Major 2015 Pirates of the Caribbean Refurbishment Watch/Rumor.

[Marlins1]

Space Mountain is the one that stands out on this list to me especially since LWTL and Soarin' are already scheduled for improvements. Space is a shell of what it used to be - and yet it is still fun because you just can't kill it.

 

[PirateJeffWDW]

Ex MK Pirates CM here.

The clouds have been present and switched on for several years now. The problem is two-fold. The boxes that generate the cloud projections are what we call ten-by-tens, meaning they cover an area ten foot square. The back of these have a very handy dimmer switch on them, and they aren't very tight, I'm afraid. Then 10x10s are some of the most reliable pieces of equipment in WDW, because Yale Gracey was amazing, so they don't get checked very often and the two projectors which create the clouds you speak of have been very dim for about 3-4 years now.

The other problem is that MK Pirates has never gotten a complete top to bottom lighting redesign. What's been operating in MK since 2006 has been a very quick patch job on the original 1973 lighting scheme. LED lights randomly co-exist with original theatrical lights and the whole thing is a huge mess running on 2 different systems.

As a result Pirates at MK has huge light leaks everywhere, and the result is that areas that are supposed to be in almost total darkness now have other lights leaking into them. This is due to the 2006 refurbishment which was a total botch. I don't mean artistically in terms of the Jack Sparrow stuff, although that's debatable, I mean there were teams trying to do work that others would undo... it was a huge mess. Anyway, the projectors have been up there grinding away this whole time but due to light leaks they've been all but invisible. Top of my wish list for this refurb is a totally re-thought lighting and sound grid. It would make a gigantic difference.

The rain effect you speak of has been operating intermittently. It's actually done with a disco ball. During one of the emergency refurbishments last year WDI was able to get all of equipment for the Hurricane Lagoon show scene refurbished and tuned up. After the refurb the rain was working great, and they even re-painted the lightning bolts! I haven't been on PotC much since then, so I can't speak for lately. If the rain effect is out for refurbishment, it could take a very long time for it to return. These devices are going on 45 years old and they're unique one of a kind analogue effects. When WED and MAPO were folded together in the late 80s a lot of Yale's original effect boxes were made essentially obsolete, so when they have to be serviced, often times parts must be manufactured to get them working again. They're really beautiful pieces of mechanical engineering.

Disneyland replaced nearly all of their Yale Pirates effect projections with digital projections back in 2006. I think they look lousy, but that's me. The few that still are original is the group of clouds above the chase scene, which are from back in 1967. They aren't housed in projector boxes like the MK clouds are, they're just a pocket spotlight shining through a rotating disc exactly like a Christmas tree light. Oh, and the clouds/moonlight effect in the Blue Bayou, that one dates back to the 1964 World's Fair.

Ex MK Pirate here, as well.
I remember before the 2006 refurb, there were no intrusion beams or alarms on doors, so we were all very familiar with the backstage layout and how all the effects worked. We took a lot of pride in understanding how to keep the "show" at a high standard, whether it meant going over to something and quickly resetting/adjusting it ourselves, or contacting engineering right away to have it addressed ASAP. Once the intrusion and door alarms went in, CMs working the attraction were discouraged from ever being anywhere inside the ride envelope and the level of knowledge of how the ride and its effects worked went way down. We used to do ride throughs to check for animation and lighting and stuff, but because the newer people aren't really encouraged to know what to look for or know how to spot problems, they mostly go unreported now. I've heard that lately doing a ride through isn't a normal part of a MK Pirate CM's day like it used to be, now only really happening if there is a suspected problem that needs to be seen. We actually used to be assigned to ride through and check things out and that would happen several times a day. It's just a shame that the current Pirates CM team doesn't get the hands on knowledge they used to, so things like the 10x10s or the rain disco football could stop working and not even be noticed for long periods of time.

