Disney Rolls Back Highly Controversial Pirates of the Caribbean Update

Disney’s classic dark ride has seen a big change.

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Disney guests have witnessed a number of big changes over the last decade, though very few have been as impactful as Lightning Lane. This add-on service, originally called Genie+, lets guests pay a fee to skip the standby lines on various rides and attractions. It works similarly to Disney’s previous FastPass system or Universal’s Express Pass, letting users choose return times for up to three attractions.

However, a major sticking point of the service is its fluctuating price. The cost of Lightning Lane varies day to day and depends on the time of year guests are visiting. Lightning Lane can be purchased in a Multi Pass variant and a Single Pass variant, the latter of which grants access to one attraction. The price of Lightning Lane Single Pass also varies and depends on which attraction guests choose.

Needless to say, it’s a somewhat confusing and pricey system to use, which is why some guests prefer regular standby queues. This makes the recent removal of Pirates of the Caribbean from Lightning Lane a big deal for travelers.

Pirates of the Caribbean Removed from Lightning Lane at Disneyland

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Lightning Lane works a little differently at Disneyland than at Walt Disney World. While the paid service allows guests to skip the regular standby queues for several attractions, the actual list of rides that Lightning Lane includes varies. Pirates of the Caribbean is a great example.

The classic dark ride was added to Disneyland’s Lightning Lane in January 2024. This was advertised as a temporary change to the attraction and came amid widespread construction. During this time, work was underway on not just Tiana’s Bayou Adventure but also Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion.

Pirates of the Caribbean was added to Lightning Lane to help balance crowds in the area. As of June 30, 2025, Lightning Lane is no longer offered for Pirates of the Caribbean.

The current list of rides and attractions offered for Lightning Lane at Disneyland Park includes the following:

• Autopia

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters

• Haunted Mansion

• Indiana Jones Adventure

• “it’s a small world”

• Matterhorn Bobsleds

• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run

• Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin

• Space Mountain

• Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

This change will likely cause a lot of chatter among fans and general theme park goers alike. Some may feel relieved they no longer have to worry about Lightning Lane when it comes to the iconic ride. Others may miss being able to skip the typically long line that Pirates of the Caribbean usually has.

In any case, this just proves that you never really know what a day (or night) might bring at Disneyland, so it’s best to stay alert and updated.

What do you think about Lightning Lane?