Kick Rocks

MJJ.

Some of you just shuddered a little bit. Others probably got a little emotional. No matter what you just felt, one thing is for sure. Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade is gone... forever! Mwah ha ha!

I remember the first time I ever watched MJJ. It was 2007. I was a brand new College Program kid, and as all new CPs do, I was playing at Animal Kingdom with some of my training group friends. We had just gotten soaked on Kali River Rapids and were heading toward Africa when our path was blocked by some random procession heading down the street. Yes. That procession was Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade. Maybe I was annoyed because it stopped our fun, or maybe because I was drenched, but I thought it was a piece of crap. Little did I know, I would get trained in that piece of crap a few months later.

May 2007 is when my life forever changed. Getting trained in MJJ meant that Disney's Animal Kingdom (or DAK for short) would be my new home. I was nervous at first because I'm a shy guy. It takes me a while to make new friends. There was no reason to worry though. The people there quickly accepted me as one of their own, and I was officially a DAKian. Chilling at Tamu Tamu with Baloo and King Louie before rocking it out with them in parade became my new life. Sure it was summertime, and it was HOT. AS. BALLS. but the old school people took care of me, and I am forever grateful for their generosity.

Top L - clockwise: Baloo and Louie being foolish buffoons; full-timers saying farwell to the best CPs ever; Face Rope and Water with Bernadette and Jamaica Jen; Katie and Christy, I'd be a lost Papa Bear without all their help

After a very brief hiatus when I thought I was going back to school, I returned to Disney in summer of 2008 as a seasonal cast member. These 2-3 years of 4-hour calls (working parade only) are definitely NOT missed. During my broke years I learned a few other roles in parade. Not only was I jammin' with Papa Bear. I had the pleasure of driving the parade floats, causing a ruckus with Br'er Bear, and I guess I enjoyed a few select days having a wing-ding of a time with Goofy.

During my time at MJJ I made lifelong friendships that still last to this day. Some of these people have moved on to bigger and better things, but had it not been for MJJ, I wouldn't have met some of my nearest and dearest friends. We stuck together through the good times and the bad, and we always rocked that jungle no matter how we were feeling backstage. So thank you MJJ for creating some of the best memories a guy could ask for. I wouldn't trade all the shenanigans for anything.

The best of friends causing all the shenanigans!! (Yes I know there's a repeat picture. Sorry it's so AWESOME!)

May 31, 2014 was a bittersweet day for me. Yes, it was the last day of MJJ. Yes, I shed a few tears. Yes, it was past time for parade to go. Out with the old and in with... Avatar... oh wait that's old too. Good job staying current, DAK! (Yes, I know there on sequels on the way. I'm not a fan. Sue me.) I didn't get to work the last day, but thanks to some scheduling finagling I got to watch as my closest friends performed their little hearts out. It was definitely the best I've ever seen parade. Great job to you all!

So after seven years, MJJ is gone. My life is not going to be the same, but I can't say I'm going to miss the parade. I will miss performing in it, especially when I got to jam with my bffs! I'm also grateful for all the friends I made at DAK. I'm glad we were able to close out parade properly: sweating profusely in the hot as balls sun. You all are like a family to me, and I look forward to the next wild adventure life brings our way.

I leave you with this delightful CatPaint

#BYE