At a glance
Pirates of the Caribbean is the Paris version of an iconic ride first created for Disneyland in California in 1967, under the personal supervision of Walt Disney, just before his death. Remarkably, the ride inspired the film series released in 2003, not the other way round. Since 2017, Jack Sparrow and Captain Barbossa have appeared in several scenes.
It all starts with a long covered queue that winds through the inside of the fort, in a humid atmosphere lit by lanterns. You then board a boat for a scenic cruise: past the Captain Jack’s restaurant, through a shipwreck, up into the fort, the legendary jail scene where prisoners try to coax a dog into handing over the keys, artillery battles, the attack on the port, a tavern in flames and the reworked auction scene, where the redhead is now a pirate herself. Two drops punctuate the ride, the first 4.5 metres and the second 2.5 metres.
The adventure ends in Dead Man’s Grotto, where the Imagineers placed more than 30,000 pieces of treasure by hand, one by one, and where Jack Sparrow and Barbossa reappear. The song Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life For Me), written by George Bruns and Xavier Atencio, plays throughout the voyage. The Paris version stands out for its Caribbean fort exterior inspired by Port-au-Prince and for a reworked storyline: here, the drops act as logical turning points in the story, whereas the other versions used them simply as technical links.
The park’s iconic boat ride. A long voyage among Jack Sparrow’s pirates, with shipwreck scenes, a burning pirate town and hidden treasure. The animatronics combine original characters with modern additions for a lively show from start to finish.
History
Opened on 12 April 1992 along with the park, Pirates of the Caribbean is one of the longest versions of this ride, which you’ll also find at Disneyland Anaheim (1967), at Magic Kingdom in Orlando (1973), at Tokyo Disneyland (1983) and at Shanghai Disneyland (2016).
The Paris version was reimagined by Tony Baxter’s teams around the theme of a Caribbean fort and hidden treasure, with its own unique sequence of scenes. Several updates brought in the character of Jack Sparrow in 2017, following the success of the film franchise, without changing the original layout.
Technical data
- Duration
- 9 min
- Opened
- 1992
- Type Boat ride
- Opening date 12 April 1992
- Duration 9 min
- Riders per boat 24
- Design Walt Disney Imagineering
- Manufacturer Intamin
- Imagineers Marc Davis, X Atencio
- Composer George Bruns
- Inspiration Pirates of the Caribbean (Disneyland California 1967)
Theme & story
Levels & accessibility
- Fear level none
- Thrill level low
- Emotional impact high
- Perceived wait moderate
- Minimum height None (open to all)
- Recommended age all ages
- Wheelchair access must transfer from wheelchair
- Pregnant visitors not recommended
Premier Access, Single Rider, PhotoPass
Skip the regular queue whenever you like. Handy in peak season, when the wait often goes over 60 minutes.
No Single Rider here. To save time, count on Premier Access or park opening.
Automatic photos taken during the ride, to collect after you get off.
Not open during Extra Magic Time: it opens at the same time as the park.
Who it’s for
Pros and cons
Strong points
- Immersive sets and animatronics
- High hourly capacity
- Ideal for cooling down (a little) in summer
Weak points
- Two drops that may startle young children
- Ageing animatronics
My verdict
Pirates of the Caribbean is one of the longest versions of this ride in the world, with a 9-minute voyage among Jack Sparrow’s pirates, shipwreck scenes and a burning town. The boat ride includes two drops (4.5 m and 2.5 m) that may startle young children, but the animatronics are still a high point for Disneyland Paris. The hourly capacity is very high, so the queue stays reasonable even in peak season.
Hands down in my top 3 in Disneyland Park, and that feeling hasn’t changed year after year. What I love most is the smell of the sets, the flickers of fire on the water and that moment of suspense just before the first drop. A classic bit of trivia to impress everyone in the queue: the ride inspired the 2003 film saga, not the other way round. And if you want to make the fun last, you can literally have dinner right inside the scenery at Captain Jack’s restaurant.
Best time to visit
Calculated from the ride’s queue time history, updated every day.
Map & getting there
Pirates of the Caribbean is at the far end of Adventureland, between Adventure Isle and Peter Pan’s Flight.
Your questions about this ride
01 How can you avoid long queues for the most popular rides?
To avoid long queues at Disneyland Paris, I combine several tactics. First, Single Rider is free and really speeds things up on the rides that offer it, including Crush’s Coaster, Flight Force, Ratatouille and Spider-Man, as long as you’re happy not to ride with your group. Next, Disney Premier Access is a paid service that gives you priority access to the headline rides. If you’re staying in a Disney hotel, Extra Magic Time lets you into the park before official opening, and it’s the best time to ride the popular attractions back to back without queuing. Finally, heading to the most popular rides during a parade or a big show empties the queues considerably.
02 Are the queue times shown in the park reliable?
Yes, the queue times shown in the app or on the screens around the park are generally reliable. They’re often the same as, or slightly longer than, the real wait, which helps you plan your day better.
03 How can I find out if a ride will be closed for refurbishment during my trip?
Disneyland Paris publishes the list of rides closed for refurbishment on its official website, several weeks in advance. Because the parks are open all year round, the maintenance teams sometimes work on days when the parks are open, which leads to temporary closures. My advice: check this calendar (or the one on my blog) before booking, especially if there’s one particular ride you really care about.
04 Which rides might scare young children?
Several rides at Disneyland Paris can frighten young children even without a height restriction. Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains, in Fantasyland, has dark scenes with the witch that can catch them off guard. Les Voyages de Pinocchio also has some unsettling scenes. La Tanière du Dragon, under Sleeping Beauty Castle, is home to a very impressive animatronic dragon. Phantom Manor, in Frontierland, plays on a ghostly atmosphere and is really intense for toddlers. Pirates of the Caribbean switches between cheerful moments and darker scenes. I’d suggest watching how your child reacts before you get on.
05 How far in advance does Disneyland Paris announce ride closures?
Disneyland Paris publishes the list of ride closures around 2 to 3 months in advance. For major rides, the park tells visitors about planned construction work at least two months before it starts. I recommend checking the official calendar (or my dedicated page) a few weeks before your visit, as dates can change. That way you avoid the nasty surprise of finding out on the day that your favourite ride is being refurbished.
