Today's POTC discussion

[rteetz]

After watching today's show I felt I had to start a discussion on the Pirates refurb. I didn't read the article Steve Porter wrote but I wanted to comment.

The Pirates refurb wasn't supposed to change anything or really add anything to it. The Pirates refurb was basically to rebuild and fix all of the costumes, and animtronics. Every animtronic in the ride got some sort of work. The boats did not get fixed at all. A longer 6 month refurb was wanted by imagineers and Disney employees but Phil Holmes MK VP at the time wouldn't allow more than the time they got. Some websites posted that Disney added scents. From what I have found and heard from sources is no scents were really added so why some websites reported that originally is weird. Pete is correct in that the WDW Pirates boats are from Disneyland and were not made for WDW therefore they take on a lot of water. Disney didn't have the time in this refurb to fix that issue so it is going to be looked at over time. The whole point of the refurb was to just get the ride in an opening day condition. There weren't supposed to be major changes or updates.

 

[Princess Jes]

Question: why would they need 6 months to swap out the boats? Surely they could have been engineered offsite ahead of time and then tested during closed hours and installed during the refurb?

 

[rteetz]

Question: why would they need 6 months to swap out the boats? Surely they could have been engineered offsite ahead of time and then tested during closed hours and installed during the refurb?

The boats are only part of the problems that existed with pirates. WDW management also doesn't really want to pay for new boats.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

That should be the new Disney motto "Why do it right when you can do it cheap!"

 

[JJZMgailey]

Here's a link to Stephen's piece if anyone didn't get a chance to read it:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/walt-disney-world/updates-to-pirates-of-the-caribbean-disappoint/

We rode PoTC last weekend and the biggest things we noticed were that the lighting was brighter, new costumes on most of the audio animatronics and the people in the front 2 rows of each boat came off soaked!

 

[rteetz]

We rode PoTC last weekend and the biggest things we noticed were that the lighting was brighter, new costumes on most

yep the biggest complaint right now is that people are getting more wet on pirates than splash mountain.

 

[Tonyz]

The biggest problem I have with the refurb is that it took so long to do so little. It's like the parking garage all over again.

 

[rteetz]

The biggest problem I have with the refurb is that it took so long to do so little. It's like the parking garage all over again.

Well it's not easy to rebuild animatronics that were built decades ago.

 

[KingLlama]

I always bring my own boat with me to ride POTC. Sure, it makes things awkward in line, and the Cast Members always give me a mean look, but it really enhances the experience, especially when one of my cannonballs hits another boat. You should see the look on THEIR faces!

 

[horner89]

The boats are only part of the problems that existed with pirates. WDW management also doesn't really want to pay for new boats.

I remember this being a problem on my visit two years ago. If the boat issue is something they aren't going to deal with, is it possible to request a seat in the dry rows when boarding or is it just luck of the draw?

 

[rteetz]

I remember this being a problem on my visit two years ago. If the boat issue is something they aren't going to deal with, is it possible to request a seat in the dry rows when boarding or is it just luck of the draw?

Usually it's just luck of the draw but I guess it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[JJZMgailey]

FWIW, we sat in the 2nd to the last row last weekend and didn't get wet at all. I think it's the first 2 rows that get soaked now.

 

[Teleclashter]

After watching today's show I felt I had to start a discussion on the Pirates refurb. I didn't read the article Steve Porter wrote but I wanted to comment.

The Pirates refurb wasn't supposed to change anything or really add anything to it. The Pirates refurb was basically to rebuild and fix all of the costumes, and animtronics. Every animtronic in the ride got some sort of work. The boats did not get fixed at all. A longer 6 month refurb was wanted by imagineers and Disney employees but Phil Holmes MK VP at the time wouldn't allow more than the time they got. Some websites posted that Disney added scents. From what I have found and heard from sources is no scents were really added so why some websites reported that originally is weird. Pete is correct in that the WDW Pirates boats are from Disneyland and were not made for WDW therefore they take on a lot of water. Disney didn't have the time in this refurb to fix that issue so it is going to be looked at over time. The whole point of the refurb was to just get the ride in an opening day condition. There weren't supposed to be major changes or updates.

The point of the discussion was that even though we don't know the extent of how long it takes to fix infrastructure or "enhance" animatronics, the end result was so extremely minor that it didn't seem worth the time down from a guest's perspective. As I stated in the show, select audio cues and animatronics are less than "opening day condition," unless that means not working. If so, then bravo Disney!

