A Walt Disney World Resort guest recently shared their experience evacuating the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Magic Kingdom Park after it suddenly shut down. Dozens of Disney Park guests were stuck on the attraction for almost an hour–thankfully, Disney cast members turned on the lights and shut down the noisy animatronics partway through the breakdown.
This is the latest incident to spark public conversation about the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. Both rides have undergone several changes over their decades in operation, from the addition of Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) animatronics to the modernization of the bride auction scene. Once brides-for-sale, the female animatronics are now independent pirates in their own right.
Any change to such a classic attraction is controversial, especially when some Disney Parks fans argue the company is wrongfully sanitizing the realities of piracy. However, amid backlash about the changes to Pirates of the Caribbean, some Disney Park guests feel the changes didn’t go far enough.
In 2023, a Disney Park guest went viral for saying she felt uncomfortable as a woman under the gaze of the male pirate animatronics. “I just think this is kind of a weird ride,” she said. “I don’t know… It’s just a little bit rapey.”
Although she amassed widespread criticism, the Disney Park guest also found some support from other women. One social media user said the pirates gawking at her made her feel “violated.” “It feels like we’re the entertainment for them and I do not like it,” another wrote.
Almost two years later, Pirates of the Caribbean still entertains thousands of Magic Kingdom Park guests daily. But on Wednesday, one guest spent nearly an hour trapped on the Adventureland attraction after it stopped unexpectedly.
On May 21, Reddior u/Brandodude shared these photos while stuck on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. The guest explained that after a while, Disney cast members turned on the attraction’s overhead lights and shut off the animatronics, making the wait much quieter and calmer.
Pirates broke down
Eventually, Disney cast members donned waders and walked through the ride’s water to pull each boat backward to an emergency evacuation platform. The guests were taken through a backstage area before returning to Adventureland.
“Saw a cool deer next to the raggedy porta potties out back,” the guest recalled.
Disney cast members gave the evacuated guests two complimentary Lightning Lane passes as compensation. Even though the skip-the-line passes weren’t good for the best Magic Kingdom Park attractions, the guest said evacuating Pirates of the Caribbean was a worthwhile experience.
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