Starting today the New Orleans attraction at Disneyland Park will close until summer of 2022. Guests viewing the app can see the “Closed for Refurbishment” with the following statement, “Pirates of the Caribbean will be closed for refurbishment beginning March 14, 2022 and is expected to reopen early summer 2022.”

Disney has stated that the attraction is closed so that they can rework the area around Pirates for better access to and around the attraction. Essentially they are trying to make more room for crowds.

The attraction is notorious for creating crowd blocks because it’s queue sticks out into New Orleans Square where Frontierland and Adventureland connect.

The bottlenecks have created several issues in the past including the attraction line running down towards Haunted Mansion which prevents guests from crossing over from restaurants to the walkways.

Freeing up space here will also help with Fantasmic! crowds which are due back this summer. The show, which has been on hiatus for several years, will return with new and improved equipment, including refurbishments on and around Tom Sawyer Island.

No opening date has been given by Disney at this time.