Most people favor Pat Pinney as Stan which is evident by 71% of the votes going to him. This week we’re looking at the fans. We’re interested to see which age groups read this blog so we ask; How old are you?

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Welcome to this week’s Horizons column. We’ll take a closer look at the ride that is responsible for many of our joys. The Pirates of the Caribbean ride from Disneyland was an inspiration for Monkey Island, but obviously also the foundation for the PotC movies. So what is this ride? Well, there are three different versions of it. The ones in Disneyland California and Tokyo Disneyland are the same, but the one at Magic Kingdom has several changes to the way the ride functions and what the guests experience. The ride in Disneyland Paris stand out as being the only version that hasn’t been changed to include characters and scenes from the movies.

The original version of the ride opened in March 1967 in Disneyland California and it was the last attraction which Walt Disney himself participated in designing. He died three months before it opened.

All the rides are identical in the way they work – The guests board a boat and sail amongst different scenes with puppets and animatronics. The differences are what scenes they see, what characters appear and what they do. The ride is very gentle, so don’t hop on it if you’re looking for a roller coaster. There are a few drops in the Paris version as the boat goes down some waterfalls, but it isn’t anything wild.

I have tried the one at Disneyland Paris myself and found it quite entertaining. Have you tried any of them and what did you think?

If you wish to know more about the ride you should check out this article on Wikipedia which features detailed descriptions of the different versions of the ride, development, adaptations, and more.

If you want visual entertainment then YouTube is your friend. Here are videos of the rides from start to finish. It’s like being there yourself! Almost. Unfortunately, as this ride takes place indoors the videos are somewhat dark, but still watchable. See if you can spot Walt (the dog with the keys). Enjoy

Disneyland Paris
Magic Kingdom
Disneyland California (Before it was changed to accompany the movies.) – Great audio!
Tokyo Disneyland

Oh, Grog Machine! You turn up in the strangest places and you unknowingly help me. Our fates are intertwined and I’ve appreciated your companionship from the moment I laid eyes on you at Stan’s Previously-Owned Vessels. You were wrecked by LeChuck’s ghostly body and I later discovered your broken remains in a storage room underneath the amusement park. Yes, I said it, for I believe, my dear friend, that you hold the key to The Secret and by studying your whereabouts we can learn not only what we have sought for so many years, but also the true way of appreciating a fine piece of machinery.

Greedy corporations wanted dirty money for your appearance, but we gave you a make-over and you look better than ever. Your true value can never be measured in mere currency. Oh, dear Grog Machine. You are a mystery to me.

51% thinks the Voodoo Lady had the best residence when she lived in the swamp on Scabb Island. The voice of Stan is a wildly debated topic as he never sounds exactly as you imagined him. In MI3, and the special editions of MI1 and MI2, he was voiced by Pat Pinney. In MI4 Pat Fraley supplied the voice and in “The Trial and Execution of Guybrush Threepwood“, he was voiced by Gavin Hammon. I couldn’t find a clip of the different voices, so I hope you can remember them

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According to last week’s Polly, 40% would prefer to spend a night at The Goodsoup Plantation Resort Hotel and Casino. Probably enjoying a nice drink while Griswold tells one of his stories. This week we take a vote on the Voodoo Lady’s different places of residence. She has moved around a bit as she started in a small house on Mêlée Island, then moved to a swamp on Scabb Island, then moved to another swamp on Plunder Island,  then back to the house on Mêlée Island, and finally to a cottage in the woods on Flotsam Island. Which of her residences did you like the best?

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Last week we asked you which Monkey Island game is your favorite when judging only by story, plot, humor, and puzzles. All week Monkey Island 2 was in the lead, but at the finish line it was beaten by The Curse of Monkey Island by two votes. CMI took 40% of the votes and Escape from Monkey Island made the bottom of the list with 2%. We have had some serious questions the past weeks, so this time we are going in a lighter direction as we ask which bar in any of he games you would prefer to spend a night at?

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This blog is now officially hip and cool as we have launched our own page on Facebook! Come by and visit us. While you’re there, click the ‘Like‘ button and get news right there on the social network when we update the blog. You can also create and participate in various discussions, make coffee, toast a sandwich, ride the escalator, work out, mow your lawn, reupholster your couch, and much more! So go on, like us, please?

What says butch pirate more than a pink ship? Exactly! That’s also what Guybrush thinks when he acquires The Dainty Lady in Escape from Monkey Island. Aside from the masculine color the vessel also comes equipped with a Lady Figurehead, who enjoys chatting when she is reunited with her pink earrings. It is revealed that on an earlier journey, The Dainty Lady collided with a ship carrying a shipment of voodoo ingredients. Some of these spilled overboard and brought the aforementioned figurehead to life. She is part of Guybrush’s adventures in his fourth outing and I can only assume that we all envy the lucky swashbuckler for owning the most gorgeous ship in the Caribbean.

Last week we asked if you would like another season of ‘Tales of Monkey Island‘ and a whooping 95% said ‘Yes, I want more Monkey Island!‘. Let’s hope Telltale sees this This week we ask you which Monkey Island game is your favorite? That question has been asked a lot, but we’re going to ask you to disregard graphics (whether it’s 2D or 3D), forget voices, and forget music. Only look at story, plot, humor, and puzzles. Which Monkey Island game is your favorite based on those criterias?

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In last week’s Polly we asked our dear readers which chapter of Tales of Monkey Island they liked the best.  Chapter 4: The Trial and Execution of Guybrush Threepwood was a comfortable winner with 39% of the votes followed by Chapter 3: Lair of the Leviathan claiming 29% of the votes. This week we’re going to stay in the same area as we ask if you would be interested in Telltale developing a second season of Tales of Monkey Island?

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