Pirates of the Caribbean
| Pirates of the Caribbean | |
| |
| The exterior of the Pirates of the Caribbean at night. | |
| Magic Kingdom | |
| Land | Adventureland |
|---|---|
| Attraction type | Interior Boat Ride |
| Opening date | 1973 |
| Vehicle names | Boat |
| Vehicle capacity | 15-18 |
| Ride duration | 8:30 minutes |
| Audio-Animatronics | 125 |
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Pirates of the Caribbean is an attraction located in Adventureland
Contents
Attraction History
Pirates of the Caribbean opened in Adventureland in 1973, in conjunction with the creation of Caribbean Plaza as an expansion of Adventureland. Caribbean Plaza gave the land a Caribbean theme it did not have before and housed the new Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. The ride is a boat voyage that gives guests a first hand view of the pirate lifestyle. While on their voyage, riders fall down a waterfall, float through the middle of pirate ship battle and witness the looting of a Caribbean town.
The outside of the attraction is themed to look like a fort. A Barker Bird sat on a perch inviting guests to come to the attraction and sometimes singing parts of “Yo Ho Yo Ho A Pirates Life For Me.” Once inside guests descend into underground caves before arriving at the loading docks. No real changes came to Pirates of the Caribbean until 1997. In 1997 the scene which showed the pirates chasing the women of the town was altered. Instead of the Pirates chasing the women, the scene now showed the women chasing the Pirates. The other change that came in 1997 was in the “pooped pirate” scene. The “pooped pirate” is located right next to the women chasing the pirates. Originally he told his dog how he was too tired to continue to chase women while a women hid in a barrel behind him. In 1997 his dialogue was changed so that he now told his dog about his treasure map ("This map says X marks the spot, but I be seein' no X's afore me." ) and the women in the barrel was now holding a treasure chest.
Major Refurbishment in 2006
In 2006, after the success of Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl and it's sequel Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest the attraction underwent a major refurbishment. Characters from the movies were added. Jack Sparrow, the main character in the movies now appears in four scenes in the attraction. They are:
- Jack Sparrow hiding behind mannequins next to where the pirates are dunking the mayor.
- In the barrel behind the “pooped pirate” next to the women chasing the pirates.
- The last scene of the attraction in the Treasure Room.
Also added to the ride was an Audio Anamatronic Barbosa in the pirate ship fight scene. Previously the ship that Barbosa is in, the “Wicked Wrench”, was captained by Blackbeard. Perhaps the most noticeable addition to the attraction is the Davy Jones Waterfall. Before riders fall down the rides drop, Davy Jones appears projected on a mist waterfall. After the hearing the warning “dead men tell no tales” riders will see Davy Jones appear on a mist waterfall and reply, “Ah, but they do. So say's I, Davy Jones”. In conjunction with the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides in 2011, Davy Jones was replaced by Blackbeard (the main antagonist in the movie).
The outside of Pirates of the Caribbean was also changed with the 2006 refurbishment. The Barker Bird who had previously been outside the attraction was removed. Also, the original attraction sign was taken down and replaced with a new black sail sign.
Attraction Plot
Pirates of the Caribbean takes riders through various scenes which show pirates (including Jack Sparrow) attempting to get treasure and other plunder.
Ride Beginning
Pirates of the Caribbean begins as guests board their boats and begin to sail into darkness. As the boat floats forward, guests are given two different warnings. First, that “there be rough waters ahead” and secondly (and famously) that “dead man tell no tales”. After hearing the second warning, guests approach a waterfall which depicts Blackbeard (formally Davy Jones) who answers the second warning by saying, “But they do. So say's I, Blackbeard”. After passing under the waterfall (which is actually just mist), guests find themselves in the middle of a hurricane. As the wind howls around them, the boat passes by a beach that holds pirate skeletons, which lay next to a dug up treasure chest. Based on their skeletons, it appears that pirates were killed while searching for treasure. On the other side of the water guests pass a skeleton pirate steering a pirate ship. With “dead man tell no tales” still echoing in the background, the boats then plunge down a small drop, before entering the next scene.
the Pirate Fight
As guests enter the next room they quickly find themselves in the middle of a pirate ship battle. On the left side Captain Barbossa steers his ship the “Wicked Wench”, as his crew fires cannons over guests’ boat, at an opposing ship. While he gives the orders to attack, Barbossa yells at the opposing crew, demanding to know where Jack Sparrow is.
