Detailed Pirates Updates *SPOILERS*

disneydata

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
So now that the ride has soft-opened, I can post very detailed changes made to the ride. I will probably miss some stuff here and there, but I will get to everything I remember.


*SPOILER ALERT*
Properly warned ye be says I ... there be ride spoilers ahead. If ye not want to see, do not proceed!
*SPOILER ALERT*


First off, there are new signs out front. The main sign is on the mast of a ship and there are a few others. ISTCrew20 first posted the pics here and XSTech posted some newer ones here. The outside plaza has been repainted and antiqued including all the chains, stanchions, and pillars. You can now hear Pirates movie music (which they just got working today), but only in the plaza. Above the main doors, there is a banner with the words "Yo ho, yo ho, a Pirates' life for me!" which XSTech posted a pictureto in the above post. Entering the indoor queue, you go through photocell counters - the turnstyles have been replaced. I unfortunately don't have a picture of them, but they are sculpted of "rock" and made to look like part of the fort. The queue is mostly the same with plenty of repainting. You can still hear the original Pirates overture just like before.

The loading area, as well as mush of the ride, is now much darker than before. Aside from the overture heard from the queue in the distance, all you hear is a slow, errie version of "Yo ho" as well as the familliar "Dead men tell no tales" echoing in the caverns ahead. There are a few extra boxes and barrels on the docks and the ship has been spruced up to look better. The load spiel has changed slightly, with only two small changes. At the end, the guy says "Prepare to make sail!" where he used to say "Now, off with ya." The other change is the very first line of the Spanish version, which I have no idea what it is translated.

Once you head into the ride, you turn the corner to see the waterfalls with a ghostly apparition of Davey Jones. The fog looks just like a screen in front of you and when Davey is not present, it just looks like shimmering water. He says three different lines: 1.If ye be brave or fool enough to face the pirates' curse, proceed. 2. Aye, but they DO tell tales. So says I, Davey Jones. 3. Ha ha ha! and tales there be a plenty in this cursed place. Once past DJ, you only hear seagulls as you approach the drop. Yes, the skull and crossbones warning has been completely removed, so there is no warning of the drop.

After the drop, you immeaditely begin to hear the Pirates movie battle music as you begin to see the misty Wicked Wench captained by Barbossa. Some say he could look better, and yes they are working on him, but the likeness is very good. The cannons now fire smoke and compressed air and the water canons shoot twice as high. You can hear cannon fire coming from left and right from new speakers. There are some new phrases shouted from the fort and Barbossa keeps wanting to find Jack Sparrow. The mayor in the well is still there, but noe the captain is trying to find out where Jack Sparrow is. The captain's movements are more grandiose and fluent than ever before, as with most of the figures. You see Jack just past them hiding in a dress shop facade. This figure, IMHO, is the most realistic and best looking. When I saw him for the first time over a week ago, I had to do a double-take.

The auction is still taking place, and other than a new dress and face for the red head, nothing has changed much there. You see the next Jack in the chase area, hiding in the barrel where the girl used to be. The pirate is now sitting on a box and holds a key in his hand - they key to the treasure that Jack is looking for. He has a map at his side which looks like the one that was on the construction wall outside. As you approach Old Bill (the guy trying to get the cats to drink), you begin to hear the familliar "Yo ho" song as you get near the city that's on fire.

The fire effects have been enhanced. Many of the scrims have been replaced or upgraded, and new speakers and subwoofers make the fire sounds very realistic. There are more eye patches that there used to be (I have no idea why lol). Yes, the hairy-leg pirate is still there drinking with the parrot. The dungeon is almost the same, but with the new fire effect and more random props strewn about. If you look off to the left before the treasure room, the armory has been moved to just after the treasure room on the platform.

The treasure room is completly redone. The door now has the same key in it that you see in the pirate's hand earlier. Jack is sitting on a throne holding a wine goblet and a piece of treasure with a parrot next to him. He rocks forward and back and sings snippets of the Yo Ho song along with the attraction music. There is new treasure all over including gold bars, chests, and piles of gold. His audio loop is very long, at least a few minutes. In the unload area, the painted lines have been replaced with tile and the hand rails have been shortened. The console has been moved near the ramp making the area look much more open. You can still hear the Pirates overture and the two pirates warning you about the ramp just as before. The ramp now has painted feet made to look like a peg-leg pirate is waling up it.

Overall, this rehab has been very good to this ride. It's given it a nice refresher, but not completely lost the original. I definitely enjoy it every time I get to ride. That's all I can remember off the top of my head and like I said I'm sure I've missed some things. To those of you lucky enough to ride, let me know what I forgot! :wave: Also, if you have any questions, I can do my best to answer them.
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notnothin

Active Member
That sounds wonderful! Man oh man, December is feeling even farther away now ... Thanks for sharing your experience!
 

dxwwf3

Well-Known Member
STR8FAN2005 said:
I won't give it longer than 5 total years of operation before it is either "seasonal" or closed.

We'll see. It's not secret that attractions featuring a popular character have a longer leash than original WDW attractions.

Let's put it this way, I hope you're right :)
 

CaptainMichael

Well-Known Member
dxwwf3 said:
We'll see. It's not secret that attractions featuring a popular character have a longer leash than original WDW attractions.
Yes, but if there are no lines....The attraction could definitely be helped with a "re-working". All it needs is a better storyline, animation, and special effects...
 

dxwwf3

Well-Known Member
STR8FAN2005 said:
Yes, but if there are no lines....

We'll lines are few and far between right now.

STR8FAN2005 said:
The attraction could definitely be helped with a "re-working". All it needs is a better storyline, animation, and special effects...

It has already been reworked to death. That setup is not condusive to a family friendly attraction. I've been screaming that ever since the rumor of a Stitch takeover started up. It is time to start completely from scratch, IMO.
 

disneydata

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
iheartdisney91 said:
OK thanks a bunch!:wave: now you have me all sorts of excited!:sohappy:
so the walk way is even more darker? i hope i dont fall like i did in the mansion! LOL
The queue is the same lighting, just gets darker as you enter the loading area.
 

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