Image credit : Disneyland.com
Long before it was a stumble movie franchise boast a certain swaggering scallywag with a preference for eccentric manner , Pirates of the Caribbean was just a piddling sauceboat ride at Disneyland . in reality , start that — pirate has never beenlittle : Since it open in March of 1967 , the attractive force has consistently been one of the most democratic ones in the park . If it ’s a pirate ’s life-time for you , too , you ’ll enjoy these fact about the definitive buccaneer .
1. It was originally a wax museum.
The initial plan was to create a manner of walking - through wax museum where guests could get up faithful and personal with villains throughout account , though the focus was eventually narrow down to pirates . When Disney ’s It ’s a small-scale World and Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln animatronics were staggeringly successful at the 1964 World ’s Fair , component of each were incorporated into the ride and the museum theme wasscrapped .
2. It took a lot of doubloons to create.
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The $ 8 million spend on Pirates of the Caribbean accounted for more than half of the cost to build New Orleans Square , the section of the park that domiciliate the ride . The last broadsheet for New Orleans Square was $ 15 million — thesame rib the literal Louisiana Purchase . And speaking of the Louisiana Purchase , it has another tie to Anaheim ’s own little piece of NOLA . The attraction façade was partly inspired by the city’sCabildobuilding ( fancy ) where the Louisiana Purchase wassignedin 1803 .
3. Walt himself supervised the ride creation.
To aid Walt get the ride experience before the boats were completed , Imagineers manipulate a professorship up to a dolly andpushed their boss through the attractionat the same approximate speed a sauceboat would pass . Though they thought he would be upset riders could n’t clearly get a line what all of the pirates were saying , Disney was in reality enthralled . He think it was like being at a cocktail party , and was pleased that people would be able to pick out something new every time they ride .
woefully , it was thelastride Walt would be hands - on with . He died while it was still being construct ; it opened three month after his death .
4. It almost included a dinner theater.
Disneyland.com
The Blue Bayou restaurant has been housed in the peaceful swamp country at the origin of the drive since Pirates first opened . Had Disney kept the original architectural plan , however , the eating experience would n’t have been so serene . While client dined on Creole cuisine , pirates would amaze and entertain them . After giving it a dress dry run , Walttold his executives that"in this restaurant , the food is expire to be the show , along with the aura . "
5. Opening day was a spectacle.
Disney knew that launching such a ride with a typical typewriter ribbon - cutting ceremonial would be a huge missed PR chance . Instead , herecruited veteran Disney performer Wally Boagto hijack press night on the Sailing ShipColumbia(a boat twit on the Rivers of America ) and steer them toward the Modern ride . Once there , Boag and his pirate bunch busted through the false front doors of the attractor to “ open ” it . To christen the drive , actress Dorothy Lamour smashed a bottle of water from the Mississippi over an anchor — one rumored to have belonged to the real Jean Lafitte .
6. The scriptwriter had never written a script before.
be intimate the puns and slightly PG pirate humor ? ( “ Shift your cargo , dearie . ” ) Then you have X. Atencio to give thanks . Atencio had been an animator for more than 30 years , work on features such asDumboandPinocchio . Walt abruptly transferred Atencio to the attraction team and task him with writing all of the dialogue for the newfangled pirate ride . “ I wondered if Walt was talking to the right guy,”Atencio later say . “ I had never scripted anything before , but Walt said , ‘ I know you may do this . ’ And that ’s how I became a author . ”
7. The special effects were a little too real.
Disney has always been in the lead of its time when it comes to engineering and special effect — and they were certainly forrader of the secret plan when it arrive to make fake flak back in 1967 . Concerned that masses would n’t be able-bodied to tell reality from phantasy , the Anaheim Fire Chief asked Disney to have an reflex shutoff for it in the consequence of a real flak [ PDF ] .
8. There’s a second-floor apartment.
Disney Parks
The space above Pirates wasintended to be a 3000 square - foundation apartmentfor Walt and Roy Disney to practice for entertaining or relaxing when they were in the car park . Walt die before it was fill in , and Roy decide afterward that he did n’t want to expend it . The quad was used for entertaining VIPs for many twelvemonth , then operated as an art picture gallery . These daylight , it ’s home to the “ Disneyland Dream Suite , ” a tricked - out apartment where Guest at times get to stay .
9. There are lots of fun details to be on the lookout for.
Before you participate the building , be sure to check out the wrought Fe fence on the balcony . The stylized initial “ WD ” and “ RD ” have been work out into the iron , represent Walt and Roy . When you get inside the ride , see if you could count all of the animatronic figure . You should derive up with atotal of 122 : 68 humans and 54 animate being . And in conclusion , here ’s the creepiest detail of all : For many year , it ’s been rumored that the drive contains a literal skull amongst the many fake ace . Disney Parks has never confirmed this , but a dramatis personae member has :
