By Rhonda Moffit, Moffits-Mad Hatter Adventures  July 24, 2017

By far one of our favorite exhibits at the D23 Expo this year was the Pirates of the Caribbean Archives. I hope you enjoy these pictures- each one is a true Disney treasure!

Once inside the exhibit area- it was a feast for any Disney pirate fan. From original concept sketches to vintage items, each era of pirates was well represented.

 

Next we had Muppet Treasure Island, Treasure Planet, James and the Giant Peach, and some items from Moana. There were even some items from Swiss Family Robinson on hand to view.

One of my favorite older Disney classics has to be Blackbeard’s Ghost. I was thrilled to see the actual portrait from this film along with some other memorabilia.

And who can forget that notorious Captain Hook?

Next, we moved into some costuming treats. The Descendants 2 and that dashing Hook costume from Once Upon a Time delighted fans. We didn’t know we would actually meet some of the actors later in the weekend, either, but that was fun. By the way, the word on Main Street is that the hook pictured below is also the hook that was used in the movie “Hook” with Dustin Hoffman and Robin Williams.

My favorite ship from the modern POTC era is undoubtedly the Black Pearl. In the exhibit we saw a huge model of it placed right in the middle.

Now we were ready to see some classic items from the development of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. Something really interesting to see were the original sketches from 1957 of Ken Anderson’s Haunted Mansion concepts. Yes, the main idea was centered around a pirate! Check out some of the amazing details in the images below!

Another of the most popular things to see was the original sheet music from “Yo Ho A Pirates Life for Me”.  No one could walk by this without either singing or humming the familiar tune, myself included. It was very special to see the original pencil written composition.

Next we moved into the modern POTC era a bit more with items from Shanghai Disney. Pirate’s Lair, the POTC attraction,  and the more recent POTC films starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and more. It was amazing to see all of the costumes and props that were actually used in the films.

With each turn, the exhibit became more and more interesting. It was something to behold, especially when up close to the props and costumes. The detail in each item was fantastic.

Do you recognize the costumes and props? We certainly did!

We just want to thank our pal above for allowing us the extra time to take all of these photos to share with you! He was incredibly kind.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures!

Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate’s life for me…..

What do you think? Leave us a comment, a like, or just share us with your pals!  🙂

Images and video ©Moffits: Mad Hatter Adventures

 

****

Are you visiting Disney, Universal, or ANY vacation destination in the future? We have some amazing all-inclusive packages available and can save you time and money so you and yours have the best time possible! After all, one of us is a former Disney Cast Member, and as a husband and wife team we travel the world in search of the best destinations possible.  Fill out our form HERE to receive your FREE quote. Our services are completely free for you to utilize and you will get YEARS of experience on your side when booking with Moffits- Mad Hatter Adventures.

Always consider booking with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planning Agency. We will be available to assist you with everything from finding the best value for your travel party to getting dining reservations and Fastpass+ attractions lined up.  Just get in touch with us at moffits@madhatteradv.com or watch our adventures on Facebook. We don’t just book Disney, we LIVE it!

We are a FULL SERVICE travel agency- if you can travel there, we can book it for you!