Would you want a seasonal overlay to restore Pirates of the Caribbean to its original presentation?

[tanc]

Of course, without the auction scene but it's something I thought about. Most people nowadays will never experience how the ride originally was. It would be fantastic to be able to experience it in its original glory as much as possible. As someone who pretty much only knows the Jack Sparrow version, I always wanted to experience the original ride. I also am talking about all the POTC versions throughout the world, except Shanghai of course.

In a way, I'm surprised Disney has never embraced this idea.

 

[Stupido]

I'd just rip out Jack Sparrow all together if it were up to me.

 

[buckeyegator]

we want the redhead,we want the redhead

 

[JIMINYCR]

Having been to WDW years ago for the first time, I remember the original and have been back on many trips when changes have been made over the years. I would welcome changes if they added to the experience and didn’t alter the feel and story to the attraction. Change can be good or bad depending on how those changes affect guests enjoyment. The red head removal I believe took away from my enjoyment, Adding the Jack Sparrow scenes were tolerable but IMHO unnecessary. Dis does what Dis wants to do despite guests wants so we have to accept what we get.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

With Jack Sparrow you have to remember this was a hugely popular movie when it came out, as were the sequels. Although they weren't as well reviewed. But if you never went on this ride you would be expecting to see Jack Sparrow there. At least in some form. He is in there enough but not too much that it takes away from the original ride. The mood is still basically the same.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I'd just rip out Jack Sparrow all together if it were up to me.

I'm fine with keeping him in the barrel, but there's no reason to have the whole ride revolve around him.

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

Of course, without the auction scene but it's something I thought about. Most people nowadays will never experience how the ride originally was. It would be fantastic to be able to experience it in its original glory as much as possible. As someone who pretty much only knows the Jack Sparrow version, I always wanted to experience the original ride. I also am talking about all the POTC versions throughout the world, except Shanghai of course.

In a way, I'm surprised Disney has never embraced this idea.

Sorry, I don't understand the question of a "seasonal overlay". Do you mean like the HM in DL during Christmas? Are you thinking making changes to the ride for a couple of months out of each year to strip out Sparrow? If that's what you mean, I don't understand why they'd do that. That's a complete revamp of the ride, both animatronics and tons of audio throughout. They won't make a temporary change-over frequently to strip him out for short periods of time.

As to the question of PotC with or w/o Jack in general, I'm a big fan of the first three movies. I'm a big fan of the character. That said, I'd be okay without him in the ride. Like @Walt Disney1955 said, I don't think the tone of the ride changed so drastically with his addition. Maybe his placement at the end of the ride is a little too prominent, but I understand why they did it. It seemed appropriate given the popularity of the movies. Besides, the end of the ride in MK was kinda blah before his addition. Adding him at the end gave a better end to the ride, but they probably could do even better without him if they really wanted to.

They might take him out eventually, but I don't see that happening for a long time. That would cost money that Dis doesn't want to spend.

 

[iamgroot61]

POTC at DL and WDW is a great example of the movie imitating the ride imitating the movie. I love the additional animatronics that bring the ride more into alignment with the movies and I dislike the "PC" updates the Disney has made over the years. I see no reason to do anything other than possibly update the ride with more hi-tech visuals to "catch it up" with similar rides at overseas Disney parks. At the DL POTC, there was a cool fog curtain with a projection of the various pirate villains (Barbossa, Jones, Blackbeard) appearing in the fog and saying some scary things. The last few times I rode the DL version, that feature wasn't working. Hope that doesn't mean it was removed.

Others have commented asking what was meant by "overlay." That implies a temporary modification to the ride, which I suppose is possible. The HM NBC overlay is pretty extensive and I imagine they could do a "yesteryear" overlay restoring POTC to its original state (and I would want ALL of it if they did such a thing). It'll never happen for what should be obvious reasons.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Not to the original but would love to see a Christmas in the Caribbean seasonal overlay

 

[ziddersroofurry]

we want the redhead,we want the redhead

New redhead > the old one. The whole auctioning off the old one thing was a dumb joke. Just like the pirates chasing after the women (it's much funnier the other way around). The new red is funny, badass, and a welcome sight around the park. It's so much nicer having a feisty adventurer type for little girls to look up to.

About the only thing I have an issue with is Jack Sparrow and that's only because of the terrible way Disney's treated Johnny Depp.

 

[HMF]

The last few times I rode the DL version, that feature wasn't working. Hope that doesn't mean it was removed.

The Mist curtain was removed in 2018 and the original tunnel dialogue was restored along with a new vignette of a Pirate skeleton turning into a flesh and blood pirate.
You can read more about the history of changes to the Disneyland POTC ride in my article here.

Pirates of the Caribbean

Changing Times or PC Overreach?

vocal.media

personally I would like to see the original Captain of the Wicked Wench and the original Well scene dialogue restored. Jack can stay if he must. the PC changes are not being reverted.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

Sorry, I don't understand the question of a "seasonal overlay". Do you mean like the HM in DL during Christmas? Are you thinking making changes to the ride for a couple of months out of each year to strip out Sparrow? If that's what you mean, I don't understand why they'd do that. That's a complete revamp of the ride, both animatronics and tons of audio throughout. They won't make a temporary change-over frequently to strip him out for short periods of time.

