Opening day by the numbers

Pirate loot
Image: Josta Photo, Flickr (license)

The attraction that was originally imagined as a wax museum, ultimately became one of the most extensive and elaborate attractions of its time. When the ride opened in Disneyland on March 18, 1967, it featured:

• 64 pirates with various victims and enemies
• 55 animals
• A 1,838-foot flume
• Two 21-degree drops plummeting 52 and 37 feet respectively
• 750,000 gallons of water

An anchor in history

Laffite's Landing
Image: Steve, Flickr (license)

The loading dock for Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean is named “Laffite’s Landing” after the famed real-life pirate Jean Laffite. Laffite had an important role in Louisiana history, making him an ideal choice for this attraction housed in the New Orleans bayou.

Laffite ran a smuggling operation first in New Orleans, then in Barataria Bay, Louisiana. Despite his pirating history, he later helped General Andrew Jackson defend New Orleans against the British in the War of 1812. During the War of Independence, he was a spy for the Spanish before returning to his roots and establishing a pirating colony in Galveston Island, Texas.

Sitting by the water’s edge at Laffite’s Landing in the pirate’s attraction, you’ll find an anchor that supposedly came from one of Laffite’s ships. When the attraction opened to the public, actress and singer Dorothy Lamour broke a bottle of Mississippi River water over the anchor to commemorate the event.

Bone-Chilling realism

Stunning skeletons
Image: Michael Saechang, Flickr (license)

When Disneyland’s attraction was originally built, Imagineers couldn’t quite perfect the art of realistic-looking skeletons. Their solution – real human skeletons in the Grotto. These were sourced from the UCLA Medical Center. Later, when artistic processes had advanced, the authentic skeletons were removed from the attraction and given a proper burial while authentic-looking faux skeletons took their place.

The original Disneyland attraction, Pirates of the Caribbean, quickly became a classic that visitors would demand again and again, spawning not only films, but a slew of counterparts in Disney’s other parks. You can now find the pirates thrilling guests worldwide thanks to this Anaheim success.