Arrgh, me hearties! It look like the rumors we reported on in January be true! It has been confirmed that Magic Kingdom’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride will be docking its boats from May 11th to September 25th, 2015, while the inner workings of the attraction are refurbished and repaired.
A recent two-day evaluation of the attraction by higher-ups resulted in the conclusion that the ride is in desperate need of some improvements. Safety concerns have long been a part of the conversation regarding Pirates of the Caribbean, particularly after a Guest lost the tips of his ring and pinky fingers during his voyage on the high seas as a result of the recently installed new boats rubbing against the older track. In light of this, the back row of many boats have been roped off so that Guests could not sit there in order to prevent this from occurring again.
Of course, Pirates of the Caribbean has seen many other storms in recent days. The newly installed boats have been taking on water, leaving Guests more water-logged than usual, and the boats have even suffered damage as they ride along the older track. Various effects within the scenery have been inconsistent, as well, adding more to the list of “must-fix” items.
The timing of the closure and the length of this refurbishment are obviously inconvenient. The summer crowds will certainly mourn the temporary loss of this attraction, but, as we all know, Disney is determined to make each ride and attraction safe for all Guests. Safety must come first and these are issues that need to be addressed. As I stated in my previous write-up when this information was just a rumor, “It would be better to have a ride closed for a period of time so that it can work properly and safely for those visiting rather than to have its doors remain open and perhaps see more tragedy or breakdowns.”
I am convinced that Walt Disney Imagineers will have all hands on deck as they tend to this beloved attraction. Stay tuned to Magical DIStractions as we continue to gather information and keep you up to date.
They also need to put a safety spiel before the drop as there was pre-2006. The skull used to warn you to keep your hands and legs inside, and I find this area a little risky for those who don’t know the ride as anyone could stick their hands out or something as it goes down causing injury.
I agree, James! The length of the closure gives me reason to believe they are going to be taking this seriously and stepping up the safety measures with this particular attraction. Nobody likes to hear about the closure of a favorite ride, but I’m sure everybody would rather feel confident that a ride is safe for all ages. Here’s looking forward to its reopening this fall! Thanks for your comment!
That’s quite all right! I can no longer rank it as one of my top rides anymore with the way it has gone downhill – the equally popular Liberty Square favourite The Haunted Mansion has been in far better shape consistently. I loved the new things they added, but felt they ruined the pre-drop sequence by taking a lot of mystery and build up away, and I hope they realise when they do this rehab how lame that part of the ride has become. The whole concept of the ride is lost now as there is no longer a Talking Skull to warn you of impending danger and no ghostly voice after the drop to warn you to stay clear of cursed treasure – it just seems a series of random events with no anticipation or climax…