A lot of people have had their 2020 vacation plans altered by the impacts of COVID-19, and for some the plan is now to look towards a Disney vacation in 2021. If you’re one of those people, today is the day you’ve been waiting for. Vacation packages for Walt Disney World trips between January 1, 2021 and September 27, 2021 are now open. There’s a few items to note, however.
As of right now the park reservation system will still be in effect, and so booking a 2021 vacation package does not guarantee theme park availability. Also, not all resorts are available. Here’s the list of the ones that you can book at this time.
Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
Disney’s Beach Club Villas
Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Disney’s Old Key West Resort
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
Disney’s Pop Century Resort
Disney’s Riviera Resort
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts
The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
In addition, the Disney Dining Plan will not be available at this time for those vacation packages. Also not available are complimentary MagicBands, however there will be the option to purchase MagicBands at a discounted rate or through shopDisney or after you arrive at Walt Disney World.
You’re going on vacation to Walt Disney World! The only problem? You’re not sure which attractions are right for you and your kiddos and you have questions. Which attractions are too intense for little ones? What rides do I really need a FastPass+ reservation for? What’s the disability access like for certain attractions? We’re answering all those questions and more in our Everything You Need to Know attraction series with today’s focus on Pirates of the Caribbean at the Magic Kingdom!
What is Pirates of the Caribbean?
Pirates of the Caribbean is an indoor boat ride through a variety of incredibly detailed scenes showcasing pirates raiding towns and hunting for Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
Where is Pirates of the Caribbean?
by wikipedia
Pirates of the Caribbean is located in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom.
What is the History of Pirates of the Caribbean?
The original Pirates of the Caribbean opened at Disneyland in 1967. It was and is one of the greatest and most influential theme park attractions ever constructed. The ride is equally famous for its signature song “Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me)” written by Xavier Atencio and George Bruns.
When the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, guests were both surprised and disappointed to discover there was no Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. Due to Florida’s close proximity to the Caribbean and the area’s rich pirate history, Disney didn’t anticipate the interest in an pirate attraction from its East Coast guests. Therefore, to meet demand, the Magic Kingdom’s version of Pirates of the Caribbean opened in 1973 with an elaborate queue but a shorter ride time and without several scenes and elements from Disneyland’s version.
In 2003, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl starring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow debuted in theaters to great acclaim and success. The film, inspired by the classic attraction, launched a franchise which then re-inspired the attraction when Disney began to incorporate the film’s characters into the ride’s show scenes in 2006.
This change was not the first or the last for the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. Despite its popularity and influence on theme park world, it has long been a problematic attraction since it is about pirates and their actions. Through the years, Disney has altered specific scenes and characters that were considered inappropriate. For instance, in a scene where pirates once chased women, women now chase the pirates.
(c) Disney
The most significant change occurred in 2018 when the famous auctioneer scene was changed from pirates auctioning women to now auctioning hens; and the famous “redhead” that was once being auctioned off is now a pirate herself named “Redd.”
What You Need to Know About the Queue
The queue begins inside of a dark and cool Spanish fort called the Castillo Del Morro where guests wind past cannons, barrels, barred windows, and even a cell where two skeletons are locked in a game of chess. Guests eventually make their way to the loading area to see boats leaving the dock and setting sail for adventure.
What You Need to Know About the Ride Vehicles
The boats for Pirates of the Caribbean seat 2 to 4 guests per row depending on size. Each row consists of a hard bench with a back. There are no safety restraints.
What You Need to Know About the Experience
Aboard Pirates of the Caribbean, guests sail back in time where pirates raid a town and wreak all kinds of havoc. The ride experience is, for the most part, that of a slow-moving boat ride where guests take in the detailed sets and the antics of audio-animatronic pirates.
There is one short drop in the dark towards the beginning of the ride plunging guests into the time of the pirates. The ride time spans around seven and a half minutes.
What You Need to Know About Accessibility
Guests must transfer to a standard wheelchair and then to the ride vehicle. After guests disembark, there is a steep moving walkway to the exit and gift shop.
What You Need to Know About Health and Safety Advisories
There are no health or safety advisories; however, there is one small drop in the dark and guests may get wet. Also, there are moments of darkness, and the cannon fire between the fort and galleon can be scary for young kids.
What are the Height Requirements?
There is no height requirement for Pirates of the Caribbean!
Does Pirates of the Caribbean Offer FastPass+?
Yes, Pirates of the Caribbean does offer FastPass+. However, it’s not always recommend or necessary since Pirates of the Caribbean is a high-capacity attraction.
Does Weather Affect Pirates of the Caribbean?
Since Pirates of the Caribbean is an indoor attraction, inclement weather doesn’t impact that ride’s operation.
What’s the Best Time of Day to Experience Pirates of the Caribbean?
Pirates is a good attraction to check out before noon or in the late afternoon.
This chart shows you roughly how long you’ll wait for Pirates of the Caribbean when you visit on a day with a given Magic Kingdom Crowd Level. The blue bars represent the average “peak” wait time (that is, how long the line will be at its busiest). The bottom and top black lines represent the range of peak wait times to expect (for you fellow nerds out there: it’s the 5th percentile and 95th percentile of peak wait times). Please note that these are estimates, and for a better forecast for your travel dates, see Pirates of the Caribbean Wait Times.
Did I answer all of your questions about Pirates of the Caribbean? Is this attraction at the top of your family’s vacation to-do list? Let us know in the comments.
