Details of POTC Update/Refurb

[exDS vet]

Personally, I could not be any more upset at the fact that Disney is going to permanently ruin both of the Pirates of the Caibbean attractions in the U.S. The rumors have been out there for a couple of years, but it is truly a shame that they would actually go through with plans to "update" such a classic ride, just to promote a movie. It's not just corporate greed, it's a sell-out, and nothing more. I thought hearing about a Bambi sequel recently was bad enough.

As one who has boycotted all Disney movies since 2001, I freely admit that I haven't seen the "Pirates" movie, and yes, plenty of people have told me how great they think it is. Please folks, don't think for a minute that these rides have inspired movies. It's the greed and the lack of originality that created these films, and it's sad. I'm sure Walt Disney would not approve of this being done to the final ride that he supervised. I don't approve either, and unless I get to Disneyland before march, I will probably never ride POTC again.

Maybe next year we'll see and audio animatronics Eddie Murphy in The Haunted Mansion. Or maybe we'll even get a Country Bears attraction at Disneyland some day.

Anyway, here's the article from the Disneyland News website.
So long to an original!

02 February 2006
CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW TO JOIN THE AUDIO-ANIMATRONICS CREW OF DISNEY’S PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN ATTRACTION




Classic Attraction in California and Florida Adding New Characters Inspired by Hit Film Franchise Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean






ANAHEIM, Calif. / ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 2, 2006) - - First the theme park attraction inspired the movie – now the movie is inspiring the attraction.

Pirates of the Caribbean, the classic Disney theme park adventure brought to the big screen in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, is adding new characters and features from the blockbuster entertainment franchise and debuting when the next adventure begins in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.

Both the Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida will close the attraction in March to complete the updates in time for the opening of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest on July 7. The attraction will re-open at Disneyland on June 24 and in Florida’s Magic Kingdom on July 7.

The attraction will feature the addition of two of Hollywood’s most infamous buccaneers, Captain Jack Sparrow and his nemesis Barbossa. Joining the wildest crew that ever sacked the Spanish Main, Captain Jack and Barbossa add an exciting new twist to the attraction’s original storyline as they race to be the first to claim a cache of plundered treasure.

“Successfully adding the popular characters from the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ films with the mythology of our classic attraction is an example of Disney synergy and Walt Disney Imagineering at its finest,” said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “These additions will result in an exciting new chapter for the attraction and an unforgettable experience for our guests, giving them another reason to come and be a part of our continuing 50th anniversary celebration.”

Woven into some of the attraction’s most memorable scenes, the rival swashbucklers will be seen interacting with some of the more familiar Audio-Animatronics buccaneers found inside the ride-thru adventure. Also making a guest appearance is the ghostly Davy Jones from the second movie in the series, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. But new characters are only the beginning. New special effects will also be added to enhance the “Pirates of the Caribbean” theme park experience.

"The creative legacy of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ has come full circle with the attraction initially inspiring our highly successful film franchise and now the films inspiring exciting additions to the attraction itself,” said Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios. “The attraction enhancements capture the same spirit, swashbuckling humor and action that moviegoers loved in the first `Pirates of the Caribbean' which will continue with the highly anticipated new tales this summer and beyond.”

Created under the direct creative supervision of Walt Disney himself, Pirates of the Caribbean is the quintessential Disney theme park adventure, a swashbuckling voyage that transports guests back to the days when pirates and privateers roamed the Spanish Main. Starring a comical cast of rascals, scoundrels, villains and knaves, the world-famous attraction sends guests of all ages on a boat ride through mysterious caverns where “Dead men tell no tales” and then into a colonial era Caribbean seaport under siege by a band of fun-loving pirates. The attraction’s jaunty theme song, “Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me),” sets the show’s light tone with its tongue-in-cheek depiction of high-seas lawlessness.

The original incarnation of Pirates of the Caribbean premiered on March 18, 1967, in New Orleans Square at Disneyland in California. Featuring more than 120 Audio-Animatronics performers, lavishly decorated sets and special effects, it’s considered to be one of the most spectacular and enduring attractions ever created for a theme park. With its setting revised slightly to fit a Caribbean Plaza location in Adventureland, the attraction opened to guests at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom on December 15, 1973. More than 500 million people have experienced the rollicking fun of Pirates of the Caribbean in California and Florida over the past 39 years.

“Enhancing the classic Pirates attractions with new characters and new technology will ensure their relevance and place in Disney theme parks as timeless adventures,” said Tom Fitzgerald, senior creative executive for Walt Disney Imagineering. “We’re adding a layer of storytelling from the films to the attraction while retaining all the familiar elements that make it vibrant and exciting for every age group.”

