Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean attraction has reopened after a nearly two-month refurbishment, but the ride's new technological enhancements have drawn sharp criticism from fans online.
The updated attraction features a new high-tech audio-animatronic effect in the treasure grotto scene. This effect uses projection mapping and mechanical animation to transform a pirate figure from a living buccaneer into a skeleton and back again as he interacts with cursed treasure. The figure's face uses projection mapping to display expressions, with the 3D-printed face of the pirate shifting to a skeleton's visage.
However, many Disneyland enthusiasts have expressed their disapproval of the changes. Comments on social media platforms indicate a strong negative reaction, with some fans grading the overhaul a "0/10" and calling the update the "opposite of magic."
Fans cited the ride's original nostalgia and classic appeal as reasons for their dissatisfaction. "Why would you do that? The ride was great because of the nostalgia," one user commented, lamenting the removal of the previous skeleton animatronic. Another critic stated, "This is one of the worst things I have ever seen, and completely ruins the classic ride’s look, pacing, tone, story, and timeline."
An executive R&D Imagineer defended the update, describing the new animatronics as the "next level of our animatronic figures" that boast "incredibly characterful faces." The Pirates of the Caribbean ride, which first opened in 1967, was reportedly personally overseen by Walt Disney before his death and is considered one of Disneyland's signature attractions. Despite Disneyland's history of updating classic attractions, this particular enhancement has apparently missed the mark with a segment of its fanbase.