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View Full Version : Attraction of the Week 01/20 -- Pirates of the Caribbean



imported_PolyGirl40
01-20-2002, 10:29 AM
Ahoy, there maties! There’s rough waters ahead!! graemlins/laughing.gif

Who does not love this attraction? Whether it be the nostalgia factor or the simple enjoyment - this is a must do for my entire family. We usually take several boat rides, while on vacation. My oldest was a bit fearful of the cannons and fire on his first ride through as a wee one - but quickly got over it. Everything/one is so realistic. Disney at its best! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

One of my favorite scenes is the pirates behind bars with the rope - as the dog looks on with the key to their cell. And one cannot forget that dangling hairy leg. graemlins/doubleeek.gif

What is your favorite part of the attraction?

Hidden Mickey Alert: Check out the final Pirate scene. A Mickey head is formed by three gold plates.

:D

Fantasmic
01-20-2002, 10:45 AM
POTC is a classic Disney attraction!

There is another Hidden Mickey in the last scene, there are some lanterns hanging on the wall, and under them there is a tri-circle mickey arrangment, which can be seen and casts a shadow onto the wall!

POTC water is Icky though, in June I was riding with Rob (mktiggerman) and our boat made a big splash and the water went in Rob's mouth, the unload CM advised Rob to get a tetanus shot! So he did ! That water has many nasty bugs

Jillpie
01-20-2002, 11:45 AM
ewwwwww!!!!Amy!! Poor Rob. We like this ride, I just asked my whole family as I read this and asked there opinion: Dad-loves it! Mom(me) its ok, I like one ride per trip, Patrick-its "cheesy" (ok, he's l3 ;) ), Andrew- I LOVE the souvenirs!, Brendan- its just ok. He loves the shop too, we can't drag them out.

snmthecloser
01-20-2002, 12:23 PM
I have a confession to make... I have never been on POTC, but I know that when I go it is going to be on the top of my list. On a rate of 1-10 what would you give it. I would give it a 9.5 graemlins/crazy.gif graemlins/clappy.gif

DisneyWizard
01-20-2002, 02:44 PM
Like Carol said, who doesn't love this ride? What I love about this ride is, even though it's pretty long, it NEVER takes your attention away from the pirates and their scenes. You forget about everything when on this ride.

What a classic.... graemlins/mickey.gif

faline
01-20-2002, 04:46 PM
This is DH's favorite ride in all of DW!! (I must admit, it's one of my favorites as well). It's a must for every vacation.

I think my favorite part is the beginning, before you head into the town areas. I like the ride past the beach where the skeletons lie, the ghost ship with the skeleton at the wheel, the warnings you get before you slide down, and the battle between the pirate ship and the fort while cannon balls are "landing" all around you!

There is always something to see. This is a classic ride that never gets old.

brer frog
01-20-2002, 05:24 PM
I too have never been on this ride. I have added it to my list of things to do. I hope i don't run out of space on my palm pilot to hold all the stuff i need to do.

Jared
01-20-2002, 07:43 PM
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by snmthecloser:
I have a confession to make... I have never been on POTC, but I know that when I go it is going to be on the top of my list. On a rate of 1-10 what would you give it. I would give it a 9.5 graemlins/crazy.gif graemlins/clappy.gif <hr></blockquote>

How can you rank it if you've never been on it. :confused:

This is one of my family's favorites as well. Right from the beginning, in the queue, you get interested. I think it has the best queue in the park! I love the little splash, and the pirates are amazing!

Beach Club Babe
01-20-2002, 07:49 PM
I definitely love this ride and is a must do several times. Although, this past summer it seemed to be a bad omen for us. We were with a friend who needed to rent a wheelchair because of a work related injury. The 1st time we went on they got behind trying to park. Their DD did not stop to help unload and proceeded with us. My friend and her DH got into a disagreement about this and didn't ride. They were going to leave after that, but with some persuading from moi, they stayed and got over it. Thought we'd try it again. Everything went fine, till we got off. We went to get the wheelchair and it wasn't there. I asked CM and he said that there was an emergency right outside and they asked to borrow one of PoTC's. They took the wrong one. The CM called over to the trading post and they said they had a replacement. Did I mention that it had started to POUR BUCKETS while we were on the ride. Her DH and I went to pick it up. He couldn't be trusted to get there and back, but that's another story. We get ther and they say no we don't have any. They say they'll go get one from the front since we were told they did. Some 1 1/2 hr later they bring it. She was now boiling. I still love it though.

Fav. parts are
1. woman chasing pirate with broom
2. dog holding keys
3 pirate with hairy leg dangling over bridge

rokinrayfrompittpa
01-21-2002, 04:39 AM
Some of you forgot to keep your bloody hands in the boat. Those playing with the water should have been admonished or ejected from the park. Being an employee of WDW does not entitle one to ignore the rules.

the talking skull before the falls is one of my favorite parts.

