A once-popular spot has wrapped up shop temporarily at the Magic Kingdom.
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Tortuga Tavern is now under even more refurbishment at the Magic Kingdom as work continues on the park’s Pirates of the Caribbean-themed area in Adventureland. We previously reported on Tortuga Tavern’s closure last year, with the quick service location closing back in June.
Now, rolling planters act as barriers to Tortuga Tavern’s seating area, indicating the location’s refurbishment has extended to other areas.
Guests can still walk through where orders used to be taken, but the rolling planters now block off access to Tortuga Tavern’s seating area.
The official Walt Disney World website states Tortuga Tavern will remain closed through March 22, 2025, which is the furthest date currently shown on the calendar.
Tortuga Tavern was used as a gift shop between August and November of last year, while the Plaza del Sol Caribe Bazarr storefront underwent its own refurbishment.
All of these projects come as Disney continues to work on its ambitious new Pirates of the Caribbean-themed lounge at Adventureland.
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Few rides are quite as iconic as Pirates of the Caribbean, a staple of Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park since it opened in 1973. Taking guests on a swashbuckling adventure on the high seas, Pirates of the Caribbean is just as revered today as it was 50 years ago, serving as a testament to the talent and skill of Walt Disney Imagineers.
This is not to say that the dark ride hasn’t received some hefty upgrades and improvements over the years, with one of Pirates of the Caribbean’s biggest changes occurring in 2006.
To tie into the release of the second Pirates of the Caribbean film, Dead Man’s Chest, Disney reworked the story and a few of the scenes, adding Captain Jack Sparrow and some other notable characters from the live-action film franchise to the classic ride.
Other notable upgrades include improved effects and polished scenes, as well as the addition of new animatronics. However, Pirates of the Caribbean is currently receiving one of its biggest upgrade systems, though probably not in the way guests might think.
At Disney’s Destination D23 event in 2023, the company announced it would be bringing a brand-new Pirates of the Caribbean-themed lounge to Magic Kingdom. This “first of its kind” lounge will further tell the story of Disney’s legendary swashbuckling dark ride.
The new lounge will be located right near the entrance to the dark ride, serving as an expansion of the Pirates of the Caribbean hub toward the end of Adventureland.
An opening day for the lounge has not been specified just yet, but guests can expect to see it open sometime this year at the Magic Kingdom.
Stay tuned here at Inside the Magic for all Disney World news updates!
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