Pirate night is lame now

[JMB101]

View attachment 347580

This information is not correct for our cruise on the Fantasy on August 18, 2019. There was the Mickey Pirates show at 5 pm (we did not see this). Buccaneer Blast at 7:45 pm followed by fireworks at 8 pm. No buffet. (Hopefully the Navigator picture attached).

So Sad

 

[Stratus22]

The Pirate show has always been the highlight for my kids. I love seeing my kids get the joy out of pirate night. I also love watching my kids participate in the dance party that is sometimes held after it(Depends on ship). My kids also enjoy the buffet that's sometimes held as do I(Depends on Ship).

 

[Terri2007]

We just got off the Fantasy 8/25 Eastern Sailing. 9th cruise on Disney. I have to agree with the other posters. The show is truly terrible -- and it takes a lot for me to say that. I can usually find something to enjoy in any Disney setting. They have taken away 30% of the deck space to use for the show (terrible sword fights and running around.) Zero place to stand or sit because of the loss of space. Horrible silly songs that went on and on (minimal familiar tunes). The show is likely fine for toddlers and super young kids because they have no expectations and any type of pageantry would work. Sound quality was also very poor, difficult to hear speech and I was standing by the Mickey slide.

We went directly to the show after main seating. The show had a lot of clips from recent pirate movie and they seemed to try and reenact this movie - having the Triton and such. Jack Sparrow was sort of a dud. The Pirate Dance party now in D lounge after second seating. Pirate look has changed such that they are much less scary and more geared toward younger crowd. Fireworks went off at 8:05 and then party just fizzled. No buffet. (Personally, I liked the crepes). Very little energy. Lots of people looking at each other after the show sort of confused about what they just watched. Felt like it was something that should be viewed in the Oceaneer Club.

I hoped they change it. I would be good with fireworks at whatever time, I get some wanting it earlier for younger children and others wanting it later. Seems like Disney is trying to cater to everyone and pleasing very few in this case. Not sure why they didn't have buffet, perhaps cost?

Anyway, it seems like other threads commented on entertainment changes in general. (Shows repeating...). Our family was split down the middle at the start but by the end of the cruise I think we all agreed it wasn't a good thing. For instance - I liked having the shows repeat, because I though you could always go the second night if you wanted to do something the first night, but it does not really work well ----> here's my example.

Disney Wishes played on two nights. The first night they also had John Charles in The Tube the same time as Disney Wishes. On past cruises he usually did a big show in the Walt Disney Theater. We find him talented and very funny. So I thought great, we will see him on the first night, and Wishes on the second. The problem is on the 2nd night of the repeated show the time is at 7:15. Makes sense to be available for both seatings. However, not sure about everyone else, but we find it nearly impossible to get out and to the theater to get a seat in 1 1/2 hours. We got to dinner 5 min early (never did that before, found out waiters clap you into the restaurant when they open the doors - hey!). Told our servers that we needed to get to show at 7:15 and they were awesome, but still only got out at 7:00. It felt wrong to rush our meal, so we will need to rethink our choices. On the one hand it felt better to have more choices, but worse because the other choices often didn't quite work with timing. Hard to explain, hope I did so.

Regardless, we still had an awesome time on our cruise. Servers were amazing! Only difficult part was CC was only 4 1/2 hours due to a medical emergency and no BBQ on the island. This was only minor though - big thing was that the person who had emergency got what they needed. (Crossing fingers for them and their family). We still plan to go back on Disney -- but not sure what we will do for the Pirate Party. Definitely thinking it would be much better not to go to deck 11, but head to 12 or 13 and look at fireworks and other ships watching the show (didn't realize this happened and sort of looking forward to checking this out).

 

[allashore]

Thanks for the update. We were on the Fantasy for the 11 night(June 30th) The pirate show was lame too, according to my 4 children ages 14-20, and DH I thought they may be too old, but they all agreed the old version was better. for info purpose the show was late 10pm, an no buffett

off topic, do you remember the cruise staff? was Tisa the club host? We will be on the Fantasy again in Dec. There is another thread for this, no one has ans if Tisa will be there in Dec

 

[Terri2007]

Tisa was definitely one of the hosts, but not sure about December though!

 

[mcd2745]

We also just got off the Aug 25 - Sep 1 Fantasy cruise. Full disclosure, I've never been a fan of pirate night. Pretty much everything about it outside of the fireworks, I don't enjoy. Even dislike the dinner menu greatly, so we always make that our Palo night. I've been saying for years i wish they would do away with pirate night. However, I realize it still remains very popular and it amazes how many people dress up. On a broader scale, the direction they are taking with the scheduling of all nighttime entertainment (the repeating of the theater shows, the featured performers in the lounge, etc) is not good at all. Too often, you are forced to choose between activities/entertainment options. DCL was always an "early" night, but they are getting worse in that regard. For example about having to choose...one thing I wish they would do is push back the start time of the last movie they show in the Buena Vista Theater. It usually started at 10:30pm or 10:45pm. Well, at 10:30 every night is some type of entertainment in the Tube - either a performer or one of the game shows (yes, Tisa was the host - she's great). But they usually only last 30-45 minutes to around 11:15 at the latest. Why not have the late movie start 11:30 so people can catch both? Or, why not have the trivia games in O'Gills at 11:30 instead of at 7:30 when there are many other options around the ship. Once that show or game ends around 11:15, there is nothing other than sit at one of the bars. Heck, if you check the Navigator app at that time, the kids in Edge (and Vibe) still have some activities listed for a couple more hours, but nothing for the adults. I did get some "entertainment" one night around midnight as we were taking a stroll up on deck 11 (while speaking of deck 11, Quiet Cove pool/hot tub should be open at least until 2am if not 24 hours) and they ended up having a full rehearsal of the pirate show - characters and all. So we ended up seeing it after all after skipping the real show two days earlier when it started at 5pm, yet the all aboard time (Tortola) was 5:45pm. How does that make sense? Anyway, all the previous posters were right...very lame show. As for fireworks at 8pm....what a horrible idea. Now you've created this stampede for most of the second seating people to get to dinner immediately after they are done. It just seems like they just want to have the entire ship shut down each night earlier and earlier.