Finally, the scent factor is not something that was just made up by some websites. It was officially announced by Disney when the attraction reopened. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...traction-reopens-at-walt-disney-world-resort/

 

[rteetz]

The point of the discussion was that even though we don't know the extent of how long it takes to fix infrastructure or "enhance" animatronics, the end result was so extremely minor that it didn't seem worth the time down from a guest's perspective. As I stated in the show, select audio cues and animatronics are less than "opening day condition," unless that means not working. If so, then bravo Disney!

Finally, the scent factor is not something that was just made up by some websites. It was officially announced by Disney when the attraction reopened. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...traction-reopens-at-walt-disney-world-resort/

I guess the question is would you rather have a broken show or a working show? From what I've heard imagineers just wanted everything in working condition after a long time of neglect.

 

[darrengs]

After watching today's show I felt I had to start a discussion on the Pirates refurb. I didn't read the article Steve Porter wrote but I wanted to comment.

The Pirates refurb wasn't supposed to change anything or really add anything to it. The Pirates refurb was basically to rebuild and fix all of the costumes, and animtronics. Every animtronic in the ride got some sort of work. The boats did not get fixed at all. A longer 6 month refurb was wanted by imagineers and Disney employees but Phil Holmes MK VP at the time wouldn't allow more than the time they got. Some websites posted that Disney added scents. From what I have found and heard from sources is no scents were really added so why some websites reported that originally is weird. Pete is correct in that the WDW Pirates boats are from Disneyland and were not made for WDW therefore they take on a lot of water. Disney didn't have the time in this refurb to fix that issue so it is going to be looked at over time. The whole point of the refurb was to just get the ride in an opening day condition. There weren't supposed to be major changes or updates.

It is Disney themselves stating they added scents, Disney also states that some new effects were added.

"In addition to the restoration work and new paint inside the attraction, we added some enhanced special effects, including new cannons with water-based smoke and strobes for weather effects. There are also a handful of new scents to experience at different areas of the attraction."

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...traction-reopens-at-walt-disney-world-resort/

 

[disneysteve]

the people in the front 2 rows of each boat came off soaked!

I haven't heard the show yet, but everything I read about the rehab said that they made the drop less intense. If it's true that people are now getting soaked, that doesn't sound less intense to me. I'd be awfully pissed if I rode it and came off drenched. Can others confirm that this is true now?

 

[Angel Ariel]

Well it's not easy to rebuild animatronics that were built decades ago.

Didn't the team comment that there were still some animatronics that weren't working correctly? I'm honestly asking..I thought I remembered them saying something to that effect - maybe Kathy? There were other things going on in the house at that point in the podcast and I got distracted

*IF* that was the case, then I think it's justifiable to be disappointed in POTC being down for that long and to reopen and *still* have things not working correctly.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I haven't heard the show yet, but everything I read about the rehab said that they made the drop less intense. If it's true that people are now getting soaked, that doesn't sound less intense to me. I'd be awfully pissed if I rode it and came off drenched. Can others confirm that this is true now?

Craig said on the podcast that he was quite afraid for the sake of his camera at the drop because of how wet they were getting.

On previous trips (before the boat change) I was never worried about getting my camera wet on Pirates. It sounds like I should be concerned now.

Is DLR having this same problem with these boats? Or Are the boats OK there because the infrastructure is different? Need to know if I should be concerned taking my camera there next month! (And no, I would never use flash And yes, I also turn off my LCD screen)

 

[SamIAm21]

Well, I love POTC don't get me wrong, but it will never be the Disneyland POTC. That's an amazingly immersive attraction! The longer boat ride gives you more time to be immersed into the story and provides a better story line.

However, I am looking forward to seeing the improvements in the WDW in early November.

 

[rteetz]

Didn't the team comment that there were still some animatronics that weren't working correctly? I'm honestly asking..I thought I remembered them saying something to that effect - maybe Kathy? There were other things going on in the house at that point in the podcast and I got distracted

*IF* that was the case, then I think it's justifiable to be disappointed in POTC being down for that long and to reopen and *still* have things not working correctly.

Yes they did. Out of all the reports I have seen or heard tho they are the only ones to say animatronics were still not working.