The Pirates of the Caribbean additions are one part of the “Happiest Celebration on Earth,” an 18-month salute (continuing through 2006) to 50 years of Disney park magic around the globe that started with the opening of Walt Disney’s original park, Disneyland, in 1955.



# # #

 

[crazy4wdw]

Yo ho, yo ho -- ride to lie low
Disney will close Pirates of the Caribbean while it adds characters and special effects.

Scott Powers | Sentinel Staff Writer Posted February 3, 2006

Johnny Depp is coming to Walt Disney World's Pirates of the Caribbean -- or at least his likeness is coming.

Disney will make changes this spring in the mainstay Pirates ride at both Magic Kingdom and Disneyland -- adding characters from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and updating some of the special effects.

To do so, Disney will close both rides in early March for four months. The attractions will reopen just in time for the release of the sequel movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, in late June in California and July 7 at Walt Disney World.

The movie character Capt. Jack Sparrow, portrayed by Depp, will be mixed in with the 120 robotic performers in the ride. Barbossa, Sparrow's nemesis in the first movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, also will appear. So will a ghostly figure from the new movie, Davy Jones.

"We're adding some new characters and some exciting new special effects to really make it more familiar to today's generation of kids who grew up seeing the movie or the DVD before they came to the theme parks," said Eric Jacobson, senior vice president of creative development for Walt Disney Imagineering.

But cautious that many Disney fans react negatively anytime old standards are changed, Jacobson added, "It's still the classic ride it always was. We're just adding more."

The ride was the last attraction created under Walt Disney's supervision. It premiered at Disneyland March 18, 1967, and at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom Dec. 15, 1973.

It features a slow boat ride through caverns populated by singing, fun-loving, brawling and menacing robotic pirates and other characters.

Movie and theme-park cross-promotion is now working both ways, Dick Cook, chairman of the Walt Disney Studios, pointed out in a news release. The ride spawned the first movie in 2003, and many of the scenes in the movie were derived from scenes on the ride. Now scenes on the ride are being changed to draw more from the movie.

Jacobson said minor changes have been made periodically through the years to update and improve characters and effects. But this is the first time changes have been made that affect the ride's story.

A new plot line derived from the movies will be woven in: The evil pirates are looking for Sparrow, he's trying to stay one step ahead of them, and both are looking for treasure. Sparrow will make his first appearance at the ride's well scene.

"The captain at the well is dunking the mayor, asking him if he knows where Jack Sparrow is," Jacobson said. "In the shadows, just outside of the scene, is going to be the figure of Jack Sparrow."

The Davy Jones character will be "a brand new special effect and a brand new way of presenting a character in the ride," Jacobson said.

Other changes will involve updating the decades-old sound and lighting systems with 21st-century technology, he said.

The sequel, produced by Walt Disney Pictures, is set to premiere at Disneyland in late June, with a gala opening. Disney spokesman David Brady said it is too early to say whether any special events, such as personal appearances by Depp or other stars of the movie, would be held at Disney World when the film opens here and nationwide July 7.

Scott Powers can be reached at spowers@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5441.

 

[rocketriter]

Sorry, I can't go there with you. I don't care who inspired what or why. The original DL was heavily driven by movies and marketing, something Walt was famous for pioneering. However, since PoTC was an excellent film based on the attraction, I don't mind the attraction referring back to the film. If the revision is of poor quality, that I'll mind. But I won't condemn it in advance.

 

[DVCDAVE]

Cross selling was something Walt was a genuis at. The parks sold the movies, the TV shows sold the parks, and the parks sold lots of merchandise. The POC rehab makes perfect sense to me. Walt said the parks would never be finished, he saw the need to constantly change and update them.

 

[Peter Pirate]

Just following in the "what would Walt do" vien, IMO...As to classic or not please rethink your view. While the POTC ride is a classic the movie is well on its way to achieving the same status. My kids (the next generation) love this movie and appreciate the ride more since its release and a quality addition of Captain Jack and Barbossa will only make the attraction better...Do it right guys.

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

How dare Disney add things to the parks inspired by movies...

 

[Good Ol Gal]

Maybe next year we'll see and audio animatronics Eddie Murphy in The Haunted Mansion. Or maybe we'll even get a Country Bears attraction at Disneyland some day.

wasn't the Country Bears already at DL?? Didn't they make the movie from the show?? Why did my kids want to see the movie?? B/C they saw the show at WDW!!

Why will my kids want to ride the "boring POTC" (their words, not mine) again with me on our next trip?? Jack Sparrow of course!

 

[buckylarue]

I"m sorry, but POTC was already "Ruined" (or at least seriously damaged) when they did the PC sanitizing alterations. At least these alterations look like they have the possibility to be fun and interesting, and add some life and excitement to the attraction!

