Pirates of the Caribbean Wasn’t Always as “Offensive” as It Became

Theme park fans know Pirates of the Caribbean as one of the most iconic rides ever created, blending swashbuckling adventure with Disney’s trademark animatronic magic. However, as times have changed, so has the Pirates of the Caribbean ride – most notably, its infamous auction scene, which was updated in 2018 at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort to remove references to the sexist “wench” auction. In the new version, Disney’s Imagineers transformed the auctioned brides into empowered female pirates selling goods (including the crowd-favorite stolen chickens!) in a show of independence and equality.

This wasn’t the first change made to Pirates of the Caribbean. Back in the mid-2000s, Walt Disney Imagineers added Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) to the attraction, bringing new life to the classic ride. However, the auction scene update sparked a significantly stronger response from Disney Parks fans. For some, changing the historic ride disrupted its nostalgic charm; for others, it marked a much-needed update for modern audiences, highlighting women’s independence in a bold, pirate-inspired twist.

Credit: Inside the Magic

Interestingly, historical concept art from the original Pirates of the Caribbean attraction suggests that female pirates were considered for the ride from the very beginning. Reddit user u/JoyIsABitOverrated recently shared five vintage pieces of concept art featuring female pirates that Walt Disney Imagineers had sketched, showing how Disney creatives already envisioned female pirates as part of the adventure.

Pirate Women in the original POTCH concept art!

Pirate Women in the original POTC concept art!
byu/JoyIsABitOverRated inDisneyland

“People complain a lot about the modern Redhead character,” the Redditor wrote, referencing the now-iconic female pirate who took over the auction scene. “But even in its inception, they’d been thinking of implementing pirate women in the ride.”

Credit: Disney

With or without an auction update, it seems Disney was always considering women’s place in the world of pirates. As Reddit user u/chiangku replied, “People often make assumptions about how things are or were ‘meant’ to be, and are often surprised by the reality of things.”

Should Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, and Disneyland Paris Resort further change the Pirates of the Caribbean ride? Share your opinion with Disney Dining in the comments.