Pirates of the Caribbean Sinks to New Depps

The beloved Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, perhaps the archetypal theme park attraction, will be getting makeovers this year when Captain Jack Sparrow and other characters from the park-inspired films join the rollicking cast of mateys. The revamped rides will debut in the early summer to coincide with the opening of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest," a sequel to the wildly popular "Pirates" movie starring Johnny Depp. According to Disney, the attractions will incorporate Captain Jack, his archenemy, Barbossa, and the legendary pirate Davy Jones (who figures in the new film), as well as some additional special effects. Messing with classic attractions can be tricky business. Diehard purists will probably be up in arms, but if Disney uses the proper tone, it could inject a dash of contemporary pizzazz into Pirates and make the ride even more accessible to younger fans--while retaining the essential elements of the adored attraction. Disney has done it before with holiday makeovers of Haunted Mansion and it's a small world. And it appears that Disneyland will be offering an amped-up nighttime version of Space Mountain, called Rockit Mountain, later this year. Pirates will close down at both parks in March to make the changes and reopen on June 24 in California and July 7 in Florida. Until then, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho!
Pirates of the Caribbean Photo Gallery
Go Below Deck with the Pirates- A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Attraction