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

I just need to add that if Disney did not make movies like POTC, Haunted Masion, Country Bears etc. then these classic attractions would lose apeal to younger generations and could become endangered like Carousel of Progress and Timekeeper (Two of my favorites), I was very suprised that there was no wait for POTC or HM on my last trip and it was late morning, at the same time there was a 50 min. wait at Jungle cruise, which desperatly needs a rehab and some new special effects, if it was not for Fast Pass I would not have rode it.
I wish they would make a Carousel of Progress movie, with a renewed intrest in the ride maybe it would be taken off death row.

 

[YoHo]

Bull tooties. These attractions hadn't lost appeal in 30 years. Why would they now need a movie to reintroduce the appeal? I have a problem with this, because it takes everything Walt stood for and turns it on it's head. In general, I have no problems with updating the attraction. And yes, Country Bears did exist in Disneyland until it was replaced by Pooh.

 

[Peter Pirate]

Of course you do Yoho, that's pretty much a given. But Walt would not have let the Parks stagnate, Walt would have used a movie tie in as an excuse for an upadate and we're not in Kansas anymore...Certainly most kids today do like the POTC ride but it will be oh so much more meaningful to them with references from the very cool and certainly (to be) classic Disney movie of the same name.

The only caveot is that the imagineers get it right, as they did with E:E.

 

[freediverdude]

While it IS sad that they will be changing the attraction from how Walt left it......I'm guessing Walt would not have wanted the attractions to stay exactly as they are for all eternity. I do hope, though, that they will go through with a video camera or make a model or something for the archives of what the original ride looked like, to keep forever, and maybe even to make available to show online or on a video screen at the parks.

Even though attractions will have to change eventually, as the torch is passed from the Walt generation to the next generation, and to the next, I feel the key will be to look at Walt's work, and try to do future upgrades and new attractions to the same standards....... of things like quality, innovation, and creativity. New imagineers, it's up to you now! Make us all proud!

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

The attraction will feature the addition of two of Hollywood’s most infamous buccaneers, Captain Jack Sparrow and his nemesis Barbossa. Joining the wildest crew that ever sacked the Spanish Main, Captain Jack and Barbossa add an exciting new twist to the attraction’s original storyline as they race to be the first to claim a cache of plundered treasure.

I read it as that they are adding to it, not taking away. My interpretation of the article is that things are staying, they are just adding in Jack and Barbossa to the animatronics. See, here they say that they are ADDING to the classic attraction...

“Successfully adding the popular characters from the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ films with the mythology of our classic attraction is an example of Disney synergy and Walt Disney Imagineering at its finest,” said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

and below here they say that they are being woven into some of the most memorable scenes...in otherwords the captains will havea 'face' that the movie going public will recognize. this may bring more attention to the ride.

Woven into some of the attraction’s most memorable scenes, the rival swashbucklers will be seen interacting with some of the more familiar Audio-Animatronics buccaneers found inside the ride-thru adventure.

i remember back in '94 i literally walked onto the ride. my traveling companion was letting people walk ahead of us so he can enjoy the scenery on the way to the boat. My husband did the same when he and i went in '01. because the ride was dead and we walked on! we were the only ones on our boat, boat ahead of us and behind us was empty. don't get me wrong, i enjoy walking on so that i can get off and do it again with no wait! but i am going to embrace these changes, as i would rather them update the ride than remove it or make it a 'seasonal attraction' because of the cost to run it with noone on it.


for now thats where i will stand, and i will let you know if i still embrace it after i have a chance to ride it again this fall when my family goes. :O)

 

[2Xited4Disney]

As one who has boycotted all Disney movies since 2001,
# # #

If you don't mind me asking what event caused you to boycott Disney movies and what if anything could disney do to get you back

 

[dbm20th]

I have a few questions here...

I thought hearing about a Bambi sequel recently was bad enough.

How could you hate a sequel that you haven't even seen yet? I admit it sounds like something I would not be interested in, but you already think it is going to be bad.

As one who has boycotted all Disney movies since 2001, I freely admit that I haven't seen the "Pirates" movie, and yes, plenty of people have told me how great they think it is.

Huh? You are a Disney fan, heartbroken over POTC, and you have boycotted the films since 2001? Why? It sounds like you are already critical of the company so there appears little they could do to please you anyway, but maybe there is a better explanation. I'll leave that to you

Please folks, don't think for a minute that these rides have inspired movies. It's the greed and the lack of originality that created these films, and it's sad.

Once again, I am shocked how much you know about a film you haven't seen. What makes you think "lack of originality applies to this film? You have absolutely no basis of that if you haven't seen it. And by the way, the fiolm was GREAT!

