night before closing. Skipper Maddie emotionally announced that we were her final guests and this was her last ride as er College Program had come to an end. 

The Jungle Cruise has been my favorite attraction since the park opened and Skipper Maddie gave us the best experience we have ever had on the ride which ended in tears and cheering from all onboard. If anyone knows Skipper Maddie please let her know she will always be the most memorable and our most favorite Skipper we ever had. We need more cast members like Maddie. I think Walt would be very proud. 

Skipper Maddie The Jungle Cruise

Credit: Walt Disney World Annual Passholders Facebook

Related: Walt Disney World’s Most Complimented Cast Member Continues to Deliver Magical Memories

Disney Dining spoke with Mr. Barnes, and he could not say enough good things about Maddie. He said that she is a cast member who truly cares and reminded him of why he fell in love with Disney parks in the first place. He also said that she is a cast member others should aspire to and thanked her again for the memorable trip.

The Jungle Cruise Magic Kingdom

Credit: Disney

If you are visiting either Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort and have a fantastic interaction with a cast member, there is a way to let Disney know! You can go into your My Disney Experience or Disneyland Resort mobile apps and leave a cast member compliment. Disney will ask for the cast member’s name, what area they work in, and a couple of other details to correctly identify the person.

Cast members who receive a lot of cast compliments will receive special recognition from Disney, and you can truly make their day brighter by acknowledging how hard they work.

Great job, Maddie! We are sure that everyone will miss you and the amazing job you did aboard Disney’s World-Famous Jungle Cruise!

About Krysten Swensen

A born and bred New England girl living the Disney life in Southern California. I love to read, to watch The Golden Girls, and love everything to do with Disney and Universal. I also love to share daily doses of Disney on my Disney Instagram @BrazzleDazzleDisney!