This Saturday, March 18th, we have a very special anniversary to celebrate: Pirates of the Caribbean is turning 50! Can you believe it?! 50 years of watching pirates pillage and plunder while we sing along to “Yo, ho, yo, ho, a pirates life for me!” 50 years of swashbuckling spectacle that make us pine for a life of adventure on the high seas. 50 years of pure Disney magic.

Pirates of the Caribbean is a classic, a “must do”, and a favorite! It is very exciting to see this attraction celebrate it’s 50th year! And to pay homage to this beloved ride, my top 5 favorite list honors of all those fun-loving pirates. Yo ho here we go to my Top 5 Favorite Pirates in the Pirates of the Caribbean!

5. Whistling Pirate (Wilbur)

Wilbur hit the number five spot on my list. No his name is not really Wilbur, but we are going to call him that for the sake of not having to say “whistling pirate” every time. Does anyone know if any of these classic pirates have official names? If they do, I would love to hear them. So back to Wilbur and why he’s on the list. He is such an important team player in this scenario. With his sweet whistling skills and precise rope placement, it was always my opinion that he would be most successful in retrieving the keys from the dog. And let’s be honest, the jail scene would not be the same without hearing his whistle.

4. Pirate With Hairy Leg (Harry)

Then we have Harry … get it? Because he has hairy legs? I know, I know, super corny, but that it is nothing compared to one of my dad’s pirate jokes (corny as they may be, they are still awesome). Harry is one cool pirate. Our boat travels right underneath of him so we can get a good view of that stinky, dirty foot. When I was young, my parents would always try to convince us that his foot really did stink and I would always hold my breath while we passed by. I am pretty sure my dislike of feet today comes from this very pirate … thanks Harry. Despite his gross foot, he was always a great example of Disney detail. Imagineers knew we would get pretty close to this buccaneer so they added hair onto his leg to make him look even more human like.

3. Pirate Hanging With The Pigs (Petey)

Petey comes in number three because … well … just look at him! While everyone else is pillaging the town, he is pirating at his own pace. Takin’ it easy and making friends. That’s my kind of pirate!

2. Pirate Auctioneer

“And now, ya bilge rats, do I hear six? Who makes it six? Six it be. Six bottles of rum! I’m not spongin’ for rum. It be gold I’m after!” The Auctioneer is such an iconic character in this attraction. He has great lines, looks fantastic, and he really knows how to haggle. But what really pushed him in the number two spot was his voice. He is voiced by the lengendary Paul Frees. You can hear Paul Frees voice in another Magic Kindom attraction, do you know which one?

1. Jack Sparrow

This was a tough choice. There are so many great pirates! But in the end, Jack Sparrow stole the number one spot. He is a true scalawag through and through. They took an already great story and made it even more interesting and in depth by adding Captain Jack. His numerous appearances in the ride are perfect, I remember how fun it was to try to spot him the first time we rode it after the renovation. But the one big thing that puts him above the rest is how real he looks. I mean … he looks amazing! Not only is his sculpt so detailed and flawless but his movements are smooth and life like. It is hard to tell that he is not real!

 

Those are my Top 5 Favorite Pirates! Pirates of the Caribbean is one of my favorite rides. It never gets old! It is not hard to believe that it has stuck around for 50 years and I am sure it will be around for at least 50 more!

Now the best part, what about you? Who is your favorite pirate? I love seeing who you vote for and reading your comments. Be sure to vote for your number one below! If your favorite buccaneer is not on my top 5 list then leave me a comment, tell me who you love and why. Then, next week I will post the results and share some fun facts too!

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Cassie Calkins