Pirates of the Caribbean

Pirates of the Caribbean is one of the best-known attractions at Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris theme parks.

Its setting is loosely based on the more romantic side of piracy in the Caribbean. It opened at Disneyland on March 18, 1967, was the largest audio-animatronic project to date and was the last attraction of which Walt Disney was involved in the design. During the course of the indoor boat ride, guests experience an immersive, larger-than-life pirate experience – complete with gunshots, cannon blasts, explosions and fire. Since the Disneyland attraction was constructed before the advent of life-like research skeletons, the original skeletons that make up parts of the show were genuine medical specimens and most remain today. It is widely rumored that the skull and crossbones mounted on the headboard of the bed featured in the "Captain's Quarters" are genuine as well, given to Walt Disney as a gift.

Another interesting feature may be seen above the bar in that same scene: The portrait of the lady pirate is an original Marc Davis. Visitors to the Disneyland attraction should pay particular attention to the pirate captain in the scene where he auctions captured women as brides. The "captain" is a test bed for updates and developments to audio-animatronic technology and many innovations are tried on him first. As a result, his movements are far more lifelike and expressive than virtually any other audio-animatronic in all of Disneyland.

This ride was never intended to be part of the Magic Kingdom out of fear that it would not be exotic enough to Floridians. The state of Florida already had more than its share of pirates. Instead, it was intended for the Magic Kingdom to have a Pirates-type ride called the Western River Expedition, but with cowboys and Indians. However, guest demand forced the Florida resort to build Pirates. That version of the ride, being only 2/3rds as long as the Disneyland original, was referred to by some as the "Cliff Notes" version of the ride. It opened in Florida on December 15, 1973, more than two years after the Florida resort opened. It is an original to both Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris, having both opened with their parks' opening days of April 15, 1983 and April 12, 1992, respectively. There is no ride yet at Hong Kong Disneyland, but there are plans to add this ride to that park in the near future, but with some Splash Mountain-style elments.

The attraction

The ride begins amid glimmering fireflies during an evening abuzz with the croaking of bullfrogs in a swamp. Daring adventurers board their boats at Lafitte's Landing, and are at once afloat in the heart of bayou country. Once past several rickety houseboats, the soft strumming of a banjo melody (which is actually Oh! Susanna) can be heard over the peaceful symphony of nature as guests pass by one houseboat, on the porch of which an old man calmly rocks back and forth in his rocking chair. But then a talking skull and crossbones above an archway provides this taunting warning:

Then a more chilling sound becomes audible: the thundering of a waterfall, down which guests plunge. Then they hear the frightening echo of "Dead men tell no tales!"

After a second hair-raising plunge further into the depths of an underground grotto, guests behold the skeletal remains of an unfortunate band of pirates, guarding their loot and treasure with macabre delight. As you continue through the caves, foreboding voices overhead taunt the guests:

Suddenly, cannonballs whistle overhead and explosions throw water into the air – a fierce battle between a marauding pirate galleon and a Caribbean fortress is in full swing. "Surrender, ya lilly liverd lubbers!" The village beyond is overrun with sinister pirates, looking for treasures to steal, wenches to auction, and rum to drink. One pirate is even giving kittens rum.

Carefree, tipsy pirates succeed in ravaging the town and setting it aflame, filling the night air with an orange glow, while a rollicking tune echoes over the rooftops: "Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life For Me!"

Your boat then takes you through a jail, where imprisoned pirates are doing their best to escape. A small dog just out of the prisoners' reach holds the key to their escape in his teeth; he seems all but immune to the pleas of the pirates trying to coax him closer.

There are sounds of popping and crackling wood, and an orange and red glow can be seen all around. This can mean only one thing - the pirates have set fire to the town. Timbers are smoldering and cracking overhead as you sail through a storage room filled with gun powder, cannon balls and whiskey-filled, gun-shooting pirates that are singing a drunken version of "Yo, ho, ho, a pirate's life for me.".

The final shoot-out between the inebriated crew and captain of the pirate ship in a flaming ammunition warehouse threatens to demolish the entire village at any second. Somehow, you manage to slip by, undetected, and return to the sleepy bayou where you started your journey.

