You don’t have to take to the seas on a Disney Cruise to get your Disney Pirate fix! These Pirate Disney World Experiences are available year-round at the parks and are sure to make your little pirate happy!
While a Disney vacation is always special, it’s fun to customize your child’s experiences based on their interests. If you have a swashbuckling pirate-in-training, here are some fun Pirate Activities at Disney World that will make this vacation unforgettable.
Some of these experiences are included in the cost of your tickets – you just have to seek them out – and a few that I’ve included have an extra cost.
Pirate Gifts to Buy Before Heading to Disney World
It probably won’t come as a surprise that buying pirate-themed items at Disney World is going to be a bit pricey, so I found a few items on shop Disney that you can order before your trip to make the experience a bit more special for your buccaneer:
- Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Battleship – perfect for getting excited at home or bringing along for early nights in the hotel room
- Captain Hook Costume for Kids – you can get the whole costume or just a part and kids can wear it to the parks! (And it’s way cheaper than buying the costume there.)
- Pirates of the Caribbean Tumbler – to help kids stay hydrated at the park (or grab a Pirate water bottle if a tumbler will be too difficult)
- Personalized Pirate Luggage Tag
- Personalized Pirate Leather Bracelet
- Men’s Pirates of the Caribbean shirt (there is also a women’s shirt) – if the whole family wants to embrace the theme!
- A Pirate telescope with a wooden box (from Amazon) would make a cute gift for little pirates to find in their hotel room
It would also be cute to order some metal pirate coins and dole them out for chores (etc) and let the kids redeem them for Disney perks.
I also love grabbing or making themed Disney ears before heading to the park – this Minnie-inspired set is modelled after Jack Sparrow, or you can go with sequined pirate ears! These Mickey ones feature a pirate hat!
Pirate Experiences at Walt Disney World
Magic Kingdom
- Pirate League make-over
- Pirates of the Caribbean ride
- Pirate’s Adventure treasure hunt
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse
- Peter Pan meeting
- Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
- Captain Jack Sparrow Meet and Greet
- Tortuga Tavern
- Festival of Fantasy Parade
Hollywood Studios
Jake and the Neverland Pirates meetingDisney Junior – Live on StageHollywood & Vine Disney Junior Breakfast or Lunch (with Jake the Neverland Pirate meeting)
Epcot
- Captain Hook meeting (seasonal)
- Coral Reef restaurant
Outside of the Parks
- Caribbean Resort Pirate rooms
- Pirate Adventure Cruises
- Pirates & Pals Fireworks Voyage
Disney Cruises also feature a special Pirate night on board, but I haven’t personally been on one and this post is all about what you can do at the actual parks.
Magic Kingdom Pirate Experiences
Pirate League Make-over
We did a mermaid make-over at the Pirate League instead of the more expensive princess make-over at Bibbiti Boppiti Boutique (which a friend reviewed for us here) and they offer some really fun pirate make-overs, as well!
Pirate make-overs start at $39 and include not just the make-over but often costume pieces like bandanas or hats, swords and sashes, and a heavy-duty pirate coin necklace. I was actually really impressed with the quality of the pieces we went home with – the pirate coin necklace that comes with every package is heavy duty and intricate, a thick metal pirate coin on a metal chain. It has made for such a special souvenir (and treasure!).
Ella also received a color-changing hair clip and got to bring home the make-up palette and nail polish that was used in her make-over.
Check out more about the Pirate League Make-overs here.
Pirates of the Caribbean Ride
Fastpass this one or head for it early in the morning because the lines can get crazy!
The infamous ride that inspired a movie franchise, the Pirates of the Caribbean is a low-key, dark ride that tells the story of a band of 17th century pirates – their voyages, troubles and exploits. The ride itself is not scary, but it is dark so some kids may find it spooky.
Pirate’s Adventure Treasure Hunt
While you’re in Adventureland and after you’ve escaped the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, head to the inconspicuous pirate hut and grab a map to start your game.
Dis Unplugged has a thorough vlog showcasing their experience trying out the treasure hunt here.
Peter Pan’s Flight
One of the most popular rides at Walt Disney World, Peter Pan’s Flight has guests board a pirate ship that is then sprinkled with pixie dust so it can fly over the city of London and away to Never Land. The ride lasts 2 minutes and does a quick run-through of the key events and scenes from the movie.
The line for this is always long (sometimes 3 hours or more). Fast pass it, if you can!
Peter Pan Meeting
Just to the right of the entrance to Peter Pan’s Flight, you can often spot Never Land’s most famous resident: Peter Pan! The wait time is usually not too long since this character meet and greet location is pretty tucked away.
(Check out your My Disney Experience app to confirm character locations and timing, as they can change.)
Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse
If your children have been lucky enough to watch this classic Disney movie, they are going to love climbing through the treehouse and seeing all of the amazing details from the movie!
There are no pirate spottings or references in this experience, but the movie itself featured an epic showdown between the Robinsons and some pirates.
(The same goes for the Little Mermaid ride – there are no pirates in the ride, but the ride is often a hit with those who love pirates.)
Captain Jack Sparrow Pirate Tutorial
For 12 years, Captain Jack and his matey Mack made appearances in Adventureland to lead lucky guests through the basics of sword fighting and other essential pirate knowledge.
This experience is currently not operating, but Captain Jack is still greeting guests in a more standard character meet-and-greet. (Check out your My Disney Experience app to confirm character locations and timing.)
Festival of Fantasy Parade
And finally, the afternoon parade at Magic Kingdom features appearances by so many wonderful Disney characters that you can’t otherwise see at the parks, including Captain Hook, Mr. Smee and Tick-Tock Croc.
Tortuga Tavern
This pirate-themed quick service restaurant in Adventureland serves up a mix of Caribbean-inspired and standard park fare, from a Jerk-smoked Brisket Sandwich served with Pineapple-Coconut Slaw and House-made Chili-Lime Chips to your standard turkey legs or all-beef hot dogs.
Pirate Experiences at Hollywood Studios
Update: Jake is no longer greeting guests at the Animation Courtyard or as part of the Disney Junior Breakfast. Disney Junior-Live on Stage has been replaced with the Disney Junior Dance Party, which does not feature any characters from Jake and the Neverland Pirates.
Millenium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run is kind of an intergalactic pirate experience!
Epcot
Captain Hook is no longer a regular character meet and greet at Epcot (there are no villains that currently appear regularly), there are special times throughout the year that he makes an appearance. (Check out your My Disney Experience app to confirm character locations and timing.)
However, you can still find several water and ocean-themed rides at Epcot to appease your swashbucklers, including:
- Gran Fiesta Tour
- Living with the Land
- The Seas with Nemo and Friends
We also really enjoyed dining at Coral Reef located at Epcot, a seafood-heavy restaurant with a gorgeous aquarium view allowing diners to see fish, sharks, turtles and stingrays. (There are a couple non-seafood options, including ribeye and herbed chicken.)
Pirate Rooms at Disney’s Caribbean Resort
One of the room options if you stay on property at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort are the Pirate Rooms!
Ella and I couldn’t resist the temptation to get to sleep in a pirate ship every night, and now that Caribbean Beach Resort is linked to Epcot and Hollywood Studios via their Skyliner system, staying here is a much better option than it was before.
The theming in these rooms is really fun – from the ship masthead as the bed’s headboard, to the clever “crate configuration” that is actually a dresser, the mini-fridge that is hidden in a wooden barrel, along with little nautical touches throughout the room. On average, selecting the Pirate themed room will cost an extra $50/night, so I think it’s a fun option for a shorter stay but I think the novelty would wear off and not be worthwhile if you were staying a full week.
The amazing “Fuentes Del Morro” pool in the center of the resort is another win for pirate fans. It is built like a Spanish citadel and features two waterslides (one that’s 102 feet long), water cannons, a zero-entry pool, an amazing Pirate-themed splash area for younger kids, and two 12-person spas.
Check out our full review of Disney’s Caribbean Resort here.
Pirate Ship Voyages at Walt Disney World
Pirate Adventure Cruises are offer by both the Caribbean Resort and Beach Resort. At 9:30AM every morning (weather permitting): “Buccaneers sail the Ports of the Caribbean waters, as they hear the story of Old Port Royale and its pirate-laden past. Departs from Caribbean Cay, a tropical island located in the middle of Barefoot Bay.”
The experience is $39 and lasts for two hours. Kids ages 4-12 get to bring home a special “pirate booty” souvenir, and are served a snack and drink on board.
Keep in mind, parents are not allowed to attend this experience. You drop off your child for two hours and pick them up at the end.
Pirates & Pals Fireworks Voyage is a unique take on Disney’s Dessert and Fireworks offerings.
Captain Patch leads guests on pirate songs, quizzes them on pirate trivia, and shares some nautical knowledge, while guests can enjoy desserts and drinks, including coffee and Pirate Punch. Captain Hook and Mr. Smee meet guests before they embark on their voyage.
From their vantage point on Seven Seas lagoon, guests get to see both the Magic Kingdom fireworks (either Happily Ever After or a seasonal display) and the Electrical Water Pageant.
Pin this Post for your Disney Vacation Planning:
I hope you found some great ideas here for your family’s Disney vacation.
Be sure to check out our full Disney travel section here, or check out our Favorite Disney Dining Hack or our Pirates of the Caribbean Movie night post.
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