Thanks so much for the detailed description! I can't believe they got rid of the safety skull!

"if they're going to add Orlando Bloom, he better be swinging a sword Paris-style"

Why Paris-style?  Why not Will Turner style?

I think by the time they add Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, they'll both have turned into proper pirates anyway (in POTC 3).

I thought I had heard that Kiera and Orlando were only being installed in Disneylands version.

Anyway. GREAT Article. My seasonal pass isnt good till August 17th, but Aug 17th. I'll be there riding over and over again. Not to mention Pilaging, plundering, kidnapping, ravaging and raping the new actor dressed as Jack Sparrow. Why o Why did they make that Pirates training session only available to young girls. I think a one on one dinner with Jack Sparrow should be in order for the ladies.

Thanks for the great POSITIVE article.

haha i mean young kids* not young girls.

Glad you liked the article.  Niperkin, I was referring to the Disneyland Paris version of POTC, which has a unique pair of swordfighting AAs that actually make contact with their blades.

<<Why Paris-style?  Why not Will Turner style? >>

I believe he's referring to the amazing sword-fighting Pirates in the Disneyland Paris version of the ride. Don't think he was referring to Paris Hilton.

I just read the article since I hadn't been able to ride until last night!  It was great.  Isn't the Barker bird perched next to a pirate sitting on an arch you go under?  I like to think that was him...Thanks for mentioning that you thought the harbor seemed smaller; I'm not the only one.  The sound definitely was an improvement.  I hope WDW gets Bloom & Knightley AA's...the storyline would be that more defined.  Thanks, Seth, for the great article and pictures!!!

The bird on the final bridge before the jail (next to the dirty-foot pirate) has always been there.  The barker bird AA was not recycled (perhaps they're saving him for an understudy at the Tiki Room?).

PingBack from http://homeimprovementthemesong.faucetinfo.com/2006/07/07/home-improvement-theme-song-depp-part-duex-wdws-revamped-version-of-pirates-of-the-2/

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Am I the first one to notice that the title of this article contains a pun of the name of the great French actor Gerard Depardieu?

Do I get a prize?

(And do I lose it for being so churlish as to note that "deux" is typoed?)

I have a few disagreements with Seth (after riding Pirates a total of 7 times over the past 9 days).

1) The "Dead Man Tell No Tales" is very audible on the way to Davy Jones & I feel it is clearer and easier to understand than ever before.
2) Obviously the cannons weren't working all the way when you went on. Those things pack a huge punch. If you are in front of one when it goes off, you are going to get a solid burst of air pushed at your head. When I went on it for the 2nd time, I made a point of taking my hat off as I was on the side of the boat & didn't want it to fall in the water.
3) I think the skull being gone is a great thing. To me, it was always to corny & cartoony and would decrease the realistic effect they are trying to pull off.
4) At first, I thought the lighting in the treasure room was really bad. The blue hue made it seem like there was less 'gold' in there than before. After riding it a few times though, I began to really like it. It gives it a very real effect (like the light was coming from a window & not a lightbulb) instead of lighting the area with regular lights. What I'm not fond of is that they closed the side door so you only get 1 view of the room.

I have always been a HUGE fan of the POTC ride. I lived in SoCal in the 70s and went to Disney about once a month - and ALWAYS rode POTC. One time I rode it 6x in one day. That was back when you had to give them the tickets! And I loved eating at the restaurant and watching the ride. Now that I live in SoFla I only get to WDW once or twice a year but I never miss riding POTC. Funny thing, it's my husband's favorite ride, too, so we always ride it a few times each trip. He has never been to Disneyland so he doesn't understand my love of New Orleans Square and having dinner in the acutal ride. Or how much bigger the ride is out there.

We will be at WDW next month and can't wait to check out all the changes to POTC. I took tons of pictures of it last summer and us out in front, so it will be interesting to see the changes in this years photos.

We were at the first viewing opening day of Dead Man's Chest - and I said on the way out the door I want to write Disney and BEG THEM NOT TO STOP WITH THREE!!! I heard Johnny say he wanted to do more, but I don't want to wait till 2010 or 2011!!

Thanks for keeping us posted on all the dirt ~ er I mean info ~ on the Mouse!!

Thanks, askmike1.  I was able to ride 6 times on the 1st, but I need to ride again now that the grand opening has passed.  I can't wait to see if they got the cannons working here, the ones in DL were fantastic.  I think the other 3 are just matter of taste :)

I am not one to like change. This really doesnt sound so bad though.
As I grow older some of the rides lose some of the effect, so perhaps this is a much needed change for me. My favourite part was always the guys trying to get the key from the dog.. is that all still there? I also thought the girls chasing around in circles was really fake looking (I am SUPER critical especially when it comes to Disney stuffs).. so the change there may impress me next time.

(Anyone else miss Mr. Toad's wild ride at WDW?.. I SURE DO!)

Unfortunately I live in Ontario Canada, and talking my parents into paying for another trip to WDW (for real Ive been begging to go to DL for years and thats just too far for them).. when I am nearly 30.. seems a little silly. But hopefully we can go soon.. so I can see the new stuff.