How scary for kids is the new POTC?

[Princess Roo]

I can't seem to find this answer from searching, though I feel like it has probably been discussed, so I apologize!
I have a 4yo who is not too easily scared and an 8yo who is pretty easily scared/startled (plus a 10yo that I'm not conceded about with this ride at all). How scary would you say the Pirates of the Caribbean ride is? What sorts of things are scary in it?
Thanks!

 

[wilkeliza]

It really isn't scary at all. The easily scared/startled 8 year old may not enjoy the drop. Just warn them that when you go into the dark tunnel there is a very quick short drop. If you are worried about the 8 yo perhaps watch a ride through.

The rest of the scenes are not scary at all and are mostly comical.

 

[Pesky]

Definitely warn about the darkness and the drop. Turns out DS did not like getting wet so I gave him a heads up and kept him out of the wet spot. I also kept telling DS to tell me when he saw the pig. Sorry, but the presence of a pig in a ride automatically makes it less scary. Even when we saw the skeletons "is that a pig?" I'd ask and get the eyeroll and "NOOOOOOOO." I agree on a ride-through for the 8YO though.

 

[Mousemommy1]

My kids have never found POTC to be scary at all. The older ones have been riding it since they were 3 and 5.

 

[blackpearl77]

My five year old went on it. He wasn't scared. He thought the canons were a little loud. He loved the skeletons in the beginning. I warned him about the drop and hugged him during it and he said that wasn't scary! The ride broke when we were next to the jail with the dog with the keys. We were stuck for an hour. They turned the lights on and the sound off. So he said he liked the ride but doesn't want to go on it again since he doesn't want to get stuck! I told him that usually doesn't happen!

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

The only thing that bothered me as a child were the cannonballs, since I wasn't expecting them and I startle easily. The drop, if your 8 year old is warned about it beforehand, probably won't be an issue.

 

[cjparker0110]

It would probably depend on what your kids are used to as well. Our kids don't do Halloween and don't watch scary movies, and even just a few adventure films. As such, the sight of a skeleton may be more frightening to them than the average child. I know at one point they had Davy Jones on one of those water projections. His image may be scary if your child is not used to such sights. It really comes down to knowing your child. You can always watch a POV ride through on youtube and see for yourself. Be sure to choose the right one as WDW and DL are a little different.

 

[SweetMissy]

New POTC? Did they change the ride?

 

[tzolkin]

OP-- It looks like you have been to Disney 10 times. Have you never tried POTC before?

The only "scary" part is the skeleton and the dark drop right at the beginning of the ride.

The rest is more comical really. You could just warn the kids about the drop. It's right at the beginning and then they can relax that it's over and enjoy the rest of the ride.

New POTC? Did they change the ride?

I'm thinking the OP may have heard about the refurb with the new boats and thought there was more changed?

No, it's still essentially the same ride as when I was a kid. They added in Jack Sparrow, but that was several years ago.

 

[msmama]

My scaredy cat 7 year old rides it with no problems.

 

[HopperFan]

My kids never were scared but we are big Halloween folks so nothing ever did.
Just some thoughts:
- Beginning is dark, cave area with some howling, drive right through smoke effect with projection talking to you, several skeletons, skeleton driving a ship, big skull stone ...
- Boat does a big drop in darkness
- Enter open area in middle of Pirate ship battle with fort, cannons, water explosions
- Rest is riding through town with lots of pirates, towns folk, Jack Sparrow, music and humor
- Last large room the buildings are on fire, sometimes boats jam up here so they need to know it's lights and wind on fabric, not fire
- Then the jail with pirates wanting to escape
- Pirates, everywhere, some kids are afraid of them.

This is pre-refurb but the ride hasn't changed, everything is just cleaner and brighter and easier to photograph/see. It will give you an idea.
Big Fat Panda has some great attraction videos.

 

[joannamet]

DD now 11 is very sensitive to darkness and negative imagery/music. She finds POTC very scary. She usually rides with her head on my lap and her hands over her ears but she gets through it.

 

[blackpearl77]

If you're unsure about a ride you can just watch it on youtube!

 

[Princess Roo]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

I'm thinking the OP may have heard about the refurb with the new boats and thought there was more changed?

No, it's still essentially the same ride as when I was a kid. They added in Jack Sparrow, but that was several years ago.

Yes - I thought I had heard that they changed more. But since my middle is a scaredy-cat, we haven't been on POTC in a long time! It hasn't been a priority for the rest of us compared to the other things she didn't like to go on, so we've been skipping it.