A routine night at Magic Kingdom Park became an unexpected adventure when Pirates of the Caribbean suddenly broke down, leaving guests stuck mid-ride. But while the attraction itself came to a sudden halt, Disney cast members stepped in with a surprising response.
Magic Kingdom Breakdown Leaves Guests Trapped
For decades, Pirates of the Caribbean has transported guests into a world of swashbuckling pirates, cursed treasure, and high-seas adventure. But on February 10, the ride’s immersive experience took an unexpected turn when Magic Kingdom suffered a widespread outage, shutting down multiple major attractions across the park.
The park’s central pressurized air system failed, halting operations for some of Walt Disney World Resort’s most popular rides, including:
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Space Mountain
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- “it’s a small world”
- Pirates of the Caribbean
With boats stuck mid-ride and no clear reopening time, Walt Disney World Resort guests had no choice but to wait until cast members arrived to evacuate them.
Cast Members Turn Chaos Into Entertainment
While technical failures at Disney Parks aren’t uncommon, what happened next was anything but typical.
X (formerly Twitter) user @LivingLambeaux shared a photo and video showing how Disney cast members turned the situation into an impromptu performance for waiting guests:
“Sitting here at Magic Kingdom and Pirates is down, so they have about five kids sitting outside the ride in a row or two with the cast members reenacting the entire ride.”
— Living Lambeaux (@LivingLambeaux) February 11, 2025
Rather than leaving guests frustrated, Disney cast members turned the mishap into an unexpected interactive experience, giving some visitors a once-in-a-lifetime Pirates of the Caribbean “journey.”
Pirates of the Caribbean: A Ride Under Scrutiny?
While the latest “reimagining” was purely accidental, actual changes to Pirates of the Caribbean have long been controversial.
In the late 2010s, Walt Disney Imagineers replaced the attraction’s infamous “bride auction” scene with a new storyline featuring Captain Redd, a strong-willed female pirate. The update sparked mixed reactions, with some fans praising the modernization while others felt Disney had altered a piece of theme park history.
In 2023, the ride faced backlash again when a TikTok user went viral after calling it “a little bit rapey.”
“I just think this is kind of a weird ride,” she said in the video. “I don’t know… It’s just a little bit rapey.”
Her comments divided Disney fans. Some agreed that the attraction’s animatronic pirates and old-fashioned storytelling felt outdated, while others defended the ride as a classic piece of Disney history.
“I always felt violated on this ride,” one commenter admitted.
“It feels like we’re the entertainment for them and I do not like it,” another echoed.
What Happens Next?
Despite the controversies, Pirates of the Caribbean remains one of Disney’s most beloved attractions. After the February 10 outage, the ride was back up and running within hours. It has operated normally in the days since.
Do you have any favorite memories of Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort cast members? Disney Dining would love to hear from you in the comments!
