Has POC been toned down?

[epceddie]

My wife and I were at the MK Jan. 7 and Jan. 12and we rode Pirates of the Caribbean several times both days. It seemed to us that the scene with the pirate ship wasn't quite as exciting as it has been.
In the past, I remember that scene taking my breath away and giving me a real sense of anticipation.
Is there something missing or is it just us?

[BigThunderFan]

I can't say if that part has even changed at all. But I agree with you, when we rode it in 2008 it seemed to lack some "punch" if you know what I mean. The cannonballs didn't splash as much as I remember and we went through it awful fast.

Of course prior to this, the last time I rode it had to be in 1993or4 since it was under refurb in 2000 when we went. So I may just be using the memory of a younger man in recalling this...

[epceddie]

Lack of punch is a good way to describe it. I just remember it being more dramatic with more action.

[Ian]

Huh. I actually think it's been "punched up" a little bit if anything.

I think the new music adds an element of drama to the scene and I also love the new "cannonball whizzing past you" effect they installed that uses the compressed air cannon.

Bear in mind that sometimes you actually do move through the scene faster than at other times, because when it's busier they crank up the throughput/speed of attractions.

Although, I'm honestly not sure if they can do that with boat rides or not? :confused:

[TheRustyScupper]

My wife and I were at the MK Jan. 7 and Jan. 12and we rode Pirates of the Caribbean several times both days. It seemed to us that the scene with the pirate ship wasn't quite as exciting as it has been.

1) Cost reductions.
2) Cannon balls and powder are getting expensive.

[JPL]

It's possible the effects weren't functioning properly or that they turned them off some reason.

[QTPie68]

1) Cost reductions.
2) Cannon balls and powder are getting expensive.

:yes: Alas, bad economy has even hit the Carribbean...even the redhead has been reduced ;)

[DigitalDaredevil]

I felt that they sped up the scene where the pirate ships are. It is one of my favorites on the ride.
One thing I am surprised they did not fix or maybe it is something that happened after the rehab is when you pass the ghost ship and take the hill down you always seem to bump the right side of the river guide. It's not that bad but it does get your attention.
Is it just me or do you fellow Intercotee's feel it?

[DisneyorBust]

I have to agree with Ian. We returned to WDW this past September and enjoyed PoTC a number of times (DD#1's favorite) and all felt that the Wicked Wench ship scene was more intense than on prior trips. We liked it! I hope that it stays that way.

[JPL]

Did some poking around and they can control the speed of the water running through the flume so it's also possible it was sped up

[BigThunderFan]

:yes: Alas, bad economy has even hit the Carribbean...even the redhead has been reduced ;)

No!! Not the redhead too!:(

[PetefromRI]

It seems to me that they turned the volume down.I liked when it was louder but I think that maybe it scared little kids so they made it quieter.I can only speak for myself but I also believe that after riding it 20-30 times it does lose a bit of its punch!Still a classic though.

[DigitalDaredevil]

I would also agree with the audio being a little quieter.
I still love the ride. Nothing will beat your first time on the ride, but everytime is enjoyable. I like to look for things that aren't center stage. Little touches that Disney makes to enhance the attraction.

[kbean]

Yeah! Wasn't there an upside down loop on this ride???? Ha....I'm just kidding people:thumbsup:

[Iluvpooh]

Yeah! Wasn't there an upside down loop on this ride???? Ha....I'm just kidding people:thumbsup:
Funny you should say that. I rode with my sister last year and she hadn't ridden it in YEARS. She kept saying that she remembered the waterfall drop being as long as Splash Mountain and that they must have shortend the drop after the refurb.:confused::blush:

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

I believe the one at Disneyland has a bigger drop but not the one in WDW, it hasn't been changed.

[WDWdriver]

Funny you should say that. I rode with my sister last year and she hadn't ridden it in YEARS. She kept saying that she remembered the waterfall drop being as long as Splash Mountain and that they must have shortend the drop after the refurb.

Nope. The POTC drop has always been short, and nothing at all like Splash Mountain.

[joonyer]

Funny how everything that happened to us growing up gets larger, scarier, more intense, more fun, and more wonderful as we get older.

