The Uncomfortable Truth About Pirates of the Caribbean at Disney World

Pirates of the Caribbean is one of Walt Disney World’s most beloved attractions, which has been enjoyed by millions of guests over the last 5 decades…. which probably makes the fact that the ride was nearly NEVER BUILT at Disney World surprising to some!

Before Pirates of the Caribbean opened at Disneyland in 1967, the ride was already mythical in the minds of the public. Walt Disney, who had only died months before in December 1966, had been heavily involved in the attraction’s development and showcased it at length on the Disneyland television show. The final version of the attraction lived up to the hype thanks to the work of Disney and his Imagineers, especially Marc Davis, who imbued the attraction with his trademark sense of humor. So, clearly, that success meant Pirates of the Caribbean was going to be a headline attraction at the then-under-construction Walt Disney World, right? Well…

During the planning stages for the “Most Magical Place on Earth,” Disney executives and Imagineers did consider the ride. However, they believed that Florida residents would be “bored” by pirates since they were already part of the state’s culture and lore, so the decision was made to omit Pirates from the Magic Kingdom.

This was fine by Davis, who didn’t want to repeat himself. He instead set his sights higher, designing a magnum opus attraction that was meant to supplant Pirates at the top of the Disney pantheon: The Western River Expedition.

This massive E-Ticket boat ride was to feature hundreds of cowboys, Native Americans, and animals telling the story of the American West in Davis’s style of comedic vignettes. Furthermore, the attraction was meant to be housed in a gigantic show building known as Thunder Mesa that would have towered over the park’s Frontierland. It was meant to be topped by a mountain range and a mine train roller coaster attraction on its exterior.

While Thunder Mesa was initially planned as an opening day attraction, it was moved to the second phase of Disney World’s construction due to budget issues and was scheduled to open 3-4 years after opening day. That didn’t stop Disney from advertising the ride, as the Western River Expedition was included in promotional materials about the park, and a preview center of upcoming attractions. However, Davis’s dream project would be crushed… by his previous greatest achievement.

See, when the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, the #1 complaint received by guest relations was “Where are the Pirates?” Disney had spent so much time thinking about piracy’s history in Florida that they ignored the fact that millions in the state (and up and down the east coast) had spent years watching the late Walt Disney talk about Pirates of the Caribbean on the Disneyland television series, and wanted to see the ride for themselves.

Pivoting quickly, Disney announced that an East Coast version of the attraction would be built, which opened in 1973. Unfortunately for Davis, the budget for this version of Pirates came from the stockpile that had been set aside to construct the Western River Expedition and Thunder Mesa.

To add insult to injury, the Disney World version was a shadow of its Disneyland counterpart, lacking several scenes, animatronics, and effects, as well as having no attached Blue Bayou, as the ambiance of New Orleans Square was replaced by a Spanish-style fort facade in Adventureland. While the Western River Expedition wasn’t officially canceled, it would never be built, mainly thanks to Pirates of the Caribbean.

Beyond its inglorious beginnings, Disney World’s Pirates of the Caribbean has also been home to some controversial changes over the years. These include alterations to some more risqué scenes, including replacing pirates chasing women with women chasing pirates for stolen food, and the change of the auction scene’s redhead from a potential “bride” for sale to a pirate herself.

While less politically heated, the mid-2000s additions of elements from the Pirates of the Caribbean film series — including several Captain Jack Sparrow animatronics — continue to divide fans.

Pirates of the Caribbean may seem like an intrinsic part of the Walt Disney World experience, but the ride has a long – and somewhat controversial – history at the Magic Kingdom. Stay tuned to AllEas for more on the long history and urban legends associated with the “Most Magical Place on Earth.”

Marc Davis: The Imagineer Who Crafted Modern Disney Parks

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