Criticism

At one point in the ride, a pirate is seen chasing a woman around. The intent of the pirate must be inferred; many interpreted it as attempted rape. The woman now carries a plate of food with her to suggest that the pirate is after the food, not her.

As of 1996 at Disneyland and 2004 at the Magic Kingdom, the woman now chases the pirate instead, wielding a broom or another household object as a weapon. This may have been done in response to the criticism referred to above.

Another example of this substitution is at the Disneyland POTC the fat pirate on the left. Before his spiel included "........to hoist me colors upon the likes of that shy little wench." and "I be willing to share I be". Behind him the aforementioned maiden would pop her head out from inside a barrel. Now the spiel instead mentions "Me belly be feeling like galleon with a load of treasure..." and "I be looking for a fine pork loin I be." The woman is gone and is replaced by a pig.

Such criticism, product of the PC movement of the mid 1990s, has garnered resentment from many of the Disney theme park aficionados. They argue that, while the ride has less glorification of a criminal lifestyle, it is at the sacrifice of historical accuracy and Walt Disney's original vision. There are currently no plans to change Pirates of the Caribbean to its original context.

Some have criticized the perceived glorification of the pirate lifestyle. However, the ride is filled with depictions of the unpleasant lives and violent deaths of pirates, which suggests that its message is not one of glorification but of condemnation.

Another speculation to the PC movement was that it was a facade to Disney's orchestrated plan. Prior to the movement, six out of the Seven deadly sins could be found throughout the ride. The pirates that chase the women that carry plates of food depicts gluttony, and therefore completes the seventh deadly sin.

Adaptations

In 2003, a film based on the ride was released: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. A sequel, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, is planned for release in 2006, and Pirates of the Caribbean 3 is expected. A computer game (by Akella), loosely connected to the movie's plot, was also made.

In 2000, Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for Buccaneer Gold, was opened to the public in DisneyQuest. On this attraction, up to five riders board a mock pirate ship to sail around a small virtual world. Riders may fire cannons at other virtual pirate ships; if players sink the other ships, then they will 'steal' treasure from them.

Ron Gilbert has often been quoted for having said that his inspiration for making Monkey Island came from the ride (this has since been refuted to 'merely' being a source of ambience [1]). The ride has left its mark however, the best example of this being the prison scene in Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge with the key-carrying dog, who is named Walt after of course, Walt Disney.

Attraction facts

Disneyland

• Grand Opening: March 18, 1967
• Ride Capacity: 3400 guests per hour
• Audio-Animatronics: 123
  • 66 pirates
  • 57 animals and birds
• Total amount of water: 750,000 gallons
• Main lift pumps:
  • Pump number one is rated at a maximum of 20,000 gallons per minute
  • Pump Number Two is rated at a maximum of 18,000 gallons per minute
• First drop length: 52'
  • First drop angle: 21°
• Second drop length: 37'
  • Second drop angle: 21°
• Length of final lift back to Lafitte's Landing: 90'
  • Angle of final lift back to Lafitte's Landing: - 16 degrees
• Number of show buildings: 2
• Number of levels: 3
  • Blue Bayou
  • Upper caverns
  • Main show in basement
• Maximum ceiling height: 40'
• Show Length: 14:30
• Required Ticket: "E"
• Ride System: Flume ride

The Magic Kingdom

• Grand Opening: December 15, 1973
• Audio-Animatronics: 125
  • 65 pirates & villagers
  • 60 animals and birds
• Total amount of water: 155,000 gallons
• Drop length: 52'
• Show Length: 8:30
• Ride System: Flume ride

If there were to be an emergency at the attraction, there are no more than five employees in the attraction at a time. In case of an emergency, the "skippers" from the Jungle Cruise are called into action. [2]

2006 Updates

In 2006, Walt Disney Imagineering will give both versions at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom major overhauls to coincide with the release of the second movie in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. Both storylines will be completely dismantled and replaced with storylines involving Captain Barbossa (from the first movie) and Davy Jones (from the second and third movies) leading separate searches for Captain Jack Sparrow through the many scenes of the original attractions. The "Hurricane Scene", the "Crews Quarters Scene", the "Captains Quarters Scene" and the "Treasure Scene" at Disneyland will all be unchanged visually except for a few new props used in the movies. The Disneyland ride will receive its official re-opening at the world premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, which will also be held at Disneyland. [3]