Going_to_Orlando_12/19/01
01-21-2002, 10:22 AM
I'm with Carol, the hairy leg of the pirate sitting on the bridge. Each time I have been that foot gets a bit more dirty looking. Always good for a real laugh.

Miss the cannon ball explosions this last time however, maybe they stopped the water air connon shots because the water is so nasty.

brownie
01-21-2002, 10:38 AM
This is one of my favorites! I had to get the 100 Yrs. Official Album when I ordered the Magic in the Streets CD so I could have the music from POTC.

PeterPan
01-21-2002, 11:42 AM
What blew me away when I first experienced this ride (way back in 1972) was JUST GETTING INTO THE RIDE was as fascinating as the ride itself. I was (and still am) fascinated with the fact that Disney (the Imagineers) were so attentive to detail and to the story from the minute you walk into the Plaza, under the huge patio area (and many of us remember when the lines at MK were so long, you actually had to wait in this area before ever getting thru the turnstyles!!!) and then into the passageways - seeming down into the dungeons of this Spanish Castillo. Amazing! Just WALKING IN was worth the price of the ticket. Yes, I remember handing the "E" ticket to the CM on the way in. In later years, we bought "Keys to the Kingdom" type tickets that you wore around your neck (anyone remember these) that allowed you onto all the rides. The Tickets were still in effect at this time. But that is really another subject...I just remember needing a ticket to get into Pirates. There is not a nook or cranny that I have not scrutinized - and I love every inch of this ride! It is great to think that it was one of the last rides that Walt had a hand in, too.

One more word....HOW IN THE WORLD CAN YOU GO TO THE MK AND NOT RIDE PIRATES? Someone please answer this question for me!

Altair
01-21-2002, 12:04 PM
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by PeterPan:
One more word....HOW IN THE WORLD CAN YOU GO TO THE MK AND NOT RIDE PIRATES? Someone please answer this question for me!<hr></blockquote>


It could be closed for rehab.

:D

Sportster
01-21-2002, 12:12 PM
I agree...this is a "don't miss ride". There is so much to see and take in on this ride that you have to ride it over and over again to take in all the scenes. I like the cannonballs hitting the water. graemlins/mickey.gif

roses
01-21-2002, 02:46 PM
I love this ride! I agree 100% saying that it is definatly a disney classic. How can you not like this ride? As for the water, thanks for the warning ;)

graemlins/clappy.gif graemlins/muscles.gif graemlins/clappy.gif graemlins/muscles.gif

MNNHFLTX
01-21-2002, 03:48 PM
As many have mentioned before, it is the little details that make this ride special. For example, the wall opposite the loading area (showing a restless sea with other ships off in the distance), really helps set the mood. When you see the "skeleton pirate" at the wheel, there is always that cold blast of air that suddenly hits you. And all the pirates and wenches (for loss of a better word) take on personalities of their own. When one or more of them are missing for rehab, people do notice (remember when the broom woman and pirate were missing a while back--I know we had a couple of threads where people commented on it!)

This ride is a great adventure for all ages!
smile.gif

mjstaceyuofm
01-21-2002, 04:15 PM
A classic, must-see (geez, we all sound like movie critics....) attraction while at WDW. It ranks up there in my top 5 for all WDW parks. I too love the shop - my favorite shot glass is a POTC shot glass with the infamous skull & crossbones on it...

mamcdo
01-21-2002, 04:55 PM
POTC is my absolute favorite ride! I ride it at least twice a trip.

MKPlutoGuy
01-21-2002, 08:49 PM
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by PolyGirl40:
[i]One of my favorite scenes is the pirates behind bars with the rope - as the dog looks on with the key to their cell. And one cannot forget that dangling hairy leg. graemlins/doubleeek.gif

What is your favorite part of the attraction? <hr></blockquote>

Love that part as well! Its great how the dog has that look on his face and the prisoners are just dieing to get that key. I used to be scared of it but now its one of the best attractions (a classic)

tad_tad
01-21-2002, 10:27 PM
I love just about every part of the ride that you have all mentioned! I've always wanted to be a pirate!

The best part of the ride is that it is always cool and utterly refreshing on even the hottest days!

Bluecoat89
01-22-2002, 03:25 AM
Hey PeterPan,
Not to split hairs, but Pirates of the Caribbean opened in December of 1973, not 1972. The story is that Disney imaginers (sp?) did not think that Pirates of the Caribbean would do well next to the real Caribbean. When they received complaints from guests, about it not being there, they put it in.

There is good reading about the area at "widen your world" and how it has been transformed over the years.

