The Pirates League Makeover at Disney World
By Julie Elster
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Last reviewed: October 2026
The Pirates League at Magic Kingdom closed for good in 2020. You cannot book a pirate makeover at Disney World anymore. Its old space in Adventureland is now The Beak and Barrel, a pirate tavern that opened in August 2025. Your kids can still be knights at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, and there are still pirates all over Adventureland.
Here I'll tell you what you can do instead, and what the Pirates League was like when we went.
Can Kids Still Get a Pirate Makeover at Disney World?
Not at the parks. The Pirates League closed permanently in 2020, so the pirate and mermaid makeovers in my review below are no longer offered. Want something besides a princess look? Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Magic Kingdom turns kids ages 3 to 12 into knights. The only pirate makeover Disney still sells is on a Disney cruise, on Pirate Night.
What Happened to the Pirates League?
Disney announced in January 2020 that the Pirates League would close that summer. Then the parks shut down for COVID in March 2020. It never reopened. (Disney Tourist Blog, BlogMickey)
Disney has not announced a return. On August 29, 2025, Disney opened The Beak and Barrel there. (WDWMagic, August 2025)
If you find Disney's old Pirates League page, it now just sends you to the list of Magic Kingdom shops. So if a guide tells you to book it, that guide is out of date.
What to Do Instead
None of these is a pirate makeover. But you can still give your kids a pirate day. Here are your options:
- Knight or princess makeover: Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (ages 3 to 12)
- Makeover for grown-ups: the Grand Floridian Spa
- Pirates of the Caribbean (any height)
- A Pirate's Adventure scavenger hunt (FREE with your ticket)
- The Beak and Barrel pirate tavern (reservation needed)
- A real pirate makeover: Pirate Night on a Disney cruise
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (Knights and Princesses)
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is the makeover salon in Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom. Your child has to be 3 to 12. You have to come with them.
The knight option is The Adventure Package. You get a knight shirt, a sword and shield, and hair styled with gel.
- The Adventure Package (knight): $59.99
- The Fairy Tale Package (princess, no gown): $119.99
- The Kingdom Package (princess, with a gown): $229.99
Prices are plus tax, and they change, so check Disney's Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique page before you book.
It is NOT a pirate look. But it is the closest thing at the parks to what the Pirates League did.
For Grown-Ups: The Grand Floridian Spa
One thing the Pirates League had that Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique doesn't: grown-ups could get a makeover too. If you want in on the fun, you can book a Magical Makeover (hair and makeup) at the Grand Floridian Spa. It is for ages 5 and up. I wrote about it on my Character Couture page.
Ride Pirates of the Caribbean
The ride is right next to where the Pirates League used to be. It is an indoor boat ride, about 8.5 minutes long. There is one short drop in the dark near the start, so give your kids a heads up.
There is no height requirement. It is on Lightning Lane Multi Pass. You'll find more in my Magic Kingdom ride list.
A Pirate's Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas
This is a FREE scavenger hunt in Adventureland. It is included with your Magic Kingdom ticket. Pick up a map at The Crow's Nest. Then tap your MagicBand+ or a talisman card at hidden spots around the land.
There are 5 missions. Each one takes about 20 minutes. You can stop and pick back up later in the day. Disney lists it as running 12 PM to 5 PM. (Disney's page)
When you finish, you get a collectible card signed by Jack Sparrow.
The Beak and Barrel
This is the pirate tavern in the old Pirates League space. Kids are welcome. You get 45 minutes inside, with snacks, sea shanty sing-alongs and pirate cast members.
Disney says you need an advance reservation, and they go fast. You also need a Magic Kingdom ticket for that day. It is dark and busy inside. Keep that in mind if your kids are little. (Disney's page)
Dress the Part
Kids under 14 can wear costumes in the parks. Guests 14 and older cannot, except at special events. (Disney's dress code)
You can get fun pirate costumes from amazon for less than the costumes that they have at Disney World (like this girls costume or this one). Then let your little pirate wear it on your Adventureland day.
For more pirate spots around the parks, see my Pirates at Disney World post.
On a Disney Cruise: Pirate Night
This one is on a Disney cruise, NOT at Disney World. But it is the one place Disney still runs The Pirates League.
On select itineraries, Disney Cruise Line holds a Pirate Night. You get a pirate dinner and a deck party. (Disney Cruise Line) On those nights the ship's Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique turns into The Pirates League. Anyone age 3 and up can book a pirate makeover.
You book it online once your activity booking window opens. It is not offered on the Disney Adventure. (Disney Cruise Line FAQ) More on cruising in my Disney cruise basics page.
What the Pirates League Was Like (Before 2020)
Note: This is my original review from before the Pirates League closed. You cannot book any of it now. I've kept it here for reference.
The Pirates League was located in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom, right next to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.
This experience gave kids of all ages the opportunity to not only transform in to a Pirate Captain, but get real Pirate Training from one of Jack Sparrow's very own Pirate Crew.
It was also a great alternative to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique princess makeovers. If you were looking for a makeover that wasn't princess specific, something more budget friendly, something less feminine, or something that you (as the adult) could join in on the fun, The Pirates League was just the thing.
There were pirate packages (like First Mate and Captain Jack Deluxe), Pirate Redd packages and mermaid packages. Any guest age 3 or older could get a makeover. Once you decided which package you wanted, you were taken back in to the Pirates Den to begin the transformation.
My Pirate League Experience and Review
During our experience we decided on the First Mate Package for my 8 year-old son.
You'll start by picking a Pirate name. My son's pirate name was picked with a combination of his birthday month and a roll of the dice. My son Tanner was then transformed in to Pirate Ben Foulstench.
Once his name was chosen he was introduced to one of Captain Jack Sparrow's pirate crew members. And he got to work transforming an 8 year old boy in to a pirate. Complete with pirate beard, black eye, and a scar. The entire time making pirates jokes and telling stories of pirate adventures.
After he finished applying the pirate makeup, he completed the transformation with a bandana, an eye patch, an earring, and a pirate sash. My son was asked to take the pirate oath. And when we were done we all yelled YO HO! And all of the pirates in the room cheered.
Before we left we explored Jack Sparrow's secret den, and were even able to steal some gold coin treasure that was hidden.
I was given instructions and makeup removing wipes for when my son was ready to "shave" his beard (remove the face paint).
We had a morning appointment, and when we walked the park the rest of the day my son was thrilled at all of the comments he got about his new Pirate look.
Overall I thought this was an absolutely wonderful experience. Our pirate crew member was extremely fun and funny. My son very much wanted to get this makeover, but when we were there he became shy and had a hard time with things like the pirate oath. If you have a child who has a hard time being the center of attention or put on the spot you might want to keep that in mind. But I will add that our pirate crew member recognized this, and when my son wasn't interested in participating at certain parts he either moved on or asked me to step in and help (my son didn't want to yell YO HO at the end of the makeover, so I did it instead). I appreciated that the Cast Member recognized his shyness and didn't push him too far out of his comfort zone.
They provided a single makeup wipe, but depending on the package, you might need more than that to remove the makeup. My son used his wipe plus soap and water, and still had some makeup left on his face. Luckily I had packed extra makeup wipes.
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See you at the parks,
-Julie