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Magic Kingdom Park guests expecting a smooth sailing adventure on Pirates of the Caribbean were met with a much more unexpected experience when the ride abruptly shut down Monday evening. The 51-year-old attraction was caught up in a widespread system failure, forcing an unusual evacuation process that left guests stuck on the ride until Disney cast members could manually guide them to safety.
Pirates of the Caribbean Ride Caught in Widespread Disney World Shutdown
For more than five decades, Pirates of the Caribbean has been a fan-favorite at Walt Disney World Resort. The slow-moving boat ride, filled with iconic animatronics and swashbuckling scenes, has undergone several changes over the years—from the addition of Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) to the transformation of the controversial bride auction scene into one starring female pirate Captain Redd.
Credit: Disney
But on Monday night, the adventure stalled in the worst way possible when Magic Kingdom Park’s central pressurized air system failed, disrupting nearly every major ride in the park.
The outage, which began around 6:00 p.m. on February 10, affected dozens of attractions, including:
- Space Mountain
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Haunted Mansion
- “it’s a small world”
- Pirates of the Caribbean
The breakdown wasn’t limited to just rides—fountain drink machines also stopped working, leaving some guests unable to grab sodas or other beverages during the unexpected downtime.
“Trapped” Guests Call for Help During Evacuation
Credit: Disney
Evacuating Pirates of the Caribbean posed a unique challenge due to its water-filled ride path. As boats remained motionless in the murky depths, Disney cast members had to manually rescue stranded guests in a way most had never seen before.
TikTok user @marzman71 documented the unusual rescue, sharing a video of a Disney cast member in waders stepping into the water to assist with the evacuation.
@marzman71 Send help ASAP!! #disney #disneyworld #piratesofthecaribbean #trapped #waltdisney #yummy
“POV: You board Pirates of the Caribbean expecting adventure… but end up getting trapped,” the guest wrote. “Send help ASAP!!”
Rather than exiting through the standard ride platform, guests had to remain in their boats as the cast member physically pulled them through the ride water to a designated evacuation zone.
Credit: Disney
Fortunately, it appears that all guests were safely evacuated without injury. Pirates of the Caribbean reopened later that evening once Disney’s technical teams resolved the issue.
Have you ever evacuated a ride at Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort? Share your story with Disney Tips in the comments!
