Disney Makes Big Adjustment To Beloved Pirates of the Caribbean Ride, Fans Rejoice

Fans are thrilled by the latest update to a classic Disney ride.

While the majority of theme park visitors travel in search of the latest and greatest roller coasters, there’s a lot more to the original Disneyland Resort than just rides.

Sure, Disneyland is home to perhaps some of the world’s most iconic roller coasters of all time, with Space Mountain, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Incredicoaster, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad all entertaining and inspiring guests for decades, but Disney’s West Coast theme park resort is a lot more than just these rides.

For many, the magic of Disneyland is found in the details. Whether it’s Indiana Jones Adventure‘s highly detailed queue or the hand-painted horses on King Arthur’s Carousel, Disney goes to unparalleled lengths to tell a story, with perhaps the best example being Pirates of the Caribbean.

This classic boat ride has become one of Disneyland’s most famous and iconic attractions, with some even considering it better than other legendary rides like Haunted Mansion and “It’s a Small World.” Pirates is a lot of fun and even features some thrills along the way, though, as we said earlier, the beauty of this attraction is found within its details, with one very special element finally returning.

Classic Pirates of the Caribbean Element Returns in Disneyland

Pirates of the Caribbean, iconic Disney ride, failing during the well scene at Disneyland Park. A lively scene in a dimly lit, colorful stage set resembling a historic village. Characters in pirate and colonial costumes, reminiscent of Pirates of the Caribbean, are animatedly interacting, with a well in the center and various buildings as a backdrop. — Credit: Ed Aguila, Inside the Magic

As shared on the Disneyland Reddit page, the fog has returned to Pirates of the Caribbean in Disneyland. This effect has been on and off for quite some time, but it adds a whole lot to the experience when it’s working. It’s unclear when exactly it returned, but guests who visited as recently as this month reportedly did not see it.

However, according to this post from yesterday, the fog has returned, making one of Disneyland’s most impressive scenes that much more special.

Fog returns to Pirates battle scene
byu/ssladick inDisneyland

The post resonated with the Disneyland community, receiving well over a thousand upvotes, indicating many had hoped to see the fog return to the attraction.

Some fans theorized that Disney may be making adjustments like these to prepare for its 70th anniversary, which begins later this summer. Starting May 16, 2025, Disneyland will begin its 70th anniversary celebration event, which will see multiple limited-time experiences and attractions make their way into the resort.

Guests will have the chance to purchase exclusive merchandise, try special cuisines, and, of course, interact with the parks like never before. The party will last until next summer.

Despite being considered one of Disney’s most legendary rides, Pirates of the Caribbean has undergone some significant changes over the years, some of which have proven more popular than others.

Perhaps the biggest change occurred in 2006, when multiple characters and elements from Disney’s live-action Pirates of the Caribbean franchise were added to the ride. This was done to coincide with the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, which followed the first film in the series, Curse of the Black Pearl.

To say the franchise was a huge success is an understatement, with the first three Pirates films grossing over $1 billion at the box office. However, some pushed back against the idea of “tainting” such a classic ride with Disney’s Pirates films.

Other changes to the classic boat ride include the removal of certain “explicit” moments, with Disney completely redesigning the bride auction scene in 2018.

What’s your favorite special effect inside the Disney parks?