I'm sure Walt Disney would not approve of this being done to the final ride that he supervised. I don't approve either, and unless I get to Disneyland before march, I will probably never ride POTC again.

Well then you don't know much about Walt, because if you did you would know how he constantly wanted things to change and always tied his entire corporation together. I don't know if Walt would have like this, and quite frankly I can't even guess, because I have not seen it!

Honestly, I love when people think Walt would be turning in his grave of they changed the "classics". If Walt were still alive, I don't think there would be even one "classic" still untouched.

Maybe next year we'll see and audio animatronics Eddie Murphy in The Haunted Mansion. Or maybe we'll even get a Country Bears attraction at Disneyland some day.

The big difference that you have missed is that those movies stunk and this one was good.

 

[mark&sue]

I am really looking forward to the changes and especially glad they will be ready when we go back in October. Will Paris get this makeover?

I only read this rumor board waiting for new and exciting changes and this is exactly the type of thing I love to read about. I look forward to different things happening at WDW. Now I am a DVC member I know I will fly accross the Atlantic every year and am very excited for something different each time I come.

Keep the news and rumours coming. I can't get enough.



Susan

 

[exDS vet]

If you don't mind me asking what event caused you to boycott Disney movies and what if anything could disney do to get you back

There are many "events" that led to my feelings about Disney. The last ten years of the Eisner reign of terror pretty much tops the list. As for the rest, you might have to wait for the book. When it comes to Disney, I am a traditionalist, plain and simple. I have no problem with them adding new attractions, it is plainly necessary for future success and growth. But updating these attractions like this is just a bad idea. Look, they closed down Space Mountain for over two years to give it a complete rehab. The replaced the entire ride with a brand new track and it was exactly the same as the original one. They obviously didn't feel a need to change the ride to a Paris-style version, which I'm sure might be better. And let's face it, compared to other (non Disney) roller coasters, Space Mountain could be considered boring, but they didn't mess with a good thing.

Like many, I will always have my memories of the best of Disney. I feel that this POTC update is unneccessary and pointless. This is my opinion, and as unpopular as it may be on this blog, I am still entitled to it.

 

[exDS vet]

wasn't the Country Bears already at DL?? Didn't they make the movie from the show?? Why did my kids want to see the movie?? B/C they saw the show at WDW!!

Why will my kids want to ride the "boring POTC" (their words, not mine) again with me on our next trip?? Jack Sparrow of course!

Nope. No Country Bears, just the Country Bear Playhouse. And before that they had the Country Bear Jamboree. Oh, and a Christmas show too. But there was never a Country Bears.

My tongue is firmly planted in my cheek.

 

[exDS vet]

I have a few questions here...
How could you hate a sequel that you haven't even seen yet? I admit it sounds like something I would not be interested in, but you already think it is going to be bad.

Can you name one of these "direct to DVD" sequels that was good or even a success? If they had to potential to be either, they would have been theatrical releases.

QUOTE
Huh? You are a Disney fan, heartbroken over POTC, and you have boycotted the films since 2001? Why? It sounds like you are already critical of the company so there appears little they could do to please you anyway, but maybe there is a better explanation. I'll leave that to you

Unfortunately, I'm not heartbroken over anything. I expected this to happen for some time now. After "Atlantis", "The Emperor's New Groove", "Dinosaur" and "Monster's Inc." is just lost interest and have stopped watching Disney films altogether. I guess "boycott" might be strong, but I no longer have any interest in new Disney films, and have never liked the Disney/Pixar stuff.

QUOTE
Well then you don't know much about Walt, because if you did you would know how he constantly wanted things to change and always tied his entire corporation together.

It's true that many of the attractions at Disneyland were based on much of Walt's work and he said that Disneyland would never be completed as long as there was imigination left in the world. I would argue about his constantly wanting things to change. He was an innovater, but he did not change much, if anything at Disneyland, he just added to the place. There is a difference.

QUOTE
Honestly, I love when people think Walt would be turning in his grave of they changed the "classics". If Walt were still alive, I don't think there would be even one "classic" still untouched.

Are you saying that Walt would be turning in his grave if they never changed the "classics"?

 

[exDS vet]

If often surprises me when people on these boards get so defensive when others are critical of things. I have been slammed by some for my views on what Disney has tried to master over the past five years. Rehashing good ideas and trying to make a buck off of them. As long as you will buy it, they will keep doing it and you will continue to appreciate the depreciation of this once great company.

Since everyone has an opinion of what Walt would do, I thought I'd share an actual quote from this amazing man:

"You hate to repeat yourself. I don't like to make sequels to my pictures. I like to take a new thing and develop something, a new concept."

-Walt Disney