Should Disney scrap and rebuild Pirates of the Caribbean in Orlando?

[Incomudro]

Only if you've been to Disneyland IMO. In a vacuum, Orlando PotC is an excellent ride, and that's how most guests experience it.

Yeah, really...
The "worse PotC by a mile..." As compared to the other PotC's that probably 99.9% of visitors will never see and compare it to - is not a bad thing.

 

[justintheharris]

I personally think a little sprucing up would help it. I certainly don't think they should get rid of it just because it's inferior to DL or Shanghai. Then the same could be said for all Disney attractions that don't measure up to the same attraction in other parks. Splash at DL is terrible.. should it be gutted just because MK has a better version? Same thing with Haunted Mansion. DL's is shorter so should it be redone into something else? I don't think it should be. I think just a little updating and upgrading with Pirates could do a world of good for it!!

Not that I don’t think you’re making a good point but I think Splash Mountain and Haunted Mansion are superior in Disneyland than in Disney World.

 

[SteamboatJoe]

Yeah, really...
The "worse PotC by a mile..." As compared to the other PotC's that probably 99.9% of visitors will never see and compare it to - is not a bad thing.

This. I think us fanboys/girls forget that the average WDW guest will probably never visit DL, let alone one of the international parks. Heck, I'm not even sure I will ever get to visit any of the international parks. If I do make a once in a lifetime trip to Paris or Tokyo, it's going to be hard to prioritize Disney over the authentic, historic sites of those respective cities, even knowing how substantially different the parks are in many respects.

 

[SteamboatJoe]

Not that I don’t think you’re making a good point but I think Splash Mountain and Haunted Mansion are superior in Disneyland than in Disney World.

To each their own.

For me Splash isn't. DL's is too fast, too dark, and too short. Mansion was pretty equal in my observation. Sure DL has the hatbox ghost and is the original but those aren't enough for me to say it's unequivocally better. POTC at DL is superior to the WDW version.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Not that I don’t think you’re making a good point but I think Splash Mountain and Haunted Mansion are superior in Disneyland than in Disney World.

Agree to disagree I guess. I thought Splash was super lame. Went on it our first trip and haven't been back on it since because we don't enjoy it. HM is great, especially with the NBC overlay, but I feel like WDW has a more complete story. Still love the DL version though.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

I just don't understand this - why on earth would you not want the latest updated attraction? It's like having an app that needs updating, or an out of date IOS/Android but you stick with the old version because of the some bizarre value.

Disney have updated Pirates, Peter Pan, Thunder Mountain and Winnie The Pooh in their Asian parks to stunning results. They've kept the chore value of the rides the same - they've just been updated to enhance everything.

What don't you understand? I clearly stated that I think things should be spruced up. Not completely gutted and redone. Also, the Asia parks are not fully owned by Disney, which you can clearly tell as the Asia parks have amazing attractions and they're always adding while the US parks haven't seen much love until the last 2-3 years. Disney ownership doesn't feel the Florida theme parks need much added or updated because they know people will come no matter what. Would I like to see them update some of the current rides? Of course. But to completely take out an entire ride and redo it when the ride doesn't need a complete overhaul? No.

 

[NickMaio]

Tear it out and replace it with a restaurant that specializes in $40 deep-fried ham-and-cheese sandwiches.

I like nostalgia - I feel it is an important component of WDW -
I like that WDW keeps its older rides - - - It reminds me of memories long gone.
WDW please keep the oldies

 

[ChrisFL]

I don't think the ROI would be good enough. Our Pirates isn't the greatest, but it's not bad. I'd much rather have another attraction added in MK or otherwise over adding an extra 5 minutes to our Pirates to make it DLs or turning into CGI city shanghai.

Space is the ride that stands out to me as so inferior that it hurts (literally).

Shanghai "CGI city" is really underselling it. Ok, I admit I have not been on it in person, but I've seen many ridethrough videos and know how the ride system works and it's absolutely incredible.

They have CGI and screens, yes, BUT they also layer it with a LOT of physical sets, great animatronics, live explosion effects (smoke, etc.) and amazing boat movements combined to make what seems to be quite a seamless experience. However it is entirely based on the POTC movies and like others have said, Disney seems to be distancing themselves from that now.

 

[justintheharris]

To each their own.

For me Splash isn't. DL's is too fast, too dark, and too short. Mansion was pretty equal in my observation. Sure DL has the hatbox ghost and is the original but those aren't enough for me to say it's unequivocally better. POTC at DL is superior to the WDW version.

My reasoning on Haunted Mansion actually is that the experience feels more genuine. You walk in the front door of the Mansion rather than through some awkward side entrance. In Disneyland when you walk inside, the floor is creaking as it usually does in old buildings. Even though it is a little bit shorter than ours, that's why I actually favor Disneyland's. In regards to Splash Mountain, I actually think the quicker pace of the ride makes it more fun. It's only shorter by about a minute or two and when it's a ten minute ride, I don't think that's too much. I definitely can understand why some people think we have the superior Haunted Mansion or Splash Mountain but I still prefer the Disneyland versions of both.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

This is crazy talk people...............it may be true that Pirates was not initially thought of in WDW due to the fact that they thought Floridians wouldn't find the Caribbean all that special being so close. They were wrong, as calls for them to build the Pirate ride from Disneyland started right after WDW opened in 1971. By 1973 it was built. Is it different than Disneyland's? Yes, because it is shorter. But the queue is excellent, probably as good of a queue as I have ever been through. For that alone it makes it worthwhile. Not just that but I always thought Pirates at WDW was the best ride I had ever been on until I went to Disneyland's version. Honestly, I mean, this is like saying Godfather is better than Godfather Part II. Both are still great movies.

