The new enhancements to Florida's fortress
look even better in person.
(Photographer unknown.)
So popular was Pirates of the Caribbean, that its lack of presence at the 1971 opening of Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom created quite the stir among guests. Complaints came in droves to Main Street's City Hall, and the effect changed the course of Walt Disney World's future. The park's Frontierland became a shadow of what was intended, but Adventureland gained another major E Ticket attraction.
Master model for the Magic Kingdom
with Thunder Mesa on the right,
and not a hint of Caribbean Plaza
where it would eventually arise
behind the Sunshine Pavilion.
The new direction derailed plans for building Master Imagineer Marc Davis's epic- and very expensive- Thunder Mesa with its Cowboy and Indians focused Western River Expedition. With its own theme song, majestic soundtrack, and immerse sets, it was destined to be a smash. Although once thought to be the more grand and ambitious daughter of its predecessor, plans for its completion were ultimately shelved. The area's multi-attraction project eventually died a slow death. Remnants of what was once to be remained in Imagineer Tony Baxter's take on Davis' Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Even Epcot would hold its own Western River Expedition tribute in the form of Future World's (sadly destroyed) World of Motion. One of the key scenes was a direct life of what Davis had planned for his Thunder Mesa centerpiece attraction.
"No, ma'am. No Pirates here."
Back to the story. Going with a proven winner, Pirates was quickly approved by the suits and put into place to please the demand of the Florida crowds. Debuting on this day in December of 1973, it was quite the Christmas gift!
Set sail from Caribbean Plaza!
With its unlimited land, you might think the Imagineers would create something very elaborate and even more impressive, a new Pirates attraction that would surpass the original. They did not. Money may have been a factor as Walt Disney World had just opened, draining the company of its resources. There was also the urgency to quickly please guest demand. In the end, I believe this was the real reason the cruise itself felt rushed through the design process and is ultimately all the worse because of it.
Florida's Pirates adventure is not without its unique differences or its charms. But it is the complex which houses it versus the boat ride itself which stuns. The beautiful setting here is Caribbean Plaza, a newly created subdivision within Adventureland. Walking from the hub of the Magic Kingdom, guests come into the plaza as they pass the Jungle River Cruise and the Sunshine Pavilion, home to those Enchanted Tiki Room birds.
A Magic Kingdom with Pirates circa 1974.
It's a fairly jarring transition from the African inspired then tropical, Polynesian feeling area to the islands of the Caribbean, but somehow its worked until Aladdin's Magic Carpets invaded the land. The sound of steel drums, the stucco walls and the red tile roofs draw visitors forward and signal their transition.
Every pirate has his parrot- even at the Magic Kingdom!
The very prominent Castillo Del Morro is found at the end of this area, just around the corner from the far end of Frontierland. (Unknown to me prior to research for this post, the castle's clock tower has its own name, Torre Del Sol.)
An "E Ticket" smash!
The building for the Magic Kingdom version of this attraction is much more impressive than what houses the California original. Traveling through the halls of the ancient fortress, guests are increasingly removed from the sunny outside world and into the darkness. A brilliant design move! Menacingly, the fortress also houses a prison, and guests quietly walk past captured pirates left to rot. One of Imagineer Marc Davis' most macabre gags resides here: two skeletons play a game of chess, hopelessly locked in an eternal stalemate.
This decidedly non-family friendly scene is thankfully removed from the youngest of eyes, only visible by much taller tourists. Much like Disneyland's later Haunted Mansion and its stretching room and art gallery, (or even the detailed queue of the Indiana Jones Adventure or the equally foreboding hotel lobby of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror), this lengthy maze of a queue brings guests into the story long before boarding the boats, making it an integral part of the overall experience.
Finally arriving at the landing, guests boarding watercraft can't help but notice the storm ahead- and notice the lack of returning passengers who have made the journey before them. The dim lighting of the dock and the lightning ahead provide no assurance of safety. Creepy caverns lie ahead. It's a much darker, more sinister world than what travelers encounter in New Orleans Square, with its happy diners across the way at the gorgeous Blue Bayou restaurant.
Whether it makes up for where the actual ride is lacking is debatable. From here, the beginning of the cruise is shortened compared to the earlier west coast incarnation and minus one waterfall drop. The waterborne portion of the attraction experience is half as long as that in California. It's strange and noticeable to those who have experienced the Disneyland version but not nearly as important to guests who have not. Going forward, the bulk of the story, sets, and characters remains mostly the same. There are a few differences, the biggest one being the end of the attraction.
Concept art from my 1972 Walt Disney World
souvenir book. Click on it to see it larger.
In California, we go into the underground prison and wind up being target practice for a small crew of drunken scallywags. Here at the conclusion of the Florida story, we stumble upon a brand new and very impressive scene: the pirates have discovered the treasure room, and the guards commissioned to protect the shimmering loot are the captives, bound and gagged. Of course, all this changed once Jack Sparrow took over.
The same scene realized.
A Walt Disney World postcard from CardCow.com.
It's a very effective and startling ending to our pirate adventure. What's even more startling is that the dock to disembark is seen by us even as we are finishing our journey. Even though it is a minor detail, this breaks the flow of the story and reminds us we are in a theme park. Up a speed ramp we go back into the Florida daylight.
Making its Tokyo Disneyland appearance.
