Disneyland Paris POTC Changes & Blue Lagoon Renamed

With the updated Pirates of The Caribbean due to open in Disneyland Paris any day now some changes to the ride, and the area, have sparked discussion and controversy within the community.

Ride Changes

Along with the addition of Jack Sparrow to the ride several other changes have been announced. The first is the addition of a ‘Captain Barbosa animatronic to the ride in a scene that is ‘exclusive to Disneyland Paris.’ These changes are mainly to be expected, if perhaps unneeded. They mainly serve to standardise the ride. The soundtrack of the ride is also going to be changed adding “some of the now-classic musical themes from the films. Of course, the classic “A Pirates Life for Me!” song will continue to underscore the attraction.” source

The big shock is that the ‘bride’ auction scene is going to be updated. This will feature the townsfolk being forced to sell their belongings under the pervue of a female pirate.  This has caused much comment among the fans and discussions on how this might impact the ride.

Kathy Mangum, in discussing the changes, wrote that:

“Our team thought long and hard about how best to update this scene. Given the redhead has long been a fan favorite, we wanted to keep her as a pivotal part of the story, so we made her a plundering pirate! We think this keeps to the original vision of the attraction as envisioned by Marc Davis, X Atencio, and the other Disney Legends who first brought this classic to life.” source 

Some fans are happy to see the ride updated to remove the use of human trafficking. While some are concerned about the attraction being changed from the original vision. The addition of a female pirate to the ride, which is historically accurate, is a good idea. I am more ambivalent about the scene changes but will reserve judgement until the ride opens.  You can take a look at the concept art for the scene changes below. source

Blue Lagoon Restaurant Renamed

Blue Lagoon in Disneyland Paris is being reopened under the name “Captain Jack’s – Le Restaurant des Pirates”. source Given the added focus on the movies it makes sense to rename the restaurant.  There is a retheme, and costume change, but other than that we aren’t sure.

The new backstory for the Blue Lagoon is that:

“It seems that Captain Jack won the restaurant in a wager and is now welcoming pirates of all ages to relax over a drink and hot meal. The interior of the restaurant has been re-themed and the establishment has been staffed with a fun-loving band of pirates.” source

This is one of the adult focused restaurants in the park with a sophisticated menu and a relaxed atmosphere. If the name indicates a focus on character dining this could change. This would also impact the ride and alter the atmosphere for the boats passing through. Personally, I also really like the food here. I would be sad to see the menu change dramatically. Hopefully, it’s a simple cosmetic name change and what visitors love about the restaurant remains.