Ruined...POTC

PurpleDragon

PurpleDragon

Well-Known Member
cloudboy said:
Are you sure you people went on this more than 5 years ago? I remember standing in line a good hour plus for Pirates.
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That was probably because it was one of the following:

A.) A very hot day and people wanted an airconditioned break from the sun
B.) It was raining and people were broed so they decided to get on the nearest attraction
C.) It was Halloween or Christmas, during which time every single attraction in MK is close to an hour wait.

For the past 10+ years (prior to the upgrade)the attraction has basically been a walk on outside of the aforementioned circumstances above.

I'm sure back in the late 70s and early 80s it was still crowded because WDW MK was still a new park at that time. But none the less PoTC has almost always had the shortest line of all the attractions in MK until now.
 
AEfx

AEfx

Well-Known Member
imagineer boy said:
Um, its still the same thing as you mentioned. Just with Jack Sparrow thrown in. And what is this new story line you're reffering to? They didn't add in a new story line. Its the same ride with the same story just with Jack Sparrow.
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I think what some people have a problem with is "imagination".

It's the oddest thing, and just like Cloudboy I've seen others on other message boards lamenting about how the addition of Jack ruined the ride because they could no longer imagine themselves as "starring" in the ride.

Personally, I think if one has a good enough imagination, the few additions can be assimilated in any way one chooses. It just seems like an excuse to keep the place a museum, rather than an actual living, breathing ride. If you can't "imagine" around the three Captain Jack AA's, then maybe there is a ride over at Epcot that can give you a refresher on the topic. ;)

AEfx
 
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cloudboy

Well-Known Member
But all you see are three AAs. That's why I am saying I don't really think many of you really experienced the ride previously. It has nothing to do with the characters. IT has to do with the atmosphere. What is the story line now? Jack Sparrow takes over a pirate ship, his crew plunders the town and Jack tries to escape with the gold. That's the story line. Yeah, you can change the details, but that is it. Key dramatics and eerie music and lighting to enhance the effect.

Pirates USED to be completely different. You started out with the ship - were you on it? Attacking it? You were in a cave - were you stranded - are you escaping? Maybe you're the pirates! Down the waterfall, a Gun battle ensues - but it's not dramatic or dangerous - it's fun! It's happy swashbuckler! There was a rhythm, perhaps a little to drilled into the head. Now we are sailing through town. I was always one of the ones trying to sneak out with the treasure, but other people sometime thought they were a pirate, or were trying to escape the pirates. Were the townspeople helpless victims or crooks themselves - some of the townspeople didn't exactly look innocent themselves. Even more, it was filled with lots of scenes - little vignettes that you could reedit together at will. Finally you made it to the treasure room - did you find the treasure? Is it well hidden from the pirates perhaps, or have they finally gotten back what was stolen from them?

It's a different feel to the ride. Perhaps something we are no loner used to experiencing and don't know how to. But it was what made a Disney ride different from a casino. Let's face it - the casinos are doing just as good a job with the decorations end, and places like universal and such can do just as good a job with the storyline. What made Disney rides special were that they really knew how to involve you, and not just replay the movie.

The popularity of the movie will certainly mean popularity for this ride for a few more years. But once that goes, the ride will have nothing left to stand on.
 
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cloudboy

Well-Known Member
There never was a line outside the ride - because the queue took place in the building. You used to wind your way all around the building, unlike now which seems to be more direct. Fast pass changed it quite a bit, since no one was waiting there. I think they screwed it up a bit because we have noticed that fast pass times seem to be worse than standing in line. That ride was done very well for loading. Other than one or two years previous to the remodel, when all of Adventureland seemed to die, it was doing well. I still lay by that claim and say if you don't think so, show some figures where attendance was dying. It was simply a great marketing opportunity that they couldn't pass up to drive interest into the Pirates brand.
 
goofyfan13

goofyfan13

Well-Known Member
cloudboy said:
There never was a line outside the ride - because the queue took place in the building. You used to wind your way all around the building, unlike now which seems to be more direct. Fast pass changed it quite a bit, since no one was waiting there. I think they screwed it up a bit because we have noticed that fast pass times seem to be worse than standing in line. That ride was done very well for loading. Other than one or two years previous to the remodel, when all of Adventureland seemed to die, it was doing well. I still lay by that claim and say if you don't think so, show some figures where attendance was dying. It was simply a great marketing opportunity that they couldn't pass up to drive interest into the Pirates brand.
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Either I'm not reading your post right, or your pretty confused about the PotC line. It NEVER had Fastpass installed, ever. So Fastpass was never an issue for this ride.
 
AEfx

AEfx

Well-Known Member
goofyfan13 said:
Either I'm not reading your post right, or your pretty confused about the PotC line. It NEVER had Fastpass installed, ever. So Fastpass was never an issue for this ride.
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Yeah, the more cloudboy writes, the more I feel as if he is talking about a completely different attraction than the one I've known and loved all my life.

PotC never had a FP, as you state, and the internal line configuration hasn't changed. They just have both sides open much of the time now. Both sides, however, have always been there - I have a member of my family in a wheelchair and many times we would be escorted through the second line that wasn't in use and both sides remained operational, regardless of if they were using both queues for regular guests. The line is no more inside or outside than it ever was, they just have both sides open more often now.

