Disneyland Guests Rescued After Pirates of the Caribbean Boat Starts Sinking Mid-Ride: 'We Were Gonna Swim Our Way Out' The beloved attraction has been open in the park since 1967.
By Emily Rella
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
The beloved Pirates of the Caribbean boat ride has long been a favorite of Disney fanatics at both Disneyland in California and Disney World in Orlando.
But guests who took to the ride in Los Angeles last week were in for quite the unexpected experience when one of the boats began to sink, truly immersing riders in the fantasy world of the uncharted seas.
TikToker Justin James posted the clip last week, which has now garnered over 1.8 million views on the platform.
"It was a hot mess," James captioned the video. "Honestly thought we were gonna swim our way out of this."
@justnjames_ It was a hot mess. Honestly thought we were gonna swim our way out of this #disneyland #brokenride #piratesofthecaribbean #dca #anaheim #fyp ♬ Disneyland and DCA ride songs - Kelly
In the video, viewers can see the boats beginning to flood and start sinking as the Disney Fire Department comes to rescue the guests.
James said that he and the other riders were stranded for about an hour before they were escorted off the ride with the use of what (ironically) resembled a pirate ship plank.
"Damn full experience of pirates they even made you walk the plank," one user joked about the makeshift exit contraption.
"I swear lately all I see are folks getting stuck on Disney rides," another pointed out. "What is going on?! And why does it take an hour to get ya off!"
James told viewers in the comment section that riders were "crammed" into the boats "like sardines" and claimed that Disney gave them all $30 vouchers for socks (presumably since most of those trapped would have gotten their feet wet) and a lighting lane pass, which allows parkgoers quicker access to the front of the line on designated attractions.
Last year, Disneyland removed several iconic trees from around the ride and turned the bark into special edition collector's items themed around the ride that were sold during Disney's fan club convention.
Pirates of the Caribbean originally opened at the park in 1967, serving as the inspiration for the movie series of the same name.
