Major 2015 Pirates of the Caribbean Refurbishment Watch/Rumor.

[Cesar R M]

As much as I like Walt's old ideas, almost 4 generations have passed since that was introduced. Still was entertaining, however, young people could not relate and Jack Sparrow made it current again. Was it needed? Don't know, probably not. Did it hurt anything? Not that I can see, but, it did pump new life into a very old attraction. I don't see where it did any harm. Remember that Jack Sparrow IS a Disney character that looks suspiciously like a Hollywood actor. Suspension of disbelief is your friend in a fantasy theme park.

The problem here, is the animatronic quality.
You have comical and funny characters.. then out of nowhere.. you get a super realistic Johnny Depp faced Jack Sparrow.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to visit Disneyland Paris a couple of times as a child. Their Pirates is brilliant, it takes the best parts of both US versions and enhances them in logical ways respectful to the original ride. The scenes are in a different order, kind of occurring in reverse order (prison is near the beginning and the caves at the end), but i'm actually a big fan of the way they're laid out and the imagineers really did a fantastic job. The ride is a masterpiece, and it also has a fantastic queue and a great facade and buildup (including the skull rock and pirate ship parked across the entrance).

 

[bcoachable]

For those that have visited this attraction numerous times... In the battle scene, as the cannons fire at you from the ship, did they ever in the past, blast water in your direction? I am not talking about the splash after the cannon, but the actual cannon itself...

Edit: re-word for clarity

 

[Goofyernmost]

The problem here is the animatronic quality.
You have comical and funny characters.. then out of nowhere.. you get a super realistic Johnny Depp faced Jack Sparrow.

Yea, I understand that it is different, what I don't understand is why it's a problem. It's a very well done AA and is enjoyable to see. It's harder to understand the enjoyment of seeing the caricature AA's in the rest of the ride, but, I try not to overthink my fantasy experiences.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Yea, I understand that it is different, what I don't understand is why it's a problem. It's a very well done AA and is enjoyable to see. It's harder to understand the enjoyment of seeing the caricature AA's in the rest of the ride, but, I try not to overthink my fantasy experiences.

Self contained the figure is great from both a tech sense and even design sense. In a ride with more realistic characters it would look fantastic, like what I would assume they're building for Shanghai.

But the original ride is not like that. Marc Davis' characters invoke a more lighthearted style, and most of the scene events themselves are built around that style. At least past the caves (but even the additional skeleton scenes missing from WDW but present at DL have a morbid sense humor to them). The town scenes would seem much more disturbing and inappropriate with realistic designs, particularly the bride auction which a very small (but noisy and obnoxious) minority of overly PC people already complain about. Jack would perhaps be okay with just his cameo at the end of the ride away from the other scenes (and I have less of a problem with that scene because of those reasons), but not throughout the entire ride and overtaking the primary story. It's more absurd to want to change all the characters designs to match the movie, which would just give people even more reason to complain (rightfully so).

I don't know why it would surprise you that people enjoy those designs. Then again I also recall you saying you hate the Grand Floridian's (and Epcot resorts) exterior trim lighting, complaining that it was "outdated and tacky" (in spite of the intended inspirations necessitating such lighting) and are glad it's broken. And you also praised the absence of the Great Movie Ride's spires on the facade prior to their reinstallation, hoping they remained gone (again even though again the original inspiration has those same spires, thank goodness they're back now).

 

[IMFearless]

The obvious thing would have been to maintain and keep the original POTC as built, but to add an additional new Pirates themed ride, not necessarily even a boat ride which could centre around the characters from the film and aspects of the plots.

I think the difficulty comes from the marriage of old and new. For me none of the additions are particularly offensive perhaps with the exception of the smoke screen.

I always felt the initial dark/quiet portion of the ride acted as the calm before the storm so to speak, for me this has always been a great way to gradually build up the ride and I think it works well. Without the closed in cavern, dark and quiet scenes, the impressive reveal of the initial show building scene would not be nearly as impressive. I think it is the contrast between the two that make it work.

 

[Bocabear]

For those that have visited this attraction numerous times... In the battle scene, as the cannons fire at you from the ship, did they ever in the past, blast water in your direction? I am not talking about the splash after the cannon, but the actual cannon itself...

Edit: re-word for clarity

no...it was always just the splash of the cannon ball hitting the water, but never shot water at you.

 

[fngoofy]

So then the first 3 minutes of the ride in a cavern where you are not in the action, do what exactly?...

