Disney has officially brought one long-lost Audio-Animatronic back to Pirates of the Caribbean.
Pirates of the Caribbean first opened at Disneyland in 1967 as the final attraction overseen by Walt Disney. Originally planned as a wax museum, it was reimagined as a boat ride using the same water-based system developed for “it’s a small world.” The ride featured groundbreaking Audio-Animatronics and an original theme song, “Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me),” written by George Bruns and Xavier Atencio.
When Tokyo Disneyland opened in 1983, it included a version of Pirates nearly identical to the Disneyland original, though slightly longer and adapted for Japanese audiences. Disneyland Paris, which debuted in 1992, offered a more elaborate layout, flipping the storyline so guests encountered the pirates’ attack before seeing scenes of skeletons and treasure. Its setting, inside a Spanish-style fortress, gave it a darker tone and cinematic edge.
Shanghai Disneyland’s take on the attraction, Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure, opened in 2016 as an entirely new experience. Combining large-scale digital projections with motion-platform boats, the ride emphasized spectacle and storytelling inspired by the film series. It marked a departure from the traditional dark ride format, blending practical sets with high-tech effects and underwater sequences.
Over time, Disney has updated the classic ride to reflect changing cultural standards. For example, a scene depicting pirates chasing women was altered to show them pursuing food instead. Characters from the film franchise were added in 2006, including Jack Sparrow and Davy Jones. The auction scene was also later controversially reimagined to feature Redd, a female pirate auctioning loot rather than brides, and pirates uttering the iconic line “we wants the redhead.”
Disney Restores Missing Audio-Animatronic
While a lot of these changes have been permanent, many updates to Pirates of the Caribbean have proven temporary over the years.
Following several weeks of refurbishment, Pirates of the Caribbean has reopened at Disneyland Paris, bringing back one of its most beloved moments. The swinging pirate, exclusive to this version of the ride, is once again gliding above guests just before the explosive ship battle, restoring a dramatic and much-missed piece of the attraction’s choreography.
(@disneylandparis)To celebrate the reopening, Disneyland Paris posted a new Instagram video offering a rare glimpse behind the scenes. The footage highlights recent updates across the attraction and showcases the collaborative work of maintenance crews, designers, and technicians who helped refresh everything from mechanical elements to environmental details.
The swinging pirate isn’t the only returning feature. Several characters throughout the ride have been enhanced, including the group of piglets happily wallowing beside a chaotic pirate. These restored figures, along with lighting and movement upgrades, ensure the experience feels polished while staying true to the ride’s original spirit.
What’s your favorite version of Pirates of the Caribbean?
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