Interview:
Rick Govert, ex-Jungle Skipper
turned Railroad Manager

JGR: For this months Feature Interview, we head north to Indiana to catch up with Rick Govert - an excellent Skipper, and the poor sap who had to train me at canoes. Rick, First give us a little background information. Tell us about how and when you came to work for Disney in the first place.
RG: I started working for Disney in May of 1989. I had just completed my Sophomore year at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Actually, it is in a rather strange way that I came to work for the mouse. I was on Spring Break with a couple of my pals from school. My grandparents lived in Kissimmee, so the vacation was inexpensive, so to speak, since we stayed with them. While on vacation, I decided to stop into the employment office. Actually, the Casting Center did not even exist. I went to some trailers in the back of the Magic Kingdom. for my interview. During high school and college, I worked at a funeral home washing cars, cleaning, dusting, and small maintenance. I also worked some visitations. The Disney interviewer looked at my resume and said that if I could work with people during the worst times in their lives, then I could easily deal with people during some of the best times in their lives. After the interview, I was guaranteed a position if I came back in the summer. I did not know what position it would be though. I could be driving a monorail, working in attractions, or sweeping the streets. After finally getting permission from my parents to stay the summer with Grandpa and Grandma, I was off to Florida! When I arrived in Florida, I went back to the casting trailers where I had another interview to see what my first assignment would be. I have to admit that I was rather nervous that I might get custodial. As it turns out, I  started at the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes.

JGR: So, that was the first Attraction you worked on? What stories can you tell us about canoes?
RG: As I mentioned earlier, my first attraction was the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes. The canoes were only open during the summer months and at Christmas time for two weeks. Basically, you guide about 18-20 people around the Rivers of America and try to tell corny jokes. The thing I remember that was unique was that most of the "passengers" believed that the canoe you are in is on some type of track. Others think there is some type of propeller moving the boat. Both are false. It makes for a long 20 minute trip when no one else is paddling but the cast member in the bow, and the cast member in the stern. Another thing that I learned is that it rains everyday about 2pm during the summer. I don't think I went one day without being soaked! The canoes were great. The jokes were bad, but if you had a good sternman, the two of you had a great time paddling around the river. You also got to meet people from around the world.

JGR: Rick, you were also my trainer at Canoes - tell us about some of the similarities and differences between canoes and Jungle.
RG: Well, for starters, both attractions have spiels. Both have corny jokes, and both attraction had an all male cast. I heard recently that the Jungle Cruise now has female cast members. Too bad that wasn't the case when I worked there. The plus side of the Jungle Cruise was that when it rained at 2pm the boats were covered. (So was the dock).

JGR: Any other Canoe Stories?
RG: I remember one trip that I will never forget. I can't remember whether or not I was on the bow or stern, but around Pirates Cove, a snake came through the water and decided to take a ride with us. I didn't even see the snake come into the canoe. All of the sudden, I saw about half the guests standing on their seats. If you have been in a canoe, you know how easy it is to tip it over, especially if you are standing up. Well, by the time the other cast member and I knew what was going on, everyone was screaming and hollering. Both of us got out of the canoe and beached it around Pirates Cove. The guests escaped to Tom Sawyers Island, and we picked out the snake with two paddles. I heard that a similar story happened the summer before, and the summer after our incident. As usual a mountain of paperwork awaited us when we returned to dock.

JGR: Then you finally made it to The Jungle - Tell us about your first experience there.
RG: To be honest with you, I really was not too excited to go to the Jungle. I had just spent the past two summers spieling at canoes, and the last thing I wanted to do was to go to another spieling attraction. At this point, I was trained at the BATT complex(Bearband, Arcade, Tiki, and Treehouse), and the Liberty Square Riverboat. I had just finished getting checked out at the Riverboat, when management decided that all male cast members in MK West will be trained at the Jungle. I went reluctantly. After I got checked out, I really had a good time in the jungle. Some days it was really hot or rainy, but if you had good crews and a good rotation, the day really went by. I remember one of my best crews was a foreign crew. Nobody spoke a word of English. Anyone who has worked at the Jungle Cruise knows that there is much more than just spieling to your job. You are really an actor. If you hit the deck around the elephants, then the guests really think that they are going to get soaked. If you don't steer the boat, then nobody believes another thing you say or do. Especially the kids. When I had a good time, usually the crew had a good time. There were times when I thought the crew came from the morgue, but when they left the boat, people cheered and clapped as they left. Just because the laughter was not deafening does not mean that the guests did not have a good time. Well, to get back to the foreign crew, when we got back to dock they gave me a round of applause that I will always remember. They really had a good time, even though they didn't understand what I was saying. My experience at the Jungle had some good times and some not so good times.   It basically came down to the people you worked with and your attitude. Such is the case with most things in life. If you work with good people, and have a good attitude, usually you will enjoy your job.