The story about the "drop" at Pirates in Disneyland and why it was put in there

[Walt Disney1955]

How many people realize that the "drop" in Disneyland's Pirates was not put in for thrills but because they had to built it that way to fit it in there and have the ride go at a lower level?

Pirates at WDW did not need this, but they added the drop just for fun reasons, not out of necessity.

 

[J4546]

i did. and i wish they would use this ride layout for a new navi river journey in AK

 

[Cadbury]

i did. and i wish they would use this ride layout for a new navi river journey in AK

ikr? Anything to give that ride some excitement.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Umm, they put it in to get under the train tracks.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Umm, they put it in to get under the train tracks.

Same reason why you go down stairs in Space Mountain's Queue....However, The same would have been stated for Haunted Mansion But, it makes more sense in Disneyland for the train but, they liked the idea and brought it to the MK version.

 

[Ayla]

Umm, they put it in to get under the train tracks.

That's why PoTC has the small drop in WDW, is it the same for DL?

 

[LuvtheGoof]

That's why PoTC has the small drop in WDW, is it the same for DL?

Nope, WDW didn't need the drop at all. The ramps you walk down on to get to the boats already take you below the train tracks.

 

[Ayla]

Nope, WDW didn't need the drop at all. The ramps you walk down on to get to the boats already take you below the train tracks.

You should probably inform the Keys To The Kingdom Tour Guides then, because that's what we were told on the tour.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Yes I've known there was a design reason. Isn't it because it has to go under the train tracks?

 

[danlb_2000]

How many people realize that the "drop" in Disneyland's Pirates was not put in for thrills but because they had to built it that way to fit it in there and have the ride go at a lower level?

Pirates at WDW did not need this, but they added the drop just for fun reasons, not out of necessity.

Is there anyone on a Disney fan site that doesn't know that?

 

[el_super]

Yes I've known there was a design reason. Isn't it because it has to go under the train tracks?

Yeah but there is a lot more to it. The building it was to be housed in, started construction in 1963, but was contained entirely within the berm. They stopped to work on the Worlds Fair and left the unfinished hole on display for months. When they came back to Disneyland, the Pirate ride had morphed from wax museum to a boat ride (due in part to the success of Small World). By the time they plotted out the ramps to move the boats up and down to the show scenes, they completely ran out of room in the original building, and had to add a second outside the tracks.

There are two drops on DL's pirates because the boats have to make a 180 turn. When they leave the dock they are facing south, turn to take the first drop (facing north) and then turn again to face the show building (to the south). The first drop is aligned next to the ramp up.

 

[Tom P.]

The stretching room in Haunted Mansion at Disneyland was created for the same reason, wasn't it? A way to get you underground without you realizing it, since you actually move under the train tracks and into an entirely separate building for the ride.

 

[Goofyernmost]

The stretching room in Haunted Mansion at Disneyland was created for the same reason, wasn't it? A way to get you underground without you realizing it, since you actually move under the train tracks and into an entirely separate building for the ride.

True, in Disneyland HM Stretching room you physically move downward to the set. In WDW the ceiling and walls move upward. They keep tell you to go to the middle of the room because you will be turning around looking at the different pictures. In that process you will have no way of knowing what direction you are looking so when the door opens you are on the opposite side of the room at WDW. Not sure if it works that way in DL since you are actually on a different level and my leave through the same opening that you entered.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

You should probably inform the Keys To The Kingdom Tour Guides then, because that's what we were told on the tour.

So I checked with an expert, and he said for WDW, it is both the ramp to the loading area and the drop to get you under the train tracks. Both are needed. The tour guide is kinda correct in that the drop does finally get you under, but without the ramp, the drop would have to be similar to DL.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Speaking of Pirates...

 

[marni1971]

You should probably inform the Keys To The Kingdom Tour Guides then

Will do

 

[Poseidon Quest]

You should probably inform the Keys To The Kingdom Tour Guides then, because that's what we were told on the tour.

I'm quite sure that they just make things up. I've never taken a tour but I've had someone tell me that a guide informed the tour that the chair pictured below is Donald's face. However, knowing the history of the Haunted Mansion and knowing that it was inspired by the 1963 film adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House, there's a number of set pieces in the house to make it feel alive, like eyes in the wall paper or faces on the door knobs. As far as I can tell, the chair in the Haunted Mansion has contained a face since at least the premier of both American versions of the attraction and putting hidden characters or Hidden Mickeys into parks only started with Epcot due to it being so distanced from Disney IP. Therefore, while the face certainly does look like Donald, I think the story is simply made up because "Disney!"

 

[Kamikaze]

How many people realize that the "drop" in Disneyland's Pirates was not put in for thrills but because they had to built it that way to fit it in there and have the ride go at a lower level?

Pirates at WDW did not need this, but they added the drop just for fun reasons, not out of necessity.

Pretty much every Disney fan? Its one of things that goes in every guidebook/'fact' site/etc.

 

[DisAl]

In addition to getting under the tracks the ground level elevation of the building that is the part of the ride outside the tracks is approximately twelve feet lower than the ground level at the entrance of Pirates.

 

[FettFan]

How many people realize that the "drop" in Disneyland's Pirates was not put in for thrills but because they had to built it that way to fit it in there and have the ride go at a lower level?

Pirates at WDW did not need this, but they added the drop just for fun reasons, not out of necessity.

Incorrect. Pirates at WDW needed the drop because the show building is on the other side of the WDW Railroad track.
Pirates was never meant for WDW to begin with, so when customer demand necessitated building it, they needed to work with the space available.


This is the same reason that the Star Tunnel at Space Mountain lurches downward then comes back up. The queue (and exit) take you across the railroad track.