Ahoy There, Mateys! The Pirate's Adventure Game Approaches on the Starboard Side!

Captain Jack Sparrow has been making acquaintances all over the Caribbean, and now YOU get to work with the famous pirate as he takes on treasure hunts all over Adventureland.

On our visit to Florida last week, my traveling party had the fantastic opportunity to play test the newest interactive game at Walt Disney World. A Pirate’s Adventure: Treasure of the Seven Seas combines the interactions with statues and other realia in Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure with the key card idea in Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. After getting briefed in the Enlistment Quarters near Pecos Bill and obtaining a talisman (key card), you grab a map corresponding to your assigned mission and head out to find clues and defeat enemies throughout Adventure Land. (We were discouraged from taking pictures inside the Enlistment Quarters, so I am sorry I cannot show you what it looks like on the inside here.)

The Enlistment Quarters, sign still covered and doors shut for the day.

Photo by Elizabeth Caran

Only two adventures were running when we played, and our first was The Guardian’s Curse. One of our party then played through The King’s Ransom while the others carried on to other fun in the park. However, because we are the curious sort, we also checked out the maps for three other adventures: Heads You Lose, Haven Defense, and Blackbeard. Each adventure has a unique map to help you find hot spots that you will need to complete your particular adventure. Each adventure also has you seeking a different treasure for a different friend, enemy, or ally. 

Maps and Talisman

Photo by Elizabeth Caran

One of many game stations spread around Adventureland.

Photo by Jeff Smith

The stations for the game are small but detailed and very cool with moving parts and engaging details. Instructions are simple and the whole family can play. As you follow the directions on the map and at the various stations, you trigger actions on items around you, usually by placing your Talisman over a specified mark on the station. The stations are limited to Adventureland, so you won't have to travel too far. Each adventure really only takes about fifteen minutes, so in the time it takes you to move through a queue and ride an attraction, you can complete one or two adventures!

Our party listening to the story, watching the compass,

and awaiting our next instructions.

Photo by Jeff Smith

When we finished playing, we were asked how we liked the game, how easy the maps were to read (the maps are styled like treasure maps and have a similar look to the Sorcerer map), and whether we would play again. We were told that the maps are not final and very well may change before the final adventures are released. We also have no idea how close to release they are. There was one key station that appears on all the maps that is not yet functioning. I am hoping from the look of it that it will dispense some sort of token, dubloon, or other collectible to prove you completed that mission. 

Our whole party found it engaging and fun. The only thing I would want to add is a collectible element as I mentioned above. Coins or dubloons would be the perfect little souvenir, and let’s face it... people love free stuff. I believe the talismans are all the same and would imagine that they will not let you play the same adventure twice on the same talisman, although that is pure supposition on my part. We don’t know how long the play test will go on, and I know it is not every day, as we walked by on the weekend and the Enlistment Quarters were closed. We also saw that many people passed it by as the pirate tried to lure them in to try the game. So if you have a chance, be sure to seize the opportunity to play!

This post also appeared at mainstgazette.com and is cross-posted here for your convenience.

Lowering Your Ears At The Magic Kingdom

Main Street, U.S.A. boasts many storefronts and little touches that make it look like a small town in early 20th century America. And many details are easy to miss. When you enter the park and pass under the train station, stick to the left a bit. Just to the left of them Emporium, you'll see a little door tucked away a bit with the unmistakable candy stripe barber pole outside. But this is no mock-up or false front... it's a real barbershop complete with talented folk to cut your hair (or even all your hairs!)

Although they will cut the hair of any park patron, young or old... one of the most special things they do is a child's first haircut. Taking advantage of this requires some foresight and planning on your part, but it is well worth it. The cut is less than $20 with tip, and it includes stickers, the haircut, a lock of your child's hair saved for you, a certificate, and coolest of all... a pair of classic Mickey Ears with "First Haircut" stitched on the back.

Before and After. This young man was 15 months old.

Both of our children had the opportunity to do this. The cast members there are fabulous and patient with young children. They are careful and meticulous, yet they don't keep you there forever. Generally, it takes about twenty minutes per head and there are two chairs. So if you end up in the line that stretches out the door, you can count customers ahead of you as approximately ten minutes each. A few more tips:

• Try to go first thing in the morning. Go straight to the shop and wait for them to open the doors.


• If you are late arriving and there is a line, go ahead and wait in it. We made the mistake of wandering off and coming back to see if the line got shorter... it never really did. You may have different luck, but we've done this three times now (our two kids, plus a friend's kid). Only once did we luck upon no line at all.


• Don't put your sleepy or irritable child in the chair. Although these guys are good, try to give them something other than a mass of grumpiness to work with. And yes, this is from personal experience.


• BRING A CAMERA and roll film! You won't want to forget this.

Before and After. She was 18 months old.

If you are new parent and are like me... clueless about when your infant will end up needing that first cut, well... who knows? You might have a little Suri Cruise who needs a trim about two hours after birth, or you may have a little Lex Luthor who doesn't even grow any hair until he's well past eighteen months old. Best guesses are about the only way to go on this. One year seems to be the trend among my friends' babies, give or take a month or six. I chose to err on the side of caution with my first child and set the trip for just after she turned eighteen months. We used a lot of barrettes for about six months!

If you have an older child (or you sit in the chair yourself), they will conclude the cut with a dash of pixie dust. Unfortunately, they can't do this for a first cut because it's a bit of a choking hazard. If you ask nicely, they might pixie you instead!

Do you have experiences with the Main Street Barber Shop to share? Please leave us your experience in the comments!