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Ahoy! Changes Are Afoot at Pirates of the Caribbean at Magic Kingdom Park

Jennifer Fickley-Baker

by , Editorial Content Manager, Walt Disney World Resort

In honor of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, I’m excited to have a bit of news to share on one of my all-time favorite attractions, Pirates of the Caribbean here at Magic Kingdom Park.
Captain Barbossa in Pirates of the Caribbean at Magic Kingdom Park

This classic Disney attraction, which inspired a four-part film franchise, has undergone a few changes in recent years due to the success of these movies. First, Captain Jack Sparrow made his debut at the attraction, then Captain Barbossa (pictured above) appeared aboard a pirate ship. More recently, the ghostly apparitions of knaves Davy Jones and Blackbeard have materialized.

Our friends at Walt Disney Imagineering dropped us a line today to let us know that something from the most recent film, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” is about to be added to the attraction here at Walt Disney World Resort. Can you guess what it is?

Updates to the attraction will be made overnight, so Pirates of the Caribbean will remain open to guests during park hours.

Keep a weather eye on the Disney Parks Blog for more details!

Read more news from Magic Kingdom Park in the posts below:

Comments

  • There’ll be mermaids upon us within the hour, you mark my words. And we’re the bait.

  • There’s Mermaids in those waters!

  • Mermaids??? Please let it be mermaids! Lol

  • Is it mermaids?

  • Mermaids?

  • I have heard that it is the mermaids?!?!

    Also on the park hours site it lists: Pirates of the Caribbean – Closed For Refurbishment [ Tuesday, October 09 – Tuesday, October 09 ]

    Does this have anything to do with it?

  • Will it be up and done by Oct 6th?

  • Aye…perhaps Cap’n Blackbeard be comin’ aboard?

    • He’s already a part of the attraction. 🙂

  • Arggh I be going with the rest ov the Scurvey Crew, I be saying Mermaids!

  • I hope it is mermaids!

  • arggh mates, I be seeing those mermaids coming! hopefully!!!

  • Fun Imagineering mixup – Ariel to POTC, evil mermaids to Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. Oops!

  • Mermaids would be so fun!!! Hopefully by October 25th!!! 🙂

  • Yar, mark me words, Memaids be a dangerous breed! i, fer one, be leaving Ariel under the sea! 😉

  • The picture makes me think Barbossa is getting his Royal Navy uniform, but I too have heard it may be mermaids.

  • Can’t wait to see the change! My favourite ride!!!

  • Maybe Angelica ?? That would be cool

  • How soon will the changes be seen?

  • They’re putting Ariel in Pirates?

  • Hoping the mermaids arrive in the caves before my next Not So Scary Halloween Party visit!

  • I too am going with the crew and guessin’ mermaids. I did get a chuckle out of the Little Mermaid answer. It’s a pirate’s life for me.

  • If they add the mermaids to this ride I would die from excitement! Mermaids were by far the best aspect of On Stranger Tides!

  • Isn’t Blackbeard already there? I haven’t been to Disney since pre-Pirates 1, but finally made it to CA, and he was there.

    • Correct.

  • More with the Mermaid mixups. Would Ariel be the redhead they are auctioning off?

  • I’m thinking Angelica will be making an appearance. Pirates is my most favorite ride in Magic Kingdom; I ride it over and over – never get tired of it!

  • If thar be mermaid in these waters soon, I be wondering whar they may be located. Perhaps in the cavern before the drop?

  • Will this change be happening at the ride in California as well?

  • I was wondering the same thing as Katie. Blackbeard is projected on the fog like Davie Jones is. I’d imagine that’d be the new change… Is DLR another step ahead???

    • We already have Blackbeard here at WDW.

  • Sam Claflin’s missionary, Philip added a wholesome quality to “On Stranger Tides,” he’d look awesome in with those mermaids if they’re coming into the attraction, and make for one fine counterbalance to all those pirates…

  • Any word on when we will get an update on what is being added? Any word when the updates will be ready? Headed down in December so hoping it’s ready by then.

    I’m also guessing the addition is mermaids as well. I’m hoping whatever is added is more than just projections/images, but excited to find out.

    • No exact date to announce just yet. Keep checking back. 🙂

  • Ok.. so we are pretty sure its mermaids…

    Where do you think they will appear?

  • Johnny Depp’s wallet?! or mermaids… both fun

  • Does WDW alternate between Dvaey Jones and Blackbered like they stared doing at DL?

  • Jennifer,
    In the past few weeks there has been some construction work in the queue for Pirates of the Caribbean, will this be part of the new addition? Or is it unrelated work?

    Thanks!

    • This update will take place inside the attraction.

  • I’d like to know the same as Fred. Are they planning on adding this addition to Disneyland as well?

  • while everyone is guessing Mermaids, my guess is something much more subtle… the silver chalices of Ponce De Leon. I seem to remember hearing that Elizabeth’s dress and the Aztec chest were both added to DLR’s PotC. I know I saw the chest, but not sure about the dress.

  • So lets say it is Mermaids. Do you know where we will see them? Right before the drop in the darkness! It only seems natural, story wise. They lure you in to unsettling waters until….

  • My guess is the spooky “Flying Dutchman” pirate ship which has mysteriously disappeared from Castaway Cay.

  • I hope it’s mermaids!!!

  • Angelica, Blackbeard’s daughter and a love interest of Jack Sparrow. I think she already appears at the Mickey’s “Boo-to-You” Halloween Parade…

  • I wouldn’t count on any animatrionic figures like Blackbeard or mermaids these figures take weeks to install and program. i would guess some sort of static prop like when Disneyland got the chest with the cursed coins from the first movie. Maybe it will be the cups from the fountain jack holds a cup in the last seen now so it would just have to be swapped out. or maybe the glass coffin i could see that in the caves broken on the beach with maybe a sound effect of the sirens call in the background. or maybe the song they sing playing in the distance.

  • Can’t wait to see what’s comming…..we have 100 more days until we arrive and I just made our reservations to join the Pirate League on Sept. 19th…..which, of course, was Talk like a Pirate Day. Now we just have to figure out which pirate faces we want. We have two girls and they would rather dress like pirates than princesses 🙂

  • I think mermaids would be neat but I think it will be something like the fountain of youth? they already have the water, now they need the fountain with the cups and Blackbeard’s skeleton, or dust I guess. This is fun to guess!

  • Angelica for young girls. Let’s face it, the women on the ride are all the weaker power. Angelica is a strong hero type.

  • It’s 4:40 p.m. on Sept 20th. Time for the teaser to be over, don’t ya think? Are you going to tell us what the update is?

  • The Flying Dutchman is in Puerto Rico with Johnny filming part 5.

  • John: REALLY? Can you give the link where you found that information? Because if the Flying Dutchman is in POTC 5, does that mean that Will Turner is in it, too?????

    I can’t wait to see the updates to this ride! It’s one of my favorites!

  • Are we talking weeks until the change is done, or months? Not looking for an exact date, just a guesstimate.

  • by any chance, will these changes come to the Disneyland resort in california in the near future?

  • Interactive queue entertainment?

Comments are closed.