What Were They Thinking? - A "Politically Correct" Pirates of the Caribbean (1997 and 2018)

Today is the 53rd Anniversary of Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean! In honor of the anniversary, let's go back to 1997 and take a look at some newspaper articles, about Disney's first major altering of the attraction.

This first article is from January 1997 and talks about the changes that were being made, 23 years ago:

This next article was also written during the refurbishment:

And this one was written in March of 1997, after the attraction had reopened:

Here's a link to a short news story about the 1997 reopening of Pirates of the Caribbean and the response from guests.





If you look closely in that video, you will see three pirate figures and at least three animal figures, which were all being added to the attraction at that time (and were all removed when the attraction underwent another rehab in 2006, for the addition of Captain Jack Sparrow). Those new figures which were added in 1997, all came from an EPCOT attraction that had recently closed. I had previously done two separate posts about the "new" pirate figures, so rather than include photos of them here, I will just provide the links to my earlier posts:

- "EPCOT in Anaheim"

- "More EPCOT in Anaheim"

In June of 2018, even more "politically correct" changes were made to the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. It seems that the "auction scene," which had been a part of the original ride for 50 years, was suddenly found to be offensive.

A local newspaper article by Mark Eades, dated July 2, 2017, talked about the changes that would be made to that scene, which included making the "Redheaded Wench" into a "Plundering Pirate." A senior vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering is quoted as saying, "We think this keeps to the original vision of the attraction as envisioned by X Atencio, Marc Davis and the other Disney legends who brought this classic to life." Personally, I beg to differ! I just wish the two legends who were mentioned, were still around today so that we could ask them for their opinions. Actually, X Atencio had already been quoted, calling the 1997 revisions to the attraction, "The Boy Scouts of the Caribbean." Maybe we should ask Rolly Crump, Bob Gurr and Alice Davis, for their opinions!

This was the official Disney concept art, showing how the scene would be reworked:

And here is the finished product:

Below, is another local newspaper article dated, October 1, 2017. The author of this article was predicting that Disney wasn't going to do very much to the auction scene, other than give the Redheaded Wench some new pirate garb and hang a new banner behind her. It would have been nice if that was ALL that they did to the scene, but unfortunately they changed far more than that, including giving dialogue to the new "Redheaded Pirate."

I would like to know who wrote the new script for this scene! It doesn't even make sense. She now interacts with the Pirate Auctioneer, who is trying to sell chickens (WHY?) to the group of pirates seated across the way. He asks them, "Do I hear ten? A ten for a hen!" The Redheaded Pirate then interrupts him and while holding up a bottle, tells him that the men aren't interested in the chickens, but rather, "It's the rum they want!" The men start chanting, "We wants the rum! We wants the rum!" Excuse me, but aren't these guys pirates? Aren't they looting the town? If they wanted rum (or even a chicken), wouldn't they just go steal it for themselves? The entire dialogue seems so inane.

Again, I think it would have been better if they had only made the minimal changes, which the author was predicting. Actually, it would have been better if they had just left the auction scene as it had been, for the past 50 years! I am all for political correctness, but I think their attempt at updating this scene was a huge FAIL.

And not that I want to give Disney ideas for ruining the attraction any further, but if they are truly attempting to be politically correct, isn't it hypocritical to make that one change, but then leave all of the pirates who appear to be drunk and holding bottles of booze....AND ALSO HOLDING GUNS? Maybe they should just make all of the pirates hold hands and sing Kumbaya? After all, aren't the lyrics of the attraction's theme song, A Pirates Life For Me, really just encouraging people to "drink, pillage, loot, extort, kidnap, embezzle, hijack, and burn up the city"?

The author of the article goes on to say, that she feels changing the one female to a pirate isn't enough. She thinks, "If Disney really cared about embracing diversity and creating better representation of women and minority groups, there is a lot more they should be doing." When it comes to Disney's live action and animated films, she would like to see them focus on creating new stories about "people of color, women, LGBT individuals, and other underrepresented groups." I totally agree with her, but when Disney tried to do that with the Star Wars franchise (The Last Jedi), didn't many of the "fanboys" scream and cry?

I better end my rant here!

Happy 53rd anniversary, to the "ORIGINAL" Pirates of the Caribbean!

****Post Update****

I forgot to include the following information in my post:

So far, the "auction scene" has been updated in three of the Disney parks, worldwide. Both Anaheim's and Orlando's versions have the plus-size "Winsome Wench," also known as "Tiny," holding a chicken in one hand and a basket of eggs in the other. (Again, why on earth would the pirates be bidding on eggs???) At least in the Disneyland Paris version (seen below), she is holding jewelry, which makes just a little bit more sense, in my opinion. I wonder why Paris received a different version than Anaheim and Orlando? As of right now, Tokyo Disneyland still retains it's original auction scene.

And no, you are not seeing things! The pirate auctioneer has lost his head, here. Coincidentally, this happened on the exact same day that the animatronic "Ursula" lost her head, in the "Little Mermaid" ride in Anaheim.

The Disney Vision - 1978 (New West Magazine)

Today, we have more Disney-related articles from New West Magazine. This issue is from 40 years ago, last month.

We will start with this article about Disneyland, and an interview with Disney Imagineer, John Hench.

So that's where the phrase "Bad Show!" comes from. It actually originated with Disney. Now it is used to describe their own efforts (or lack of) when they don't meet our expectations. Expectations that they themselves set the standards for, back in the day.

Okay, this article might be getting a little too heavy with all of the psychology.

