March 20, 2009: Pirate Ship Restaurant

[Werner Weiss]

Are you hungry for a tuna sandwich, a tuna burger, or a hot tuna pie? Then plan to eat at the Pirate Ship Restaurant.

Link to Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship and Restaurant

Please discuss it here.

[bryanwal]

Thanks, Werner, for your photo essay. I was surprised that you mention that Captain Hook's Pirate Ship in DLP's Adventureland serves food. I've been to DLP twice and have no such recollection and the DLP website lists it as an attraction and not a food service location. Is there an ODV cart associated with it?

[Twist1234]

To bad DL lost the ship in 82.

[Katella Gate]

Thanks Werner for the "update"...Although the new(ish) Fantasyland is much better than the original, I am sorry for the loss of the Pirate Ship. Because it was a restaurant disguised as a ride, you really did get the impression that it was a "free ride" - and something for nothing is always a good thing at the Park.

Its removal also broke a continuity of theme I don't think anybody else has mentioned... We all know about "Walt's Weenies", the large icon attractions placed at the far end of each land to draw guests deeper into the park. The interesting thing is, in each land, that weenie was a ship of some type (Mark Twain, Hook's Ship, or the TWA Rocket to the Moon).

I think Walt understoon the psychology of the appeal of travel, and that the selection of ships as centerpieces is not an accident.

[BigThunder]

Thanks for the update Werner, it brought back some fond memories.
When I was a kid, it wasn't a trip to Disneyland without lunch at the 'Tuna Boat' (as my mom called it). I'm surprised you neglected to mention that the upper decks of the ship were open as well. It was a fantastic play area for kids with the ship's wheel, hatches, ropes and rigging. You could even climb 'aloft' in those days - an activity that would certainly give the lawyers fits today!

The dining area by Skull Rock was wonderfully cool and shady and a great place for the parents to relax while we kids played on the upper decks of the ship. Though I love the '82 remodel of Fantasyland, I really do miss Cap'n Hook's and Skull Rock. I wish they could have found a way to save it.

[Disneykin Kid]

It's too bad that there's no room for the Pirate ship, it would have been nice to group it with the Peter Pan ride. This is just wishful thinking, but I think the ultimate Disney theme park now would be like a giant Fantasyland, with E ticket versions of the major animated movies, each with it's own themed area. Hey Cars is getting a land, Little Mermaid is getting an E ticket - just imagine a giant Fantasyland with Snow White land, Peter Pan land, Dumbo's Circus land, Pinocchio's Village land, etc. Oh well...

[danyoung]

Thanks as always for the memories, Werner. Even though I've been visiting DL since 1963, I didn't discover the joy of having lunch there till just before its demise. I really loved sitting back in the Skull Rock area, with its Tom Sawyer Island-ish feeling of being a million miles away from an amusement park. Imagine my shock and dismay on my next visit to find that it just wasn't there anymore!

[Yendorb]

The pirate ship is responsible for getting me as a child to eat tuna. I don't think Chicken of the Sea realized that when they pulled their sponsorship.

When the great ship was dropped, a friend got me a piece of it. It still brings back memories everytime I look at it.

[Wendygirl]

I also have found memories of eating a tuna sandwich and playing there. I do miss it. It was also a great place to go at night to see the fireworks from.

[Werner Weiss]

Originally Posted by bryanwal

Thanks, Werner, for your photo essay. I was surprised that you mention that Captain Hook's Pirate Ship in DLP's Adventureland serves food. I've been to DLP twice and have no such recollection and the DLP website lists it as an attraction and not a food service location. Is there an ODV cart associated with it?

Because my two visits to Disneyland Paris were both off-season (February 2001 and March 2005), I never saw Captain Hook's Galley open for business, but I took a picture of the outside menu sign. Here's a photo from Disneyland Paris 2001 that I didn't use in the photo essay:

[the darkest star]

In the photo entitled: Captain Hook’s Pirate Ship in 1974
what is the buliding or attraction that is pictured in the middle on the right-hand side? It has a unique, spire-like roof.

[Werner Weiss]

Originally Posted by the darkest star

In the photo entitled: Captain Hook’s Pirate Ship in 1974
what is the buliding or attraction that is pictured in the middle on the right-hand side? It has a unique, spire-like roof.

Welcome to MiceChat!

That's Cinderella Castle in Storybook Land. It's still there today.

[Mark Dewd]

While you mentioned that the ship served tuna sandwiches - you failed to mention that they were the BEST tuna sandwiches ever! And they served FRESH chocolate cake slices for dessert, too. I miss that.

[Werner Weiss]

Originally Posted by Mark Dewd

While you mentioned that the ship served tuna sandwiches - you failed to mention that they were the BEST tuna sandwiches ever! And they served FRESH chocolate cake slices for dessert, too. I miss that.

I have to admit that although I played on the Pirate Ship as a child, I never ate there.

I guess I missed out.

[Outlander]

Is it true that some of the ship's deck ended up in the Peter Pan's Flight attraction?