The facts of the matter were, except on the busiest days when even Country Bears had a wait, PotC was a walk-on much of the time, even after the release of the first film. And as I'm sure someone in the know can confirm (Lee?), the amount of complaints from people that the ride had nothing to do with the film were quite large. Remember, yes, we know that PotC existed before the film, but not everyone did (even if we think they are idiots for asking such silly questions).


The PotC rehab was a qualified success to everyone involved but a tiny, tiny percentage of web posters who wish for a Disney Museum and not a theme park. The arguments are so similar that I'm starting to think it's the same one or two people across the Internet, LOL. These enhancements brought the ride from a wonderful-but-worn experience into one that is fresh and new while maintaining the integrity of what was there. It has ensured, as will the continued success of the films, that PotC will be maintained and popular for quite some time to come.


This was an example of a rehab done right; I know we only came by it because of the unexpected success of the films, but I'll take any enhancement or preservation of the art of dark rides any way I can.

AEfx
 
Peaches Magee

Peaches Magee

New Member
The Asian (animatronic) character in the auction scene was always there.
I know Chow Yun Fat is to play an asian pirate in the new one I have read, but he was always there. I know it is hard cause alot of people have a real problem with the Movies getting so much more exposure in the parks and rides and everywhere, and its true, it is somewhat overdone, but then again, that is their marketing ploy, and it is money to them, so ya know. And it is all based strongly on the ride as a true inspiration. So I am on the fence with this one. Cause I ove the movies and characters. I do miss the old Blackbeard kind of pirate on the ship and the tied up characters at the end, But I thought it was very cool to see Cap'n Jack and Barbados and also the smoke screen with the projection in the beginning was very cool.
Everyone is always screaming for refurbs... well here is a big one, and seems some people won't like that either. But your feelings are valid. As long as they don't remove "tha redhead" or the hairy dirty foot, I will be happy. hehe

I wonder how many rants there will be if they ever refurb HM, everyone will be sooo upset if they change something or remove something, but then again other people want to see something different...can please all the people all the time is the key cliche statement here... :shrug:
 
jedimaster1227

jedimaster1227

Active Member
Marley's Ghost said:
THEY CHANGED THE WHOLE AUDIO TRACK!!
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Actually they didn't... They restored the former audio track and added in new dialogue for some of the existing characters. The storyline is still very much similar to what it once was, with the sub-story addition of several of the pirates looking for Jack Sparrow- but not all. Many of the pirates are still there to pillage, plunder and grab all that loot- drink up me harties yo ho! :D
 
BarryH

BarryH

New Member
I think the changes to POTC add Capt. Sparrow to "newbies" to the ride, but it doesn't destroy what we loved about the ride to begin with. It could be worse...Disney could have done a Jounrey Into Your Imagination on POTC!

Is the drop still there? I don't remember it the last time I rode, but I'm sure it is.
 
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cloudboy

Well-Known Member
jedimaster1227 said:
Actually they didn't... They restored the former audio track and added in new dialogue for some of the existing characters. The storyline is still very much similar to what it once was, with the sub-story addition of several of the pirates looking for Jack Sparrow- but not all. Many of the pirates are still there to pillage, plunder and grab all that loot- drink up me harties yo ho! :D
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Really? Capt. Jack Sparrow talked to you in the old version?

I don't think so. They changed it. Used to be mostly a cycling music track with special audio effects and a few dialoues here and there. Now it's a whole storyline soundtrack - much darker, much more subtle. Doesn't have the rhythm or the flow to it, either. Yes, it does put a much greater emphasis on the story line. It used to be more of a jolly, frolicking adventure kind of music - more fun, more party-ish. Which is why I say it's really changed the ride. Audio plays an important part of an experience, and this really proves it.

There was a commercial a year or so ago that had a picture of an island, and they would change the background music and it totally changed the mood - it's the same thing.
 
DisneyMusician2

DisneyMusician2

Well-Known Member
I really don't see what all the complaining is about. The ride still exists in a great form, and is very enjoyable! If you can't enjoy the new version, it is simple nostalgia and fear of change, not lack of quality to time in the new rehab. I grew up riding the old one, but the new one was a great time.
 
hokielutz

hokielutz

Well-Known Member
BarryH said:
Is the drop still there? I don't remember it the last time I rode, but I'm sure it is.
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Yes, the drop is still in place. It is an essential function of the ride path that takes the boats from the entrance level(which is still above the utilidors) to actual ground level. The ground can more than likely hold the huge volumes of water more reliably and reduces the chance of water leaking into the basement and ruining the utilidors.
 
hokielutz

hokielutz

Well-Known Member
AEfx said:
This was an example of a rehab done right; I know we only came by it because of the unexpected success of the films, but I'll take any enhancement or preservation of the art of dark rides any way I can.

AEfx
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Now if only the above lesson could be applied to JII..... :brick:
 
Rockin Roller

Rockin Roller

New Member
Pirates has not been ruined overtime there would have been changes and Capt. Jack
--------"You think Captain JAck isnt serving your best interests as Captain?"
 

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