Pirates of the Caribbean: Ranking every version of the classic Disney attraction

July 9, 2023, will be a notable day for Disney. It will mark the 20th anniversary of the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, the first film in the now iconic franchise. There were actual doubters that a movie based on a theme park ride would work, but five movies later, the Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise grossed more than $4.5 billion at the box office and turned Jack Sparrow into one of Disney's most notable characters.

It's also led to Pirates of the Caribbean, already a great attraction, becoming an institution for Disney. Almost every park worldwide has its own version of this attraction, making it a global hit.

Ranking the different versions of Pirates of the Caribbean can be difficult. Some guests may like one more than the other, and it's been shifted to how Disney has changed the ride over the years with upgrades from the movie characters to changing the tone of moments. Here's how each version of Pirates of the Caribbean around the world ranks and shows why this attraction remains so beloved, no matter what part of the globe it hails from.

5. Walt Disney World

It should be remembered Disney never intended for Pirates to be in Disney World. They had to bow to demand to quickly put in an abbreviated version, lacking one drop and overall feeling shorter. It gets points for the great queue area in Adventureland that has bits like two skeletons playing chess and a different unloading area. It still has the usual fun moments and bits, yet it seems lacking when compared to other versions.

It's not a bad ride by any means, but it's just not as fun as it could have been. Perhaps if Disney had planned an upgraded version of Pirates in Orlando from the start, it might rank higher. Ass it is, it's a good but not a great version of the attraction.