I took my kids back to a campground in Tenn. where I had camped several times with my family as a boy and it was amazing how much smaller the big waterfall had gotten was when I went back 30 years later.

Aren't memories wonderful?

[darthmacho]

Personally, I think it is all about perception. I've ridden this and several other dark rides and have experienced similar letdown at times. Once we rode POTC late at night, and we were alone in the boat, the boat in front of us was unoccupied, and the one behind us had a single couple in it. The boasts seemed slower and further apart. The whole experience seemed different, darker, quieter, and almost, well, eerie, rather than action packed and exciting.

Weird? :confused:

We had the opposite experience with Perer Pan. I waited a long time in the heat to experience the memories of this favorite, and we seemed to zip through the ride at warp speed, and it just didn't live up to my anticipations. :(

Therefore, I say it's more about the individual than the changes made to the ride sometimes.

[Mickey 101]

We were just at WDW and noticed the 'water screen' with Davy Jones face projected on it wasn't running. That was a cool effect and we were sad to see it missing. Hopefully, it's only down temporarily.

[Stu29573]

We had the opposite experience with Perer Pan. I waited a long time in the heat to experience the memories of this favorite, and we seemed to zip through the ride at warp speed, and it just didn't live up to my anticipations. :(



I noticed that on Peter Pan too. We went in June and the ships were zipping around so fast we were swinging out on the corners! I don't remember that ever happening before, but maybe I'm just not remembering correctly...

[Altair]

We were just at WDW and noticed the 'water screen' with Davy Jones face projected on it wasn't running. That was a cool effect and we were sad to see it missing. Hopefully, it's only down temporarily.


Here you go: Davey in the mist (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2284800810053696626LotZOJ) :pirate::mickey:

[DisneyDoug2]

We just returned from there last week and the POTC was toned down, the mist /w the davey jones on it that you go through right before the drop was missing and the number of cannon shots I could have counted on one hand. We were all disappointed and did not ride again.

[TikiLounger]

Okay, so we noticed (back in September) that the audio was turned down and the fire effects and swirling clouds in the sky seemed to be much less intense in some areas. The whole ride experience was much darker and harder to see, too. Then, when we went back in Jan, everything was back to "normal".

[pixiesmimi]

When we went last year we rode POC late at night during EMHs. There weren't a lot of people there and it was raining so even fewer than normal. We had never ridden it at night and it seemed to take on a new look at night and with fewer crowds. But then they started having problems. Don't know if it was the storm or what but the ride actually stopped for about 15 minutes and we were right at the point where the drunk pirate is singing with the cats. We had to listen to him sing over and over until the audio finally went out and he was just moving with no sound. That really ruined the whole atmosphere for me and I'll never see it again in the same light. It all seems so mechanical to me now that I've had to watch this. Ruined the magic. I don't feel like the cannonballs are as dramatic as before either. I wondered about that the last time we rode.

[MushuGrl]

We just got back and my first thought was "I'm going to go on Intercot to see what's up with Davy!" You could hear his voice when the ride very first started, but no mist. Also seemed like there were scenes missing? Or maybe I just thought something was there that wasn't. Finally, the room that Jack's in at the end wasn't lit very well - it was so dark you couldn't see his mouth move. Several people made the comment of remembering it being brightly lit before.

[Stu29573]

We just got back and my first thought was "I'm going to go on Intercot to see what's up with Davy!" You could hear his voice when the ride very first started, but no mist. Also seemed like there were scenes missing? Or maybe I just thought something was there that wasn't. Finally, the room that Jack's in at the end wasn't lit very well - it was so dark you couldn't see his mouth move. Several people made the comment of remembering it being brightly lit before.

POC at Disneyland is considerably longer, with added scenes, etc. Maybe you are confusing the two?

[BigThunderFan]

Nope, Davy Jones was not working last week either and we went on it several times over the course of the week.

I didn't notice anything else out of the ordinary. Some times there were very few cannonballs and I was disappointed, but a couple of times there were so many and we even got wet from a couple. Two of our rides were great through that scene, the rest were just ok.