 

[Terri2007]

Yes mcd2745, you just brought to my mind something else that we found very different on this cruise compared to previous... no late night movies on Funnel Vision! We used to usually leave the 2nd show and go up to Funnel Vision to watch a late movie there. This cruise, nothing past 9 or 10 pm on Funnel Vision and I even thought the pools closed earlier (10 pm...), but I may not be recalling correctly - I thought they usually closed at 11p... Anyhoo, only on the last night did they have a late Funnel Vision movie but otherwise we thought the entertainment ended earlier then in the past...

 

[MsJiminyCricket]

On the August 11 Fantasy, the show and fireworks were at 7:30 (or maybe closer to 8 once they started). It was really rough to make it there from first dining. We had a horrible viewing area because it was already packed. Our servers literally rushed dinner to try to get everyone out.

The new show was not good in my opinion. I agree with the OP as it was “cheesy”. First we did a sing a long. Then the show started and I couldn’t follow it one bit. They added some more effects - ropes between funnels and Captain Jack would climb up it. Deck 11 had limited space to view because they are now using most of the area around the pools as part of the show. We just didn’t enjoy it. The fireworks were still good though. Deck 12 was now overly crowded due to all the space changes.

There was no pirate buffet. They even made an announcement about that so it’s not as if we overlooked it.

Next time I won’t rush and just make it up for the fireworks.

Felt weird afterwards, I’m used to the pirate party being so late and ending the night after that. But instead we just had a normal night with shows and lounges all while wearing pirate gear.

The cruise director said the changes were due to the sun setting earlier. I have cruised this time of year every time and the sun set the same time. So who knows lol.

I was on that cruise as well and honestly could have written the exact words you posted. We decided that next time we would skip the show and just meander up to the top deck for fireworks only.

 

[jtkboston]

Add my voice to the guests on the Aug 25th Fantasy. What they said.

We had main dining, in Animators on Pirate Night. By the time we got up to Deck 12 starboard, there was no place left where I could see the show, and I'm 6'3" so I can look over most people! I don't think there's any chance of eating at main dining and getting a reasonable place to watch the stage show.
At least I had a good view of the fireworks.

 

[Candycane83]

Yikes! I really hope enough people complain about this so this would not be the new norm!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I'm starting to wonder if DCL is thinking about changing up dinner times. First they start repeating shows a second night, but at an odd time 7:15 (difficult for either seating), now they've messed with the Pirate show/fireworks time in relation to the dinner seatings.

Hope it's not a trend to "Anytime" dining. I really like the traditional seating times.

 

[darnheather]

I hope lots of people think it is lame on my next cruise. I've never gotten close enough to see any of it. Also the only time I ran into a nasty drunk was during pirate night.

 

[Stratus22]

I hope lots of people think it is lame on my next cruise. I've never gotten close enough to see any of it. Also the only time I ran into a nasty drunk was during pirate night.

You took the words out of my mouth. I'd love to get my kids closer.

 

[MaleficentRN]

I hope everyone that complains here also complained to DCL. They need to know that people are dissatisfied or things will never change.

 

[matthew517]

I would love if the fireworks moved earlier. Our family has never made it to 10:00pm awake. Not fair to have it so late with so many kids on board. Why not split the amount of fireworks into two showings? One at 8pm and then 10pm. I know it is a vacation and some stay up late but a lot still still can’t make it that late.

Oh heck no.

 

[matthew517]

I like that better! (7:30pm Fireworks)
We don’t like how long they make it take for dinner and would definitely be at that fireworks show. We eat dinner quick and are out of there so no issue being out in time for the fireworks. Also late seating can see it too before they go to dinner. Win Win!

Its still light out at 7:30. How lame is that.

 

[matthew517]

WHy not complain to Disney and get them to change the time of the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. Or the parades at night so your kids can watch them. How about this novel idea. Make your kids take a nap and then they will be able to stay up and watch the show.

 

[darnheather]

WHy not complain to Disney and get them to change the time of the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. Or the parades at night so your kids can watch them. How about this novel idea. Make your kids take a nap and then they will be able to stay up and watch the show.

My daughter and I took a nap before the Pirate night on our first cruise. A woman threatened to step on her because she was sitting behind and slightly between her and her husband. The nasty woman said she had been waiting and saving the spot and if we wanted a good spot we should have done the same thing.

Pirate night for me has been nothing but brutal.

 

[matthew517]

My daughter and I took a nap before the Pirate night on our first cruise. A woman threatened to step on her because she was sitting behind and slightly between her and her husband. The nasty woman said she had been waiting and saving the spot and if we wanted a good spot we should have done the same thing.

Pirate night for me has been nothing but brutal.

I would have lit into that woman. She need to be walked to the rail and shown the water.
We go up and get places along the rail so kids that haven't seen the show can take our place and see. Its about the kids not some self entitled wench

 

[darnheather]

I would have lit into that woman. She need to be walked to the rail and shown the water.

I tried. Then I broke down in tears. Then as the show ended I ran into my head server and broke down again. He was so sweet and told me to alert someone right away if I saw her or if she came near us again and to never let someone speak to me that way again.