Robert Niles
Editor
Robert Niles

Johnny Depp pulls a shift at Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean

April 27, 2017, 10:43 AM · Many theme park fans love to debate which Disney theme park resort is better: Walt Disney World or Disneyland? With several attractions essentially duplicated on each coast, fans can concoct point-by-point comparisons to argue which version of those riders is superior.

As perhaps Disney's most popular theme park franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean often moves to the front of these debates. But there really is no controversy here. With its longer ride, double-drop, extra scenes and smoother load/unload process, Disneyland's Pirates is the clear winner over Orlando's.

Plus, for one night only, it had Johnny Depp. Not the Audio Animatronic Captain Jack Sparrows that both resorts added years ago. Last night, Disneyland had the real Johnny Depp inside the ride.

Disney was filming Depp, dressed as his iconic pirate from the Pirates of the Caribbean films, greeting guests outside the attraction, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. Presumably, Disney also shot film of Depp inside the ride, though the studio's not yet announced what it was doing bringing Depp into the park.

Surely this will end up being part of some promotion for the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, which hits theaters May 26. Because I don't think he was in there working security on the ride.

Update, May 1: Disney's finally publicly acknowledged the stunt and released a video:

Replies (8)

anonymous
73.210.62.17
April 27, 2017 at 10:56 AM · I'm guessing the vast majority of guests were thinking "wow, that's a really great impression" and only now are realizing it was the real Depp.
shaunzie
Shaun Fisher
April 27, 2017 at 11:32 AM · The Disneyland version is a gem. Though I love the queue in Orlando, the overall experience is richer in Anaheim. Seeing Johnny Depp would have been great. It's fun to see him engage his fans and make magical memories for guests. Seeing celebrities love what they're doing makes it so much more enjoyable for everyone.
Anonymous878
Anton M
April 27, 2017 at 1:11 PM · He should be put in the girl chasing scene although he has trouble walking while rum intoxicated.
Rock-Blazer12
James Trexen
April 27, 2017 at 3:39 PM · So what'd they do about the Sparrow animatronic literally right next to him?
coasterdude
Writer
Anthony Murphy
April 28, 2017 at 4:58 AM · I thought it was a bit of marketing genius.

Then again, Depp appears to REALLY likes playing Jack Sparrow. This isn't the first time he has dressed up as the Captain.

DarkrideRod
Rod Whitenack
April 28, 2017 at 9:19 AM · Pro shot footage of this stunt would make for an amazing after-the-credits sequence in the new movie.
CalvinEggnog
Gabriel Schroll
April 28, 2017 at 2:27 PM · I don't have words to say how cool this was of him to do this, and don't care in the least that it was a marketing opportunity for his upcoming movie. It's just an amazing thing!
anonymous
172.112.230.93
May 3, 2017 at 3:02 PM · I LOVE LOVE LOVE Johnny. He does so much for kids, and just has a great spirit, and a big heart. When he came out to the stage at D23, the crowd went insane. The screams and applause went on for several minutes. He had the biggest smile on his face. Unlike most celebrities, Johnny truly appreciates his fans and his fame. He loves interacting with the fans too. We saw the preview for Pirates 5 at DCA and it looks fantastic, funny, adventurous, with a whole new look and feel. Can't wait to see the rest of that scene let alone the movie. I'm so bummed that I missed him in person at POTC, but I would have jumped off of the boat and swam to him. So it's probably a good thing I wasn't there!

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