2
Credit: DisneyA Disneyland Resort guest recently shared her experience evacuating the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Disney cast members had to rescue the guests trapped on board the controversial New Orleans Square attraction.
The unexpected closure comes months after a reinvigorated campaign to shut down Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Paris Resort, Shanghai Disney Resort, and Tokyo Disney Resort. It started in 2023 when a viral TikTok claimed the boat ride was offensive to women.
The Disney Park guest 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: Disney World Cancels Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Brings Back Splash Mountain
The Disney Parks haven’t totally ignored guests’ complaints. In the late 2010s, Magic Kingdom Park and Disneyland Park updated their versions of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride to remove a sexist bride auction scene.
Walt Disney Imagineering turned the objectified female animatronics into swashbuckling pirates selling stolen goods. This update came years after Walt Disney Imagineers added Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) animatronics to the ride.
Disney Park guests say that Pirates of the Caribbean also needs maintenance updates. TikTok user @sweetmissmagicalmindy recently got stuck on the ride with her party and shared this video of the experience:
@sweetmissmagicalmindy When you get stuck on PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN and have to get walked off! #disneyland #disney #piratesofthecaribbean #pirates #disneyislife
In the video, the lights came on throughout Pirates of the Caribbean, and the ride water was still. Disney cast members used rubber waders to safely traverse the water and pull boats to evacuation points where guests could climb out.
Disney cast members gave strict safety instructions and warned guests to avoid dangerous areas of the ride. After everyone safely exited the boats, Disney cast members evacuated them through a backstage area.
“The backstage of Disneyland was not very clean,” the Disney Park guest said.
Still, the guests walked away from Pirates of the Caribbean smiling: “We survived!”
It’s unclear what caused the recent evacuation of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. The attraction later reopened and was operating normally at the time of this article’s publication.
Have you evacuated a ride at Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort? Share your experience with Inside the Magic in the comments.