This attraction, the centerpiece of New Orleans Square, is, without a doubt, the most detailed and intricate attraction the Disney Imagineers have ever created.

Boasting a cast of 67 human figures, 55 animals, and numerous animated props, The Pirates of the Caribbean is one of the most entertaining attractions in the park. Riders board flat bottomed boats, which at first float through a quiet bayou, then plunge into the depths of the pirates lair. Forbidden treasures and the first hints of a curse magically transport you to the actual events to witness the pirates ransacking a small Spanish coastal village, and the eventual fiery finale.

This was the last attraction that Walt Disney worked on extensively before his death. It opened just one month after his death in 1966. (The attraction opened publicly in February 1967). Primary character design was headed by Disney veteran Marc Davis, with some of the costumes designed and constructed by his wife, Alice. Claude Coats designed the many lavishly detailed sets and exteriors in the attraction. Master Illusionary Yale Gracey provided the special effects used in the ride, primarily in the burning town sequences. Many of the audio animatronics figures were designed by animator-turned-sculptor Blaine Gibson. The dialog in the ride itself, along with the lyrics for the popular theme were written by animator X. Antencio.

     Much of the show building exists outside of Disneyland itself, and boats must travel underneath the earthen berm that surrounds the park. (It's a common misconception that Pirates is completely underground. The queue and boarding areas, as well as the Blue Bayou restaurant, exist on the 2nd level of the enormous structure where New Orleans Square resides. The interiors of the ride exist at ground level. The buildings you across the tracks near the New Orleans Square Railroad Station are actually false fronts hiding the huge show building.

Heading up the cast of voices for the theme, (listen below) is again Thurl Ravenscroft, (who also is featured in Disney's Haunted Mansion, The Enchanted Tiki Room and The Mark Twain), joined this time by the Mellomen singing "Yo Ho". If you listen closely in the ride, Thurl is the voice of the drunk pirate singing along with the theme. Other vocal talent includes Paul Frees (the Haunted Mansion 'Ghost Host'), which voices many of the primary and secondary characters in the attraction. Johnny Depp voices the new Jack Sparrow audio animatronics figures (there are 3) and Geoffrey Rush voices Captain Barbossa.   When the attraction was updated a few years ago, additional  vocal work was done by Corey Burton (most notably the "stuffed pirate") And lastly, the Jolly Roger, warning of impeding danger at the start of the attraction, is the voice of X Antencio, the Imagineer who also wrote the script. (who's voice is often heard on the Haunted Mansion 'breakdown' spiel).

Pirates of the Caribbean: The films!

The attraction has inspired legion a films of the same name; Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl has domestically grossed upwards of 400 Million. The film, starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Geoffrey Rush, had received a lukewarm response from critics at first, but the phenomenal success of the film has made it an instant classic. A huge World Premiere event at Disneyland on June 28, 2003and was repeated on June 24th, 2006, along with the opening of the newly refurbished and updated Pirates of the Caribbean, featuring new audio animatronics figures of Captain Jack Sparrow and Captain Barbossa. A similar makeover of the attraction at WDW's Magic Kingdom reopens July 7th to coincide with the opening of the film.


Pirates of the Caribbean Additions (Spoilers!)

3 audio animatronics figures of Captain Jack Sparrow have been added to the attraction. The first is visible in the Mayor Dunking Scene. Captain Jack is hiding behind a mannequin figure (see photo, left) The next is the Gluttony Scene where Sparrow peaks out from inside a barrel (this was a reworking of the original 1967 scene which featured a scared female emerging from the barrel). The final scene in the attraction which originally featured two pirates pushing their 'loot' up the final lift has been replaced by a seated audio animatronic figure of Captain Jack Sparrow singing a portion of the 'Yo Ho' theme.

Additional figures such as Captain Barbossa (played by Geoffrey Rush in the film, and voicing the character here) along with the ghostly image of Davy Jones (played and voiced by Bill Nighey).

Photo Credit: Some photos on this page are courtesy of Disney Publicity. Other photos, unless specified, as courtesy of Brett 'DaddyB' Garrett.

A complete and edited version of the new attraction is available below in Quicktime 7.1 format. Other Materials below do not include the latest enhancements.

  Pirates of the Caribbean (Live Ridethru Recorded by Dan Smith)

  **Pirates of the Caribbean (Complete Attraction, includes Jack Sparrow additions))


**Video Courtesy of RU42 Productions


 

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