John Hench points out at the end of his interview, that the trees on Main Street had grown too big and were becoming out of scale. He says that they will have to do something about that. They replaced those original trees along Main Street with smaller ones, three years later (in 1981).

This article about animated films mentions Disney's difficulty in replacing their original "Nine Old Men." To compete with the growing animation market at the time, Disney was just re-releasing Pinocchio that year, since they did not have a new film ready to release.

In Paris, The Rescuers outgrossed Star Wars? And it was Germany's largest grossing film of all time? Interesting!

The studio had such high hopes for The Black Cauldron. Unfortunately, it would go on to earn less than half of what it cost to produce. It's also the first animated feature film of Disney's, that never received a theatrical re-releasing.

Last up is this article about the upcoming opening of EPCOT Center. I like the quote, "Although it will certainly not neglect our entertainment, it will place even greater emphasis on our education." That certainly isn't a true statement about the park today. Quite some time ago, Disney began the process of removing the educational aspects of the park and replacing them with I.P. based attractions. And today, Disney continues to reduce EPCOT more and more, to just another "Magic Kingdom" park. Sad.

The article goes on to explain Walt's original vision for EPCOT as a real Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow.

Twenty five million dollars for a ten year lease/sponsorship of a pavilion at EPCOT? I wonder what that fee is today?

Now let's take a look at some of the magazine's advertisements.

Olivia Newton-John's new album, "Totally Hot" had just been released. This was only a few months after the huge success of her summer movie, Grease.

The Carpenters were appearing at the Terrace Theater in Long Beach, and Pia Zadora was appearing at Scandals in Hollywood. (This was before she bought the historic "Pickfair" and had it torn down.)

Annie was a smash hit at the Schubert Theater in Century City. Apparently, Regis Philbin liked it! I ended up seeing Annie with my family two years later when it returned to L.A. for a run at the Pasadena Playhouse. It was actually my first "Broadway" play.

This ad for the NBC Studio Tour asked, "What will you see?" I went on the tour just once and the most exciting thing I saw, was the set of The Gong Show and the giant framework/structure that the celebrities sat in on Hollywood Squares. Not too exciting.

As we saw in one of the articles above, an animated version of The Lord of the Rings was released in 1978.

Osko's was a very popular Los Angeles nightclub and was the filming location for the discotheque in the movie, Thank God It's Friday. It's entrance portico had a wonderful mid-century modern design that was reminiscent of the Theme Building at LAX or even the starfish-shaped entrance to Pacific Ocean Park in Santa Monica. Unfortunately, the club was torn down in the nineties and replaced with just another "big box" store.

You have to love these fashions. Or not!

DuPar's is an L.A. institution and their Farmer's Market location is still open for business today. Sadly, their Studio City restaurant closed on January 1st of last year (because the owner of the building would not renew their lease), after being open for more than 70 years in the same location!

The record album "opener" pictured below the DuPar's article, was supposed to save you from getting a "cardboard cut" on your fingers. I don't remember ever seeing one of those, even though I shopped at both Music Plus and Tower Records.

Dig those plaid seats on the Dodge Challenger! And remember when cars had those locking gas tank doors to keep thieves from siphoning the gas out of your car? This was the era when the country was experiencing both an "energy crisis," and a "gasoline shortage."

The Sony Betamax video recorder was huge! I wonder what the cost was back then? I didn't know anyone who had one of these, until around 1981......except of course, for the family in Disneyland's Carousel of Progress, "We can even record our favorite TV shows for viewing at a more convenient hour!"

I would also like to know what a mobile phone cost back in 1978. While watching "$ale of the Century" last night on the Buzzr Channel, I saw a mobile phone offered as a prize and the announcer (Jay Stewart) said the value of it was $3,000! That show was from 1985.

When I was 20 years old, I went on a Sitmar Cruise to Alaska (aboard the S.S. Fairsky) with my grandparents, for their 50th wedding anniversary. They invited the entire family to go with them, but my brother and I were the only ones that were able to get the time off to go. I have some very special memories from that trip! (Incidentally, after being in the cruise ship business for over 40 years, Sitmar Cruises was sold off in 1988 and the ships were all transferred over to Princess Cruises.)

I hope everyone enjoyed this little "voyage" back to 1978!

EPCOT Center Pre-Opening Items: Commemorative Ticket, Booklet & Map

In honor of EPCOT's 36th anniversary today, we're going to take a look at some pre-opening EPCOT souvenirs.

One year before EPCOT Center opened, Disney began selling special commemorative opening day tickets.

The ticket could be used at either of Walt Disney World's two parks, but not until after EPCOT Center opened.

This ad for the commemorative tickets, was featured in the Winter 1981/82 issue of Disney News Magazine.

That price of $30 for three days, seems like it would have been a really good deal, especially for a limited edition commemorative ticket. Here is what the prices were for Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in early 1982, prior to EPCOT's opening.

By the time EPCOT had opened, prices for one-day tickets (for either park) had gone up two dollars for Adults and Juniors, and one dollar for a Child's ticket.

I actually found this EPCOT pre-opening booklet on the floor of the Main Street Opera House at Disneyland, back in 1982. It was originally handed out to cast members only, during special EPCOT Center "previews" that were held in the Opera House's auditorium.

I picked this map up at Disneyland back in 1982, right around the time that EPCOT was opening. The maps were free and were available in the Carefree Corner on Main Street.

Note the building for Horizons is already shown on the map as a coming attraction in 1983. The Living Seas pavilion would go into that open lower right corner of Future World in 1986.

Happy Anniversary, to Walt Disney World's EPCOT Center!