Work continues on building the new Pirates of the Caribbean tavern and refreshing Plaza del Sol Caribe Bazaar with a repaired column and a new wardrobe prop.
Pirates of the Caribbean Construction Update
Construction work around Pirates of the Caribbean has been ongoing in Magic Kingdom since mid-2024. Most of the work is to build a new Pirates of the Caribbean tavern in the former Pirates League location, though general refurbishment of the facade has been taking place as well.
Over on the left side of the queue, the window-style cutout at the base of the bell tower is now covered by painted wood panels. This used to be the location of a portal for the old Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom activity. When Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom ended in 2021, the keyhole and metal medallion for the location were both removed, but the window-style oval remained.
Since this side of the tower has now become part of the extended queue for Pirates of the Caribbean, it is possible Disney has finally decided to remove the old portal and replace it with something that better matches the theming of the facade. We will have to wait and see once the paneling has been removed.
During our most recent update, we noticed semi-transparent plastic tarps had been added to the building facade and balcony above these construction walls. The tarp has already been removed, and no major changes are visible from above the walls.
Moving over to the attraction’s queue, the brown doors to the far right lead to what will become the new Pirates of the Caribbean tavern. Disney has confirmed the tavern will be completed by late 2025 and feature the return of the Barker Bird, a.k.a. Peg-Leg Pete.
While a few sections of the building have been repaired, this column near the old Pirate’s League door is not one of them. This column was first damaged in late March, and it appears no changes have been made so far. The base is still extremely worn around the corner, and the upper section is still wrapped with brown material.
The newly-constructed wall for the tavern is still visible to the right of the Pirates League doors. We could hear some construction work taking place on the other side, but nothing was visible.
Thankfully, this column to the side of the construction walls has now been repaired. The wood attached to the base of this support was busted in, leaving a jagged edge of wood behind. The wood has now been smoothed out and repainted to match the rest of the beam.
Inside the Plaza del Sol Caribe Bazaar, the square connection points for a poster or prop are still visible on this now-empty red column.
Since the Pirates of the Caribbean-themed gift shop mostly reopened and the construction walls were shifted, several new props have been arriving in the the space. The latest new addition is this large wooden wardrobe placed to the left of the attraction’s exit. The wardrobe is placed on a wooden platform next to a barrel and a wall-mounted map.
Like the other new props, the wardrobe is designed to look like something a pirate might have stolen. It is made of dark brown wood and has a carved image three people sitting in a Venetian-style gondola.
We expect most of the refurbishment work in and around Plaza del Sol Caribe Bazaar will be completed by the time the new tavern opens, if not sooner.
What do you think of all the changes to Pirates of the Caribbean? Let us know in the comments.
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