Pirates Ride!

[JudithM]

Last week at the MK our group of six adults went to Pirates. The line was quite long - longer than I've seen - way out the entrance. Since there were three of us with wheelchairs, I showed the CM out front my GAC for using an alternate entrance. I asked if there was an alternate entrance since there were three of us with wheelchairs & the other two could walk even less than I can. The CM was VERY sweet. She went to the phone, made a call & came back & said another CM would be down to get us in a few minutes. By the time the CM arrived, another family joined us, & we were all escorted to the ride through a parallel entrance. Our group of six had a boat all to ourselves!

Before we left we ran into four "suits" & we complimented the CMs by name. Right away one of the managers was on the phone to an attractions superivsor to pass along our compliments.

 

[saymama]

how nice for you! That's great! When we went 3 yrs ago we had a GAC for my 2 sons with autism and they used their stollers as wheelchairs and we were told that there was nothing that they could do. We either went through the line are not ride. So this past May, we didn't even try to ride it. There was just no way we could do the 30 min line! Very strong willed heavy 5 yr old! This is great to hear because I'd really like to try to take them on it when we go in a few months. thanks

 

[Schmeck]

Now you can get a Fastpass for Pirates, so you wouldn't have to wait. If your sons are still in strollers, I believe you can take them on the boat with you (but only if you have the GAC for strollers as wheelchairs) as long as they can fold up and fit in the boat.

One thing about Pirates - I don't think I've been on the ride where it hasn't stopped somewhere for at least a few minutes. Would that be too hard on your sons? We got stuck by the cannon blasts last trip

 

[HopperFan]

We were there last week and did not see any FP for Pirates. I am looking at my Guidemap and it doesn't indicate it either.

The line was probably worse than we had ever seen it. We have never used the GAC there, but there was no way at this point in time my DS could have handled it. It is one of his favorite rides. We showed the CM the card, she was new but luckily there was a manager there. He asked us to wait a few minutes which we were happy to do. He then escorted us through a gate on the side and around to the back of the building (there were some steps so this was not wheelchair accessible) and we entered from across the dock of the others. He was very nice, kidding with our other children, and made one special boy very happy.

As usual we were treated very kindly by the Disney CMs.

 

[SueM in MN]

It's very nice when it happens, but from what a CM posted about a year ago, the entrance mentioned here is actually considered "backstage" , so it is only used very occasionally. They also have to have enough staff to accompany the parties back there. So, it is worth asking if you really want to ride, but assume it won't work out.

As for fastpass for Pirates, they didn't have it when we were at WDW in March or July (and DH and I didn't go to MK on our New Year's trip). Is anyone going soon who can check for sure?

 

[Schmeck]

I was certain there was FP for Pirates, but maybe I'm getting it mixed up with Jungle Cruise? That could be, since we tend to go on just one or the other of these two Adventureland rides each trip. I'm most likely wrong, sorry!

Mods, feel free to delete my misinformation!

Schmeck, very sorry for the mistake

 

[Disneyland_emily]

Pirates at DL used to have FP but the WDW never did. Jungle Cruise at WDW has FP but the DL one doesnt.

 

[JudithM]

It's very nice when it happens, but from what a CM posted about a year ago, the entrance mentioned here is actually considered "backstage" , so it is only used very occasionally.

The entrance we used last week was part of the show & not backstage. We were very appreciative that there were enough CMs working!

 

[SueM in MN]

The entrance we used last week was part of the show & not backstage. We were very appreciative that there were enough CMs working!

I'm not sure where it is then because the CM who posted it did work that ride and said the only alternate entrance he knew of was backstage. Where did you go in and where did you get on the ride?

 

[HopperFan]

Two weeks ago they took us to the left of the building, through the "smoker's spot". He opened a gate and we walked maybe 25 feet, turned right and up a couple steps in a door. It put us right on a regular loading path, that I never see used anymore, that loads from the left of the boats. We then loaded a boat and no one else got on with us because you couldn't load from the right the way the boats are staggered.

Now it would be possible to take someone in that front entrance to the left and be on the path we were on. That sounds like what JudithM is describing. I will assume that the manager chose not to do this for fear that all those folks in line would want to also enter that way. It would have taken a full second crew to load people from that direction. He was the one who loaded us.

I assume that 25 feet or so we walked is considered backstage. We saw a painting cubicle and lots of big heater fans. He said on cold nights they roll those fans out all over the park to heat the plants so they don't freeze.

If you were in a wheelchair/with no ability to walk, this way would not have been possible. There were steps.

 

[SueM in MN]

Two weeks ago they took us to the left of the building, through the "smoker's spot". He opened a gate and we walked maybe 25 feet, turned right and up a couple steps in a door. It put us right on a regular loading path, that I never see used anymore, that loads from the left of the boats. We then loaded a boat and no one else got on with us because you couldn't load from the right the way the boats are staggered.

Now it would be possible to take someone in that front entrance to the left and be on the path we were on. That sounds like what JudithM is describing. I will assume that the manager chose not to do this for fear that all those folks in line would want to also enter that way. It would have taken a full second crew to load people from that direction. He was the one who loaded us.

I assume that 25 feet or so we walked is considered backstage. We saw a painting cubicle and lots of big heater fans. He said on cold nights they roll those fans out all over the park to heat the plants so they don't freeze.

If you were in a wheelchair/with no ability to walk, this way would not have been possible. There were steps.

I get it now. You did go in the backstage way that a CM had mentioned quite a while ago on this board. Someone else had posted they used it once with a child on a Make A Wish trip I think.
The way Judith went in sounds like it was the second regular load queue, which apparently was not is use at the time. The queues on that ride are a real maze and they can make the line lead all over the place depending on how they put up the dividers (one got moved the wrong way once and a bunch of us ended up at a dead end). So it sounds like they just took her party in a part of the queue that was not in use at the time.

 

[JudithM]

The way Judith went in sounds like it was the second regular load queue, which apparently was not is use at the time. ... So it sounds like they just took her party in a part of the queue that was not in use at the time.

Bingo ! We were definitely not backstage. At the entrance to Pirates there are two ways to go - left or right. The guests were being taken through the right side. We went to the left side. We all thought it was very nice of the CMs to help us.

 

[riu girl]

We used the GAC at Pirates last month. THe ride had been shut down for a few hours that day so when it re-opened the wait was an hour. I felt that was too much for DD7 so I asked the first CM about using hte GAC there. He immediately took us out a side door (to the left when facing the attraction) and down a pathway (I didn't pay much attention to the path way but it was definately an employees only area). And then up a couple steps and into a door back into the left side of the building.

Hopperfan, is this the same route you took, do you think?

Suzy V.

 

[HopperFan]

YES, that is the same route. You are backstage until you go in the door and then you are on the rarely used "left side" route to board the boats. I don't think I have seen people board from the left in 10 years or so, but that is what it is. So when JudithM went in the front on that left path, she actually went past the door we came in at. It would have made no difference time or ease wise to take us either way, I think it just avoided any issues with the folks in line to take us that way.