Potc

[being-dragged-to-DL]

ok all you DL loving experts... tell me all about POTC! I thought it was something really scarry, that my 6 and 4 yr olds couldnt do anyway... but it is starting to sound like a big deal to most people. We'll be there 3/4-3/8 and it looks like it goes down on 3/6.... am I in luck? What is this POTC anyway? Should I be excited? Help educate an unfortunate soul!

 

[flipturngirl]

Okay go on the POTC!!! It is a great ride. I do not think it should scare your kids. I am not sure though.... It is a water ride with 2 drops and it is not bad at all. Not like splash and your kids shouldn't be scared of that either. POTC is fun and not fast. Go on it.

 

[iceskatejen]

Many 4-6 yos like POTC. It's a boat ride. It has two small drops and a lot of great audioanimatronics, some pirate skeletons and great scenery, plus a song that's fun to sing along to (once you know the words). Some might get scared. It is dark and there are some scenes that might be considered frightening. It's also, at 15 minutes, the longest ride in the park. I rode if the first time when I was 2 and it wasn't until years later that I realized that it was what gave me nightmares when I was really little (dark cave, disembodied voice). Only you know your kids and what they can handle. If they can handle other dark rides, then you might want to give it a try.

 

[Pir8girl]

My dh - who had only been to DL once - and I took the kids on POTC 3 years ago. My dd was 7 and my ds was 3. The first drop so surprised my husband that he let out a very surprised yell. I thought I was going to wet my pants laughing. DS was a little scared during the battle scene but we kept whispering to him that it was all make believe. It's now one of their favorite rides! Our kids still talk about the time dad screamed on POTC!

 

[disney-super-mom]

This is a ride you should all go on and shouldn't miss! It's not really scary, but I would consider it a little spooky in parts (however, not so much that it would freak out kids at ages 6 and 4). There's a couple of small drops that you go down at the beginning of the ride, but they're pretty fun - not scary.

I would recommend getting your kids warmed up on other rides first (take them on everything in Fantasyland (except maybe the Matterhorn) and Toon Town). Then, if they handled everything fine up to this point, head on over to Pirates and give it a go.

My two kids have been going on Pirates since they were babies, and they've never had a problem on this ride. They do, however, get REALLY spooked at the beginning of the Haunted Mansion in the stretching room when the lights go out, and of course everyone SCREAMS!

 

[doombuggy]

http://www.tellnotales.com/home.htm

Try visiting this webiste for more info on POTC. Tellnotales.com is a site dedicated to POTC (onofficial, of course).

This ride is a can't miss. Keep in mind, however, that it is going down for refurb this spring at both parks.

 

[joanne1968]

I went on POTC in WDW with my niece last year and I just didn't get it I'm afraid, luckily we didn't queue for too long, I also found it very cold down there. I think maybe I just missed the point of it, because everybody else raves about it.

 

[Mom2micayla]

My two kids have been going on Pirates since they were babies, and they've never had a problem on this ride. They do, however, get REALLY spooked at the beginning of the Haunted Mansion in the stretching room when the lights go out, and of course everyone SCREAMS!

Change that to my 3 kids and that's us too. My kids (ages 10 months, 2 1/2 & 4) all love POTC. They've never been scared of the ride. The even like the small drops.

Now Haunted Mansion.. that's another story.

 

[SunshineOR]

Yes, go on it. Mine first went at three and five and laughed the whole way through. I was worried about my three year old and she was bouncing and singing yo-ho the whole time! It's getting refurbished for a reason. It's really not nearly as scary as newer, more realistic rides. My kids can easily tell the animatronics aren't real and they enjoy it like a movie.

I could see it being a little freaky if kids didn't expect it, so do tell your kids ahead of time that they're going on a ride that will have some dark parts and will have pirates. If they know what's going to happen, I doubt they'll be scared. Go on it to see the classic! And, Haunted Mansion is a different story! I had an eight-year-old and a seven-year-old clinging to me for dear life in the stretching room!

 

[iceskatejen]

I went on POTC in WDW with my niece last year and I just didn't get it I'm afraid, luckily we didn't queue for too long, I also found it very cold down there. I think maybe I just missed the point of it, because everybody else raves about it.

The POTC at WDW is not nearly as good as DLs. It's shorter (by about half) and doesn't tell the story as well. Actually, it's sort of a joke for us DL folk--we refer to it as "coming attractions."

 

[Judy from Boise]

also tell your kids that there are tons of skeletons.

 

[lntsmom]

seriously! My 4 year old dealt with it just fine...my 10 year old freaked out! Here are the things my older son took issue with:

1. The "fire" in the windows. He was in a panic about this. I wish I'd have warned him and explained that the fire is red light, a fan, and sheer drapes.

2. The shooting...again, I should have warned him. I think he would have been fine if he realized there actually isn't anything flying thru the air...it's air being shot up through the water that makes the splashes.

3. The drops. Well, not the drops, but the way they hide what's coming from you. Any time he couldn't see ahead of us, he became nearly frantic. The drops are very, very mild. They aren't even as challenging as going down the big slide at McDonalds...but because he didn't know what was coming, he hated it.

I'd say, find lots of pictures of the interior of the ride. Let your kids preview what they're going to see. You might get the music (it's on the 50th cd set) and let them listen to it, so they'll be familiar with that, too.

This ride is covered in depth in the guide books...you can get lots of facts and "look fors" to share with them.

I think both of your kids can probably handle it...but if they're at all skittish, prepare them well! You might, um, consider a small bribe. As in, there's a cool shop at the end of the ride where they can build their own necklaces or get t-shirts, lol!

For the adults, this is one ride you don't want to miss!

 

[imjen]

We love this ride! It's one of those that the whole family enjoys. I've taken 10 mo. olds, 3, 4, and 6 yr olds on this and we always have a great time. Have fun!

 

[LucyKate]

Agree with the above, it's a fun, not scary ride.

My kids (5 and 9 nat that time) were scared by Splash, and can get nightmares easily, but both enjoyed Pirates, and, if anything, thought it a little tame.

It's one of those rdies that the names scares kids more than the actual ride itself.

There is a water drop, but a very short one, nothing like those in Splash.