Inside the legendary Pirates of the Caribbean ride 50 years later – The Mercury News

According to Disneyland, about 400 million park attendees have ridden on Pirates of the Caribbean since it opened in 1967. That is an average of more than 20,000 a day. The ride is a little more than 15 minutes long.

Walt Disney (circled) posing with sculpted models used for some of the audio-animatronic figures in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. There are about 120 animated characters in Pirates, mostly human, and nine different animals.

Pirates of the Caribbean was the last Disneyland attraction Disney supervised at the park. Disney died about three months before the ride opened. The ride was originally conceptualized as a New Orleans-themed Blue Bayou Mart featuring a Pirate Wax Museum. Because of the success of the Matterhorns bobsleds in 1959, the concept of a boat ride through 1700s pirate times started to take shape.

The Pirates ride can handle about 2,300 to 2,400 people an hour.

BUILDING 1: The facade is based on the Cabildo building in New Orleans, the seat of the Spanish colonial government in 1799.

BUILDING 2: The facade is based on the Cabildo building in New Orleans, the seat of the Spanish colonial government in 1799.

ALONG THE WAY

1. Talking skull 2. Blue caverns 3. Skeletons 4. Stormy passage 5. Captain in bed The real skeleton is said to be hung on the headboard of the bed. All other skeletons are made out of plastic. 6. Treasure 7. Ship and fort After the ride was redone to use elements of the movie franchise, Captain Barbosas image and voice were added on the ship. 8. Extra boat storage behind the ride 9. Well scene 10. Bride auction 11. Chase scene 12. Singing trio 13. Buildings on fire The fire effect is made with sheets, lights and a fan. 14. Drunk with pigs 15. Jail scene 16. Shooting at TNT 17. Jack Sparrow and treasure 18. Map and parrot

GOING UP!: Conveyors are used to control the boats at the loading area.

THE LONG VOYAGE: The ride at Disneyland meanders along a 1,838-foot canal. That is approximately 1 13 laps around a quarter-mile track.

WATER WORLD: The ride contains about 750,000 gallons of water, which is the equivalent of: 55.6 average-size (21 feet diameter by 4 feet deep) pools

HERES WHAT THAT TALKING SKULL SAYS: Psst! Avast there! It be too late to alter course, mateys. And there be plundering pirates lurkin in evry cove, waitin to board. Sit closer together and keep your ruddy hands in board. That be the best way to repel boarders. And mark well me words, mateys: Dead men tell no tales! Ye come seekin adventure with salty old pirates, eh? Sure youve come to the proper place. But keep a weather eye open mates, and hold on tight. With both hands, if you please. Thar be squalls ahead, and Davy Jones waiting for them what dont obey.

FRANCHISE IN FILMS: Highest average domestic gross for movie franchises with at least two films (in millions).

FRANCHISE IN FILMS: Worldwide unadjusted gross by film in million.

Sources: Disneyland Resort, Box Office Mojo Photos: Staff, Disneyland Resorts

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Inside the legendary Pirates of the Caribbean ride 50 years later - The Mercury News