Good afternoon from the Jungle Cruise, where work is continuing on the newly announced Trader Sam’s gift shop finale for the attraction.
First, here’s a look at the concept art released for this new finale where Trader Sam turns a lost & found collection into a profit center by adding a new “Gift Shop” sign.
Now, here’s a look at the space as it sits today. Disney has said that guests visiting Magic Kingdom will see the change “soon”.
While the rest of the Jungle Cruise is undergoing a reimagining as well, including a re-write of the storyline, Imagineer Kevin Lively shared his inspiration for the new Trader Sam’s Gift Shop finale scene after it was announced.
According to Lively, he came up with the idea of a repurposed lost & found shop back when he was working as a Skipper himself in Disneyland. Lively said that he came up with the idea while working in a rotation at Tarzan’s Treehouse, and thinks back to that moment in time when citing the old Walt Disney Imagineering adage “a good idea never dies”.
For more on the Jungle Cruise reimagining project, check out our project tracker below!
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!