Pirates of the Carribean refurbishment?

[Gena001]

But then you're in the Easter season not much better of a time either. For such a long refurb there is not really a good time.

It's possible some parts could have a long lead time making the refurb have to wait until the parts are in, shipped, etc. Happens in construction all the time. You have to place those orders early so it doesn't mess up your schedule.

 

[rteetz]

It's possible some parts could have a long lead time making the refurb have to wait until the parts are in, shipped, etc. Happens in construction all the time. You have to place those orders early so it doesn't mess up your schedule.

True this refurb was planned farther in advance than most because it is a larger and longer one.

 

[Plutopia]

We're going at the end of August and so upset that our favorite ride will be closed. I am going to miss that "Pirates feeling" I get every time I walk through the queue. I won't miss those boats piling up at the end, though. Hope they do something about that issue. Hoping we get some of that Disney magic and they finish the refurb by the time we go.

 

[rteetz]

We're going at the end of August and so upset that our favorite ride will be closed. I am going to miss that "Pirates feeling" I get every time I walk through the queue. I won't miss those boats piling up at the end, though. Hope they do something about that issue. Hoping we get some of that Disney magic and they finish the refurb by the time we go.

Sorry that it's closed for you but this ride is in terrible condition and needs this refurb so I would highly doubt and early completions.

 

[Daisybell911]

I go September 24 to MK. I'm going to cross my fingers crossed and hope for a little pixie dust!

 

[DizDaD7]

Doubt it will open by October even... Needs a lot of work...

Count me in as the Bummed in August crowd that will not get to ride this either....

 

[fabfemmeboy]

The thing is, there's no such time as a great time to refurb, especially when it's 4-6 months. Conventional wisdom says to do it after holidays end, so January through Spring Break-ish, but even that's only 3 months or it's down for the busiest parts of spring. Plus a lot of other things go down in January (the 1-2 week refurbs), and if everything is closed then no one's going to show up. A lot of spring is actually much busier than summer, thanks to the weather, so they'd hate for it to be down then. The only other time is fall, but really they just have September as a slow time before October kicks off with Food and Wine plus Halloween, then about 3 weeks slow before Christmas stuff starts...it's easy to find a lot of 1-3-week time periods to refurb something, but for anything that needs months there's never going to be a time that lacks downsides. Obviously it sucks any time your favourite ride is down during your vacation, but I don't think the right answer is "It shouldn't be down during my trip, it should be down during other people's trip!"

 

[BigAlsGal]

I'm so stoked to hear it's been put off till after first week of June!!!!

 

[rteetz]

The thing is, there's no such time as a great time to refurb, especially when it's 4-6 months. Conventional wisdom says to do it after holidays end, so January through Spring Break-ish, but even that's only 3 months or it's down for the busiest parts of spring. Plus a lot of other things go down in January (the 1-2 week refurbs), and if everything is closed then no one's going to show up. A lot of spring is actually much busier than summer, thanks to the weather, so they'd hate for it to be down then. The only other time is fall, but really they just have September as a slow time before October kicks off with Food and Wine plus Halloween, then about 3 weeks slow before Christmas stuff starts...it's easy to find a lot of 1-3-week time periods to refurb something, but for anything that needs months there's never going to be a time that lacks downsides. Obviously it sucks any time your favourite ride is down during your vacation, but I don't think the right answer is "It shouldn't be down during my trip, it should be down during other people's trip!"

This sums it up pretty well. The ride is in bad shape and needs this refurb now. It's going to be down for someone's vacation no matter what there is no way to avoid that.

 

[Josh Hendy]

The most regrettable thing about this refurb is that it was caused by a previous, botched refurb. I.e. they "upgraded" to new boats which are basically shorts-wetters and finger-crunchers.

I'm sure I read somewhere why they changed the boats in the first place but right now for the life of me I can't recall. Was it for higher capacity?

 

[rteetz]

The most regrettable thing about this refurb is that it was caused by a previous, botched refurb. I.e. they "upgraded" to new boats which are basically shorts-wetters and finger-crunchers.

I'm sure I read somewhere why they changed the boats in the first place but right now for the life of me I can't recall. Was it for higher capacity?

They changed the boats because Disneyland didn't want them and WDW wasn't going to pass up free stuff basically. There are also numerous problems with animatronics and audio throughout the ride.

 

[Queen-Bee]

I don't remember where i read it, but wasn't there a mention of the boats being changed/updated like they did was Splash Mountain? where they put in lap bars, I think it was after the incident where the man from the UK had his fingers cut off.

 

[rteetz]

I don't remember where i read it, but wasn't there a mention of the boats being changed/updated like they did was Splash Mountain? where they put in lap bars, I think it was after the incident where the man from the UK had his fingers cut off.

That isn't going to stop someone from putting their hand in the water

 

[AnneK]

I can vouch for this, as we had stupid teenage kids behind us on Splash Mountain reaching their hands into the water and spraying us intentionally. Pirates needs the refurb badly. We rode it last Sunday and a lot of it was broken, and it wasn't enjoyable.

 

[samsteele]

The boats are terrible. I was there last Nov, was seated in the front row far left side with another couple and I was soaked left side of head down to my butt and feet. The couple beside me received full face, head and chest splash. Not just a little water. Complete soak. The projector was not working. When the boat came to a stop we bumped hard into the boats in front of us. At least a half foot of water sloshing on the floor. The refurb is badly needed.

 

[rteetz]

The boats are terrible. I was there last Nov, was seated in the front row far left side with another couple and I was soaked left side of head down to my butt and feet. The couple beside me received full face, head and chest splash. Not just a little water. Complete soak. The projector was not working. When the boat came to a stop we bumped hard into the boats in front of us. At least a half foot of water sloshing on the floor. The refurb is badly needed.

Bingo some come off this ride more soaked than they do on splash and that's not supposed to happen.

 

[ParkHoppers]

So I take it they will be getting new boats?

 

[rteetz]

So I take it they will be getting new boats?

That's not confirmed but the flume could be modified to better accommodate the boats they currently have.

 

[ParkHoppers]

That's not confirmed but the flume could be modified to better accommodate the boats they currently have.

I don,t know that modifying the flume would stop the extreme splash over that is happening. I hope for some new stylized boats that have higher sides to help prevent splash over but I am not holding my breath.

 

[Josh Hendy]

They changed the boats because Disneyland didn't want them and WDW wasn't going to pass up free stuff basically. There are also numerous problems with animatronics and audio throughout the ride.

Thanks a lot, but that just leads to a lot of other questions.

Other than being free, what was the reason for thinking that Florida needed the leftover California boats? Were the older-generation Florida boats considered to be worn out or substandard? Why did California get rid of its boats? Were they also lousy on the Disneyland Pirates ride? I understand that the Anaheim ride is longer with more drops than in Florida ... did they also fill with water in Anaheim, and did someone think (or assume) that this would be "ok" on a ride with fewer drops? Or was it more important to get the annoying, soaking boats out of the theme park that is visited most frequently by executives from the Burbank headquarters?

AA and audio problems aside, I think that the problem with the boats is a pretty blatant case of dropping the ball (to borrow a phrase) and I'd like to know why.