“Pirates of the Caribbean” fans brave cold & dark to be among the first to purchase the “At World’s End” DVD

“Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun,
The Japanese don´t care to, the Chinese wouldn´t dare to,
Hindus and Argentines sleep firmly from twelve to one
But Englishmen detest-a siesta.

Photo by Max Schilling

In the Philippines they have lovely screens to protect you from the glare.
In the Malay States, there are hats like plates which the Britishers won’t wear.
At twelve noon the natives swoon and no further work is done,
But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.”

Noel Coward wrote the above lyric back in 1932 to poke fun at the bizarre behavior of British colonials. But trust me, folks. Even the balmiest Brit would have more sense than “Pirates of the Caribbean” fans. Some of whom actually began lining up outside of WDW‘s World of Disney at 11 p.m. last night. Just so they could then be among the first to get their hands on the “At World’s End” DVD this morning.

Photo by Max Schilling

I have to admit that — when it comes to the “POTC” trilogy of films — I am a fan. But not a get-in-line-at-11-p.m. sort of fan. I’m more of the get-up-at-4-a.m.-and-then-drive-on-over-to-Downtown-Disney-and-see-what’s-going-on type of “Pirates” enthusiast.

Anyway … By the time Angela Ragno and I arrived on the scene (around 5:30 a.m.), there were already 250 people standing in line outside of the World of Disney store. And to give the folks at the Walt Disney World Resort some credit, they were doing what they could to help the time pass pleasantly. Which meant bringing out a pirate band to serenade us shoppers as we stood in the cold.

Not to mention having a cast member work the line, selling hot chocolate. Which really did go a long way toward warding off the morning chill.

Meantime, that line just kept getting longer & longer behind us. With lots of last arrivals now fretting that — because they didn’t get there early enough — they were going to miss out on all the cool gifts / incentives that the World of Disney was offering us shoppers to take part in this “At World’s End” promotional event.

Finally at 6:30 a.m., the doors to the World of Disney opened. As us all “Pirates of the Caribbean” fans trooped inside, who should be there to greet us but Captain Jack Sparrow himself. Who happily posed for pictures with all those had braved the dark & the cold to get their hands on that “At World’s End” DVD.

“So what sort of extra-special pirate booty did you get for being among the first 700 people to purchase the latest ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ DVD at the World of Disney?,” you ask. Well, in addition to the “At World’s End” disc, we also got a piece of limited edition matt art, a Pirates of the Caribbean collectible watch as well as a pirates stein.

Now — of all these giveaway items — it’s that pirates stein that I think “POTC” fans will find the most intriguing. Not so much because its dragon-shaped handle and/or because this drinking mug features a raised version of the “At World’s End” skull-and-crossbones logo …

But — rather — because of where this stein was manufactured.

Thailand. That’s right next door to Singapore, isn’t it?

Given that a crucial action sequence in “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” is set in Singapore, isn’t it kind of ironic that the souvenir mug that the World of Disney was giving away as part of its promotional event for the first day-of-sale on this new DVD should be manufactured in that very same part of the world? 

Or could it be that my lack of sleep is now making me see significance in insignificant things? I’m thinking that that’s probably more likely.

Anywho … That’s what it was like this morning over at Downtown Disney. If you weren’t there, then you really missed out on a frosty but fun time.

To quote Mr. Hill: “Your thoughts?”