Ahoy, Mateys!
Although Walt Disney World is made for families, I’m a huge advocate for doing Disney with your spouse. Whether it’s a long weekend without your kids, a date night on your family vacation, or in my case- your honeymoon, Disney World can be a romantic and magical place. As parents of two little boys (ages 4 and 5), my husband and I are in the depths of the years where our trips are basically dictated by our tiny humans. They know which rides they want, where the snacks they want are, and one of us has our hands on a stroller at all times. The occasional date night is pure bliss to us and we take it any chance we get.
Lucky for us, Walt Disney World makes it easy for parents to enjoy a night out while on vacation with their family. In February I placed my children in Pixar Playzone at the Contemporary Resort. I raved about it, loved it, and hoped they decided to keep it. Pixar Playzone was in a trial period. Much to my dismay, Disney did not keep it open and the doors to the playzone were closed in March. I should’ve known Disney had something up their sleeves and as soon as one door closed, another opened. Within days, Disney opened Captain Hook’s Pirate Crew at the Beach Club Resort.
Captain Hook’s Pirate Crew is an all new, immersive experience for children ages 4-12. It’s located at Disney’s Beach Club. If you blink, you might miss the location. It’s not easily marked, but the line of parents with children waiting outside, is an easy give away that you are in the right place.
The story goes that Captain Hook is looking for a new band of adventurers who want to learn the ways of the Pirate life, and who will help him follow the clues to find hidden treasure. Every “pirate in training” will also get a chance to climb aboard a pirate ship (or a pontoon boat, however you decide to look at it) and set sail around Crescent Lake in search for treasure. Once the treasure is discovered, the band of pirates retreat back to the clubhouse for a dinner, complete with their personal treasure chest- which holds a pirate cupcake, just for them! Captain Hook also makes a special guest appearance to give each pirate a piece of the treasure, a gold coin.
At drop off, I was given the usual forms to fill out. One was that I agreed to all the terms and policies, another was emergency contact info, and the final was the meal and snack options. There were lots of healthy and kid friendly options to choose from. The mom part of me was pleased, knowing that my kids would actually eat their meal, since it was everything they liked. A Cast Member also asked us where we would be for the night, and handed us a card with the phone number to the club. Just another thing that reassured us, our children are in good hands. Our boys walked right in and didn’t even look back and we were off on our Disney Date Night. Click on the link provided, to read my review of Paddlefish and the first post in my Disney Date Night Series- https://thekingdominsider.com/disney-date-night-series-paddlefish-restaurant-review/
Once we picked them up, they were so excited to show me their gold coins, treasure maps, the crafts they did (they constructed their own pirate ships), and their certificate welcoming them to the Pirate Crew! They made a few comments that Captain Hook scared them at times, but they acted brave and that all pirates are brave. One thing was for sure, they loved the pontoon boat ride around Crescent Lake and truly believed they were looking for treasure. 
The mom truth of it all is, I would absolutely sign my children up again for Captain Hook’s Pirate Crew. Once again, Disney has created an immersive experience for children and manages to make them feel like they are really one of Captain Hook’s crew members. My husband and I left knowing that our kids would not only be in good hands, but that our boys would constantly be engaged in games and activities. There was not a tablet or any other type of screen in sight, what could be better than that? My kids getting to board a “pirate ship,” search for treasure, meet a character and eat their entire dinner- was more than any parent could ask for!
Captain Hook’s Pirate Crew is priced at $55 (plus tax) per child and the adventures have already begun. The experience is offered nightly from 5:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at Disney’s Beach Club Resort. For more information or to book a reservation, guests should call (407) 824-KIDS. If you are using a travel agent to book your vacation, you can also speak to them about booking this experience for your kids.
I strongly recommend Captain Hook’s Pirate Crew, your kids will love it and you will enjoy a kid free night in the happiest place on Earth!
Just curious how old your children were when you took them there. I’m interested in dropping off my 11 year old and 5 year daughter while my wife and I head to Boardwalk for a date night. Wondering if the children’s age effects their enjoyment. Thanks!
Hi Jason- First of all, thank you for taking the time to read my post! My kids are 4 and 5 years old. I know that there were children of ages 9-11 there when my kids were. I can’t speak to what happens when all the kids are together, but I did see some of the older kids being picked up with different types of crafts and things they had done than my little guys. I think they have age appropriate things for older kids, as well as younger ones, during the experience. Let me know if you decide to place your children. I strongly suggest it. I also love Disney date nights so let me know if you have any questions about that!
Thanks so much for all the information. We have signed our boys up to go while we are at Disney next week. One question, do they have photo pass pictures being taken during the event? I would love to see what they do all evening. My boys are very excited about it, and so are mom and dad!
Hi Katie- so happy you signed your boys up for it! They will love it. They do not have any photo pass pictures taken during the event. I wish that was something they did, but I could see where it might become a privacy issue with other kids there. I hope you and your husband have an extra magical time too, I love the few moments I can spend with just my husband there.
Hi! Just came upon your post in a search. Our son is doing the pirate crew next month. I had no idea they go out on a boat. Seems like a huge liability and a bit nerve wracking. I assume they wear life jackets. Do you know more about this part? Thanks!