Any word about Pirates upgrade?

PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
About a year ago, the Orlando Sentinel (I believe) published an interview with an Imagineer who said he was working on a proposal to upgrade WDW's PotC. He said the proposed upgrade includes modern AA figures and the sword battle that is found in the Paris version. Since that article was published, I see they went ahead with a similar upgrade for Its a Small World. I was wondering if they chose IASW over PotC for upgrading, or if the PotC upgrade is still being planned because I haven't heard anything else about the PotC upgrade since that article.
 
Lee

Lee

Adventurer
Still planned...yep.
Greenlit to start soon...not that I know of.

Great idea, though. WDW's Pirates could use some help, for sure.
 
S

sniggle74

Member
hmm...very interesting. Are these also the same plans that there were floating around to "upgrade" all of the major E-ticket rides in DL for the 50th? I'm extremely curious as to what types of changes have been thought of.
 
StevenT

StevenT

New Member
So why don't they put in a Johnny Depp AA? :lol: Just kidding, they should not do that.

I really do hope they do a major rehab soon, what really needs work is the audio. It's sad how bad it sounds now.
 
no2apprentice

no2apprentice

Well-Known Member
PeterAlt said:
I see they went ahead with a similar upgrade for Its a Small World.
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I haven't had much time to keep up with the forums lately. Did I miss something? I thought IASW was getting a very major rehab to fix everything that was broken, falling, peeling, or warped...but not an upgrade. :confused:
 
NemoRocks78

NemoRocks78

Seized
Premium Member
StevenT said:
So why don't they put in a Johnny Depp AA? :lol: Just kidding, they should not do that.
Click to expand...

Would anyone oppose a Keira Knightley AA? :lol:

I thought IASW was getting a very major rehab to fix everything that was broken, falling, peeling, or warped...but not an upgrade.
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Upgrade, rehab....they all mean the same thing. :)

Even though I'm not a fan of our version of PotC, I'm all for a year-long rehab. But honestly, if any ride needs a major rehab....its HM. Sometime soon. It can't wait until next September for one (that is, if HM Holiday is going to happen).
 
G

General Grizz

New Member
Haunted Mansion was originally scheduled to have one of these IASW-style rehabs. . . but perhaps its dated state adds a little spookiness and magic to it. . . kinda like Space Mountain. ;)
 
PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
StevenT said:
So why don't they put in a Johnny Depp AA? :lol: Just kidding, they should not do that.

I really do hope they do a major rehab soon, what really needs work is the audio. It's sad how bad it sounds now.
Click to expand...

In addition to that, I've seen first hand what Disney could do with the latest AA technology for Pirates. What really impressed me about Anheim's version was the new AA figures they added. They didn't change out all the AA's, but a select few, and those that have the newer technology really stick out in my mind. For example, I can't get over how fluid and life-like their Auctioneer looks. In comparison, our AA's look so jagged and antiquated.

Updating our AA's and adding the sword battle scene I think will put our version on par with our west-coast counterpart. Yah, we won't have the added cave sequences, but we have the walk-through caves and the fort, which DL's does not have. But the addition of the sword battle scene will give our version a real dramatic "AWE!" that DL's version will still not have.
 
PeterAlt

PeterAlt

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
NemoRocks78 said:
Would anyone oppose a Keira Knightley AA? :lol:



Upgrade, rehab....they all mean the same thing. :)

Even though I'm not a fan of our version of PotC, I'm all for a year-long rehab. But honestly, if any ride needs a major rehab....its HM. Sometime soon. It can't wait until next September for one (that is, if HM Holiday is going to happen).
Click to expand...

Yeah, they are giving IASW a total redo... digital sound, new props, a brand new entryway which is more like DL's version, and I've even heard a new scene is being added (this last bit hasn't been verified).

As far as our version of PotC, our version really isn't that bad. True, it's much shorter than the Anheim version, and that we are still using 60's technology AA figures, some parts are done in much more detail and just look better, such as the scenes when the pirates raid the villages. We have dozens and dozens of additional AA figures in those scenes (mostly animals) and I think the fire effect is done better here.