When it came time to build Tokyo Disneyland, the Japanese executives were smart enough to demand a Pirates of the Caribbean attraction all their own. Choosing between the Disneyland version and that found in the Magic Kingdom, they opted for the longer, more elaborate cruise over the Magic Kingdom's truncated one.
Entrance sign at Tokyo Disneyland.
From 8-Bit Theme Park Japan.
In an odd twist, Tokyo's Pirates is found in a mini New Orleans Square, a subdivision in their Adventureland. The ride itself mirrors California's minus one waterfall drop and is also shorter in length than the original. I'll never fully understand why they didn't choose Florida's exterior and queue with California's actual boat adventure. You can bet things would be different today after the success of the park and especially Tokyo Disneysea.
Oui! Pirates invade the City of Lights.
Given that Imagineer extraordinaire Tony Baxter was at the helm of designing EuroDisneyland, it is no surprise that Pirates of the Caribbean would become the centerpiece of a new Adventureland incarnation. The entire park would be the most beautiful Magic Kingdom ever built, learning from all the successes and failures of each previous kingdom.
Tony Baxter with the Disneyland Paris model.
Pirates of the Caribbean is behind him
at the center left side of the photograph.
There's a well-known story of a very young Mr. Baxter riding the attraction long before its debut in California. It is said this was when Tony decided that he must become an Imagineer, so Pirates must hold a special place in his heart.
Pirates real and imaginary together- blasphemous!
Purists may wince at the fact the attraction is found next to a Peter Pan and its Neverland inspired Adventure Isle, but they may cringe even more so with the changes to the beloved journey. Or maybe its just the thought of Disneyland Paris itself.
A large model of the area courtesy Disney and More.
Buy the book- amazing!
The white stoned fortress that houses the attraction is a magnificent piece of work. Majestic and alluring, it demands to be noticed with slivers of precious Parisian sunlight landing on it and the surrounding sandy beach. No qualms here, its inside that counts, and it is here that the debate is born.
My first look and first photograph of it.
It's even better than the model!
Guests walk through its courtyards and enter the weathered fortress, wandering down its halls much the same as in Florida. The atmosphere becomes rich and dark. Lighting is minimal. Boarding the bateaux, guests round the bend and stumble upon visitors enjoying patio dining in the evening moonlight. Learning from the success of California's Blue Bayou and the penchant for fine dining in Europe, Imagineers made sure Paris' attraction included a Caribbean inspired Blue Lagoon restaurant with a seafood inspired menu. Diners may get to watch the boats glide by, but those on the attraction get to view some creatures of the sea emerging just outside the sight lines of those watching from the shore.
It's up we go!
Rounding a darkened corner, long time guests familiar to going down the waterfall at the American and Japanese versions on the attraction are surprised to find themselves going up the ramp like ship's cargo instead. This dramatic beginning and the first change to the classic version of the ride signals one of many, marking the beginning of the "Which is better?" discussion.
Reaching the top of the fortress, a swinging pirate on a rope glides overhead while prisoners remain inside a cel, still trying to convince that dog to bring them the key. Sounds of battle- and words of war in French and English- fill the air while the realization hits that the building is on fire. From the view high above, adventurers can see that pirates are taking the town as a battle ensues between their ship and the folks on the island. Suddenly, the boats plunge downward, heading straight into the battle between them. Cannonballs fly overhead.
Into the town, much is the same as in the previous three takes on the attraction. However, there's a new scene here, one so vital, so essential to every pirate story that we realize it is missing in other versions the minute we see it: Sword fighting. At the opening, one pirate is challenged to a duel by a villager, defending the woman at risk. (Now, there's a female pirate in the sword fight.) It is an excellently rendered addition, with the footwork of each man impressive and the swords clashing even more so. Kudos to the Imagineers who chose to take this on and to the ones who took the time to make it actually work.
Here is a "flow through" map of Disneyland Paris' version.
The burning town is in full swing by now, and guests enter the arsenal. This time, all that dynamite finally explodes, and boats are plunged down another waterfall into the grottoes below. Skeletons abound, reminding us "Dead Men Tell No Tales", while guests aboard the railroad have a chance to look into the scenery from the safety of their seats.
Jack Sparrow and company are here in Paris too, with an eerie Captain Barbossa scene sure to make riders sit up and take notice.
Our multilingual Parisian pirate adventure ends similarly to the way Anaheim's begins but with a twist. The very alive skull and crossbones overhead gives riders the exit spiel in several languages, the English version spoken by a John Wayne imitator. A nice little tribute to the fine man who loved Orange County and made it his home. (And a great idea should Western River Expedition ever get built!)
To answer the debate, although the French take on the attraction is one third less in length than that in California, I find this version of Pirates of the Caribbean may just surpass the original. That is, perhaps, until I ride the one at Shanghai Disneyland.
Planned for Hong Kong, shipped to Shanghai!
In between Hong Kong Disneyland and the premier of the first Disney park in mainland China, Walt Disney Pictures announced a little film in development based on the Pirate attraction. Many folks expressed disdain for the project and predicted its failure. That is until its starring role was given to an actor by the name of Johnny Depp.
The influence of the films is felt!
Captain Jack Sparrow now decorates Disneyland's queue.
Captain Barbosa takes over the ship!
Jack meets Johnny.
Its hearty success would mean many sequels. This would change the face of Pirates of the Caribbean attractions worldwide, those built and those to come. New effects and three Audio-Animatronic Jack Sparrows were added to the attraction. Everywhere but in Paris- for now.
a single IP based land. Photograph copyright JoJo's World.
