March 18, 2017 was the 50th anniversary of Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland. Every true Disney fan knows two facts about the ride:
1. It was the last ride overseen by Walt Disney before his death. 2. It was originally conceived as an attraction you could walk-through.
But thankfully, it came to fruition as the boat ride we all know and love today. And boy, do I love this ride. I used to be scared of it as a kid. Makes sense. It's called a "dark ride" which has a double meaning. It's actually DARK in there and it has a...sort of "dark" theme. Pirates are known for pillaging and plunging. These pirates are more jovial and sing their songs, but it still freaked me out as a kid. I don't remember when I turned the corner and started to love it. But it had always been a familiar ride to me. The smell. Oh, the smell. Disney is really great at marketing and selling their products so why they haven't managed to bottle the smell of Pirates? I have no idea. They should work on that.
When I heard it was time for the 50th anniversary, it was go time. I had an event to go to that same afternoon, but I was determined not to miss it!
By the time I went on Pirates, the line was only about 15 minutes long. This was 9:00 AM. This was to change mere MINUTES later.
First thing I did? Merch purchase! The blue shirt is for Annual Passholders and the red shirt for Disney guests.
The material is so soft and comfortable. Can't wait to wear it my next visit! I love that they included the date.
Took a very brief Pirates break for Indiana Jones since it's been closed nearly every time I've been there recently.
The line on the right? CHURRO LINE. You can see the Haunted Mansion between the trees. It was a long line.
Had a quick lunch before indulging in churros. Tried the Jolly Roger Punch which is a special drink to celebrate the anniversary of the ride. It's a mixture of pineapple, mango, and orange. I tasted the mango more strongly than the other two. It's a very, very refreshing drink on a warm day. It started getting warm around 10 in the morning so that drink was gone by the time I left. As for the bread bowl? Love a good bread bowl ESPECIALLY at Disneyland.
While in line for a churro, Jack Sparro and his band of merry men entertained us! Check out my video below for more.
It was finally time for that golden churro. They asked before you bought it if you wanted a regular churro or golden churro and warned that the golden churro would have a hint of lemon. Surprisingly, a lot of people in line just wanted a regular churro. I waited for the golden one. I don't have particularly strong feelings when it comes to lemon flavor. This tasted just fine and with a HINT of lemon. It did leave a really strange aftertaste afterward that didn't sit well with me. Just a sort of malty kind of sensation. It went away a few minutes later so it didn't bother me too much.
My favorite part of the day? Photo ops! I loved the 50th wheel and did my best to take a photo near the classic sign.
Busy was an understatement. It was a BUSY morning. But I'm glad I had an opportunity to celebrate at Disneyland!
Check out my video for a quick tour of my day including that LONG Pirates line.
By the time I went on Pirates, the line was only about 15 minutes long. This was 9:00 AM. This was to change mere MINUTES later.
First thing I did? Merch purchase! The blue shirt is for Annual Passholders and the red shirt for Disney guests.
Took a very brief Pirates break for Indiana Jones since it's been closed nearly every time I've been there recently.
Had a quick lunch before indulging in churros. Tried the Jolly Roger Punch which is a special drink to celebrate the anniversary of the ride. It's a mixture of pineapple, mango, and orange. I tasted the mango more strongly than the other two. It's a very, very refreshing drink on a warm day. It started getting warm around 10 in the morning so that drink was gone by the time I left. As for the bread bowl? Love a good bread bowl ESPECIALLY at Disneyland.
While in line for a churro, Jack Sparro and his band of merry men entertained us! Check out my video below for more.
It was finally time for that golden churro. They asked before you bought it if you wanted a regular churro or golden churro and warned that the golden churro would have a hint of lemon. Surprisingly, a lot of people in line just wanted a regular churro. I waited for the golden one. I don't have particularly strong feelings when it comes to lemon flavor. This tasted just fine and with a HINT of lemon. It did leave a really strange aftertaste afterward that didn't sit well with me. Just a sort of malty kind of sensation. It went away a few minutes later so it didn't bother me too much.
My favorite part of the day? Photo ops! I loved the 50th wheel and did my best to take a photo near the classic sign.
Busy was an understatement. It was a BUSY morning. But I'm glad I had an opportunity to celebrate at Disneyland!