Port Royale
After surviving the pirate battle, the rider's boats sail into Port Royale. The port is under attack by pirates who have taken the people hostage and are plundering the town. On guests’ right, pirates dunk the mayor of the town in a well, trying to get the whereabouts of Captain Jack Sparrow. A large women yells to the mayor “Don't be a chicken” and they mayor seemingly gives up no information. Jack Sparrow is actually hiding behind a group of mannequins, right behind the pirates. As the boat continues to sail through town, on the left hand side guests see a sign which reads, “Take a wench for a bride”. The pirates have evidently taken the women hostage and are auctioning them off to pirates who are sitting across the river. While the auctioneer tries to sell a larger lady, the other pirates chant, “We want the red-head”, referring who is a small women who is also being held hostage.
Continuing forward (under an overpass) the boats then enter a new scene, still located in Port Royale town. The pirates are all now drinking heavily and enjoying their plunder as an instrumental version of Yo Ho (A Pirates Life for Me) plays. As the boats continue guests see that the women of the town are now fighting back and chasing the pirates. Below, the “pooped pirate” tells his dog that he has both the key and the treasure map. He also says he'd love to see the look on Jack Sparrows face. In an ironic twist Jack Sparrow appears in a barrel behind him with his eye on both the map and the treasure. As the boats enter the next scene, they pass by a particularly dirty pirate who is drinking next to various livestock.
The Town on Fire
As guests enter the next scene, they immediately see that Port Royale is now on fire. A pirate band (clearly heavily intoxicated) sings Yo Ho (A Pirates Life for Me) as the town burns around them. Further ahead, all throughout the town the pirates continue to drink and sing in celebration. On the right, one pirate is so intoxicated that he is lying in the mud with the pigs (although apparently having fun). As guests pass under a bridge, a pirate's harry leg hangs down above them as they continue onto the next scene.
Pirates Arrested
The next scene in the attraction shows that the pirates have been captured. On the right, jailed pirates plead with a guard dog to give them the key. The pirates try to use bones and other items to lure the dog over, but with no luck.
The Treasure Room
After exiting Port Royale, guests enter the final scene in the attraction, which shows Captain Jack Sparrow sitting in a treasure room. It seems that the Captain has found the treasure that all of the pirates had been looking for, as he is sitting on a throne surrounded by treasure. While guests past the room Jack Sparrow sings part of “Yo Ho (A Pirates Life For Me) and makes many small comments about his treasure, before the boats arrive back at the unloading dock.
Voice Cast
Jack Sparrow- Johnny Depp
Captain Barbosa- Geoffrey Rush
- Davy Jones- Bill Nighy
Auctioneer/Various Pirates- Paul Frees
Blackbeard- Ian McShane
- Davy Jones appeared in the attraction from 2006-2011, when he was replaced by Blackbeard.
Hear the Soundtrack!
To hear the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack, click play below:
Fun Facts and Trivia
- There are two queue lines to choose from, The Soldiers on the left and the Pirates on the right.
- In the queue line, the position of the chess pieces that the skeleton pirates are playing with is not random. Imagineer Marc Davis specifically set up the board so that every move would result in a stalemate.
- Each boat can carry up to 30 guests.
- The Barker Bird previously located outside of Pirates of the Caribbean is now located at the World of Disney Store in Downtown Disney. It is right by the Pirates of the Caribbean merchandise.
- There are 125 Audio Animatronics on the attraction 65 humans and 60 animals.
- From 1973-1980 there was a Pirates of the Caribbean arcade located in Caribbean Plaza.
- The "waterfall" that guests drop down is 14ft high.
- The popular Pirates of the Caribbean film series was based off the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.
- Pirates of the Caribbean was the last attraction created that Walt Disney himself personally supervised.
- Disney Legend Yale Gracy came up with the special effect used in the scene where Port Royale is on fire.
- Musical director George Bruns composed the attractions score.
References
http://allears.net/tp/mk/mk_pirates.htm
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/guides/magickingdom/adv-pirates.htm