 

[aladdin2007]

Ex MK Pirate here, as well.
I remember before the 2006 refurb, there were no intrusion beams or alarms on doors, so we were all very familiar with the backstage layout and how all the effects worked. We took a lot of pride in understanding how to keep the "show" at a high standard, whether it meant going over to something and quickly resetting/adjusting it ourselves, or contacting engineering right away to have it addressed ASAP. Once the intrusion and door alarms went in, CMs working the attraction were discouraged from ever being anywhere inside the ride envelope and the level of knowledge of how the ride and its effects worked went way down. We used to do ride throughs to check for animation and lighting and stuff, but because the newer people aren't really encouraged to know what to look for or know how to spot problems, they mostly go unreported now. I've heard that lately doing a ride through isn't a normal part of a MK Pirate CM's day like it used to be, now only really happening if there is a suspected problem that needs to be seen. We actually used to be assigned to ride through and check things out and that would happen several times a day. It's just a shame that the current Pirates CM team doesn't get the hands on knowledge they used to, so things like the 10x10s or the rain disco football could stop working and not even be noticed for long periods of time.

I believe it, now if you mention something to them they clearly dont care, or have no idea what you are talking about, or shrug it off and essentially yawn. its def not the Disney World I grew up in.

 

[FigmentsFangirl]

Ex MK Pirate here, as well.
I remember before the 2006 refurb, there were no intrusion beams or alarms on doors, so we were all very familiar with the backstage layout and how all the effects worked. We took a lot of pride in understanding how to keep the "show" at a high standard, whether it meant going over to something and quickly resetting/adjusting it ourselves, or contacting engineering right away to have it addressed ASAP. Once the intrusion and door alarms went in, CMs working the attraction were discouraged from ever being anywhere inside the ride envelope and the level of knowledge of how the ride and its effects worked went way down. We used to do ride throughs to check for animation and lighting and stuff, but because the newer people aren't really encouraged to know what to look for or know how to spot problems, they mostly go unreported now. I've heard that lately doing a ride through isn't a normal part of a MK Pirate CM's day like it used to be, now only really happening if there is a suspected problem that needs to be seen. We actually used to be assigned to ride through and check things out and that would happen several times a day. It's just a shame that the current Pirates CM team doesn't get the hands on knowledge they used to, so things like the 10x10s or the rain disco football could stop working and not even be noticed for long periods of time.

And I honestly miss this, seeing two CMs on any ride {Pirates or Living with the Land or even Spaceship Earth for examples} always meant the ride was in proper working order for me when I'd get on a bit later

 

[Cody5294]

Maybe they will finally get the mermaid effect right. It only works 50% of the time

 

[FigmentsFangirl]

Maybe they will finally get the mermaid effect right. It only works 50% of the time

Mermaid effect ? I know I've rode this many times, I've seen the projections, and the skeleton, but that's it. What effect do you mean ?

 

[Goofyernmost]

Lol...I find it hard to believe someone just turned off the effects switch...for 15 years...and no CM noticed it until this year?

I have a theory about it. When they switched over to Barbossa and Capt. Jack, the weather thing might have been thought of as a problem. If you recall the "Curse" caused them to become skeletons when the moon came out from behind the clouds. Maybe they thought that if someone were to notice that it would ruin the story. Yes, I know it sounds a little far fetched, but, there usually is a reason why things like that happen and many times it is for reasonable thought, other times it is overkill and still other times it's just plain ridiculous.

Or it could be thousands of other reasons... just guessing here.

 

[HMF]

I have a theory about it. When they switched over to Barbossa and Capt. Jack, the weather thing might have been thought of as a problem. If you recall the "Curse" caused them to become skeletons when the moon came out from behind the clouds. Maybe they thought that if someone were to notice that it would ruin the story. Yes, I know it sounds a little far fetched, but, there usually is a reason why things like that happen and many times it is for reasonable thought, other times it is overkill and still other times it's just plain ridiculous.

Or it could be thousands of other reasons... just guessing here.

The "Story" of the ride (If you would call it that) supposedly takes place before the curse.

 

[MotherOfBirds]

I seem to recall that there was a blue sky concept about ten years back in which potc would switch to a post-curse show at night. I would've liked to have seen that.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I seem to recall that there was a blue sky concept about ten years back in which potc would switch to a post-curse show at night. I would've liked to have seen that.

I believe Pirates of the Scaribbean was intended as a Disneyland exclusive.

 

[MotherOfBirds]

I believe Pirates of the Scaribbean was intended as a Disneyland exclusive.

Like everything else.

 

[Goofyernmost]

The "Story" of the ride (If you would call it that) supposedly takes place before the curse.

The story goes, from the movie, I believe, that Jack was the Captain of the Black Pearl until they mutinied deserted him on an island, leaving him for dead. They did not know he survived until after the curse was in place, so why would they have been pursuing him at a time previous to it?