I think a lot of people miss the setup the queue tells.
1) You enter the fort which is under siege/protecting the town (used to be canon sounds coming from the outside, top of the fort.)
2) You walk through the different rooms of the fort, working your way down to the lower levels that are built into the rock and have access to caves and a stream leading to the ocean.
3) You board your boat, as an escape from the fort, you look to your left out an opening in the rocks and see the Pirate ship that the fort was shooting at attacking the port town.
4) You move through the caves, see some spooky scenes and go down the waterfall to the port town you just saw from up in the fort
5) The rest of the ride takes you through the town under siege.

 

[Bocabear]

I don't get that the fort is under siege at all...the setting is so static... A background track of distant cannon fire and shouting in the load area would make this more evident...Also the ship in the distant could be firing her cannons rather than placidly waiting offshore...That would actually add some excitement to the setup...almost like you are taking escape boats out of the fort...

 

[JoeCamel]

I think a lot of people miss the setup the queue tells.
1) You enter the fort which is under siege/protecting the town (used to be canon sounds coming from the outside, top of the fort.)
2) You walk through the different rooms of the fort, working your way down to the lower levels that are built into the rock and have access to caves and a stream leading to the ocean.
3) You board your boat, as an escape from the fort, you look to your left out an opening in the rocks and see the Pirate ship that the fort was shooting at attacking the port town.
4) You move through the caves, see some spooky scenes and go down the waterfall to the port town you just saw from up in the fort
5) The rest of the ride takes you through the town under siege.

The cannon on the roof are still firing as the people play the treasure hunt game.

 

[Bairstow]

I don't get that the fort is under siege at all...the setting is so static... A background track of distant cannon fire and shouting in the load area would make this more evident...Also the ship in the distant could be firing her cannons rather than placidly waiting offshore...That would actually add some excitement to the setup...almost like you are taking escape boats out of the fort...

It's there, actually. Or was.
Go to 1:03 in this video. You can hear a captain of the fortress yelling something like, "Pirates! They're coming from the sea! Sound the alarm!" and then a bugle sound To Arms.

 

[RandySavage]

It is a lot brighter than it used to be years ago...which detracts from the mood...The light fixtures and lanterns throughout the Queue used to flicker like torchlight... Now it is visible light bulbs...Some nice props, a visible ceiling where it is supposed to be sky... Nice...but not as good as it could be...and not as nice as it used to be...

This just bums me out.

 

[WildcatDen]

If anything it's more T&A time.

I am thinking that this does not mean what I think it means? Or is that like "Pirates After Dark"?

 

[ToTBellHop]

I am thinking that this does not mean what I think it means? Or is that like "Pirates After Dark"?

What do you think is implied between the Buy a Bride scene and the city-on-fire scene?

 

[WildcatDen]

What do you think is implied between the Buy a Bride scene and the city-on-fire scene?

That the redhead is truly a soul less ginger and after being sold, she brought about fire and destruction?

Now, before anyone gets me wrong, I too am a ginger, hua ha ha ha ha. . .

 

[ToTBellHop]

That the redhead is truly a soul less ginger and after being sold, she brought about fire and destruction?

Now, before anyone gets me wrong, I too am a ginger, hua ha ha ha ha. . .

 

[MotherOfBirds]

Self contained the figure is great from both a tech sense and even design sense. In a ride with more realistic characters it would look fantastic, like what I would assume they're building for Shanghai..

Like this guy right here:

I don't care too much for the 2nd and 3rd movies, but you've gotta admit that these character designs are pretty great and are going to make a smashing attraction.

 

[misterID]

Because the night is dark and full of terrors.

 

[Bartattack]

Like this guy right here:

I don't care too much for the 2nd and 3rd movies, but you've gotta admit that these character designs are pretty great and are going to make a smashing attraction.

Didn't notice it before, but it looks (at the end of the video) that you're gonna go through the (hole in the) boat. Looks amazing.

 

[lazyboy97o]

As much as I like Walt's old ideas, almost 4 generations have passed since that was introduced. Still was entertaining, however, young people could not relate and Jack Sparrow made it current again. Was it needed? Don't know, probably not. Did it hurt anything? Not that I can see, but, it did pump new life into a very old attraction. I don't see where it did any harm. Remember that Jack Sparrow IS a Disney character that looks suspiciously like a Hollywood actor. Suspension of disbelief is your friend in a fantasy theme park.

There was never any issue with being relative. The attraction was never some forgotten relic. And suspension of disbelief is not just doing whatever.