Details revealed on ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ attraction in Shanghai

The “Pirates of the Caribbean” attraction that is under construction at the Disney park set to open next year in Shanghai will rely on relatively new technology to bring a pirate battle to life.

That is the word from Disney officials and bloggers who have dug up new details about the soon-to-open ride.

The attraction in a pirate-themed land called Treasure Trove will be dubbed “Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle of the Sunken Treasure,” Disney chairman and chief executive Bob Iger told shareholders Tuesday.

Iger was not forthcoming with details, except to say that “we wanted to create a one-of-a-kind experience that would appeal to our Chinese guests while remaining true to its Disney heritage.”

But some Disney bloggers and fans say they have heard from sources that the Pirates ride will put passengers on boats, similar to the boats used on the original Pirates ride at Disneyland in Anaheim.

But the boats at the Shanghai park will be connected to an underwater moving platform that can lift, drop or rock the boat to replicate the force of waves and explosions, said Todd Regan, co-founder and chief executive of the Micechat.com, a website dedicated to Disney news.

“So, if a cannon fires and hits near the boat, it sways,” he said.

Robert Niles, author of the Theme Park Insider website, reported last year that Disney had submitted a patent application for an omnimover boat ride that seemed to fit the description of the Pirate vehicles rumored for use at the Shanghai attraction.

The ride is also expected to rely heavily on high-definition, 3D projections to make riders feel like their boat has been sunk and are immersed in water and surrounded by mermaids, Regan said.

Some of the projection technology expected to be used at the Shanghai ride may already be seen at the walk-through, special effects attraction--The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow--at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park at Walt Disney World Resort. It opened in 2012.

Pirates of the Caribbean debuted at Disneyland in Anaheim in 1967 but the Shanghai attraction will be based on the characters in the four “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, starring Johnny Depp. The first of those movies debuted in 2003.

During an annual meeting with shareholders Tuesday, Iger said the fifth “Pirates” movie was in development but not approved for production.

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