Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
get of a much-publicized political-correctness controversy relating to the objectification
of women and the “boys will be boys” way in which the pirates' debauchery was depicted.
Ultimately, Disney was pressured into revamping the attraction (though not much). More
recently, the attraction underwent an extensive rehab that included the addition of charac-
ters (Jack Sparrow and Barbossa in animatronic form, and a high-tech mist projection of
Davy Jones and Blackbeard) from the
Pirates of the Caribbean
movies.
TOURING TIPS
Another not-to-be-missed attraction. Undoubtedly one of the most elaborate
and imaginative attractions in Disneyland Park. Though engineered to move large crowds,
this ride sometimes gets overwhelmingly busy in the early and midafternoon. Try to ride
before noon or while a parade or
Fantasmic!
is in progress. If you have only experienced
the Walt Disney World version of Pirates, don't bypass Disneyland's version thinking that
it's more of the same: the original ride is far longer, more detailed, and better maintained
than its Floridian cousin.
CRITTER COUNTRY
CRITTER COUNTRY,
situated at the end of a cul-de-sac and accessible via New Orleans
Square, sports a pioneer appearance not unlike that of Frontierland.
Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes
(open seasonally)
What it is
Scenic canoe ride.
Scope and scale
Minor attraction.
When to go
As soon as it
opens, usually 11 a.m.
Special comments
Skip if the lines are long; closes at sunset.
Special
comments
Most fun way to see Rivers of America.
Duration of ride
8-10 minutes, depending
on how fast you paddle.
Average wait in line per 100 people ahead of you
12½ minutes.
As-
sumes
6 canoes operating.
Loading speed
Slow.
DESCRIPTION AND COMMENTS
Paddle-powered ride (you do the paddling) around Tom
Sawyer Island and Fort Wilderness. Runs the same route with the same sights as the
steamboat and the sailing ship. According to newspaper accounts, when the entire
9-million-gallon river was drained in 2010 for refurbishment, workers found half a canoe,
scores of Mickey Mouse ears, and hundreds of cell phones at the bottom. The lesson here
is to always keep a tight grip on your canoe. The canoes operate only on busier days and
close at sunset. The sights are fun and the ride is a little different in that the patrons paddle
the canoe. Those with tender rotator cuffs be warned: the trip can give your shoulders
quite a workout, unless you slack off and let your fellow passengers handle the hard row-
ing. We think that this is the most fun of any of the various river trips. Long lines from
about 11 a.m. on reflect the popularity of this attraction.
TOURING TIPS
The canoes represent one of three ways to see the same waterways. Because
the canoes are slower in loading, we usually opt for the larger steamboat or sailing ship. If
