What's up with POTC?

[Ride Junkie]

We did a quick 1-day trip to Disneyland on Friday 10/7. The park wasn't crowded (at least in the morning) and we had a great time. I am usually not that observant of changes in rides, but I noticed a few things on Pirates and it seems like it's due for a rehab.

The waterfall/Davy Jones effect looks really choppy now. I guess the mist isn't coming out properly so you can barely see him anymore. In the battle scene, the music is so loud that you can hardly hear the dialogue. I don't remember it being like that before. Also, we didn't see the shadow of the two guys fighting on the upper left as you're exiting the battle. The first Jack Sparrow (in the scene where they're dunking Carlos in the well) was frozen, he wasn't moving at all. At the end of the ride where you're entering the burning part, none of the overhead logs were moving.

It's still a great ride, but I hope they fix it. It's one of our favorites and I've never noticed so many things being "off". I hope it doesn't end up like Splash where half the stuff is malfunctioning at any given time, LOL.

 

[GatorChris]

When we went in November, the shadow fighting scene wasn't working, so that may have been down for a really long time. I've always remembered the music being loud in the battle scene, but that's me. The mist seems to be hit and mist everytime we go. And I'll be honest, I've never seen the overhead burning timbers moving. I've just noticed they look like hot embers and the sound of crackling fire. Never noticed them moving. Now if the animatronics aren't moving, that's altogether different.

If it does go down for a fix, hopefully it's in January and very short so it affects as few people as possible. With all they have down now and going down next year, they can ill afford to have another E-ticket down for months.

 

[Niltiac]

I went about a week ago and didn't notice these problems. The mist seemed to be working (though I've seen other people mention this so it may be something that frequently breaks), and the shadow guys were definitely there. As for jack sparrow, the logs, and the music, I didn't specifically notice anything different, but I don't go frequently enough to know for sure how they're supposed to be. I'm pretty sure all of the Jack Sparrows were moving. So I'm wondering if the day you went went it was in particularly bad shape.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I know the overhead logs used to move when I was a child because it terrified me (I believed they were really on fire). That said, I don't think they've moved in years (at least). I know they haven't for the last 2 years because I've had a conversation with my oldest about it.

 

[WonkaKid]

Rode Pirates yesterday -- twice, in fact. The DJ mist effect has been declining in quality for the past two years or so. It's not nearly as sharp as it used to be. Don't know what that's due to but I hope they fix it soon. I know that a few months ago it wasn't working at all.

With respect to the shadow fighters, I've definitely seen them recently. I typically go every Sunday and saw them last weekend. Not sure about yesterday.

 

[mjallemand]

When we went in November, the shadow fighting scene wasn't working, so that may have been down for a really long time. I've always remembered the music being loud in the battle scene, but that's me. The mist seems to be hit and mist everytime we go. And I'll be honest, I've never seen the overhead burning timbers moving. I've just noticed they look like hot embers and the sound of crackling fire. Never noticed them moving. Now if the animatronics aren't moving, that's altogether different.

If it does go down for a fix, hopefully it's in January and very short so it affects as few people as possible. With all they have down now and going down next year, they can ill afford to have another E-ticket down for months.

Man don't say January, we have our first ever Disneyland trip planned for the second week of January. :/

 

[Happyjenz]

What's sad to me is it looks like they actually cleaned up the Pirates foot that hangs over the bridge the boats go under. It used to be much more filthy, and I liked it that way!!

 

[Nonsuch]

...Also, we didn't see the shadow of the two guys fighting on the upper left as you're exiting the battle...

To the left of that scene there is a full moon is in the clouds. I think this is new, but I often seem to forget little details -- so everything old is new again
There is also a cat with a fish in his mouth, sitting alone on a high wall. On the right side, before the "here kitty kitty" pirate (I might be off on the exact location).

Are either of these detail actually new?

 

[bumbershoot]

In the battle scene, the music is so loud that you can hardly hear the dialogue. I don't remember it being like that before.

That's how it has been for most of our trips. The few times I can hear them stand out in my mind because usually it's not like that. In my own experience.

