Say Goodbye to the Auction Scene in Pirates

[tasha99]

I don't really care either way, but I think the scene is already quite sanitized--and maybe having it half sanitized, is less okay than making it fully family friendly. Do you think a pirate scene really would look like the ones in the ride? Where are the people who have been stabbed, thrown overboard, beheaded, whatever? And those women in the auction are fully clothed. You really think a scene like that with pirates would be that civilized? I don't know, but it kind of romanticizes pirates to depict them that way. I'm happy either way--I love the ride. But even though I usually think we are too PC, I can see a theme park aimed at children wanting to clean up its act.

 

[DDhunter]

As I roll my eyes and laugh......Bahahaha.....

Yeah, I roll my eyes too and other things.

 

[HydroGuy]

So are you for the change or not?

LOL, I am not for the change. It is entertainment. And it is about pirates who are, as we all know, "really bad eggs".

 

[Princess Jaz E Jaz]

I think if can't deal with Pirate history then change the whole ride. I am not happy about this. The next time will be when I go with my husband who has never been. After this I will not be riding it anymore.

 

[DDhunter]

Then I guess the depiction of a bride who decapitated several husbands doesn't belong either.

Now that you mention it.

 

[Metalliman98]

The more I read the hysteria about the change on this board and others, the more in favor of the change I am. The scene depicts human trafficking. I really hope we are better than this as a culture (though at this moment in time I really have my doubts). Glorifying human trafficking is not okay.

I agree, human trafficking is not ok. And that's the whole point of the ride, isn't it? To show that these things are not ok. The warning at the beginning and the first scenes showing all the dead pirates, are there to show that a pirate's life is ultimately not a good life, is not something to be revered or admired, certainly not a model for how one should live.

So now we take the scene away. We now show them auctioning loot; you know, stuff they stole. That's more moral? That's better?

I am not "hysterical" about this change. I have no vested interest in how POTC looks. I do have a vested interest in people trying to change and sanitize history. Because that's the real danger. You think that people will see all of these bad things, and it will plant in their mind that it is ok to do them. So what happens is you tuck them away, you hide them, try to pretend they never happened. Then people forget that they did happen, and......well we all know what happens when people forget history right?

And no, I'm not naive enough to think a scene on a theme park ride is going to change the world or prevent the recurrence of an atrocity. But it's telling, in it's own way. You are right to have your doubts about our culture, just not for the reason you think.

 

[chickapin parterre]

....well....when I get to that scene...I am still wondering how we didn't get blown out of the water....and my son is saying...when do we get to the dog with the keys.....of course the flash photography is going on....and the teen girls are screaming....so that must be when I turn around and stare down the girls.....naturally, when i turn around to enjoy the ride I am probably being flipped off!!!!!

 

[chickapin parterre]

it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come Roy. The one constant through all the years, Roy, has been pirates. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again.

pirates 37-42

 

[Mome Rath]

Of all the things they could spend money, effort, and time changing, this would definitely not be on my list.

 

[VandVsmama]

I have a pin of the redhead and it says "We wants the redhead." I think that they should keep it as is but Disney didn't ask my opinion. I'm still going to go on the ride anyway because it's my favorite attraction in the whole park. Nothing at Disneyland is truly historically accurate. It's a theme park. It's not real life. I'm not happy about this change but it doesn't mean that I plan on taking my business elsewhere.

They can change that scene all they want but when the pirates shout "We wants the redhead," everybody knows that they won't be referring to the goods she is holding. They'll be referring to wanting to purchase the actual redhead herself.

There are a lot of other things in Disney parks that people could also take big offense to. I think that everyone needs to decide what is best for them and their family

 

[cruisehopeful]

I always feel sad when they change a classic. I was sad when they changed the chase scene and mortified when they added Jack Sparrow. Getting rid of the bride auction seems like a natural progression and like the other changes, I'm sure I'll get over it. As long as I can still view the older versions online (youtube, etc) I can remember what it used to be like. It has been one of my favorite rides since I was 5 years old. I think it will always be one of my favorite rides.

 

[fly girl]

Ugh, I am definitely over everything having to be PC. It's too much. You can't say or do anything nowadays that doesn't offend someone.

HELLO, it is a ride about pirates! They are the furthest thing from being PC.

