4Thousands of Disney Park guests were met with an unexpected warning when they opened the Disneyland Resort app on Monday, July 29–Pirates of the Caribbean is now closed for a previously unannounced ride refurbishment.
Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, and international Disney parks typically issue warnings months before attraction refurbishments or closures. Fans knew for months that Tokyo Disneyland planned to shutter its version of Space Mountain on July 31, 2024. Disneyland Park recently reopened The Haunted Mansion after its scheduled weeks-long transformation into Haunted Mansion Holiday.
Even with regular maintenance, predicting all future technical issues on Disney Parks attractions is impossible. Amid insider reports that Disneyland Resort is scaling back ride upkeep, it’s less surprising that Pirates of the Caribbean required a sudden fix this week.
Redditor u/CandleQueen_91 shared this screenshot of the “Temporarily Closed” announcement on the Disneyland Resort app:
Pirates Closed for Refurbishment?
Pirates Closed for Refurbishment?
byu/CandleQueen_91 inDisneyland
According to the Disneyland Resort app, Pirates of the Caribbean will reopen on Friday, August 2. It’s unclear what caused the temporary closure.
Related: Shanghai Disneyland Guests Now Have to Wait in Line to Enter Themed Area
X (formerly Twitter) user @FrshBaked also posted footage of the entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean, walled off by temporary barricades. Disney cast members appeared to be working in the ride’s queue area.
What’s going on with the Pirates of the Caribbean? POTC will reopen on Friday, August 2nd.
What's going on with the Pirates of the Caribbean? POTC will reopen on Friday, August 2nd. pic.twitter.com/pPMkWw9pqs
— Fresh Baked! (@FrshBakedDisney) July 30, 2024
One Disney Parks fan, Redditor u/idawdle, fan quipped that “There’s an ongoing HR review of the ‘Yo Ho’ lyrics as being inappropriate in 2024 with some believing that the lyrics (seen by some as a salacious greeting to good-looking guests).”
Truthfully, the closure has nothing to do with recent calls for updates to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. The backlash to the attraction spiked in 2023 when a TikTok user said she felt ogled by 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.”
Related: Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Canceled: Disney Releases Urgent Notice
Walt Disney Imagineering has updated the Disneyland Park, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disneyland, and Magic Kingdom Park attractions twice in recent decades. The first time, they added Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) animatronics.
The second time, Walt Disney Imagineers changed a sexist bride auction scene into a stolen goods sale headed by independent female pirates. The update came amid ongoing inclusion efforts across The Walt Disney Company.
Have you noticed any issues on Pirates of the Caribbean that would have benefited from a sudden refurbishment? Share your experience with Inside the Magic in the comments.