Has wdw gone to far with the pirates?

[reactiondaction]

I just wanted to know peoples opinions on how much Walt Disney World is trying to incorporate Pirates into anything and everything that they can. I mean don't get me wrong, I loved the first movie and the sequel and it is great for Disney that they are a success but in my mind, adding captain jack sparrow to the theme of the classic ride may have even been taking it a little to far.

What are other peoples opinions?

 

[Jessie&Buzz]

I thought it was neat seeing him in the ride. My oldest niece loves him so it was the hightlight of the trip for her. I really think it added something to the ride. Of course it's always been a favorite at our house. We always hit it on the first day and the last day of every trip.

On another note, I'm glad they are promoting more boy things at WDW. My son was starting to get Princessed (if that's a word) out. He loved seeing the pirates. He's only 3 but knows that the Princesses are for girls. He did like Cinderella since he's had a thing for her from about 5 months on but he didn't like any of the other ones.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I do not think they are going over board. The upgrades were done so tastefully that they didn't spoil the original feel of the ride. What they REALLY need is a new sound system for the atrtraction and it would really be going well in Adventureland...

 

[cmatt]

nope - but they need to make the drop faster and steeper

 

[Master Yoda]

I don't think it has gone overboard (pun intended)at all especially when compared to the Stitch marketing blitzkreeg we were forced to endure.

The movies are an undeniable success. Dead Man's Chest currently holds 19 box office sales records. It is pretty safe to assume that DVD sales will shatter a few records as well. It is also safe to assume that World's End will probably snatch all 19 of the records Dead Man's Chest currently holds.

So far everything they have done with the attraction, face characters and merchandise have been very well done.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I would have thought that a Pirate was actualy pretty representative of Disneys core activity of making guets part with their valuables

 

[cmatt]

I would have thought that a Pirate was actualy pretty representative of Disneys core activity of making guets part with their valuables

:lol:

 

[JimboJones123]

I just wish it was more than just Princesses and Pirates. It's gotten to the point that every piece of everything has both on it. I guess Pioneers and Frontiersmen were the focus in the 50's/60's at DL. Something new will come along in the next few years. Remember when it was Dinosaurs after JP came out. Too bad the ride SUCKS compared to Indy.

 

[DisneySaint]

The incorporation of Jack into the ride didn't/doesn't bother me at all. I think it was a great, non-invasive way of making the original attraction even better. I wish they would continue to do little minor technological improvements to all the dated attractions in WDW.

 

[DisneyDragon]

And let's not forget, the Disney Marketing Machine has been getting Tink and da Gurls ready for the new wave. While I doubt the Princesses are going anywhere soon, the Fairies are being aimed at a different segment - older and edgier from what I've seen.

With Pirates, I doubt we're going to see them let up on it much. We've all heard that Pirates 4 is coming down the pipes (sans Orlando - 'bout time for him to die heroically), which means a few more years to milk it. Plus, pirate theming has been part of geek sub-culture for a while (hacking, Pirate vs Ninja, etc), and they can hold onto a trend for a long, long time (Star Trek...I rest my case.).

If Robinsons does well, how long do you think it will be before Tomorrowland is renamed to Todayland (a truly awesome pun if you ask me)? If Jungle Cruise does well in the box office, how long before that classic is overhauled?

Personally, I love Pirate theming and Disney is the first company to make a success of the genre in 50 years. It's fun, and honestly, it's a dive into seediness that Disney doesn't usually make. Here's hoping that Jack continues to be a drunken chum-bucket!!!

 

[Master Yoda]

And let's not forget, the Disney Marketing Machine has been getting Tink and da Gurls ready for the new wave. While I doubt the Princesses are going anywhere soon, the Fairies are being aimed at a different segment - older and edgier from what I've seen.

With Pirates, I doubt we're going to see them let up on it much. We've all heard that Pirates 4 is coming down the pipes (sans Orlando - 'bout time for him to die heroically), which means a few more years to milk it. Plus, pirate theming has been part of geek sub-culture for a while (hacking, Pirate vs Ninja, etc), and they can hold onto a trend for a long, long time (Star Trek...I rest my case.).
If Robinsons does well, how long do you think it will be before Tomorrowland is renamed to Todayland (a truly awesome pun if you ask me)? If Jungle Cruise does well in the box office, how long before that classic is overhauled?

Personally, I love Pirate theming and Disney is the first company to make a success of the genre in 50 years. It's fun, and honestly, it's a dive into seediness that Disney doesn't usually make. Here's hoping that Jack continues to be a drunken chum-bucket!!!

