Going Below Deck with Disney Imagineering Legend Marty Sklar

Today, it’s hard to imagine Disneyland (or any of the Disney parks around the world for that matter) without Pirates of the Caribbean. The attraction is so iconic that it appears to have always been a part of the park experience. Interestingly, the pirates didn’t hoist their sails until 11 years after the original Disney theme park opened. Moreover, they almost never set sail at all—at least not in the enchanting form we know and love today. This article delves into the fascinating history of Pirates of the Caribbean.

According to Marty Sklar, former vice chairman and principal creative executive at Walt Disney Imagineering, Walt initially developed a walkthrough pirates concept. Workers had laid the groundwork when the New York World’s Fair prompted him to rethink his plans. The 1964-65 fair showcased four Disney projects, including the popular “it’s a small world” attraction. Its massive success and ability to accommodate large crowds led Walt to adapt a similar ride system for Pirates. The boat approach offered an ideal method for storytelling in a controlled and linear manner.

Another attraction from the World’s Fair, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, advanced the use of audio-animatronics. The realism of the animatronic president captivated audiences. As narrated by Sklar, Walt encouraged Imagineers to create more lifelike characters instead of cartoonish pirates, driven by the principle that animatronics should be about “breathing life into these characters.”

The Fire Was a Little Too Realistic

To bring the pirates to life, a team of Imagineers worked tirelessly. After storyboarding the attraction, they constructed miniature sets. Walt cast and staged the animatronic characters by employing 120 actors to serve as models. The team filmed the models performing their scenes for reference and created plaster casts for the animatronic designs.

Blaine Gibson, an artist and sculptor with expertise in animation, oversaw the character development. As Sklar describes, Blaine grasped the urgency of conveying a character’s essence within mere moments, employing slight exaggerations to enhance their presentation. The lead designer, Marc Davis, belonged to Walt Disney’s renowned “Nine Old Men.”

Sklar contributed to the design process, collaborating with another acclaimed Disney Imagineer, X. Atencio, who penned the narration and crafted the beloved “Yo Ho” song lyrics that endure to this day.

Yale Gracey, a master of special effects, designed the attraction’s fire scene. Sklar recalls that it appeared so lifelike that the city of Anaheim hesitated to approve it initially. They were concerned about potential panic among visitors, leading to the necessity of assuring city officials that the fire was not real.

Disney’s Masterful Use of Storytelling

As the concept of Pirates evolved into something grander, Imagineers recognized that the attraction exceeded the confines of Disneyland’s limited footprint. Consequently, they figured out that by designing a building to house the attraction and bringing the boats inside, the public wouldn’t see what transpired within the walls. (The Haunted Mansion employs a similar strategy.) Sklar states, “Pirates was the beginning of stretching Disneyland.”

This expansion was significant on multiple levels. The intricate sets, extensive costumes, complex mechanical movements, and various elements enhanced the attraction’s remarkable scale. Sklar noted that Pirates represented a tremendous leap of faith.

The massive success of the attraction transformed the theme park experience altogether. The story became so impactful that it inspired a blockbuster film franchise featuring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. In return, the film’s beloved characters have been integrated into the ride, maintaining the attraction’s authenticity.

Throughout the years, the ride has undergone various updates. For example, in earlier versions, pirates incessantly chased women in a repetitive cycle, but Imagineers later revamped the scene so that the women now pursue the pirates instead. In 2018, the auction scene saw a significant transformation when Redd, one of the previously featured “wenches,” was reimagined as a fierce pirate who now auctions rum that she has plundered.

The tale of Pirates continues to engage new generations of fans as they embark on journeys alongside these animatronic buccaneers. It remains as relevant and beloved today as it was at its opening in 1967. This enduring popularity stands as a remarkable tribute to Walt and his talented team of Imagineers—masters of storytelling—who crafted this extraordinary attraction.