Was Magic Kingdom's POTC damaged by the movie refurb?

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I was taken aback when I experienced POTC post-movie refurb. I felt that more than anything, the experience was damaged by the movie changes. It really hit home when I went on DL's. It almost seemed like the movie changes were intended for DL's and then shoehorned into the MK version.

For instance, the Davy Jones waterfall actually works as a neat curtain between the caves and bombardment scene in the DL. I actually feel it could be argued that this is genuinely an improvement (although I don't exactly approve of the removal of the original dialogue). It seems to now be the point where you boat travels back through time and space to the Caribbean. At MK, the waterfall scene just kinda comes out of nowhere at the start of the ride and really has nothing to do with anything. I guess MK version never had this time/space travel thing going for it, so what exactly is it all about in the MK version?

Now, the grotto scene has been altered to focus on mermaids, which really has nothing to do with the ride and feels totally out of place. It's completely baffling. So now, you set sail in the MK version and encounter a bunch of random stuff for no apparent reason that in no way sets a proper tone. I don't know, maybe someone else can justify all this and convince me why this is better than hearing the classic "Yo Ho" and being warned of rough waters by that talking skull guy? Not as great as DL's bayou/cave transition, but awesome in its own way.

The DL version received a new barker bird that has now become an iconic part of the experience. We all know that WDW already had one, which was one of the most classic and memorable things in the entire resort. Did they figure that because WDW already had one that no longer fit their re-imagining of the attraction, they should just ditch it? Terrible.

Jack Sparrow was integrated into the ending of the attraction with the treasure room scene at DL, replacing what had become a new scene added in the 90s of pirates created from EPCOT Center World of Motion characters. So basically, it replaced a scene that was never an original part of the ride anyway. At MK, they literally removed the entire original finale of the ride depicting drunken pirates with the treasure, one of the unique elements of the MK version. The attraction now has less Audio-Animatronics than when it originally opened.

At DL, the Davy Jones sayings were integrated into the ending where you go up the waterfall and I have to admit, while I'm generally a purist, it's kinda cool. The music and Bill Nighy dialogue is neat. At MK, they used this for the exit ramp and it just kinda comes off as...dumb, for lack of a better word.

I don't know. Maybe I'm off my hinges. I feel like these refurbs were an opportunity to really improve MK's inferior version, but they've only made it worse.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

They made a mistake building a quick, inferior version at a park where there's enough space to build one the same size or bigger than the DL version and at a park where they had the ability to make it even better than the DL version.

It doesn't really matter what they do to the MK version; it will never be as good as the DL version unless they tear it down and start from scratch.

When I've been on the MK version recently, I haven't put too much thought into the theming or the movie ad ons or how they do and do not fit. My concern is more about the water in the boats and not being able to put my purse on the ground without it getting soaked. And that waterfall that you were mentioning was not even on during my entire trip last January. I'm more concerned with issues other than the movie refurb at MK. Like getting more wet than I should be on that ride. It needs a serious refurb.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Plain and simple, the film additions have ruined all of the attractions they have touched.

They made a mistake building a quick, inferior version at a park where there's enough space to build one the same size or bigger than the DL version and at a park where they had the ability to make it even better than the DL version.

Marc Davis saw it as fixing all of the weird and stupid stuff that Disneyland had to deal with. If the attraction starts at the queue all of that tone building is there. Western River Expedition, with its own cave scenes building on what was done for Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland, was still an active project.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Plain and simple, the film additions have ruined all of the attractions they have touched.

I disagree. I like the Jack Sparrow audioanamatronics and thought they were very well done. I thought there were other movie tie-ins, especially in the DL version, that worked very well. And enough of the original attraction was preserved on both versions to make it feel almost "classic but updated".

The only thing I don't like are the creepy mermaid bones on the beach. Other than that, I don't have much of a problem with it.

I have more of a problem with broken effects, water leaking in the boats, and frequent breakdowns. A good six month refurb would be what that ride really needs.

 

[Andrew C]

I have more of a problem with broken effects, water leaking in the boats, and frequent breakdowns. A good six month refurb would be what that ride really needs.

Yep. That's the ride in a nutshell. Fix these issues and I think most would be happy.

 

[flynnibus]

I disagree. I like the Jack Sparrow audioanamatronics and thought they were very well done. I thought there were other movie tie-ins, especially in the DL version, that worked very well. And enough of the original attraction was preserved on both versions to make it feel almost "classic but updated".

No matter what one thinks about the AAs themselves... the overlay of the 'where is jack sparrow' plot line just convolutes and confuses the attraction. It's contrived and takes away from the reason the pirates were plundering the town to start with.

The WDW version certainly didn't get any love from these recent changes. I still prefer the old skull compared to the movie mist screen which apparently isn't all that consistent at MK anymore.

 

[copcarguyp71]

Plain and simple, the film additions have ruined all of the attractions they have touched.