But it is a small point, so I can accept that. It is such a small part of the ride to begin with that it really isn't important and as I said... it was just a WAG to begin with.

 

[HMF]

The story goes, from the movie, I believe, that Jack was the Captain of the Black Pearl until they mutinied deserted him on an island, leaving him for dead. They did not know he survived until after the curse was in place, so why would they have been pursuing him at a time previous to it?

But it is a small point, so I can accept that. It is such a small part of the ride to begin with that it really isn't important and as I said... it was just a WAG to begin with.

The plot holes in the current ride are numerous and I have posted on how little sense the changes make in the context of both the Ride and the movies extensively.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I believe Pirates of the Scaribbean was intended as a Disneyland exclusive.

Wouldn't that have been because there were no other Disney Parks when it was built in Disneyland.

The most accepted reason was because the Pirate story hit pretty close to home in Florida and that they thought that the east coast would not be receptive to it and would want a different, more mid-west western theme because it wasn't as familiar. If you look at the number of things that made their way to Florida, I don't think that they had exclusivity even cross their minds. It was more of an entertainment decision that they were wrong about. It's all you guys that are stuck on the "only in one park" idea that came up with the exclusive jargon. Those that can easily make there way to either coast just like to deprive those other folks of the opportunity to experience a good thing without having to go to California to do it. If they initially thought that something must stay just in California, WDW would never have been built to begin with.

 

[HMF]

Wouldn't that have been because there were no other Disney Parks when it was built in Disneyland.

The most accepted reason was because the Pirate story hit pretty close to home in Florida and that they thought that the east coast would not be receptive to it and would want a different, more mid-west western theme because it wasn't as familiar. If you look at the number of things that made their way to Florida, I don't think that they had exclusivity even cross their minds. It was more of an entertainment decision that they were wrong about. It's all you guys that are stuck on the "only in one park" idea that came up with the exclusive jargon. Those that can easily make there way to either coast just like to deprive those other folks of the opportunity to experience a good thing without having to go to California to do it. If they initially thought that something must stay just in California, WDW would never have been built to begin with.

This was a rumor from before the 06 refurb that they were going to build an alternate ride experience for nighttime at the Disneyland Pirates of the Caribbean.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Wouldn't that have been because there were no other Disney Parks when it was built in Disneyland.

The most accepted reason was because the Pirate story hit pretty close to home in Florida and that they thought that the east coast would not be receptive to it and would want a different, more mid-west western theme because it wasn't as familiar. If you look at the number of things that made their way to Florida, I don't think that they had exclusivity even cross their minds. It was more of an entertainment decision that they were wrong about. It's all you guys that are stuck on the "only in one park" idea that came up with the exclusive jargon. Those that can easily make there way to either coast just like to deprive those other folks of the opportunity to experience a good thing without having to go to California to do it. If they initially thought that something must stay just in California, WDW would never have been built to begin with.

"Pirates of the Scaribbean" was not a typo. It was a proposal to have a different night time version of the attraction that featured the cursed pirates from Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl.

 

[Goofyernmost]

The plot holes in the current ride are numerous and I have posted on how little sense the changes make in the context of both the Ride and the movies extensively.

Those minor changes (and believe me they were minor) never have nor ever intended to be the defining thing about the ride. It was just playing off the success of the movie and to plus the ride to make it a tad more relevant and recognizable to the people that loved the movie. I've ridden the ride before and after many times and never once did I feel that the mood of the ride ever changed due to the addition of those AA's. It just gave it something recognizable.

 

[HMF]

Those minor changes (and believe me they were minor) never have nor ever intended to be the defining thing about the ride. It was just playing off the success of the movie and to plus the ride to make it a tad more relevant and recognizable to the people that loved the movie. I've ridden the ride before and after many times and never once did I feel that the mood of the ride ever changed due to the addition of those AA's. It just gave it something recognizable.

The AA's I don't mind. What I do mind is how they altered the story of the ride to revolve around Jack.

 

[Goofyernmost]

"Pirates of the Scaribbean" was not a typo. It was a proposal to have a different night time version of the attraction that featured the cursed pirates from Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl.

Who said it was a typo... certainly not me. Are you responding to someone else?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Who said it was a typo... certainly not me. Are you responding to someone else?

Your whole response was on the development of the attraction in the 1960s and 1970s, completely unaware that Pirates of Scaribbean came decades later.