Disneyland has introduced a 3D-printed canoe as a prop on its iconic Jungle Cruise ride, marking a collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and the Florida-based startup Haddy. This innovation replaces traditional fiberglass with polymer, aiming to speed up production and enable recycling. The canoe, modeled from a 1960s original via 3D scanning, now sits across from the ride's loading dock.
The Jungle Cruise, a staple attraction at Disneyland since the 1950s with Walt Disney's involvement, features animatronic animals and pun-filled tours along simulated rivers like the Amazon and Nile. Recently, a new element—a 3D-printed prop canoe—has been added to enhance the scenic queue area.
Haddy, founded in 2022 and selected for Disney's 2025 Accelerator Program, partnered with Imagineers to create the canoe. Jay Rogers, Haddy's co-founder and CEO, confirmed during Disney Demo Day in Burbank last year: "It's in the Jungle Cruise ride."
To replicate the original, Imagineers conducted a 3D scan of an existing boat and used a 1960s photo for modeling. Chris Hill, associate R&D imagineer, explained: "We had the old boat, and we did do a 3D scan in order to get it dimensionally... I modeled the new boat, which is what we used to 3D print the boat."
This method contrasts sharply with traditional boat-making, which requires 1,000 human hours and multiple mold iterations over weeks. Haddy's process takes just 70 robot hours, allowing quick file adjustments without remolding. Rogers highlighted the efficiency: "It's not just faster to make, it's faster to develop."
The polymer material is recyclable, as props can be melted down for reuse. Nick Blackburn, Disney's executive of technical business operations, described it as "the premiere project that we're working on to show that we can use advanced fabrication, robotic manufacturing and new materials to bring parks to life faster and more effectively."
Experts see potential in this approach. CNET's James Bricknell noted: "It's a brilliant idea. You can make them look any way you like... for much less cost."
Looking ahead, Imagineers plan to apply 3D printing to other elements, such as rock work in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge or furniture for Disney hotels. Michael Hundgen, portfolio executive creative producer, emphasized: "We're not just creating technology for technology's sake; we're doing it to help our creative teams bring the stories from the company to life."
Whether the printed canoe captures the ride's nostalgic charm remains to be seen, but it represents Disney's push into emerging technologies like robotics and AI for theme park enhancements.
