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Pirates of the Caribbean has entertained millions
of Walt Disney World guests on a thrilling adventure through dark,
mysterious caverns where “dead men tell no tales” since it opened
at Magic Kingdom on Dec. 15, 1973.
Starring a comical cast of rascals, scoundrels, villains
and knaves, the eight-and-a-half minute Adventureland attraction
sends guests of all ages on a rollicking boat ride to a Caribbean
seaport under siege by a swashbuckling band of pirates.
History -
Pirates of the Caribbean first opened at Disneyland
in 1967 and continues to delight guests today. According to Disney
archivist Dave Smith, many guests still consider it their favorite
theme park attraction.
The Disneyland attraction originally was conceived
by Walt Disney as a walk-through exhibit until the 1964 World’s
Fair presentations created by WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering)
paved the way for a more sophisticated kind of three-dimensional
storytelling known as Audio-Animatronics®.
Veteran Disney animator and Imagineer Marc Davis created
hundreds of humorous pirate drawings during the attraction’s development
in the early 1960s, sketches that Disney sculptor Blaine Gibson
helped bring to life as Audio-Animatronics figures.
The jaunty theme song by lyricist X. Atencio and composer
George Bruns, “Yo Ho, Yo Ho; a Pirate’s Life for Me,” sets the attraction’s
light tone with its tongue-in-cheek depiction of high-seas lawlessness:
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me.
We pillage, plunder, we rifle and loot
Drink up me 'earties yo ho
We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot
Drink up me 'earties yo ho
Type - indoor boat ride
When to go - Popular, visit before 12 noon
or during the parade.
Where to Sit - Any seat is good. You may want
to put small children in the centre, where they're less likely to
get scared by the pirates.
Duration - 8 mins
Restrictions
Guests must transfer from their ECV to a wheelchair and then from
the wheelchair to experience the attraction.
Guests should be aware that ride vehicles accelerate rapidly down
a short, steep waterfall during this ride. An elevator is available
at the unload area for Guests using wheelchairs to exit the attraction.
Facts -
The
Walt Disney World attraction features 125 Audio-Animatronics figures
-- 65 pirates and villagers and 60 animals and birds.
Caribbean
Plaza in Adventureland, where the attraction is located, features
the Spanish and English architectural styles of the 18th century
West Indies.
Flat-bottomed
boats that seat 15-18 passengers take guests on a gentle journey
through a flume containing approximately 155,000 gallons of water,
but beware -- there’s a single plunge down a 14-foot chute in darkness,
followed by a mild splash.
Paul
Frees and Thurl Ravenscroft provided the voice for many of the attraction’s
colorful characters. The prolific voice artists also can be heard
throughout The Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom.
Lyricist
X. Atencio supplied the voice for the talking skull and crossbones
that delivers an ominous warning to passing guests: “Dead men tell
no tales.”
Lyrics
Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)
Reviews
"I thought it was the best ride. I have loved
it since the first time I rode it when I was a child. I think it
is a must for anyone going to the Magic Kingdom. It is best to go
late at night. By this time, most families have gone home to bed.
If it is close to park closing time, there will be no line and almost
noone else on the ride with you. This stands to be the best rule
for most rides, I know becuase I live in Orlando and I go to the
parks all the time. Just before closing time if possible."
Mary Smith
"Love this ride! I've ridden it every time I've
been to Disney, and I never tire of it! I'm heading to DW next month
and this will surely be one that I take my son on several times
as he loves pirates! It's very excellent quality and very real.
Love the music too!" Kris
"You have not experienced "Disney" until you
go to this attraction. This is a "must" for us on our trips there.
You can actually see the hair on the pirates legs as they sit overhead
on the bridge as your boat takes you thru the ride. We've hit it
when you could get off & right back on & then we've been in line
for 15-20 min. but it's worth it every time." Peg
"i thought that this ride was amazing. iv been
to disney world twice,the 1st time was in november 2000 and i was
13. the 2nd was november 2001 and i was 14.i am going again this
november.the 1st time i went to disney world, this ride was the
1st ride i went on and i loved it!! we didnt have to use fast passes
because the ride want so busy, 10 out od 10!" (6/02) kirsty
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