Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure (Shanghai Disneyland)

I know what you’re thinking. The two American parks have the original versions of Pirates of the Caribbean, and each one has been recently renovated. While both of these rides are lovely, the reality is that Shanghai Disneyland has redefined expectations for a Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.

Their version is the ride features state-of-the-art special effects including a dazzling ghostly feature. When you stare at the audio-animatronics for a while, they’ll transform into skeletal recreations akin to the CGI in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. What once seemed like Hollywood magic a decade ago is now something Disney can recreate at a theme park. The American parks need this bit of technical wizardry.

The second phase of Battle for the Sunken Treasure makes the ghosting technique seem trivial by comparison. The digital projection during this attraction is so impression that it immerses the rider in an underwater journey. You’ll feel like you’ve traveled down to Davy Jones’ Locker as you roam through shipwrecks in search of treasure.

Image: DisneyWhile you explore the depths of the ocean, you’ll see underwater predators. One of them somehow manages to make a shark look small and weak. Yes, this ride releases the Kraken! It also features a later boss fight between Captain Jack Sparrow and Davy Jones. In short, THIS is the version of Pirates of the Caribbean that best encapsulates the modernity of the franchise.

While I can’t see Disney replacing one of their current versions at Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, it’s at least worth some consideration. Although Battle for the Sunken Treasure lacks the history of 1970s iterations, it’s vastly superior in terms of design, immersion, and scope.

Pooh’s Hunny Hunt

Winnie the Pooh rides are popular at Disney theme parks, but one of them towers above the rest. Pooh’s Hunny Hunt grabs your attention right from the start, as it shows an animated clip on one wall. On the other one, a 3D rendering of a book page seems to come alive, almost as if you could literally enter the story.

That’s sort of what happens. The book page is a hidden door that your hunny pot ride cart travels through as you explore the Hundred Acre Wood. The ride sensation is unlike any you’ve experienced before. Pooh’s Hunny Hunt employs trackless technology, liberating the cart to spin you in unexpected directions and take you anywhere on the floor of each set.

Pooh’s Hunny Hunt delivers full 360-degree motion, unprecedented in its freedom of movement. At times, you will ride straight up to characters or story elements. They’re stationary, but you are not. It’s a different kind of 3-D attraction. Most tracks follow a set path since they are on a rail, so to speak. The trackless technology means that you can go anywhere at any time. It was the most unique ride technology in the world for more than a decade before a different international Disney attraction earned that title. But we’ll save that one for part two!