Exploring Pirates of the Caribbean: Adventure and Mythology

It starts as a boat ride on the bayou, but before you know it, you’re in the middle of a pirate raid, complete with cannons blasting and fires blazing. And Captain Jack Sparrow lurking everywhere at once.

Before you get into the battle, your little boat will go over a couple of small drops, and you’ll encounter Jolly Roger, who warns that “Dead men tell no tales.”

What You Need to Know about Pirates of the Caribbean

• Location: Pirates of the Caribbean is in New Orleans Square
• Rating: ★★★★★
• Restrictions: No height restrictions. Children under age seven years must be accompanied by a person aged 14 years or older.
• Ride Time: 13 minutes
• Recommended for: Everyone
• Fun Factor: Medium to high. It’s a classic ride that many people think is a Disneyland must-do. In fact, Pirates is one of the best rides at Disneyland.
• Wait Factor: Use a Fastpass to shorten your time in line
• Fear Factor: Low, but young children may be frightened by the special effects and noise, especially in the battle scene.
• Herky-Jerky Factor: Low for most of the trip, but it includes two short, steep waterfalls. Occasionally, the ride vehicles get bumped from behind when approaching the unloading area.
• Nausea Factor: Low
• Seating: Ride vehicles resemble flat, wide boats with bench-style seating. Each row holds two to three adults.
• Accessibility: If you’re in a wheelchair or ECV, ask any Cast Member how to get to the boarding area. You will need to transfer into the ride vehicles by yourself or with help from your companions. Service animals are not recommended. If you require a handheld captioning device, visit Guest Services in City Hall to obtain one.

How to Have More Fun on the Pirates of the Caribbean Ride

The Pirates of the Caribbean ride inspired the films featuring Johnny Depp. See how many scenes from the movies you can recognize (hint: Jack Sparrow appears three times).

If you sit in the front row of the ride vehicle, you’ll get splashed as you make the first drop. You may become wet enough to cause a bad hair day, and you might have a soggy bottom, too. If you prefer to avoid this, politely ask the Cast Member in the loading area to move you further back.

That song is bound to get stuck in your head, no matter what. One of the best ways to shake an earworm is to embrace it. Why not memorize a few lines so you can sing along?

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me.
We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot.
Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho.
We kidnap and ravage and don’t give a hoot.
Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho.

Pirates of the Caribbean is one of the coolest places to go on a hot day at Disneyland. Literally. It’s also one of the longer rides, allowing you to cool off even more.

Fun Facts About Pirates of the Caribbean Ride

The concept for the Pirates of the Caribbean ride originated in 1948 (before Disneyland opened). However, it took until 1969 for the ride to open to the public.

The ride utilizes 750,000 gallons of water to float 46 bateaux (a Creole term for boats), each carrying 22 guests. Visitors float past 119 animated characters and 64 human figures. The pirate galleon bombarding the village is known as the Wicked Wench.

The first waterfall spans 52 feet and drops 18 feet, while the second is slightly shorter, dropping 13 feet.

Is It Different than Pirates in Florida?

The California version of Pirates has two drops and features a creepy mist screen with a projection of Blackbeard. Nevertheless, both rides are similar from the battling ships section to the end.