From our friends at touringplans.com Filed Under: Attractions, Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World (FL), Adventureland, Disney Attractions, disney world, FastPass+ Attractions, Pirates of the Caribbean, Walt Disney, walt disney world
Usually the opening day of any attraction or resort is cause for celebration, full of excitement. Crowds can be expected anytime something new arrives at Walt Disney World. This time however, with the reopening of select Disney Vacation Club resorts and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground, there is some excitement, but it is certainly tempered with caution, and lack of crowds.
Our field research team spent the night at Disney’s Bay Lake Tower, and while returning to the resorts felt nice, it also felt very, very different. Certainly it is must quieter at the resorts than ever before, perhaps even quieter than immediately following September 11, 2001. Besides the lack of guests, the signage everywhere makes for a different experience.
COVID-19 Safety Signage and Hand Sanitizer at Disney’s Contemporary Bus StopCOVID-19 Safety Signage Contemporary LobbyCOVID-19 Safety Signage Contemporary Observation Deck
Throughout Bay Lake Tower and Disney’s Contemporary Resort, there are signs about COVID-19 itself and the safety measures to take, such as maintaining six feet distance, washing hands often, wearing face coverings, and avoiding touching one’s face. There are also social distancing markers on the floor in the lobby areas, merchandise shops, and dining locations. Elevators require that one party ride at a time, or no more than four people. There are sanitizing wipes for disinfecting the elevator buttons.
Elevator Cleanliness Bay Lake TowerElevator Sign Bay Lake TowerSocial Distancing Signage and Pens at Bay Lake Tower LobbySocial Distancing Signage Contemporary LobbySocial Distancing Signage Contemporary Merchandise Shop Entrance and ExitSocial Distancing Signage Contemporary Merchandise ShopCOVID-19 Safety Signage Contemporary Walkway
This is a good ramp-up time for Disney Cast Members, as well as Disney guests, to get used to the “new normal”. (I’m sorry, I know we’re all sick of that phrase already.)
What do you think about the signage and other precautions?
From our friends at touringplans.com Filed Under: Disney Vacation Club, Resorts, Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, disney covid, disney reopening
The barn is simply spectacular! This beautiful new location is home to the many horses and ponies of Walt Disney World. The Tri-Circle-D Ranch has a long history of housing “The Happiest Horses on Earth.” Tri-Circle-D Ranch was established before opening day of Walt Disney World Resort.
The new stable features larger stalls for the horses, including 10 additional stalls and what’s unique is that all are equipped with automatic water stations. The new barn is more than twice the size of the original barn and includes two tack rooms, a wedding harness room showcasing tack for Cinderella’s ponies and the return of the museum dedicated to Walt’s love of horses.
Another piece of iconic Disney history that was brought back to the barn—the 1907 Dragon Calliope. Walt Disney purchased the horse-drawn musical wagon for Disneyland Park in the 1950s. With the recent updates, it is currently on display at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.
The newly updated Tri-Circle-D ranch can be found located just around the corner from the bus loop by Pioneer Hall.
“Welcome Home” is a phrase that used to be very special to me. As a Disney Vacation Club Cast Member for years it was a special phrase reserved for DVC Members. Then Disney began rolling it out everywhere, and its meaning lost its luster. Well, now that select Disney Vacation Club Resorts have reopened yesterday, “Welcome Home” is once again very special.
You may be wondering what it is like inside the DVC accommodations now that cleanliness and health is of the absolute most importance. Take a look at some of our photos as our field research team checked into a Bay Lake Tower Deluxe Studio for the first night of regular operations at Disney’s Bay Lake Tower.
Here are some of the highlights of the precautions taken inside the rooms. These are similar to measures that other big hotel brands around the country are taking as well.
Decorative linens and pillows have been removed
Utensils are still in the room, with extra cleaning measures taken
Plates, bowls, and cups are disposable and individually wrapped
Remote controls are sanitized and wrapped
A sign in the kitchenette area points out high contact areas at which extra cleaning has taken place
A letter is included that describes the cleanliness measures and amenities available
Certain extra amenities, like a pack and play crib or high chair, are no longer in the closets, but are available by request
Welcome Home Cleanliness and Amenity Letter Bay Lake Tower StudioBay Lake Tower Studio Bed and Couch Lack of Extra Linens June 2020Bay Lake Tower Studio Bed Lack of Extra Linens June 2020Utensils and Coffee CondimentsIndividually Wrapped Cups Plates and Bowls Bay Lake Tower StudioEnhanced Cleaning Sign inside Bay Lake Tower StudioCovered Remotes in Bay Lake Tower Studio June 2020
If you’re researching for your potential Walt Disney World vacation then check out our free TouringPlans Room Finder. This tool will help you find the ideal rooms for your stay based on your specific needs such as views or proximity to the elevator.
What do you think of some of the changes inside the rooms?
From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Disney Vacation Club, Resorts, Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, disney covid-19, disney reopening
The boats for Pirates of the Caribbean seat 2 to 4 guests per row depending on size. Each row consists of a hard bench with a back. There are no safety restraints.
There are no health or safety advisories; however, there is one small drop in the dark and guests may get wet. Also, there are moments of darkness, and the cannon fire between the fort and galleon can be scary for young kids.
This chart shows you roughly how long you’ll wait for Pirates of the Caribbean when you visit on a day with a given 
