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Last week, Disneyland Resort’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride was temporarily shut down, leaving guests trapped on board the 58-year-old ride. Guests on board the attraction shared eerie videos of the animatronics performing normally while the boats stood still.
Pirates of the Caribbean opened at Disneyland Park on March 18, 1967, and became an instant classic. The ride’s popularity led to the opening of similar versions at Disney parks around the world, including Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort. Over the years, the attraction has undergone several updates, including the addition of Captain Jack Sparrow animatronics in the mid-2000s. More recently, in 2018, Disney updated the ride to replace the infamous bride auction scene, making the once-for-sale female characters more empowered as independent pirates.
Credit: Ed Aguila, Inside the Magic
While some Disney Park guests welcomed these changes, others were disappointed by the modernization of a decades-old attraction. Still, another group of Disney Parks fans wished for more updates to Pirates of the Caribbean.
In 2023, a viral video prompted a broader discussion about the ride’s content, as a guest expressed feeling uncomfortable about the male animatronics’ gaze. “I just think this is kind of a weird ride,” the guest said in their video. “I don’t know… It’s just a little bit rapey.”
Credit: Disney
Despite the video’s backlash, some women shared similar sentiments in the comments, saying they, too, felt uncomfortable on the ride. One commenter wrote, “It feels like we’re the entertainment for them, and I do not like it.” Another said she felt “violated.”
However, this week’s Pirates of the Caribbean shutdown had nothing to do with content-related issues. Last week, TikTok user @blissful_moments_disney shared a video showing themselves and others trapped in their boat as a Captain Jack Sparrow animatronic repeatedly sang “Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life For Me)” over and over.
@blissful_moments_disney Got stuck on Pirates of the Caribbean for 15 minutes… just me, Jack Sparrow, and the smell of water 😂💦 Honestly kinda iconic but also lowkey eerie 👀 Would you panic or vibe? SStuckOnPiratesDDisneyRideMalfunctionD#Disneyland2025#disney #disneyland PPiratesOfTheCaribbeanDDisneyTokDDisneyFailsTThemeParkVibesPPOVDisneyDDisneyFunnyUUnexpectedDisneyRRideBreakdownDisneyAdventure
Another guest, @ravishrealm, posted a similar video of the same malfunction.
@ravishrealm We’re stuck on Pirates at Disneyland 😭 How long before we get off? #disneyland #disneyfail #disneymalfunction disney #disneypark#parkfail#anaheim#california#disneycalifornia#ride#amusementparkfail#amusementpark#pirates#piratesofthecarribean#ridefail
Hilariously, @blissful_moments_disney found the video and commented, “I was stuck on it too😂.”
The ride was down for around 15 to 20 minutes before it resumed.
Credit: Disney
Disneyland Resort typically does not provide specifics regarding technical issues or ride malfunctions, like the one that caused Pirates of the Caribbean to shut down last week. However, the attraction resumed normal operations after a brief pause.
Should Walt Disney Imagineering make more changes to Pirates of the Caribbean? Share your opinion with Disney Tips in the comments!
