Shortie - The Pirate with the Ping Pong Peepers!

Send us Fan Mail A new Pirate has theme park fans arguing like it’s a courtroom drama, and we had to jump in. We break down what’s actually bothering people: projection mapping looks amazing in a lab, but on an animatronic face it can drift into uncanny valley fast, especially when you’re stepping from bright daylight into a dark ride scene and your eyes haven’t adjusted. The result can feel less like a living pirate and more like a screen trying to pretend it’s skin. We also get picky about something that matters more than any single effect: story. Pirates of the Caribbean is built like an immersive storybook, with a timeline that moves from the dead men’s grotto into the living pirate raid and then back out again. When a transformation gag lands in the wrong moment, it doesn’t just look odd, it breaks the ride’s internal logic. That’s why we argue this isn’t a “tear it out” problem, it’s a placement problem. Join us for this mercifully short episode! Thanks for listening! We'd love it if you would give us a review on your podcast platform of choice: iTunes, Spotify, etc... They're really helpful. And get in touch and let us know about YOUR Plus-Ups for the attractions we've talked about!  We'd love to tell them on the air. Come visit us on Bluesky, Mastodon, Instagram, or whatever social media you like. Just look up Lowdown on the Plus-Up and you'll probably find us.  Or drop us a note to comments@lowdown-plus-up.com and let us know any questions or comments about how YOU would like to plus-something-up!   We are a Boardwalk Times production. Boardwalk Times, https://boardwalktimes.net/ Boardwalk Times store, https://boardwalktimes.store .