Birt Family Focus

Pirates of the Carribean -- 10/02/01
Photos by Catherine

Yo Ho Ya'll!!!

Today's focus is on the Pirates of the Carribean- one of our all time favorites. In fact, we do not miss this one when we are in the MK. POC is a must do.

When you go (and this is still Adventureland in case any one was wondering), be sure to take the time to find and listen to the parrot pirate up on the wall outside the entrance. He sports a ship tattoo on his chest and spouts all manner of scurvy threats while inviting you to become a pirate, too. He's pretty cute.

This is one attraction where it's nice to have a bit of a queue. The building is done up like an old Spanish fort and the themeing is just amazing. Look through all the windows you come across, there will be a scene of evil piracy in each. Our favorite is the two dead pirates in their cell playing chess. Littles will be hard pressed not to climb on all the neat cannons and stacks of cannon balls - don't worry too much if they get away from you and do it. They are roped off but they are also cemented down - not big hunks of iron will roll out of place and over top of junior.

Once in your pirate dingy (well- the boats ARE small), you go through a storm and pass a pit of sand where mayhem has once occurred. All that are left are dead pirate bones. A pirate skeleton steers a wrecked ship. Echoing in your ears over and over is the adage "dead men tell no tales"- good scary fun.

As you pass this and enter a cave, all goes dark and you drop down a small but decent waterfall, and enter the besieged town. My DH always tells DD to duck as we pass the ships in the harbor so she doesn't get shot. Once we were timed just right to get a blast right next to us and a small splash from the air cannon under the water. She just had a conniption- thought she was a goner.

Recently, WDW closed this attraction and made the scenes more "PC". I think it's a shame they thought they needed to do this, but it is actually not a lot different. The bride slaver still sells women and they are still chained together. The bidders still want the redhead. The only thing I really noticed that was different, was that the pirates chasing the women in the various houses are now being chased by the women who are armed with brooms and rolling pins. It used to be only one pirate was chased this way. It was a joke set up- two pirates chased women and the third was chased. Now the joke is lost. Ah well- the drunk still hangs his leg over the bridge and the other one still tries to ply cats with grog. Look carefully at the kitties' shadows when you pass by- a Hidden Mickey is here.

Even with the renovation, this is still a great attraction. The Pirate Marauders still sing "A Pirate's Life for Me" and so will you. You can't get the tune out of your head for a good while. ;-)

This attraction, like most of them, empties into a shopping area. My family and I bought different pirate hats here once and made a picture. MIL wore a red and white striped do-rag and adopted the name- Crazy Charlotte. I had the captain's hat (of course) and was Maraudin' Mickey. Larry wore the goofy ears pirate hat (complete with gold earring dangling from the bottom of the left ear) and was Long John Larry. DD had a do-rag with Mickey ears and a jolly roger. She was the Dread Pirate Jessie. All in all we made quite the scurvy crew.

Avast, me hearties! Don't miss this one or we'll have to make ye walk the plank. Arrgghh!