Walt Disney World has revealed new details & concept art for the Pirates of the Caribbean tavern coming to Adventureland in Magic Kingdom later in 2025. This post shares what we know so far, with a breakdown of the bar’s rooms & rules, plus comprehensive commentary about when this new lounge is likely to open and why we’re excited for it.
This was first announced during Destination D23 two years ago. Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro offered a glimpse of early concept art for the future in addition and teased what was to come in a few years. The Pirates tavern has since been revealed in greater detail at D23 Expo and D23 Brazil.
The Pirates of the Caribbean tavern was actually announced a year before GEO-82, the lounge inside Spaceship Earth, but will be opening at least a few months later. The difference is that Spaceship Earth already had a sponsor lounge, and GEO-82 is only a light refresh of that existing space. This bar converts a space into something entirely different while annexing area from the exit gift shop, all while being more thematically ambitious.
According to Disney, this first-of-its-kind experience will extend the story of Pirates of the Caribbean. Construction on the new bar, officially named “The Beak and Barrel” is now underway at Walt Disney World. Now for some more new updates on the Pirates of the Caribbean Tavern.
The Beak and Barrel opens later this year in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom! Established by the legendary pirate rumrunner, Captain Meridian “Merry” Goldwyn, and her talkative first mate, Rummy (more on them below), this lively pirate pub will soon welcome swashbucklers, scoundrels, bandits and buccaneers of all ages from every corner of the seven seas.
Swashbuckling Song & Dance
Eat, drink and be entertained at The Beak and Barrel, a welcoming haven for all pirate-kind—from seasoned swashbucklers to budding buccaneers. Bring yer best mates and join the crew for a jolly good time full of flavor and fun!
Grab a quick bite and quench your thirst. The menu features tasty options for pirates of all ages—as well as refreshing cocktails for Guests ages 21 and up. Check back later for menu details.
While you sip and snack, you’ll be immersed in the Tortuga world through swashbuckling sing-alongs, storytelling and enchanting surprises.
Advance Dining Reservations are strongly recommended. Because space is extremely limited, the Beak and Barrel is limited to 45 minutes per party. Check back later for details about making reservations.
It was widely expected that the Pirates of the Caribbean bar would serve alcohol, but this officially confirms it. Honestly, I’m not sure which would be more controversial here: a pirates bar with the rum actually being always gone, or more alcohol in Magic Kingdom? As it turns out, Disney chose to do Jack Sparrow proud.
As you’re likely aware, Walt Disney World long ago crossed the rubicon with alcohol in Magic Kingdom. It had only been in table service restaurants, and limited to a two drink maximum, until now. This is a lounge, so not quite the same, but we’d expect the drink limit to persist-in addition to the 45 minute stay limit. Rules on top of rules! And unlike the Pirate Code, these rules are more what you’d call rules than guidelines.
All of this positions the Beak and Barrel as a Magic Kingdom and pirates-themed counterpart to Oga’s Cantina at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. That Star Wars bar has a similar time constraint due to space, and for many guests, it’s a one and done due to the rushed nature of the experience. (As much as we view Oga’s Cantina as an exemplar of themed design and atmosphere, we spend far more time at the less-ambitious BaseLine Tap House.)
Rummy the Barker Bird
As Merry’s trusted companion and first mate, Rummy serves as the tavern’s quartermaster keeping an eye on the place from his roost high atop the bar. Although retired from seafaring life, Rummy is a dutiful crewman to his beloved Merry, ensuring everything is ship-shape, sharing tales of piracy and leading the bar in a rousing toast or two.
Eagle-eyed Disney fans may notice that Rummy bears a striking resemblance to the original Barker Bird, also known as Peg-Leg Pete, that previously sat at the entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean but flew the coop some time ago.
Imagineer Chris Beatty first shared this detail during the original announcement at Destination D23. The Barker Bird was an Audio-Animatronics figure stationed outside the entrance to the attraction that, as its name suggests, was a ‘barker’ who used lines and lyrics to attract guest attention.
The Barker Bird was removed in 2006 during the ride reimagining that added Jack Sparrow and other elements from the hit film franchise. The Audio Animatronics figure’s return has been rumored many times over the years, but it’s finally happening (albeit as a newer and presumably modernized AA). The new Barker Bird will make his triumphant return to Pirates of the Caribbean when the Beak & Barrel opens!
