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SALT LAKE CITY — Disneyland recently shuttered its gates for only the fourth time in the park’s history to help combat the spread of COVID-19. This essential safety decision canceled vacations and left some families crestfallen.
However, the Thornock family of Monroe, in Sevier County, took the closure as a challenge to make their trip to Disneyland a “staycation,” beginning with a recreation of the park’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride.
The video of the make-shift ride is as magical as it sounds.
The sled “boat” boarding is complete with a safety announcement. I’m charmed by the passengers’ Disney headgear and outfits, in addition to their father Kirk’s pirate costume and impression.
Next comes the music as the boat encounters a pirate playing his banjo, and the boat riders can’t help but wave. Then comes the drop, which is effectively (and perhaps more terrifyingly) mimicked by stairs. The spray bottle at the bottom is a nice touch.
The Thornock’s Dead Man’s Cove sports a long-dead pirate guarding his golden treasure and a Disney brochure, and I believe this skeleton is enjoying more luxury than its counterpart in the actual ride.
Next, the whole family, dressed to the nines as a pirating crew, waves a slew of plastic swords at their boat-bound siblings as bubbles fly through the air.
In perhaps my favorite recreation, a pirate is chased, holding a chicken around the kitchen while fleeing a broom-bearing woman. However, the close-up camera angle on the “drunken” pirate’s foot is a Google-worthy Thornock-exclusive addition to the ride.
And while they were at it, the Thornocks couldn’t help but recreate the imprisoned pirates seeking a desperate jailbreak from a dog who, much like his movie counterpart, couldn’t seem less interested.
For the finale, who doesn’t love Captain Jack Sparrow toasting, “Drink up, me hearties! Yo ho!”
The Thornocks told Buzzfeed that the entire video was filmed in about 45 minutes, after which their daughter Brin edited clips together on her phone.
Following the viral reception of their video, the Thornocks have already posted a charming sequel: the Haunted Mansion ride.
No matter how long we all remain stuck indoors, the Thornocks seem to be proving that home can be the most magical place on Earth.
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