I kind of have to agree as a long-timer. To the first time guest I am sure things look much better and sometimes I wish I could use a de-neuralizer on myself like in Men In Black so that I could see things through fresh eyes but to my longer-in-the-tooth point of view anytime they do an overlay or add elements from current movies to older attractions it just cheapens the experience and is tantamount to jingling a set of shiny keys in front of an infant in an attempt to try and entertain them...a cheap and easy way to try and entertain the masses.

 

[wdisney9000]

I like the Jack Sparrow audioanamatronics and thought they were very well done.

While I agree the Jack sparrow AA is very well done, I dont think it enhances the attraction in any major way. Ive always felt it takes more away from the overall concept than it actually adds to it. Seeing him several times makes it feel more like Jack Sparrows adventure 'featuring the other pirates'. If his presence was more subtle it would blend the original concept with his addition more smoothly, IMO.

Still a great ride though!

 

[wdisney9000]

tantamount to jingling a set of shiny keys in front of an infant in an attempt to try and entertain them...a cheap and easy way to try and entertain the masses.

I think this is the basis for which all recent WDI creations must be based on.

 

[yedliW]

While I agree the Jack sparrow AA is very well done, I dont think it enhances the attraction in any major way. Ive always felt it takes more away from the overall concept than it actually adds to it. Seeing him several times makes it feel more like Jack Sparrows adventure 'featuring the other pirates'. If his presence was more subtle it would blend the original concept with his addition more smoothly, IMO.

Still a great ride though!

It does what it is intended to do, ties it in with something the younger generation is familiar with. Everyone loves Jack Sparrow. How well that fits in to the original theme of the ride, that can be debated. I never really thought about it, and didn't read too much into the 'story' of the ride. I just like taking it in.

Some of the old AA are getting pretty dated (the chickens, the chase scene around the light post, etc..), but that lends to the charm and nostalgia of the experience.

 

[unkadug]

It does what it is intended to do, ties it in with something the younger generation is familiar with. Everyone loves Jack Sparrow. How well that fits in to the original theme of the ride, that can be debated. I never really thought about it, and didn't read too much into the 'story' of the ride. I just like taking it in.

Some of the old AA are getting pretty dated (the chickens, the chase scene around the light post, etc..), but that lends to the charm and nostalgia of the experience.

Yeah, those chickens are so 70's they should really have some modern chickens.....they look taste so different.

 

[wdisney9000]

It does what it is intended to do, ties it in with something the younger generation is familiar with.

I dont think the younger generation necessarily needs Jack Sparrow as a tie in to appreciate the ride itself. The ride became a timeless attraction for adults and children without the aide of an IP.

 

[yedliW]

I dont think the younger generation necessarily needs Jack Sparrow as a tie in to appreciate the ride itself. The ride became a timeless attraction for adults and children without the aide of an IP.

Yes, but similar to the reason that many articles have mentioned that any new Star Wars attractions will be based off of the new movie rather than the originals, many people won't know that the movie was based on the attraction, not the other way around..

 

[Weather_Lady]

It's a matter of personal opinion. As for me, I've hated the "movie-ization" of POTC from the moment I experienced it for the first time. It now feels less pirate-y and more about Johnny Depp. The "plot" as it were, with citizens now inexplicably hiding a pirate instead of citizens being chased and terrorized by pirates, makes no sense whatsoever. Hate it, hate it, hate it.

(That being said, I loved the first POTC film. I just didn't think it needed to be shoehorned into what was arguably a near-perfect attraction without it.)

 

[flynnibus]

I dont think the younger generation necessarily needs Jack Sparrow as a tie in to appreciate the ride itself. The ride became a timeless attraction for adults and children without the aide of an IP.

Agree - and why the attraction worked for decades. Everyone understands the basic premise of pirates... they raid, rape, and plunder.

But I do get the idea that a new generation of people would say "where are the movie things?" - and that's Disney's own fault for continuing that myth that the movie is BASED upon the ride.. instead of the few cameo gags they lifted from the ride and put in the movie. Having to address that in some fashion is inevitable... but I liked it better when they addressed it by adding other bits from the film and characters ELSEWHERE in adventureland.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Count me in as another who wishes the Jack storyline never existed in the ride.

 

[Andrew C]

I am totally fine with the Jack storyline...IF the maintenance and boat issues get corrected.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Should this:

really have replaced all of this:

???

 

[copcarguyp71]

Should this:

really have replaced all of this:

???

Nope...maybe updated AA's would be nice and even though I enjoyed all but the last of the Pirates movies I could have done without Jack or any of the movie elements on this ride.

 

[hth1917]

The script is the worst part. Basically all I can hear in the ride now is "blah blah blah Captain Jack Sparrow blah blah blah Jack Sparrow blah blah Captain Jack Sparrow." It's as if they're afraid we will forget it's PotC unless every fifth word they throw in a "Jack Sparrow."

Also, the ride now awkwardly attempts to blend realism (the original show) with supernatural fantasy (mermaids).

Addition of the first Jack animatronic, with no changes to script, I would have liked. It's an excellent animatronic figure and doesn't call too much attention to itself. This would have subtly tied the attraction in to the films while allowing it to maintain its own integrity.