The Mess
The largest and central space at The Beak and Barrel was once the mess hall for Spanish soldiers and is now known appropriately as “The Mess.” Long tables span the room, allowing for pirates to gather ‘round and tell their own tales, while an imposing anchor covered in candles and dripping wax hangs high above.
A large bar anchors one side of the room, cobbled together from salvaged portions of a cursed shipwreck. At its center, the skull-shaped stern holds an impressive collection of grogs and brew. And speaking of anchors, there’s a large one serving as the atmospheric chandelier overhead.
Guests may also spot the Enchanted Rum Bottle, which was gifted to Merry by the enchantress Tia Dalma and seemingly serves as the source of the tavern’s specialty brews. Here you’ll also spot Rummy hobbling along the bar’s ledge, greeting the patrons and keeping a close eye on the crew while Merry is away.
Captains’ Quarters
Inside the Captains’ Quarters, visiting pirates can enjoy a taste of the finer life, which was once the living quarters of the Spanish Comandante. However, the fine artwork and drapery hasn’t escaped slashing blades or burn marks over the years by rambunctious pirates, and in some places, faded spots on the wall are all that remains of now plundered portraits.
Above the fireplace are mounted five miniature ships in glass bottles, rumored to represent pirates from every corner of the world banding together to defeat tyranny. Keep a weathered eye out, as these mysterious bottles have been known to come alive and engage in a fearsome battle.
In trying to make sense of these spaces, my best guess is that “The Mess” is the former Pirates League and the “Captain’s Quarters” is the portion of the gift shop that’s been annexed for the Beak & Barrel. I could be wrong about this, but the original concept art bears resemblances to the Pirates League, and it would make sense that the more lavishly-designed space is the repurposed one.
Pirates League’s closure was announced back in January 2020 (so this was not a COVID cut). We reported at the time that it was “unclear what is motivating the Pirates League closure, or if Walt Disney World has different plans for this location.” Fast-forward over 5 years, and the Pirates League is about to perform one final transformation…itself!
The interior of Pirates League is already beautiful and it’s the same kind of intimate space as Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto or Oga’s Cantina. The old space was already something special. Adding the Barker Bird to that and making these other enhancements will take that to the next level–a lot like the Adventureland answer to Oga’s Cantina, right down to the Audio Animatronics centerpiece. Producing an ornately-themed, detailed, and flat-out fun Pirates of the Caribbean lounge should be relatively low-hanging fruit for Imagineers.
That’s a big reason why I’m bullish about Beak & Barrel. The space is already great, and offers the themed design canvas for a lounge that truly feels like an extension of the attraction’s story…because it kind of already is. They need to add the bar area, create backstory, and source more props to reinforce the new lore. The foundation is all there. It’s a home run idea that could turn into a grand slam with the right creative execution.
When Will The Beak and Barrel Open?
With this latest reveal, Walt Disney World announced that “The Beak and Barrel opens later this year in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom.” Previously, Disney stated that the new Pirates of the Caribbean-themed tavern is “set to open in late 2025 in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom.”
That may sound like the same thing, just stated differently. It is not. Today is May 6, 2025. If this bar opened May 7, it would technically fulfill the “later this year” opening timeline, as tomorrow is later than today. (That’s true–look it up.) Of course, we all know that’s not what Disney means. If it were going to open tomorrow, or later this month, Disney would announce a date.
Taking that a step further, if it were going to open in the next few months, Walt Disney World would already know as much, and announce a “Summer 2025” opening for Beak & Barrel. That’s exactly what we got recently with Starlight Night Parade, which now has a “later this summer” designation.
Trying to read the tea leaves, the switch from “late 2025” to “later this year” is only meaningful to the extent that it opens the door for an opening in October or earlier. If they knew it was going to be sooner, we’d have a season. If they knew it was going to be later, they’d likely stick with “late 2025.”
It’s not necessarily conclusive of anything, though. The verbiage was definitely chosen for a reason–Disney deliberates endlessly over everything, and few decisions are made thoughtlessly (even if it may feel that way). In the end, “later this year” offers more flexibility for an opening that’s ahead of schedule–or, at least, before what was previously announced.
My guess is that Walt Disney World is not yet confident in when Beak & Barrel will be able to open, and that’s why we do not yet have a season, much less an official date. That this project will be a race against the clock, and will basically open when it’s able to open.