 

[WallyWorld]

What's the capacity of Pirates? Fixing up a classic creates more crowding elsewhere....maybe not the time?

 

[HappyTexan]

I don't know if a scrap and rebuild is needed, but some TLC to bring up its standards to closer to DLR would be great. Expand the harbor siege. Some additions to the beginning of the ride area where the open beaches/skeletons are would be good as well. Less focus on Jack Sparrow overall would be great. Have him in the ride, but not as a the overarching story line focus.

I agree. I'm not a fan of how they are totally focusing on Jack Sparrow throughout the ride. The ride has seen it's time and needs some sprucing up for sure. I enjoy it, so don't want it to ever leave.

 

[Jon Good]

I used to work at WDW attractions and when I worked at Pirates many guests asked me where is the restaurant. The attraction in California has a restaurant, the blue bayou and the one here in Florida does not. I have been to the one in California and would have to agree that Florida has the worst Pirates attraction. You would think Disney would want to build a better one.

 

[World_Showcase_Lover007]

This is a non-starter to me...bc there are way worse attractions that still exist like Journey into your Imagination, Monsters laugh floor, etc....the focus should be to improve or replace them, not tinker with Pirates. The focus should also be on building attractions were there are none like the Italy pavilion in Epcot.

 

[FettFan]

I used to work at WDW attractions and when I worked at Pirates many guests asked me where is the restaurant. The attraction in California has a restaurant, the blue bayou and the one here in Florida does not. I have been to the one in California and would have to agree that Florida has the worst Pirates attraction. You would think Disney would want to build a better one.

Well, Florida PotC was a last-minute addition just to appease the fans until Western River Expedition took shape.

Alas.....WRE languished in development hell and was then replaced in concept with Big Thunder Mountain, while the land for WRE was repurposed for Splash Mountain.

And the animatronics built for WRE were shipped to various parts of Epcot.

From the holdup men from Wold of Motion

To the prairie dogs and bison from Listen to/Living with the Land

 

[Trackmaster]

I'd be in favor of gutting the PC theming and replacing it with a more authentic depiction of piracy.

Maybe it would focus on the negotiation tactics between the pirates, the corporations, the governments, and the families of the hostages. Then it would focus on the political environment, the victim's nation's stance on piracy, and the economic climate that allowed 3rd world nations to turn to piracy. At the end of the experience, you start to realize that maybe its the pirates themselves who are victims of their circumstance and lack of opportunity.

 

[Amidala]

I'd be in favor of gutting the PC theming and replacing it with a more authentic depiction of piracy.

Yeah, because Disney is so big on historical authenticity...

This is a non-starter to me...bc there are way worse attractions that still exist like Journey into your Imagination, Monsters laugh floor, etc....the focus should be to improve or replace them, not tinker with Pirates. The focus should also be on building attractions were there are none like the Italy pavilion in Epcot.

Totally agree here. I'm not completely opposed to replacing Pirates much, much later down the line, but there are worse attractions in dire need of a retheme or replacement...POTC is not one of those rides. Before putting POTC on the chopping block, half of Tomorrowland needs to be gutted (Laugh Floor, Stitch, updates for CoP and at least a retheme for Speedway if not a full replacement) and Peter Pan is desperately in need of plussing. And that's not even taking taking into account other parks with areas in need of major updates or replacement (Future World, Dino-Rama, etc.) IMO WDW doesn't have the luxury of focusing time, energy and money on replacing a ride that's at best pretty good, and at worst kind of mediocre when compared to superior version at other parks (which, as people have already pointed out, many guests will not have experienced).

FWIW though, if POTC ever was touched, I would rather see it replaced with a new, completely original ride than an updated version of the same ride. Take the technology from Shanghai's Pirates and let the Imagineers run with it. I like the idea of having certain "mainstays" across all or most of the parks, but I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing to shake the formula up every once in a while. Basically: Would I complain if Orlando's POTC was replaced with a brand new, original dark ride of Sinbad's Storybook quality? No, I would be thrilled. Would that happen under Iger? Absolutely not. And he at least knows better than to replace a ride like Pirates with an IP, so I guess this is kind of moot anyway.

 

[networkpro]

Maybe it would focus on the negotiation tactics between the pirates, the corporations, the governments, and the families of the hostages. Then it would focus on the political environment, the victim's nation's stance on piracy, and the economic climate that allowed 3rd world nations to turn to piracy. At the end of the experience, you start to realize that maybe its the pirates themselves who are victims of their circumstance and lack of opportunity.

Then you completely discount Letters of Marque ?

 

[JusticeDisney]

True, but in this day and age of YouTube, seeing the stark difference in all of PotC's versions is pretty easy.

Don't get me wrong, PotC is still one of my all time favorites attractions in all of WDW, but I would love to see what they could do with a blank canvas.

What are the actual differences? I have to admit, it’s been so long since I’ve been to Disneyland, I don’t even remember.

Thanks!

 

[Master Yoda]

What are the actual differences? I have to admit, it’s been so long since I’ve been to Disneyland, I don’t even remember.

Thanks!

The ride length of the DL version is nearly double in length with an extra drop and extra scenes, most notably the collapsing town at the end.

The one thing WDW does have over DL is a much more immersive queue.