And always remember this as the day you've sailed with Captain Jack Sparrow!
On October 24, 2014, Walt Disney World officials confirmed the rumor that has been around for years, the massive Sorcerer Mickey Hat is being removed from Disney's Hollywood Studios. Installed in 2001 as part of the "100 Years of Magic" celebration that marked Walt Disney's 100th birthday, the giant blue hat served as the park's icon for more than 10 years. No date has been given to when the hat will be removed other than "early 2015." There's also no word on if the hat will be replaced, destroyed or moved. Although many long-time fans of the park are happy about this news, other fans are still sad to see it go.
In addition, it's been revealed that The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow, which opened less than 2 years ago, will be closing. The attraction follows in the footsteps of The American Idol Experience, the Studios Backlot Tour and The American Film Institute Showcase, as attractions that were eventually closed, leaving fans wondering what's in store for the park. Rumors of Cars Land, more Toy Story attractions, or even a Star Wars-themed area still circulating. But Disney hasn't addressed any of this just yet, only noting today that the hat is going away.
But as you can see here, the closing of The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow indeed appears to be true. The official Walt Disney World website lists the attraction as having its final day on November 6, 2014. No announcement has been made about what will replace the walk-through attraction.
It's a shame but understandable, as The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow didn't have the same reception as the ride that started it all. Still, one can't deny the good things about the attraction, which debuted in 2012 after the Journey into Narnia closed. Disney described it this way: "State-of-the-art technology brings the swashbuckling world of Captain Jack, from an eerie treasure cove to an epic ship-to-ship battle." The pirate-themed set was great, the numerous props were fun to look at, the special effects were fantastic, and of course die-hard fans (young and old, I'm sure) would love to see Captain Sparrow in person.
According to Click Orlando, the effects are believed to have been a test for Shanghai Disneyland's Pirates attraction (which is scheduled to open by the end of 2015). However, this has yet to be confirmed.
So what say you, Pirates fans? Are you happy about this news, or are you sad to see any of it go?