However, in my humble but pompously and nasally blathered opinion, Disneyland's PotC is the greatest theme park attraction ever built (and the last one overseen by Walt himself). Longer than WDW's version, a little more thrilling, and traversing the Blue Bayou with its not-so-healthy Monte Cristo sandwich, DL's PotC is a true whole-family experience - a veritable masterpiece of animatronics, story, and song. It is an attraction that transcends age, gender, nationality, theme park bias, and time. Of all the attractions in this tournament, PotC is the only one that I am sure will still be standing in 2067 (its 100th anniversary). If you look up the word "classic" in the dictionary, DL’s PotC is used as an example.
This contest is easy. I'll take Disneyland's Pirates and a Monte Cristo without a second of regret (and just a tiny bit of indigestion).
I long for the day that I can experience Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland.
I actually prefer the nightmare overlay for mansion over the original.
With all that said.....I'm going with pirates!!
I would counter that after almost 50 years of continuous operation, if another, non-Disney theme park company could capture the timeless wonder of DL's PotC and build their own version, they would have. The phrase, "like trying to catch lightning in a bottle" comes to mind.
(Incidentally, SDC does have an attraction called the Flooded Mine that is a budget variation on the PotC theme - and while I LOVE SDC, the Flooded Mine pales in comparison. It is hard to capture that Disney Magic without that Disney bank account).
1) PotC at DL may well have been a better ride before they forced the movie narrative on it, but it isn't now.
2) The best thing that ever happened to HM was that the movie based on it flopped. Adding Eddie Murphy animatronics to the ride would have destroyed it.
3) Whoever called PotC the greatest theme park attraction ever built has obviously never been on Stitch's Great Escape.
1. I was just at WDW two weeks ago and came off HM thinking it is simply the most perfect dark ride ever.
2. HM is the ONLY ride at Disney I could ever hope to hold a job 'cause you don't have to smile all the dang time.
3. I've always LOVED pirates, but it's lost a little something for me now with the movie over-lay. It cheapens it a bit. I'll echo the other poster who said the best thing to happen to HM was the fact the movie flopped!
4. I'll give James R. the point that Disneyland's pirates is probably, originally, the best of the bunch, and I'd love to ride it someday. But since it also suffers from movie over-lay, that kills its edge.
Haunted Mansion deserves to win this round.
Are Theme Park Insiders really that out of touch with the mainstream world? Are we really that much of a niche crowd that we hate everything that is popular?
I, for one, love the overlays and changes that have been incorporated into PotC - they keep the ride relevant even as it embraces the classic stature that it so richly deserves.
Keep up the great work, WDI, and ignore the niche crowd of museum lovers on this site! ;p
And Jack, that comment about Stitch was HILARIOUS. Kudos, bro.
PS I voted AGAINST the Jungle Snooze in this tournament and FOR its removal from all Disney parks that still feature that relic.
I think my main problem with POTC goes back even a few years before the movie over-lay, when they tried to down-play the whole "rape and pillage" thing. Yeah, I get it, but they're pirates for god's-sake, what do people expect?? And I can't help it that I was raised on the lyrics of "Pirate's Life for Me" that didn't involve Jack Sparrow. I don't think I'd mind it so much if the ride hadn't been so great without it....
Really the only wrong answer in this tournament is the Bungle Cruise, but MOST of you already know that. ;)
Pirates of the Caribbean, on the other hand, is just as high quality as Haunted Mansion, if not more so. I've been on two very different versions of the attraction (California and Paris), and it is one of my favorites at both parks (favorite in Paris and second to Indy in California). So I have to go with Pirates of the Caribbean.
For anyone who has only been on the Florida version of the attraction, I strongly recommend watching a video of California's Pirates of the Caribbean before casting your vote (assuming it isn't too late, of course). While I haven't been on Florida's Pirates, I have seen videos and it appears to be one case where WDW got the short end of the stick.
Alliteration RULZZZZ!!!
@Brian B I have a feeling most of these match ups will be like picking a favorite kid! Very appropriate comment!
@Mike That's why Robert pays me the big buck$!!!
Capt Jack Sparrow… “But you have heard of me”…