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[smurfy74]

im quite happy about this - its tried and tested and Disneyland shouldnt be a museum. I still want ST2 more but that needs some serious €€€€€€€. I hope they keep "leaking" info for the 20th :-)

[-breeno-]

Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland Paris has been exactly the same for 19 years now. It's time to freshen it up.

If it ain't broke, then don't fix it.

I'm very much against the addition of Sparrow to POTC, because yep you've guessed it.. I'm one of these ones who wants to preserve the original DLP as much as possible.  For me Pirates of the Caribbean has always had a close place in my heart because of the fantastic theming the story writing from the Imagineers, it proves those outside the Disney fandom that you don't need to plaster characters from the movies everywhere to be successful and the best of attractions are of made from pure creativity - such as this, Phantom Manor, BTM etc.

Added Jack in though, a character from the movies, is a step in the wrong direction.  Yes, I know he's popular and will get more guests in and, yes it is only a small addition but I don't like it.  For years now I have been informing (and in some cases, having to convince) others that the Pirates attraction came before the movies, this was a factor that usually came up in my semi-frequent "Disney is just for kids and Disneyland is all about the films" debate.  How is this going to add to my argument?  This is merely going to make the blind, ignorant, foolish and unfortunate souls I argue with more deluded that the ride was inspired by the movies and WDI are pretty much throwing their hands up in the air saying "Okay, we've gave up!"

I don't like alterations to my beloved attractions, as picky as that sounds.  Sometimes messing around with an old, winning formula is not a good thing; as Star Wars fans will tell you (such as one who I am current lobbing eggs  at to get him off the fence :mrgreen: )

[CafeFantasia]

Yes, Pirates will be changing and Disney will indeed be inserting characters from the movie into it. But, think of it this way, at least you've had (up to) 19 years to enjoy it being exactly the same :-) 19 years is a LONG time. How many 19 year spans do you get in a lifetime? Not many.

Don't worry, they won't mess it up too much. This has already been tried and tested in America and Japan. So, if it's good enough for Tokyo Disneyland it's definitely good enough for Disneyland Paris, right? There's really nothing to complain about. It's all good.

[ed-uk]

POTC is my favourite ride(the first time I went on it in California I couldn't believe how great it was) and Peter Pans flight. The TWDC is a film company, so I've never really understood why some people are surprised or object to their movie characters turning up in their parks and attractions.

[dagobert]

POTC is my favourite ride(the first time I went on it in California I couldn't believe how great it was) and Peter Pans flight. The TWDC is a film company, so I've never really understood why some people are surprised or object to their movie characters turning up in their parks and attractions.

The film business is now a small part of TWDC. Their most important business is, according to their Annual Report, Media Networks followed by Parks & Resorts. Those divisons made the most money in recent years. Although the company started as a movie studio, it's now an entertainment company with many different businesses.

[ed-uk]

TWDC is an entertainment company for sure, and I would have thought that film is still a very important part of their business.

[dagobert]

TWDC is an entertainment company for sure, and I would have thought that film is still a very important part of their bussiness.

I'm sure it is still very important for TWDC. I just wanted to point out that in recent years the studio wasn't that successful. It always depends on the movies released. According to the Annual Report Media Networks made the most money due to advertising in recent years.

[ed-uk]

I know it depends on the movie released, some films are more successful than others. If their movies aren't doing well and DVD sales are down the company suffers. The Pirate films have been very successful and Disney must have made a lot of money out of them. Hasn't the movie studio been doing well then?

[dagobert]

I know it depends on the movie released, some films are more successful than others. If their movies aren't doing well and DVD sales are down the company suffers. The Pirate films have been very successful and Disney must have made a lot of money out of them. Hasn't the movie studio been doing well then?

I'm very sure that these years must have been very successful for TWDC. Pirates is one of the biggest disney franchises at the moment and so I understand Disney to add the characters to POTC. Unfortunately Disney of today is just about franchises and I really hope one day that changes again.

I wouldn't mind if Disney wouldn't add the characters to the ride and instead they would use the money for something else. Nevertheless I'm happy that Captain Jack is added, because I really enjoyed seeing him and Barbossa in Florida. POTC is my favorite Disney attraction, but during our last visits the ride wasn't in the best conditions and soo I hope they don't just add Jack and refurb the attraction as well. POTC is one of the best Disney rides, but in recent years, when we have been there, it was always a walk on attraction and it really deserves more attention. If Jack Sparrow can help to attract more guests, than they should add him.

