8 Disney Theme Park Rides That Were Turned Into Films
1. Pirates Of The Caribbean
Undoubtedly the biggest success story of rides-turned-films, Pirates of the Caribbean has become a billion-dollar franchise after the first film entry arrived in 2003. The charming dark ride originally opened in 1967 and takes guests on a boat ride through various pirate-infested scenes, complete with a catchy sea-shanty.
The first film to be released was Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, and was a huge success both critically and commercially. Excellent performances from Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, as well as a well-written adventure made the film one of the highest-grossing that year.
The film is actually a very faithful adaptation of the ride and almost every single detail of the attraction is shown on screen at one point or another. The sequels pushed past the restrictions of the ride, writing new stories and becoming even more of a commercial success.
Pirates is perhaps the only film on this list that went on to alter the original ride itself. In 2006 the ride was refurbished, and included impressive Jack Sparrow animatronics inserted into the classic attraction. Captain Barbossa and Davy Jones were also added to the ride in some form and even more film characters were added in the years following to align with the sequels.