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Pirates of the Caribbean

Yo ho, yo ho! Climb aboard mateys for this rollicking adventure as you cruise through a Caribbean town that’s under attack from a mischievous group of pirates!
Location:Magic Kingdom
Adventureland
Type of Attraction:Slow indoor boat ride
Height Restrictions:None
Typical Wait Time:10-30 minutes
Is It Scary?Mildly

Quick Links:

Magical Moments
Hidden Mickeys & Other Secrets
Did You Know…?
Touring Tips
Photo Gallery

Your adventure begins as you wind your way through an old, abandoned fortress. Once you board your boat you’ll slowly drift through some large underground caverns where you’ll see an unfortunate band of pirates keeping an eternal vigil over their ill-gotten treasure. You’ll also be greeted by the ominous specter of Davy Jones’ ghost projected on a…waterfall? (Don’t worry, it’s only a clever illusion!). After an ominous warning you’ll take a short (but gentle) plunge into darkness which puts you in the middle of a ferocious sea battle. A band of pirates, led by the fearsome Captain Barbossa, is laying siege to a Caribbean fortress, with cannons firing in both directions. Their goal? Why, treasure of course, but they’re also on the lookout for Jack Sparrow!

As you sail further into the town, you’ll see gangs of pirates running amuck, hunting for treasure, and setting fire to entire streets (keep an eye out for Jack Sparrow as he tries to keep a low profile!).

As your journey nears its end you’ll encounter a few unfortunate pirates who are locked away in their cells with the means of their escape just inches away.

Finally, you’ll see Jack Sparrow himself lounging in a room filled with lots of wonderful treasures, laughingly singing his new favorite song, “Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me…!”

Magical Moments

  • When you first leave the boarding area, you’ll drift through a maze of underground caves. A welcoming spray of cool mist envelopes you which can be very refreshing on a hot day! And don’t forget that “musty water” aroma…
  • The first scene you come to is positively creepy, with some unlucky pirates spending eternity watching over their ill-gotten treasure. The next scene (the skeleton steering the ship in a driving thunder storm), is one of the best in the entire attraction and will send chills up and down your spine.
  • Probably the most magical part of the ride comes next as an ominous voice warns you that “Dead Men Tell No Tales”, sending you off on a short drop down a pitch black tunnel. When you emerge you’ll find yourself in a breathtaking scene dominated by a large pirate ship laying siege to a portside village in the middle of the night. Unforgettable!
  • Another magical moment awaits you when you enter the town. The fire effects in the windows are incredibly realistic, and the forced perspective of the town road leading up the hill is superb.
  • Keep an eye out for the pirate with the dirty leg (you’ll find him sitting on a bridge as you pass underneath).
  • The next to last scene featuring a frustrated group of imprisoned pirates attempting to coax over the prison dog is hysterical!
  • The final scene is a favorite for many guests. The jaw-dropping collection of treasure that Jack Sparrow has gathered is amazing. There’s so much to see here that you’ll want to visit again and again. Sometimes you may linger there for a bit while you’re waiting for some of the boats to unload ahead of you. If that happens, you’ll get lots of time to look around (see if you can find any elusive Hidden Mickeys hiding in the treasure!).
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Hidden Mickeys & Other Secrets

  • There aren’t many obvious Hidden Mickeys to be found in Pirates of the Caribbean. Try looking at the cannonball and barrel arrangements throughout the ride and see what you can find. The treasure room at the end is also a great place to look (surely there’s one in there somewhere!).
  • One oft-cited Hidden Mickey is in the padlock on the jail cell in the next-to-last scene. While the padlock does have 3 round shapes that can be interpreted as a Hidden Mickey, the shapes are rather elongated and don’t form the classic Mickey shape. So what’s the verdict? People are divided about this one; many see it as a bona fide Hidden Mickey while others see it as a case of wishful thinking. Take a look and judge for yourself!
  • Look for the coat of arms above the treasure room in the final scene. It is inscribed with the name Marco Daviso, a tribute to Marc Davis who was influential in creating many of the visuals and sight gags in the attraction. You’ll also notice that the coat of arms includes several chess pieces…a clever nod to the chess board found in the queue!
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Did You Know...?

