Disney and Universal are two competing theme parks who try to come out on top with new state-of-the-art attractions and experiences, but how similar are their attractions? The list of attractions that are similar at both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando are endless. However, the two I have chosen to focus on are among the most similar and are very reputable attractions – Jungle Cruise at the Magic Kingdom and JAWS at Universal Studios Florida.

The “World Famous” Jungle Cruise opened to the public on October 1, 1971 along with several other attractions at the Magic Kingdom. With its corny jokes and over-the-top humor, this attraction continues to warm the hearts of many families that continue to visit the Magic Kingdom annually.

In a recent one-on-one candid conversation with a Jungle Cruise skipper, he states that the most general features that the Jungle Cruise happens to provide helps make the attraction more appealing to JAWS. According to most Jungle Cruise Skippers, the Skipper in question states that they consider JAWS to be a “cheesy ride” and that “it’s easy to tell it is on a track.” While these claims about the ride being easily distinguishable as being on a ride track are true, I believe that JAWS is not cheesy at all. The Skipper goes on to say that the content of humor as well as the amount of guest interaction also makes the Jungle Cruise more popular and better, than JAWS.

From the JAWS perspective, it continues to appeal to visitors that enter the Amity Boat Tours queue. As a former Skipper, I can proudly say that despite its many flaws, JAWS is still a unique experience that everyone should truly see during their visit to Universal Studios Florida. While the Jungle Cruise Skippers may say “JAWS feels like a mass market ride,” I as well as many other JAWS fans can say that without a doubt that it is not a mass market ride. Sure, they may have a great deal of guest interaction, but it’s the personal connections between JAWS Skipper and guest that matter the most at Captain Jake’s.

To wrap everything up, JAWS and Jungle Cruise are two attractions with unique similarities and differences. They both manage to appeal to various age ranges as well as bring in different cultural adaptations to each storyline. I hope we never lose these attractions as these are what make Universal and Disney…. well, Universal and Disney.