Disneyland's updated Pirates of the Caribbean is making waves online, with many fans saying the ride's new high-tech makeover has rocked the boat.
The beloved 59-year-old ride reopened on June 26 after a nearly two-month refurbishment that included upgrades to lighting, rockwork and Audio-Animatronics, as well as a new effect in the attraction's famous treasure room.
For decades, riders encountered a motionless skeleton perched atop a mountain of cursed gold. Now, using what Disney Imagineers call "hybrid front projection technology," riders watch a living pirate grab a cursed gold coin before slowly transforming into a skeleton.
“When he lifts and picks it up and looks at it, it casts a spell over him that freezes him in time,” Alfredo Ayala, a Disneyland Imagineer, explains in a video about the change. “And then, the weight of his arm after he turns into a skeleton drops the coin, releasing him from the cursed treasure.”
The pirate then reaches for the coin once more, sealing his fate and becoming frozen forever. The effect blends moving animatronics with projections that move in sync with the pirate, transforming to look seamless. While Disney has touted the update as a way to bring new storytelling and cutting-edge technology to the attraction, not everyone is on board.
Disney fans on blogs and social media have largely criticized the update, saying the new addition takes away from the scene’s eerie atmosphere and questioning the technology behind it.
“I’m definitely okay with updating existing attractions with new technology, however, I feel like this really clashes with the style of the ride, and I also loved that most of the beginning of that ride is static—it set a spooky mood to see all of the pirate skeletons,” one person wrote on Instagram.
“This severely interrupts the storytelling, and it is not the correct vibe for that scene at all. Very disappointing,” another said.
“This feels like a HUGE step back. Not to mention that that part of the ride was always MEANT to be ‘frozen in time.’ It's a fix that didn't need fixing, and one that feels outdated,” one person commented on YouTube.
“Just because you can, doesn't mean you should,” another added.
Other fans, however, tried to stay positive.
“I’ll admit I don’t love it. I do think the concept is very cool, it’s just projection mapping isn't. Nevertheless, I will still always love this ride. And Disney! A couple of years of bad experiences doesn’t hurt the amazing childhood we had with them,” someone else said.
A few users commented with a quote long attributed to Walt Disney himself: “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.”
The Independent has contacted Disney for comment.