 

[Wahlee]

POTC and almost all the rides in DLR have been running for 18 months or more, continuously, with no refurb, because of the 60th anniversary. It's not surprising they're not functioning at their best. I won't be at all surprised if every ride in DL goes down for an extended refurb at some point in the next year or so.

 

[Ride Junkie]

What's sad to me is it looks like they actually cleaned up the Pirates foot that hangs over the bridge the boats go under. It used to be much more filthy, and I liked it that way!!

Oh yeah, we noticed that too. The pirate over the bridge definitely looked different.

Must have been an off day since some of you have seen the shadow pirates and the first Jack Sparrow moving. My sister is an annual passholder and she said the mist effect has been on the decline for a few years. It makes sense that they wanted to keep everything running for the 60th. They are probably hesitant to take down any more rides for refurb since so many are closed right now (Splash, Winnie the Pooh, and everything surrounding Tom Sawyer's Island). It was a bummer not being able to walk through the Big Thunder Trail. Just a dead end.

 

[Rabb it]

Definitely noticed the Davey Jones fading Black Beard used to appear in the same place but he's gone entirely.

 

[Angrose]

POTC will celebrate its 50th anniversary in March. I've read that it will go down for an extensive refurb early in the new year until the celebration on March 17th. Sounds like it needs some TLC!

 

[heybets30]

We rode it Thu Oct 6, last week. We couldn't even make out Davy Jones in the fog ... it was just red blobbish over the fog. Friday? No better. And, the fog LINGERED big time by the boats in the cannon scene - enough we couldn't see anything until we were halfway through the scene. I know there's a little residual fog, but people were coughing, Oh wait, it was me who was coughing like crazy because of all the extra fog.

interesting fact - Thursday, the ride took 10 minutes from getting in the boat to stepping out. Friday? Took 14 minutes. Normal wait time to unload with about 3 boats in front of us up the ramp both times. Hmmmmm.

 

[Niltiac]

We rode it Thu Oct 6, last week. We couldn't even make out Davy Jones in the fog ... it was just red blobbish over the fog. Friday? No better. And, the fog LINGERED big time by the boats in the cannon scene - enough we couldn't see anything until we were halfway through the scene. I know there's a little residual fog, but people were coughing, Oh wait, it was me who was coughing like crazy because of all the extra fog.

I did notice the extra fog on our recent trip, but it didn't occur to me that that was a defect. Sounds like you had more than we did though. I liked watching the ship slowly emerge through the fog - I thought it added to the illusion of wide open space. But certainly if people are coughing it's too much.

 

[choirboy501]

POTC and almost all the rides in DLR have been running for 18 months or more, continuously, with no refurb, because of the 60th anniversary. It's not surprising they're not functioning at their best. I won't be at all surprised if every ride in DL goes down for an extended refurb at some point in the next year or so.

It's only been 12 months or so for POTC. It was closed for refurb when I was at DL last week of September 2015, which was only a couple months into the 60th.

 

[Darkbeer1]

One big issue with the three main water flume rides ("iasw", Splash and POTC) is that they need regular maintenance in drying out the boats. Yes, you can delay them, but the additional costs add up quickly.

So I do expect a early 2017 closure to allow for the repairs and drying out of the boats and flume for POTC, plus the scenes, as the AA's are designed for a bit of water, but prefer dry conditions.

Alas, it is a decision that has to be made, and lately Disney doesn't like to announce things too far in advance lately...

 

[PHXscuba]

I read this post right before my trip and thought I'd report back ...

I rode POTC on Friday (yesterday) and the Davy Jones screen was as fuzzy as the OP described. The fog in the large battle scene was heavier than normal, but we did see the shadows fighting on the upper level. All of the Jack Sparrows were operational.

The ride I really noticed that things weren't working was IASW. I guess they are waiting until they have to close it to install the holiday version to fix many small things.

PHXscuba

 

[WonkaKid]

Just rode it (Sunday morning, 10-16) and the projection/mist isn't working at all now. Well, perhaps the projection is but without mist, it might as well not be.

 

[cali_crafter]

The fog was ridiculously thick Wednesday the 12th, I was coughing.