2012 Best Attraction Tournament: Pirates of the Caribbean vs. Star Tours: The Adventures Continue

March 5, 2012 at 11:02 AM · First vote yet again! You know I voted for my good friend Star Tours ;)

March 5, 2012 at 11:05 AM · Pirates. No brainer. Especially now that Star Tours is prequel-ized.

March 5, 2012 at 11:18 AM · This was a tough one. Star Tours is impressive and the overhaul made it so much more than just a film in a motion simulator, but Pirates has withstood the test of time. The proven classic gets my vote.

March 5, 2012 at 11:21 AM · Wow, Dom beat me. He beat everybody. Big surprise.

Sorry, Dom. I enjoyed Star Tours a lot, but I despise the original movie enough that I can't vote for it here. As a person who doesn't have nearly as much Disney experience as many on this site, I love Pirates. One of my favorite memories is getting stuck on Pirates for 15 minutes with the sound off, but all AA's working. The mute dog is an image that will never leave me (this was in the mid-90's)

March 5, 2012 at 11:28 AM · Let's not forget the fact Disney never fills the boats on POTC up all the way, while Star Tours usually only misses 1 person.

March 5, 2012 at 11:46 AM · If this was restricted to only the abridged Florida Pirates (which I've never been on but have seen videos of), I would probably vote for Star Tours. However, the original Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland is one of the best dark rides in the industry, and beats out any simulator ride. I'm not denying that Star Tours is a great ride, because it is definitely one of the best attractions at Disneyland, but against Pirates...no, Pirates is definitely the better ride.

March 5, 2012 at 12:03 PM · Went with POTC. Classic. Star Tours is starting to seem too gimmicky for me with the "variable" ride. I would have preferred a more solid story instead of "spotty" events that are loosely connected. The 50+ events just seem so disconnected personally.

And I have actually seen the new Star Tours with open seats on weekdays. Just saying.

With Pirates, I've always liked that you can make up your own backstory based on what is happening even with the newer Johnny Depp & Friends additions.

March 5, 2012 at 12:25 PM · Great simulator vs one of the best dark rides in the history of the industry? Easy vote, even with the idiotic inclusion of Jack Sparrow, Pirates wins this every time.

March 5, 2012 at 12:48 PM · My vote was for the Disneyland version of Pirates. Much as I love the snazzy new version of Star Tours, it's very hard to beat an enduring masterpiece like the original Pirates.

March 5, 2012 at 1:48 PM · Putting POTC and ST together wasn't smart, just like putting JC with TOT and HM with TSI. At least TSM advanced to Round 3 and MIB didn't. :)

March 5, 2012 at 2:08 PM · Which is a travesty. TSMM isn't anywhere near the level of MIB.

Saying TSMM is a better attraction than MIB is like saying Doctor Doom is better than Tower of Terror. Both are comparable in their set up, but one clearly had more time, creativity, and love put into it.

March 5, 2012 at 2:15 PM · Like others have mentioned, my vote is for the DLR version of Pirates, which is quite possibly the greatest narrative attraction ever built. It is a true Disney masterpiece that continues to weather the storms of time.

March 5, 2012 at 2:34 PM · I love both rides pirates is a classic and must see but star tours 2 that ride is awosome first is in 3D second is star wars and that's like my favorite series of movies and I love that is has like 58 different expirences

March 5, 2012 at 3:04 PM · I voted for POTC. I've only been to the Florida version, but I think it's a world-class attraction. Can someone explain to me why Florida's is average, but California's is a masterpiece?

March 5, 2012 at 4:05 PM · Matt, Florida is the Cliffs Notes version of California's. In Florida, you're missing the treasure scene and several other scenes at the beginning which better help set up the ride.

March 5, 2012 at 4:10 PM · 63.255.223.58, TSM was in development for about 4 or 5 years. MIB? 2 years.

March 5, 2012 at 5:32 PM · Pirates because of the theming and the fact that I'm not a huge simulator fan.

March 5, 2012 at 9:04 PM · If TSMM were a Universal attraction and MiB were Disney, what would people's reaction be? I am certain that many Disney fans would be ripping TSMM for being a flat-screen shooter with a limited ride element and no atmosphere, while lauding the setting, narrative and variety of scoring opportunities in MiB.

March 6, 2012 at 6:27 AM · What helps Toy Story too in my opinion is that it's a family friendly RIDE in two parks based on thrill rides and shows. I've heard many hardcore Disney fans--these haven't been to Universal--admit the theming on TSMM isn't great;the ride is just fun because of the interactivity. The Toy Story tie in doesn't hurt either.

March 6, 2012 at 7:08 AM · I love the new Star Tours, but it is up against one of the absolute classics. The Disneyland version is the definitive Pirates experience, and beats out pretty much anything but the Haunted Mansion, with which it is tied. Just do me a favor and bring back Davy Jones for the mist screen, okay?

March 6, 2012 at 7:35 AM · <<63.255.223.58, TSM was in development for about 4 or 5 years. MIB? 2 years. >>

Well, that just goes to show how much better Universal is at allocating resources compared to Disney.

March 6, 2012 at 8:29 AM · I'd have to agree with Robert's assessment of TSMM vs. MIB. I'm a Disney fan before a Universal Fan, but even I can recognize that TSMM pales in comparison to MIB. Sure, one's more whimsical, but so is The Little Mermaid, but that attraction is nothing compared to PotC.

Just because TSMM took longer to make than MIB doesn't mean it's better. All that really matters is the end product. MIB is an after thought of a movie franchise, but as an attraction it's not just a bunch of TV screens with Wii-motes, water guns, and air cannons. I can do that at home. MIB, I can't replicate at home.