USA Today
Disney's foray into revisionist history is just about over.
Pirates of the Caribbean reopened Friday, June 8, after a six-week refurbishment in which Imagineers altered the auction scene.
Now, rather than pirates offering brides for a price, the rapscallions are auctioning goods taken from villagers. The change was meant to reflect modern sensibilities, Disney said when it announced the new scene.
Meet Redd, the fierce female pirate
Overseeing the auction is Redd, an arms-bearing redhead that's also packing some much-needed female empowerment to the attraction.
Redd, a "fierce and indpendent pirate" according to Disney, will walk the plank ... er, the park. meeting guests and posing for photos near Pirates of the Caribbean. (Photo: Joshua Sudock/ Disneyland Resort)
Redd also steps into the real world as living, breathing, posing-with-guests character, a "fierce and independent pirate" Disney notes, thus someone not the least bit princessy.
While robotic buccaneers will no longer be offering mechanical brides to the highest anomatronic bidders, the attraction maintains other stereotypical pirate behaviors. Servo-motored pirates still attack defenseless villagers for the sake of plundering and pillaging, eventually drinking to excess and burning down the town.
Modern sensibilities, after all, can only go so far before they're a complete buzzkill.
Will there be a new fastpass lane?
Though it was widely reported that a Fastpass lane would be added to the attraction, that is not to be the case, officials said.
Several Disney-dedicated blog sites indicated Pirates was adding a Fastpass line, criticizing the move because the ride's high capacity did not necessitate another lane.
However, a Fastpass line remains a consideration for the future, Disney said.
Pirates of the Caribbean once had a Fastpass lane (the system was introduced in 1999), but the separate line was removed by 2006.
Then again, Disney doesn't make such moves without a lot of thought, so only time will tell if the addition is a treasure or an idea that should have been buried.
Pirates of the Caribbean once had a Fastpass lane (the system was introduced in 1999), but the separate line was removed by 2006.
The ride has been altered before
This isn’t the first time Pirates of the Caribbean has been changed to reflect modern attitudes.
In 1997, Disney altered the scene in which pirates chased women around and around. Pirates still chase women, but now they’re after the liquor the women are holding.