  • When Pirates of the Caribbean was being conceptualized for Disneyland, it was originally going to be a walk through attraction with wax figures. Partly out of concern for crowding and traffic flow, it was later decided to incorporate boats as the means of conveyance through the attraction.
  • With more control at their disposal, Imagineers were now able to create scenes that guests would experience much like a movie, with carefully timed narration and much greater control over lighting, special effects and sight lines. A similar strategy was used in the Haunted Mansion, which had also originally been conceived of as a walk-through attraction.
  • Does the narrator sound familiar? That’s Paul Frees, who also supplies the voice for your Ghost Host in the Haunted Mansion.
  • The Disneyland version of Pirates of the Caribbean is much larger than its Florida counterpart. Additions there include an opening bayou sequence and a second, longer drop.
  • The setup on the chess board in the queue area wasn’t arbitrary. The pieces were originally arranged so that the only play would result in a never ending sequence of repetitious moves. Legend has it that during a minor rehab the pieces were accidentally moved, and it wasn’t until someone found Marc Davis’s original notes that they were able to accurately recreate the correct board layout! Today however, you’ll just as often find the pieces in a non-stalemate configuration, as the board is often unintentionally rearranged during routine maintenance.
  • Inspiration for the fortress comes from the Castillo de San Felipe del Morro in San Juan, Puerto Rico, once used by Spanish soldiers in their fight against pirates several hundred years ago.
  • When On Stranger Tides (the third installment of Pirates of the Caribbean movie series) came out, a mermaid skeleton was added to the opening beach scene, a reference to the mermaids in the film. The mermaid was a frightening sight to behold, but the skeleton was later removed (as if that makes the scene any less creepy!)
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Touring Tips

  • Pirates of the Caribbean is a gentle ride, but be aware that you may be bumped from behind by another boat if you stop (this often happens near the end of the ride). If you have back problems you might want to keep that in mind and be alert.
  • Pirates of the Caribbean usually has shorter lines than the other major attractions at the Magic Kingdom. You’ll often find that there’s little more than a wait of 10 minutes or so to board. Even if the wait is longer, the majority of the queue line winds through an old fortress. There’s lots to see (and it’s nicely air conditioned!), so the wait isn’t usually so bad.
  • If you’d like to sit up front, just ask! The Cast Members will usually be happy to honor your request.
  • There’s plenty to see from both sides of the boat, so it really doesn’t matter which side you sit on. If you ride more than once however, try to sit on both sides so you can get great views of everything.
  • If you’re riding with small children you should try to let them sit on the ends of the benches so they can see everything (but don’t be surprised if your little ones want to sit right in the middle where it’s not quite so scary!).
  • When you enter the attraction building, there will often be multiple turnstiles open. If most people are going through one of them, don’t be afraid to use the other one. If a lot of people entered the busier turnstile you may be able to bypass a good part of the line.
  • If you’re touring with souvenir hunters (and younger children!), be forewarned that the exit of the ride puts you right in the heart of a large, pirate-themed souvenir shop. It’s hard to resist the treasure chests of pretend jewels and the play swords and guns. If you think that might be a problem you should lay down some ground rules about what (if anything) you’ll buy and how long you’ll stay before riding.
  • Young swashbucklers can pit their sword fighting skills against Jack Sparrow himself! Throughout the day, Jack Sparrow and his bungling assistant appear outside the Pirates of the Caribbean entrance to select young pirates to participate in the show (it helps to be VERY enthusiastic!!). You will learn some basic sword moves in preparation for your showdown with Jack Sparrow (it’s all very carefully choreographed so don’t fret). After showing him your skills, you’ll distract him with a shout of “Look, the governor’s daughter!”, giving you the chance to flee. Young pirates will receive a special certificate and a memory they’ll never forget!
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Photo Gallery

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