There’s no reason to believe Disney is dragging its feet on this project. The Pirates of the Caribbean tavern is a license to print money. This will be the first bar in Magic Kingdom, and will be hugely popular with fans. It will be hugely profitable for the company, so there’s no reason to not have it open ASAP.
With that said, we can still speculate a bit more about when is the most opportune timing for an opening, as Walt Disney World might be inclined to throw more resources at this project if that means having the money-printer online earlier.
From that perspective, the obvious candidate is October 1, 2025. If it ends up being that date, Walt Disney World will claim it’s in honor of the Magic Kingdom’s anniversary. Technically true, but the real reason is that it’s the start of a new fiscal year, and a new bar will help juice revenue numbers for the coming year, making management look better in the process.
If I had to bet right now without knowing anything else, I’d go with October 1, 2025 for the opening date of the Pirates of the Caribbean tavern in Magic Kingdom. It’s the most logical date that checks the most boxes.
If the Beak & Barrel can’t make that opening date, we’re really just looking at any date from October through December. Pick a dart and throw it at the calendar. It would be optimal to get it open before any big holidays: Columbus Day/Fall Break, Jersey Week/Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Week.
Timing-wise, Walt Disney World might want to coordinate the opening with Test Track 3.0 (if that gets delayed), Zootopia: Better Zoogether, or kickoff of Christmas to roll them into some marketing package. That seems like overthinking it. Again, Beak & Barrel is not like a new attraction. This thing is going to be booked solid whenever it does debut, and generate lots of revenue. It’ll open as soon as it possibly can.
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m really looking forward to Beak and Barrel from themed design and atmospheric perspectives. The lounge itself has high floor potential, and should be a popular addition to Magic Kingdom and an excellent love letter to the attraction. It should be like the Magic Kingdom version of Oga’s Cantina, and I’m betting that’s how management was “sold” on the project. (I also have Oga’s Cantina-caliber expectations for the dishes & drinks, which is to say much lower ones.)
Beyond that, I’m also excited for what the Pirates of the Caribbean lounge represents. This is another recent example of treating the theme parks as their own intellectual property, and expanding that ‘universe.’ I’m happy to see the company finally recognize the parks as their own thing of value, rather than just a promotional vehicle for Disney+ or the studios. This bodes well for Figment’s (eventual) prospects.
There are a ton of tremendously talented Imagineers who also have great appreciation for the iconic attractions. Passing the baton to this younger generation and letting them work on projects for which they hold great reverence is very much a good thing. Giving the next generation of Imagineers a chance to hone their skills on Beak & Barrel before moving to bigger projects is a good move. This is much lower hanging fruit than, say, Cars Land next door.
There’s a lot that can be mined from the Archives, with the Pirates of the Caribbean lounge drawing upon volumes of Marc Davis art and a treasure trove of unused or retired ideas for Adventureland and other lands like it. A lot like Trader Sam’s or even nearby Skipper Canteen. Then there’s the Barker Bird, who will basically be this lounge’s version of DJ R-3X at Oga’s Cantina. There are a lot of opportunities for pulling from the past, while also bringing to life new ideas and lore for Pirates of the Caribbean. I’m excited.
Ultimately, the Pirates of the Caribbean lounge has a lot of standalone potential and could also bring new life to neglected areas of Caribbean Plaza. This whole area used to be a purpose-built Pirates of the Caribbean mini-land, but has been diluted and lost to time over the years, with a variety of spaces converted to storage, abandoned fountains, and more. I don’t want to let myself get too carried away, but I could see this leading to a bonafide buccaneeraissance.
Is it really too much to ask for live pirate performers and a steel drum band, retail revival, as well as a full transformation of Tortuga Tavern and the addition of this Pirates of the Caribbean lounge? Okay, perhaps so. But this is a good step in the right direction, especially given everything on the horizon for this side of Magic Kingdom.
This sleepy corner of Adventureland could soon become much busier. Investing in Caribbean Plaza to improve its capacity and utilization would be a savvy forward-thinking, but still relatively low-cost move for the company. It’s also something guests and diehard Walt Disney World fans would love, so also there’s that!
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Your Thoughts
Are you excited to experience the Beak & Barrel? Looking forward to stepping inside the Mess, Captain’s Quarters, or seeing the next-gen Barker Bird? What do you think about Magic Kingdom getting a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed lounge? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