Idk if I'm in the majority or minority, but I do wonder how many people complained for them to change it.

Sometimes appeasing a few is not the way to go. Not sure if that's the case, but from this thread it looks like it may be.

 

[STLstone]

I was never particularly offended by it but I have no problem with the change. Perhaps the depiction of the selling of women doesn't belong in a family park.

But evil pirates themselves still do?

 

[alvernon90]

After this I will not be riding it anymore.

Yes! Shorter lines for the rest of us! Let's hope all AP holders and half of everyone else boycott the ride!

 

[Abbey1]

Ugh, I am definitely over everything having to be PC. It's too much. You can't say or do anything nowadays that doesn't offend someone.

HELLO, it is a ride about pirates! They are the furthest thing from being PC.

Idk if I'm in the majority or minority, but I do wonder how many people complained for them to change it.

Sometimes appeasing a few is not the way to go. Not sure if that's the case, but from this thread it looks like it may be.

I don't necessarily think this change stemmed from guests' complaints. The scene always bugged me a bit, but I never would have complained about it, as it is my choice whether or not my family rides it.

I think the shift has more to do with TWDC itself and the kind of image they want to portray. They have always sanitized history in their films and attractions. PotC was already much more family-friendly than an *actual* pirate encounter would be. This is just one step they have taken of many to alter the ride to fit to today's cultural standards.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

The scene doesn't really bother me, because pirates are bad and it's a theme park. But I can understand eliminating the scene. Treating women as property for laughs and minimizing rape is actually still a problem in today's society, while it's not quite so common or acceptable to plunder ships or decapitate a husband. It's not just about being PC or family-friendly, but rather not contributing in such an overt way to a problem in society that did not go away with the pirates.

 

[FryingPansWhoKnew]

I'm not really sure how I feel about it yet, but I would like to point out that the historical accuracy of the ride is highly suspect to begin with. I'm finding it fairly difficult to be moved by that argument as to why it should be kept.

 

[fly girl]

I don't necessarily think this change stemmed from guests' complaints. The scene always bugged me a bit, but I never would have complained about it, as it is my choice whether or not my family rides it.

I think the shift has more to do with TWDC itself and the kind of image they want to portray. They have always sanitized history in their films and attractions. PotC was already much more family-friendly than an *actual* pirate encounter would be. This is just one step they have taken of many to alter the ride to fit to today's cultural standards.

Hmmm ... I beg to differ on sanitizing. Song of the South, Dumbo crows, Peter Pan Indians, even more recent films Aladdin and Pocahontas were slammed with portraying racial stereotypes.

Sure it could have been TWDC itself, but making everything up to today PC standards "vanillas" the ride. What's next, the rum will change to punch? Or as PP said the guy drunk with the cats will change to an AA meeting?

There's a point where you have to let the past be the past. Accept it for what it was. Maybe this isn't the stopping point, but it worries me how far it can go.

 

[alvernon90]

Treating women as property for laughs and minimizing rape is actually still a problem in today's society, while it's not quite so common or acceptable to plunder ships or decapitate a husband. It's not just about being PC or family-friendly, but rather not contributing in such an overt way to a problem in society that did not go away with the pirates.

Precisely this.

 

[Abbey1]

Hmmm ... I beg to differ on sanitizing. Song of the South, Dumbo crows, Peter Pan Indians, even more recent films Aladdin and Pocahontas were slammed with portraying racial stereotypes.

Sure it could have been TWDC itself, but making everything up to today PC standards "vanillas" the ride. What's next, the rum will change to punch? Or as PP said the guy drunk with the cats will change to an AA meeting?

There's a point where you have to let the past be the past. Accept it for what it was. Maybe this isn't the stopping point, but it worries me how far it can go.

The films you mentioned certainly did contain racial stereotypes as you pointed out. Even so, Disney has a history of watering down their films and attractions to be "family-friendly", it's kind of their thing. They even sanitize the original fairy tales many of the stories originated from. I'm sure audiences would have been horrified to see one of Cinderella's stepsisters chop off one of her toes, or to watch Pinocchio murder Jiminy Cricket.

Sometimes those choices are obvious from the beginning, but at times, as our culture shifts and things become less "politically correct", Disney has to decide if they want to make these changes. In this case, I guess they decided this scene isn't in line with their image.

I do understand the concern about where the line will be drawn.