On an unrelated note I think this will be the final nail in the Star Trek franchise coffin.

Star Trek XI

 

[PX57chevy]

I thought it was neat seeing him in the ride. My oldest niece loves him so it was the hightlight of the trip for her. I really think it added something to the ride. Of course it's always been a favorite at our house. We always hit it on the first day and the last day of every trip.

On another note, I'm glad they are promoting more boy things at WDW. My son was starting to get Princessed (if that's a word) out. He loved seeing the pirates. He's only 3 but knows that the Princesses are for girls. He did like Cinderella since he's had a thing for her from about 5 months on but he didn't like any of the other ones.

I can't agree with you more...thanks for ruining the attraction by sticking life like characters in a ride with "cartoonish" type pirates.:brick:

It will probably be cramed down our throats like Stitch...

 

[donniedisney]

The movie is based on the ride, they should not change the ride to make it like the movie.

 

[reactiondaction]

I'm not referring to just the additions to the ride, I am referring to the waterparks, the add ons to the disney store in downtown disney and so on.

 

[PigletIsMyCat]

The movie was based on the ride, but the success of the movie really repopularized the ride. When I went to WDW for the first time in 2004, we walked on PotC numerous times. After 'Black Pearl' blew up at the box office, the lines were marginally longer. Although people were interested in the ride that inspired the movie, I think they identified more with the actual characters in the movie than with the whole idea of the movie itself. Once the addition of Jack Sparrow, the most popular and recognizable character from the movie, was complete in the PotC ride, a wait was much more common. Every time I have tried to ride PotC now, there is a wait. Most notably, in August of 2006, we were queued up under the covered area in front of PotC. Lots of us. There was a 40 minute wait for a ride that only months before never had more than a 10 minute wait.

PotC is one of the original rides at MK, and was based on an even older version at Disneyland. As much as we want Disney to be all about magic and pixie dust, first and foremost it is a business. Here is an amazing ride, popular and classic, well known around the world, that inspired a huge blockbuster movie that is now even more popular and well known around the world. Why not let the movie, in turn, inspire the ride and make it more popular and well known?

Also, I think it is great that they have found something for the guys. Most Disney characters are aimed at young children; the Princesses at tween and younger girls. 11 year old boys don't want to take pictures with Tigger and JoJo, they want PIRATES!!! ARRGH!! LONG LIVE THE DRUNKEN CHUM-BUCKET!!

 

[prspeppers]

I'll take pirates over pixar any day!

 

[donniedisney]

just because the line is short does not mean the ride is unpopular.

You rode it for the first time in 2004? where have you been?

Why dont we just put jack sparrow in the carousel of progress, would that make the ride more popular?

 

[AliciaLuvzDizne]

I just wish it was more than just Princesses and Pirates. It's gotten to the point that every piece of everything has both on it. I guess Pioneers and Frontiersmen were the focus in the 50's/60's at DL. Something new will come along in the next few years. Remember when it was Dinosaurs after JP came out. Too bad the ride SUCKS compared to Indy.

but thats what the kids go for
you cant believe how many pirate costumes there were for Mickey's not so Scary HP and you cant believe how many princesses you see walking around wdw daily.


and the Jack Sparrow face character appeals to ALL ages :lookaroun

 

[kucarachi]

Pirates Overboard

I dont know about overboard. But I do know compared to other Disney movies (not including Pixar) that in the last decade there is nothing really for them to latch onto. You can argue that Narnia is popular, but really those characters werent memorable by any means. I dont mind the Pirate upgrade i was disappointed they didnt change it more. You have all this excitement going on with the thrill ride like speeds of a small world. No offense to any of you nostalgia buffs but the old ride was well...like staring at a wooden plank. At least Jack gives you some comic relief...be it however small.

What they need to do is stop throwing out movies with the sole purpose of making money. We all know disney makes money..But you used to be able to name the big movies every year. Now you cant even tell the disney animated from anything you'd see on Nick Jr. Without pixar disney wouldnt even out draw sponge bob in the animated department. They need to stop dumbing down everything and make real honest to god movies again.

And what is it with almost every disney character not having both parents. Its always one or the other with no explanation. How can you be all about family when you never actually portray a traditional family.

 

[MickeyTigg]

I don't think that they've overdone it it....yet. I think that they need to be careful not to overexpose the franchise though.

Hey Alicia!

:wave: