Pirates Restaurant?

[NoChesterHester]

I may get slammed for this, but I did a search and didn't find a discussion already related to it.

This morning on Twitter someone posted that they heard rumblings that the El Pirata y El Perico refurb is intended to turn the often closed food service location into a Pirates of the Caribbean restaurant. Supposedly it would open in time for Pirates 4 release (Summer 2011).

Personally, unless this was already well underway I don't see that timetable being feasible.

Anyone heard of this? Any sea legs to it?

This could be a great use of the space and make a new "attraction" type dining establishment on that end of the park. Needed if you ask me.

 

[Brandon.]

I have no idea if that is what they are intending to do but last week I got excited because that was the first time I've seen the restaurant look like it might be open or would be soon. I was upset the last 3 visits it's been closed

 

[SeaCastle]

El Pirata is currently undergoing a facade refurbishment. Thus, it recently received a paint job, and is still awaiting its new roof (if it hasn't already). The rumor of turning it into a Pirate/Tortuga restaurant have been around for a long time, and I understand that there were plans to turn the old Adventureland Veranda into a pirate-restaurant-meet-and-greet.

I believe there would have to be significant changes to the interior of El Pirata to turn it into a restaurant. Currently, it's a seasonal quick service location featuring Mexican food. They'd have to change a lot to make it into a full-blown restaurant, especially since it's connected to Pecos Bill's (and may even have a shared kitchen). I'm not sure there's even enough room to transform it into a restaurant, but I could be wrong.

 

[menamechris]

As you guys probably already know, they only open that restaurant during busy times of the year (same as the Noodle station and Diamond Horsehose). Last time it was open was during Christmas season this last year; Thanksgiving and 4th of July before that. This is the first I have heard about it turning into anything. I don't know how that would benefit Disney since they seem to have it figured out that its a waste of money to have it open except during peak seasons. It's a good rumor, just doesn't seem to make much sense...

 

[Victor Kelly]

It has been closed 90% of the 40 trips I have taken to WDW. The Adventureland Veranda has been closed since the early 1990's, and the deck only serves as a meet and greet.

Noodle station was better off as is used to be selling pizza at least then it was always open.

 

[ToTBellHop]

As you guys probably already know, they only open that restaurant during busy times of the year (same as the Noodle station and Diamond Horsehose). Last time it was open was during Christmas season this last year; Thanksgiving and 4th of July before that. This is the first I have heard about it turning into anything. I don't know how that would benefit Disney since they seem to have it figured out that its a waste of money to have it open except during peak seasons. It's a good rumor, just doesn't seem to make much sense...

You don't know how a sit-down in the MK would benefit Disney? Have you been to the Crystal Palace? They make a killing! Character buffets make a fortune for Disney. You can charge $30/person for dinner and most people are in and out within an hour (especially in a theme park, where there are rides to get to)! The decision to not make the pirate meal, thus far, has been due to an unwillingness to invest money upfront for the transition, even though they would EASILY recoup that money. Just another impact of the short-sighted vision that plagues TDO nowadays.

 

[JimboJones123]

You don't know how a sit-down in the MK would benefit Disney? Have you been to the Crystal Palace? They make a killing! Character buffets make a fortune for Disney. You can charge $30/person for dinner and most people are in and out within an hour (especially in a theme park, where there are rides to get to)! The decision to not make the pirate meal, thus far, has been due to an unwillingness to invest money upfront for the transition, even though they would EASILY recoup that money. Just another impact of the short-sighted vision that plagues TDO nowadays.

I agree 100%. There is NEVER a day when Crystal Palace isn't booked. Same with Cindy's Royal Table.

Liberty Tree and Tony's leave tables empty daily, but that is due to lack of effort theming these venues. They could easily be sell outs as well.

The only reason I see NOT to convert would be because it would leave a few more tables empty at the other venues. But, Epcot doesn't stop opening TS with Via Napoli opening a few months ago.

Seems like they could upgrade many CS guests to a great $100 family meal with little effort. This would be a different demographic than Be Our Guest as well. Besides, if FLE adds 5-10k guests a day, they would need 2 more TS anyways.

 

[wolf359]

I think Adventureland Veranda would be the best (perhaps only) choice for a full-blown pirate character dining location, and since I can't imagine any way it wouldn't be succesful, I'm really surprised this hasn't happened yet.

Because of its size and aformentioned kitchen issues I just don't see El Pirata y El Perico becoming a full time table service restaurant, but if they added some Jack Sparrow-centric theming and better publicity I would imagine it would be at least popular enough to return it to daily operation.

 

[EPCOT.nut]

Oh, I can only imagine if they milked the Jack Sparrow character they'd have a successful TS. There's so much princess stuff around, anyone with little boys would be happy to have the pirate dining theme!

 

[NoChesterHester]

Oh, I can only imagine if they milked the Jack Sparrow character they'd have a successful TS. There's so much princess stuff around, anyone with little boys would be happy to have the pirate dining theme!

I sure would love if this rumor had any truth, even if it were a long term plan.

I'm sure there are logistic issues, such as the kitchen and lack of seating, but there may be a solution with swallowing up some adjacent real estate.

I can't imagine a pirate character restaurant not being a MONSTER hit. I know our family would be first in line.

 

[EPCOT.nut]

I sure would love if this rumor had any truth, even if it were a long term plan.

I'm sure there are logistic issues, such as the kitchen and lack of seating, but there may be a solution with swallowing up some adjacent real estate.

I can't imagine a pirate character restaurant not being a MONSTER hit. I know our family would be first in line.

HAHA! These threads always go from excited musings to LOGISTICS. :lol::lol::lol:
I may not be able to chime in about the floor plan of the existing structure, but I can speak for people I know who would eat up the Jack Sparrow theme.

 

[Goofnut1980]

I have never seen that restaurant open in my 29 trips.. But, why couldn't they turn the Noodle Station into a character dinning experience with Buzz, Woody, Stitch, Space Mickey and Space Goofy (the ones they used to have at Mission Space. It could easily be done... just don't allow it as a pass thru. Make it glass windows with prime seating for wishes... they need another full service character dinning in MK. But it needs to have good food like the restaurants in Epcot!

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I agree 100%. There is NEVER a day when Crystal Palace isn't booked. Same with Cindy's Royal Table.

Liberty Tree and Tony's leave tables empty daily, but that is due to lack of effort theming these venues. They could easily be sell outs as well.

The only reason I see NOT to convert would be because it would leave a few more tables empty at the other venues. But, Epcot doesn't stop opening TS with Via Napoli opening a few months ago.

Seems like they could upgrade many CS guests to a great $100 family meal with little effort. This would be a different demographic than Be Our Guest as well. Besides, if FLE adds 5-10k guests a day, they would need 2 more TS anyways.

I think Tony's has more to do with the barely passable attempt at Italian food than anything else. But Liberty Tree was VERY popular when they were doing the character dining there...still not quite sure why they felt removing it was so necessary.

 

[JustInTime]

It's been a rumor for years. I'd love it.

 

[sbkline]

I don't think it's a fair comparison to say that a table service restaraunt in that building wouldn't succeed just because the current counter service venue is so unpopular. There are many counter service places to choose from at the Magic Kingdom, but only 4 Table Service restaraunts, and I think a Pirate themed character restaraunt (or, any table service restaraunt, really, characters or no characters) would really do well. You can't really say that a TS restaraunt there wouldn't succeed just because the current counter service restaraunt fares so poorly.

And as a sidenote, count me in favor of NOT having a POTC 4 movie. Perhaps I'm in the minority here, but I thought the first movie was really good, but should have been left as a standalone and call it quits after that. The 2nd movie was mediocre and the 3rd sucked. All in my ever so humble opinion of course.

I just think alot of movie franchises have turned into the poor, proverbial dead horse that keeps getting beaten, rather than having sympathy on the poor thing and just burying it. By that I mean that they keep on coming up with sequel after sequel and each one sucks worse than the one before it. And I think POTC is one such example.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I don't think it's a fair comparison to say that a table service restaraunt in that building wouldn't succeed just because the current counter service venue is so unpopular. There are many counter service places to choose from at the Magic Kingdom, but only 4 Table Service restaraunts, and I think a Pirate themed character restaraunt (or, any table service restaraunt, really, characters or no characters) would really do well. You can't really say that a TS restaraunt there wouldn't succeed just because the current counter service restaraunt fares so poorly.

And as a sidenote, count me in favor of NOT having a POTC 4 movie. Perhaps I'm in the minority here, but I thought the first movie was really good, but should have been left as a standalone and call it quits after that. The 2nd movie was mediocre and the 3rd sucked. All in my ever so humble opinion of course.

I just think alot of movie franchises have turned into the poor, proverbial dead horse that keeps getting beaten, rather than having sympathy on the poor thing and just burying it. By that I mean that they keep on coming up with sequel after sequel and each one sucks worse than the one before it. And I think POTC is one such example.

Agree wholeheartedly. A TS area in adventureland might be extremely popular.

I was actually just posting on my site about taking the torched Tiki Room and perhaps turning the space into that restaurant that Walt imagined it might be.

And I would much prefer it to another Pirates themed anything. Just a thought.

 

[wolf359]

Whenever this topic pops up it always reminds me how surprised I am that Disney hasn't jumped all over the chance to bring the Pirates popularity to the parks in a way that really brings in money. They certainly don't seem afraid to synergize the hell out of other less successful properties all over the parks, and yet here is a bonafide powerhouse that is a 100% Disney original property and yet...nothing big ever happened.

Pirates is a huge property for Disney, to the tune of over two-and-a-half billion dollars in worldwide ticket sales alone. Yet to capitalize on that they only added three Johnny Depp animatronics to the attraction?

I appreciate the restraint they showed in adding new things to a classic attraction, but there is a whole lot of room outside those walls that is a lot less sacred and ripe for an influx of pirate goodness. If Disney had acted more quickly when the first films were hot it could have been the big preemptive strike against Potter everyone had hoped for.

In fact, had Disney pulled a trick out of Universal's playbook they could have turned all of Adventureland into Pirateland! Obviously the Pirateland Veranda would host the character meal, but people would be lining up to see the Enchanted Tiki Room "Under REALLY New Management," take a ride on the Pirate Cruise, and climb the steps of Will Turner's Treehouse before reaching the classic headlining Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.

Sadly, Aladdin's Magic Carpets would remain exactly where they are, still incredibly out of place in the middle of Pirateland, just because if Disney got away with that boneheaded idea the first time, why wouldn't they try to pull it off again?

 

[Mimi]

I think Tony's has more to do with the barely passable attempt at Italian food than anything else.

I completely agree. We've tried it a few times but just do not like the food. I love the decor at Tony's and I really miss having breakfast there.

I think MK desperately needs more TS options. The greasy hamburgers get a little old.

 

[1disneydood]

I don't see why they didn't do this back in 05. Captain Jack IS their #1 cash cow. Jack's popularity beats any other Disney Character. Don't blame the messenger. The purists may not like that statement, but thet dosen't make it not true, savvy? They all, well 99.999%, LOVE Jack.
http://members..net/nolasparrow/kttctag2.jpg

 

[cymbaldiva]

I think Tony's has more to do with the barely passable attempt at Italian food than anything else. But Liberty Tree was VERY popular when they were doing the character dining there...still not quite sure why they felt removing it was so necessary.

My guess on that is that the powers that be thought it wasn't necessary...so few table service spots in MK ~ why spend the extra bucks on the characters? The restaurant will be full anyway.

I don't think it's a fair comparison to say that a table service restaraunt in that building wouldn't succeed just because the current counter service venue is so unpopular. There are many counter service places to choose from at the Magic Kingdom, but only 4 Table Service restaraunts, and I think a Pirate themed character restaraunt (or, any table service restaraunt, really, characters or no characters) would really do well. You can't really say that a TS restaraunt there wouldn't succeed just because the current counter service restaraunt fares so poorly.

And as a sidenote, count me in favor of NOT having a POTC 4 movie. Perhaps I'm in the minority here, but I thought the first movie was really good, but should have been left as a standalone and call it quits after that. The 2nd movie was mediocre and the 3rd sucked. All in my ever so humble opinion of course.

I just think alot of movie franchises have turned into the poor, proverbial dead horse that keeps getting beaten, rather than having sympathy on the poor thing and just burying it. By that I mean that they keep on coming up with sequel after sequel and each one sucks worse than the one before it. And I think POTC is one such example.

I do think that a Pirate themed restaurant will do extremely well. I have to disagree with you on the films though ~ the 3rd is my absolute hands down favorite. The trailer for the 4th looks promising too; can't wait to see it!

I don't see why they didn't do this back in 05. Captain Jack IS their #1 cash cow. Jack's popularity beats any other Disney Character. Don't blame the messenger. The purists may not like that statement, but thet dosen't make it not true, savvy? They all, well 99.999%, LOVE Jack.
http://members..net/nolasparrow/kttctag2.jpg

Agreed - amazed that Disney hasn't done more to capitalize on the character. I love that Captain Jack was added into the POTC attraction; why not do something to actually bump attendance and bring in more $$ with him?