We have to admit that the POTC movies are very popular and most people will miss the new characters when on the ride. But it annoys me so much that there are people who don't know that the movies are based on that fantastic ride. And not the other way.

As I've already said, I'm happy that Jack and Barbossa will be added, but I would also be very glad if DLRP would keep the original. Nevertheless it will still be my favorite Disney attraction.

[Josh]

Anyone have a sort of idea when the refubishment for this will be?And when will it re open with the new animatronic? :thumbs:

This hasn't been officially announced yet, so we don't know the exact plans.

[pussinboots]

I don't know if I agree with the statement that "after nineteen years, it's time to freshen it up." That sounds dangerously like the sentiment that drives Hollywood to remake "The A-Team." No, no, if there's no real reason to freshen something up, don't. If the alternative is worse, don't bother.

However, I do feel that the technology on our Pirates is in need of some tweaking. Not the story, not the art direction, not the atmosphere, but the cogs and gears setting it all into motion. As time progresses, the ride feels more and more like an amiable old carnival trick rather than the height of sophistication. Once you've seen a modern-age animatronic, the ones on Pirates seem laughable, even the famous dueling pair. The flame effects are too obvious, the ceiling is too visible, the backdrops are too clearly painted sheets.

But I suppose we'll never see them put in quite that much effort when there isn't a shiny marketing ploy involved. So at least now we're getting three proper, modern-age animatronics that will hopefully have 2012's audience as amazed as 1992's. Good.

But I do worry about the liberties that will need to be taken with the story. What will a lively Jack Sparrow be doing amongst the skeletons in our post-time-travel treasure area?

[DLP-Photos.com]

19 years has gone by, yes and although I do not hate this addition in any way (yes, I would have prefered it not to come) I cannot help to see the possibilities that we could have with the budget going into this addition.

The Jack Sparrow AA's are top quality, extremely smooth and spectacular from what I have seen... Imagine they used this technology to update our current Pirate Stars? The sword fighting Pirates were the most advanced ever created when DLP opened in '92. To me it would have been a much better use of money and a perfect way to celebrate 20 years of magic in Paris to update those with the new advanced technology for the money that are now being used on this update. It would have been amazing to see those two really fighting again - on my latest trips it has been a sad sight...

One can hope that they will fix them too, which will make it a great addition. Otherwise I have to give in and admit that the Sparrow AA's seem great and hope they do not blow this out of proportion (promotion wise) so no guests will pay attention to the storytelling and in stead just say "hey, we need to see Johnny Depp so let's try this Pirates thing".

@pussinboots: I have had the exact same thought about the last Jack Sparrow amongst all the dead skeletons...

[pussinboots]

I suppose the bottom line is that there's nowhere else to put him, and that putting him in the treasure room is going to be the death of the current time-travel concept. We will no longer feel as though we've left the 18th century after the waterfall.

Unless, yes, the fountain of youth thing... It will be quite a stretch, of course, and it will kill the eerie, still atmosphere of that scene no matter what. He does sing, after all.

And that's another thing. Is it just me, or are the films set in the 18th century while the rides take place in the 17th? Either that or Admiral Norrington is simply ahead of his time with that wig of his. Compare with the styling of the drunk pirate at the barrel.

[Scissorsboi]

I do wonder how many people get the time travel part though, I know when I've been on with friends (one of whom is very Disney savvy) they all just assumed that the dynamite had blown open an entrance to a cavern under the city where the Pirates were keeping loot - with a slight bit of re-dressing, that might be a viable storyline tweak?

With Davy Jones/Blackbeard on the lift that transports you back in time, to explain of a mysterious cursed cavern holding the lost treasure, that effectively ties the start and end of the ride together again (although we do lose the mystery of time travel). Theoretically there's no reason we couldn't be passing through, Blackbeard appears to the riders tells them of a missing treasure, and from there you go on a quest to beat the other Pirates to find it, getting caught up in the hi-jinks along the way, but as always when you think you've got it, Jack Sparrow has already beaten you to it!

It's not as classy as the original ride, but it's the only way I see it fitting and still maintaining a storyline!

[Josh]

Really? That was time travel? I thought that the pirates had just died surrounded by their treasures.