Disneyland to Close Iconic Ride for Refurbishments

One of the most iconic rides in all of Disneyland is going to be closed for a bit starting next month. Pirates of the Caribbean, one of Disney's longest-lasting attractions, is a mainstay for both Anaheim's Disneyland and Orlando's Walt Disney World. Unfortunately, many guests traveling to the former in the month of March (and potentially beyond) may not get the chance to experience the classic ride.

According to Walt Disney World News Today, Disneyland is planning to close Pirates of the Caribbean for refurbishments on March 14th. At this time, there is no date listed for the reopening of the ride, as the operating calendar for the park currently only goes through March 24th. So Pirates of the Caribbean will definitely be closed for at least 10 days.

The good news is that this closure seems to be for routine maintenance and refurbishments. There have been no plans to change the ride or make any additions. Given the age of an attraction like Pirates of the Caribbean, a little maintenance is required every once in a while. 

While Pirates of the Caribbean has become a staple at the majority of Disney Parks around the globe, the version of the ride found in Disneyland is the original. The ride first opened in 1967 and was the very last ride that was envisioned and overseen personally by Walt Disney himself. Disney passed away three months before Pirates of the Caribbean opened.

Pirates of the Caribbean is not only one of the most popular rides in all of Disney, it has also become an immensely popular franchise for the company. The 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl made over $650 million at the box office and turned the classic ride into a big screen juggernaut. There have been five total films in the series to this point, with potential for reboots and/or sequels still on deck. Following the success of the films, Disney updated the attractions to add characters from the films, such as Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow.

Are you disappointed to see Pirates of the Caribbean closing next month? Let us know in the comments!