Pirates Of the Caribbean: RiverCountry&TreasureIsland

David VISSEUX 22 Juillet 2017 …

The Magic Kingdom.

I need a bottle rum !

Oh no, I do not want to get drunk in Adventureland, but the emotion is strong !

Today I bring my 5 years old nephew to WDW for the first time.

As he is a strong Jack Sparrow fan and me beeing being fan of the Pirates ride long before Johnny Depp put on a Captain’s hat, I choose the Pirates of the Caribbean as our first destination.

But the Caribbean plaza with the clock tower is simply no more,

a Moana experience took over the place.

(read Moana, How far YOU will go for more détails: Moana, how far YOU wil go?)

I stay speechless for a while,

a Castmember noticing me tell us to go past the Moana ride,

the pirates moved to another place.

A much larger place.

new pirates's location

Walking past their former place we reach a new structure,

the PotC logo on it and a sail on front reads

« All Aboard ! to River Country and Treasure Island »

I’am intrigued ,I’am old enough to have fun memories related to these long gone WDW places.

Could it be ?

reallly to River Country?

We got inside, joining th queueline, at one point wooden doors slide open to seats.

We took place in what seems to be a boat hold, a PIRATE boat hold, Jack Sparrow appears

(hidden screen effect) and explains that we set sails to River Country and Treasure Island, the entire space, began to shiver , water projection effects go on.

We can see all around pirates doing their task, we hear Sparrow give its orders, we can’t see the sea

(seating to low but we feel that’s upthere)

pirates transportation

Suddenly, the crew is panicking, we are under attack !

Cannons and rifles fires, the Captain make maneuvers,

Finally we reach our destination.

Sparrow waves good bye

The doors opens

We exit.

As somenone explained me later this transportation system are actually modern trams

disnguised, easy to install and maintain, they are capable of moving people rapidly and smoothly.

we tech used, never seen by guests

pathway to River Country

We step outside, great scott !

We walk in River coutry, rock formations are still there, but what once was slides, are now waterfalls,

And the Pirates of the Caribbean have taken all over the place.

On our left, I notice Battle for the Sunken Treasure, yes straight from Shangai !

On our right, the classic attraction is here, complete with the old clock tower.

Pirates rule!

the new River Country map!

Let’s start whith this old friend, we got in, everything is here,

Actually the ride has been expanded borrowing elements from California and Paris,

And even got is own restaurant at the end, like its Anaheim couterpart, named here the Blue Lagoon.

Good ol' tower

Blue lagoon restaurant at the end of the ride

We exit my nephew is extatic, we litteraly bumped into a Captain Jack (meet and great).

After that, we got inside the tortuga tavern, kind of thirsty and a little hungry.

Then we go on to explore inside the galleon, trapped in pond by a storm,

it contains the Treasure Chest gift shop every thing you need for a pirate.

Captain jack meet n' greet

inside the tavern for a snack

the treasure chest in n' out

Then we go to the next ride: Battle for the Sunken treasure,

it is a clone of Shangai’s Pirates, and its really good .

My nephew is amazed by the transforming Sparrow.

a whole new adventure!

After that, we decide to take a raftr to Treasue Island, this piece of WDW history has also been taken over by Pirates ,

Approaching, I noticed the Black Pearl anchored near a Skull Rock !

We step onto the island, here is pure adventure: secret pathways, barrel bridge, suspended bridge, Spyglass hill, caves, hidden treasures behind waterfalls,

and even the possibility to get on the Black Pearl !