I like the fact that when both sides of the line is open, no one ever goes to the left. We must have missed a ten minute line by going left, and walked right on. I notice that they do not always use both.

I don't know where I read this (to give credit) but did you know, there were two loading areas. The line to the left was it, but the load dock is now boarded over. You can still see were the two "rivers" merge, at the point were the boat stops for the final warning about your hands inside the boat. Now the boats only use one "lane".

I think it is stupid for Disney to rewrite history to fit into our "PC" world. Pirates raped and killed people. Disney made it fun and did not mean to put down women by showing them being chased.

Best part of the ride is the trio singing with the dog and donkey. I like the harmony from the fat one in the middle. If you listen closely or to the recordings, you will hear him sing out.

SpecJoe Magic
01-22-2002, 12:14 PM
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Bluecoat89:
[QB]
I don't know where I read this (to give credit) but did you know, there were two loading areas. The line to the left was it, but the load dock is now boarded over. You can still see were the two "rivers" merge, at the point were the boat stops for the final warning about your hands inside the boat. Now the boats only use one "lane".

QB]<hr></blockquote>

Yes, I remember when there were two loading areas. I read on a website (Sorry, don't remember where) the reason for the Pirates going to one loading area. The website with this info was written by a former JC and PotC Cast Member. He said that an old system use to run the two loading areas and that sometimes the system would let both boats go at the same time. This would cause the 2 boats to get stuck together at the merge point. A CM would then have to pull them apart. One day, a boy had stuck his hand into the water and the boats both met at the merge point at the same time. The boy lost one of his fingers. This is the reason WDW went to one loading area. I wish I could find this website again because it has some other great stories told from a Cast Member's point of view.

Now for the topic. PotC is classic Disney at its best. It is ashame that new attractions like this are scarce. I think the Disneyland version is perhaps Disney's greatest overall attraction ever. The WDW version, while not quite as good as the DL version, is still a great attraction.

claysmom
01-22-2002, 03:34 PM
So- THAT is what changed! Only one loading area! I knew something was off on our last visit, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

Do they not filter or change that water???? Gross! What about IASM? I bet that water is really YUCKY too! Ewwwww!!!!!

I bet that water has been there since the 1970's!!!! I probably spit in it when I was 3!

Anyway, in spite of the gross water, I love this ride! The hairy leg is one of my favorite parts! I also like the battle scene where the cannon ball blasts used to be. :)

Last time we rode it a CM had done something and our boat went off course. We had to unload on the ride and hike around the building. Whoops! :) Let me tell, ya', that was a LONG hike!

:)

DisneyHog
01-22-2002, 11:44 PM
Oh yea, this is definetlyl one of WDW's best. I never miss it. One of my favorite parts of the ride is before the ride. I love the parrot outside that talks ya into coming in. He's great. I also love "We wants the redhead!"

graemlins/mickey.gif

thunderbumber
01-23-2002, 05:43 AM
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by PeterPan:
What blew me away when I first experienced this ride (way back in 1972) was JUST GETTING INTO THE RIDE was as fascinating as the ride itself. I was (and still am) fascinated with the fact that Disney (the Imagineers) were so attentive to detail and to the story from the minute you walk into the Plaza, under the huge patio area (and many of us remember when the lines at MK were so long, you actually had to wait in this area before ever getting thru the turnstyles!!!) and then into the passageways - seeming down into the dungeons of this Spanish Castillo. Amazing! Just WALKING IN was worth the price of the ticket. Yes, I remember handing the "E" ticket to the CM on the way in. In later years, we bought "Keys to the Kingdom" type tickets that you wore around your neck (anyone remember these) that allowed you onto all the rides. The Tickets were still in effect at this time. But that is really another subject...I just remember needing a ticket to get into Pirates. There is not a nook or cranny that I have not scrutinized - and I love every inch of this ride! It is great to think that it was one of the last rides that Walt had a hand in, too.

One more word....HOW IN THE WORLD CAN YOU GO TO THE MK AND NOT RIDE PIRATES? Someone please answer this question for me!<hr></blockquote>

PeterPan,
I do remember and have pictures of my brother and I wearing the keys to the kingdom around our necks. i love POTC and will always. whenever my family and i went that was the first ride we alwasy rode. When we would pass by the auction scene, my dad would point out the "We wants the Red head" dialouge. And seeing how that i have red hair thought they wanted me. first couple of times i believed it and thought they REALLY wanted me. was a good joke. POTC, A Disney Classic at its best.
ryan

Martino
01-24-2002, 09:48 AM
This is a must, without doubt!
We all love every minute of it, especially my ds who is 8 and also loves the pirates goodies in the gift shop.
I can't pick a favorite bit, like haunted mansion i love every minute of it!