As to the question of PotC with or w/o Jack in general, I'm a big fan of the first three movies. I'm a big fan of the character. That said, I'd be okay without him in the ride. Like @Walt Disney1955 said, I don't think the tone of the ride changed so drastically with his addition. Maybe his placement at the end of the ride is a little too prominent, but I understand why they did it. It seemed appropriate given the popularity of the movies. Besides, the end of the ride in MK was kinda blah before his addition. Adding him at the end gave a better end to the ride, but they probably could do even better without him if they really wanted to.

They might take him out eventually, but I don't see that happening for a long time. That would cost money that Dis doesn't want to spend.

My guess is there will be another Pirates movie somewhere along the way after Depp cleared his name. I'd be surprised if Jack Sparrow is ever taken from the ride.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

I feel the ride used to have a more eeire vibe to it back before Jack was added. Like we had time warped back into the golden age of pirates. His little narrative makes it less like that, and you kinda think it will all work out since he's "guiding" us.

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

I feel the ride used to have a more eeire vibe to it back before Jack was added. Like we had time warped back into the golden age of pirates. His little narrative makes it less like that, and you kinda think it will all work out since he's "guiding" us.

Hmmm. I hadn't thought of that. I guess this is true. Before it was more wicked and creepy, with some funny added in. Now it tries to be more funny, with some wicked and creepy added in. I may be splitting hairs, but I understand your point and there is a distinct difference between the two.

Others have commented asking what was meant by "overlay." That implies a temporary modification to the ride, which I suppose is possible.

Thanks. I sincerely appreciate the explanation, but I know what an overlay is. I'm a huge HM fan and am familiar with their Christmas overlay. My question was more about the feasibility of overlaying an older version of PotC over the current one. It just doesn't make sense to me. What "season" introduces this retro PotC overlay, and what's the point of an overlay? Permanently revert it back to an older version, I guess possible and maybe preferable but not at all likely. Temporarily revert it back seasonally to an older version? Just doesn't make sense to me. The HM overlay makes seasonal sense. A retro PotC overlay doesn't in any way I can think of.

I think the more interesting conversation coming out of this is the thought of a retro conversion of the ride, altho it'll never happen in entirety due to the ridiculous overreactive PC changes made.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

No.

 

[Touchdown]

I like Barbossa as the captain of the wicked wench, however I would get Gefforey Rush in to record less Jack specific dialogue (ideally just use the same lines from the original version.) I would change the drowning scene back to the original dialogue, and still have Jack listening. Ideally I would have the pooped pirate re-recorded to just reference Jack as Jack Sparrow (not captain) but otherwise keep the script the same and then not change the ending.

That’s what I would do if I was Pirate King.

 

[Goofyernmost]

No, the only people that even know it is different are the people that used to go to it. I never took it seriously and felt it fit with the Pirate theme, but wasn't anymore powerful then the current one. It is all fine the new way. It is a very small percentage of the entire ride.

 

[Pepper's Ghost]

I like Barbossa as the captain of the wicked wench, however I would get Gefforey Rush in to record less Jack specific dialogue (ideally just use the same lines from the original version.)

I know this will be sacrilege on these boards, but I'd kinda like to see a life-size version of The Black Pearl in place of the Wicked Wench. I know, I know... don't eff with the history of the ride. Too late. They've already killed the original version. I think the Pearl would be cool to see on the ride. It'd give it some needed wow factor. Maybe add a few more of the pirates to the ship like Pintel and Ragetti. Possibly Cotton and Cotton's parrot. The problem with this tho is scale. The Pearl is massive in comparison and way too large for the room. If you tried to scale it down, we hardcore fans would just rip apart the lame attempt. Ahhh, we're never happy.

 

[Phil12]

I know this will be sacrilege on these boards, but I'd kinda like to see a life-size version of The Black Pearl in place of the Wicked Wench. I know, I know... don't eff with the history of the ride. Too late. They've already killed the original version. I think the Pearl would be cool to see on the ride. It'd give it some needed wow factor. Maybe add a few more of the pirates to the ship like Pintel and Ragetti. Possibly Cotton and Cotton's parrot. The problem with this tho is scale. The Pearl is massive in comparison and way too large for the room. If you tried to scale it down, we hardcore fans would just rip apart the lame attempt. Ahhh, we're never happy.

You've got a good point and scale is not a problem at all. Just take out the Wicked Wench and replace her with a massive multiple screens and they can make the Black Pearl any size they want! Calypso/Tia Dalma has the power to shrink anything and everything. And if she needs some help, just bring in Wayne Szalinski and his shrinking machine.

 

[Touchdown]

Don’t the novels flesh out that the Wicked Wench is the Black Pearl? Jack won it and it was his ship until it sank. Jack struck a deal with Davy Jones to resurrect it (which leads to the events of Dead Mans Chest) and he rechristened it the Black Pearl upon its rebirth.