Pirates of the Caribbean Emptied Amid Threats Against “Offensive” Ride

Last week, Disneyland Resort cast members emptied Pirates of the Caribbean amid ongoing threats against the ride.

Controversy erupted last year when a concerned Disney Park guest expressed discomfort about Pirates of the Caribbean. “I just think this is kind of a weird ride,” the woman said. “I don’t know… It’s just a little bit rapey.”

A skeleton dressed in a tattered pirate hat stands at the helm of a weathered ship's steering wheel. The ship's deck appears old and worn, with torn sails and scattered chains. The background is lit with a blue hue, giving a ghostly, eerie atmosphere. The scene is part of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Magic Kingdom. — Credit: u/Mr_Midnight_Moon via Reddit

The boat ride was once more offensive toward women. In the late 2010s, Walt Disney Imagineering removed a bride auction scene, repurposing the objectified female animatronics into independent female pirates. The Pirates of the Caribbean update came a decade after its last major refresh in which Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) joined the attraction’s cast.

Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort fans have mixed opinions about the updates. Some want to see Pirates of the Caribbean restored to its original state, while others feel Walt Disney Imagineers didn’t go far enough and should close the ride altogether.

As guests report ongoing maintenance issues and evacuations from the ride, every temporary closure encourages social media users to rehash the Pirates of the Caribbean debate. Last week, Samantha Rae (@artistry.by.saman on TikTok) experienced the Adventureland attraction’s issues first-hand:

@artistry.by.saman

This ride already makes me claustrophobic so this was NOT ideal but we always love seeing a ride with their lights on #Disneyland #Disney #PiratesOfTheCaribbean #DisneylandPark #DisneylandCalifornia #PrideNite #DisneylandRides #CaliforniaAdventure #FantasyLand #AdventureLand #FrontierLand #DisneylandTikTok

♬ Elevator Music – Bohoman

Samantha Rae rode Pirates of the Caribbean shortly before Disneyland Park closed. It broke down mid-ride, and hundreds of guests were stranded well past the theme park’s operating hours. They were “the last ones to leave the park,” exiting the attraction to an empty Disneyland Resort.

“This ride already makes me claustrophobic so this was NOT ideal,” the Disney Park guest wrote.

Auction scene featuring Pirate Redd, the auctioneer, and townspeople in the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort — Credit: Ed Aguila, Inside the Magic

To evacuate Pirates of the Caribbean, Disney cast members must carefully guide boats to safe areas where they can use unloading ramps. Sometimes, this requires employees to wear rubber waders and trudge through the waist-high ride water.

It’s unclear what caused last week’s Pirates of the Caribbean evacuation. At the time of this article’s publication, the boat ride was operating normally at Disneyland Park, Magic Kingdom Park, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disneyland, and Shanghai Disneyland.

Are you a Pirates of the Caribbean fan? In the comments, share your opinion on the ride’s current state with Inside the Magic.