Pirates of the Caribbean in Walt Disney World to receive much needed enhancements

[fantasmic101]

For those who have been to the parks in California and Paris France, you are quite aware that the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in Florida is much smaller with less visuals and other great effects. In the last few years, the Disney company has been trying to find ways to enhance the attraction without making any changes to the classic attractions. It has been announced that the Walt Disney World will be adding some new features to the attraction that will be exclusive to only to Walt Disney World's Pirates of the Caribbean. The new features to the Pirates attraction will be ready for the May 5th Homecoming celebration. It has not been announced how many features are being added or the size of them, but they have promised it will be a welcome new addition to the attraction.

 

[tdsryan]

Exactly where is this announcement?

 

[fantasmic101]

The announcement came frm the Team Disney Building in Florida. The head Imagineer in charge of the Pirates of the Caribbean project is Lindsay Lewis from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He has been working in the research department for Disney since 2000 and joined the Imagineer team in the effort to enhance many older attractions.

 

[Brer-Rabbit]

We were told that in MAY the ride would go down for 9 months for refurbishment and so new added features. I dont know where you heard it would be ready for the May celebration, but its incorrect.

The changes they plan to implement are to add features that bring in elements of the movie including changing the name of the boat (the wicked wench) to the Black Pearl and adding 4 animitronic figures of Johnny Depp from the movie.

We just returned from the keys to the kingdom tour in which our tour guide shared this information.

 

[JCTigger]

i love the pirates of the carribean movie as much as the next guy but why do they find the need to have to change things fine change the name of the boat to the black pearl but do they have to add Johnny Depp to the ride i do not see the need to do so its not like the ride is not popular and they need his face to bring in guests i say just leave it alone or referb but dont add elements of the movie to it.. what happens when the second movie comes out and is a huge hit are they gunna close it again and add mick jagger?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

The announcement came frm the Team Disney Building in Florida.

We just returned from the keys to the kingdom tour in which our tour guide shared this information.

Let's see... We have two contradictory stories about enhancements to the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in Florida and their timing.

Although "fantasmic101" is new on these boards, the posts seem quite plausible. At first, I was very skeptical about the "announcement" beacuse I though this meant a public announcement. But the subsequent post from "fantasmic101" made it clear that this was an internal announcement. If new A.A. figures have been built and new effects have been designed, they could certainly be installed in a few months. (And I'm assuming that this means scenes such as the sword-fighting pirates in Disneyland Paris, not necessarily tie-ins to the movie).

Regarding the tour guide on the Keys to the Kingdom tour, I can only say that when I took the tour, the tour guide gave some misinformation. I think my tour guide thought her information was correct, but there are cases when it wasn't (and, no, I didn't blurt out corrections during the tour).

Being a skeptic, I won't believe anything completely until it's official, or I see it myself, or the news comes from someone with a perfect track record. But Pirates of the Caribbean needs some enhancements, so I hope "fantasmic101" is correct.

 

[All Aboard]

and add mick jagger

You mean Keith Richards.

 

[MarkLem]

I for one welcome the changes and think the addition of Depp is great

 

[Tom Morrow]

I agree that Pirates could use a basic refurb, but not to add Depp or rename the boats. I think that the overall atmosphere of the ride is perfect the way it is. Just sitting there in the boat as you pass between the warring cannons and seeing the city in flames brings such a peaceful calm over me.

 

[JCTigger]

You mean Keith Richards.

yeah.. sorry i was writing in a huff... this news kinda upsets me if it is true... however if they do change it i will except it as fate and still continue to ride the ride as if nothing has happened...

 

[SeaShelley]

Oh please let this attraction be open by October 15, 2005!!!! My son will be so sad if he can't ride his favorite! Guess we'll have to come up with a new fav when we get there!

 

[wendy1974]

I don't pretend to have the inside track on Disney but let me ask this OBVIOUS question. Why would Walt Disney World choose to shut down one of their most popular attractions for 9 months right as their 50th anniversary celebration is starting as well as during the summer months, their busiest time?

 

[rocketriter]

I also don't understand why it would take 9 months to refurbish an attraction. (It's taking that long to refurbish It's a Small World, but I assume that's because they have to keep replacing work crew members who go insane.) They should be able to mock up a lot of the scenery and machinery elsewhere, then rapidly move it into place. Perhaps this means they're significantly rerouting the boat canal through the building--which means serious architectural changes, not just refurbishing.

As for whether this is a good idea, well, that depends on the quality of the final product. If they add wonderful stuff, then we'll love them for it. If not...

 

[wasabi girl]

Expensive news! We're (myself, DH, DD(19) and DD (17) going for the first time in Dec 2005. If this ride is closed We're going to have to schedule another trip!

 

[jodistar]

Oh please let this attraction be open by October 15, 2005!!!! My son will be so sad if he can't ride his favorite! Guess we'll have to come up with a new fav when we get there!

Anyone have any idea of when the ride is going down for refurbishment? I too will be going in October 2005 (end of October into November).....I absolutely love Pirates!

 

[PirateGirl]

Me too!! I'm visiting March/April & if I don't go on Pirates at least 5 times I'll be seriously miserable. OK the ride could (maybe) do with a little updating & Johnny Depp's character could enhance it but its basically fine as it is & is such a welcome - short queue - diversion from some of the more hectic MK areas. Does anyone have sight of an official announcement of the revamp yet?

 

[zagafi]

I also don't understand why it would take 9 months to refurbish an attraction. (It's taking that long to refurbish It's a Small World, but I assume that's because they have to keep replacing work crew members who go insane.)

Oh. My. God. Can't. Breathe. Laughing. Too. Hard.

 

[MarylandPirate]

Always been my favorite ride and me likes it just the way it is....arrrrrrgh!

 

[CTXRover]

I also don't understand why it would take 9 months to refurbish an attraction. (It's taking that long to refurbish It's a Small World, but I assume that's because they have to keep replacing work crew members who go insane.) They should be able to mock up a lot of the scenery and machinery elsewhere, then rapidly move it into place. Perhaps this means they're significantly rerouting the boat canal through the building--which means serious architectural changes, not just refurbishing.

Part of the length of the Small World Refurb was because it involved the removal of asbestos from the show building, which must be done with care. The Small World refurb was more than just a fixing up of dolls and painting some sets like some other refurbs of rides, it is in some sense an all-out re-do of the ride. A while ago, a pic was circulating on the internet of the loading area. Let's just say the bottom floor and everything around it appeared to be ripped up.

A more recent peak inside the walls of IASW reveal the new backdrop being installed that does in fact seem to mirror the original from Disneyland (looking much like the current white and gold version at DL).

As for a Pirates upgrade, I'm hopeful. I also wouldn't trust everything the Tour guides tell you. Some of the info our Keys to the Kingdom tour guide told us contradicted things I've read in Imagineering books, the Disney Magazine, even a Travel Channel special...much of it of which I noticed AFTER the tour. Anwyas, a tie-in to the movie, considering how huge it was, is not the end of the world, but also not necessary. Just update some of the animatronic figures, bring the sword-fighting pirates from DL Paris (one can resemble Jack Sparrow if they want) and perhaps give it a more substantial ending (the Florida version really doesn't have much of an ending storywise) would be my suggestions.

 

[JoyMouse]

We leave this Sat. If Pirates is closed now, I guess I will just have to shoot my 2 DD's! They will be dissapointed, but we will survive.