As for HM, it will be upgraded, probably in the next fiscal year (it was originally scheduled for this year, from what I read). They have to upgrade things, such as the the sound system in order to get it ready for HM Holiday.
 
Djali999

Djali999

Active Member
Allow me to disagree. Haunted Mansion is actually looking very good these days -- better than it did through most of the 1990's -- with the current exception of a MIA singing bust (he fell off his pedestal; Glendale needs to send another) and some iffy audio.

By comparison, Pirates is a mess. The figures are jerky, the lighting is getting haphazard, and a lot of the shortcuts Imagineers took to get the thing in on time and under budget are getting more and more obvious as each year goes on. My vote is for Pirates. And although in my opinion no amount of work will bring us up to being on par with the excellence of the Disneyland original, I can think of a dozen-odd things that would help.

As far as having more animals in our Pirates scenes: I don't think this is true. I think you're thinking of the auction, but the layout of the farm animals in both versions is exactly the same. If anything, DL currently has *more* figures than we do with the addition of two new scenes to the former "chasing women" set almost 10 years ago.

And I'm sorry, I think the raid scenes is where our version begins to most notably pale next to DL's version. Just check out our burning town and notice how much of ours is obviously painted-on details, and how much of Disneyland's comparable scene is actual materials. This is most obvious with rockwork and wooden doors. We also have about half of the "burning embers" effects we should have to sell the fire effect.

So yeah. I think Pirates is in desperate need of a major refurbishment, followed by Mansion. I can tell you that a Mansion refurbishment is planned, including a major upgrade of all the projected effects and the relocation of all the sound system apparatus to the same show building on new digital repeaters rather than the old analog transmitters we still use.
 
MartyMouse

MartyMouse

New Member
Pirates of the Caribbean will defiantly get the rehab before Haunted Mansion, why? Did you see the Haunted Mansion movie; it made me never want to ride that ride ever again. I can’t wait for the Eddie Murphy Animatronic – grrr.

However the best Pirates ride is the one a DLP, beyond the superior ride technology the themed area all around it puts ours to shame, except that we have an Aladdin ride just a short walk away, wait a minute – that’s a bad thing isn’t it?
 
Djali999

Djali999

Active Member
I like the Flying Carpets. :fork:

The DLP version is fascinating, but I still perfer Disneyland's, which I think is brilliant.

And I'm not talking about the broken singing bust, I'm talking about the one that is *not there*. At all. Farthest on the right. He's been gone since early June.
 
Chape19714

Chape19714

Well-Known Member
I would say, to move things along for the 50th, each land pick a ride to be re-done, and then, by the time the 50th comes, everything will be sparkling new. Start tomorrow. lol. It would move things along. it may mean lots of things are down for this fall, but the park would be in top shape for the upcoming celebration, that will bring much attention to all the Disney Theme Parks. So...here's my list...

Adventureland=PotC (keep JC on the scedule)

Fronterland=CBJ (now major changes, just a paint job, don't get worried grizz :lol: )

Liberty Square=HM, new seats for HoP (they aren't comfy anymore)

Fantasyland=PPF. IASM is being done, and SW just got done. Pooh is pretty new, MTP just needs a paint job and oil-down.

Toontown=Paint job for everything.

Tomorrowland=CoP & Timekeeper & a oil-ing and paint job for Space. Astro is on the agenda, and the TTA just needs some paint.

ok...so that's my opinion. The paint stuff could just be done after hours.

POTC before the mansion! But both need it!
 
MartyMouse

MartyMouse

New Member
Djali999 said:
I like the Flying Carpets.

The DLP version is fascinating, but I still perfer Disneyland's, which I think is brilliant.
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I like the Flying Carpets too, I just don’t like where they are.

The one thing I don’t get with the Disneyland Pirates, is the story, how do you get from New Orleans to the Caribbean? I love the Bayou theme with the restaurant and all, but what the heck dose that have to do with the Caribbean??
 

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