Years after Disneyland Resort scrapped the original redhead from Pirates of the Caribbean, the character is back.
Well, kind of.
Disney's Long Lost “We Wants the Redhead” Scene
For decades, one of Pirates of the Caribbean’s most famous scenes saw captured women being sold to pirates beneath a banner advertising brides. The centerpiece was a glamorous redheaded woman in a crimson dress, prompting the waiting pirates to repeatedly shout, “We wants the redhead!”
Disney announced plans to rewrite the scene in 2017 amid concerns over its depiction of women as property. Disneyland’s attraction closed on April 23, 2018, for refurbishment, reopening June 8 without the bride auction. Imagineering said changing social attitudes meant there was little justification for keeping it untouched.
The Redhead herself survived, but in a dramatically different role. While the original animatronic was relocated to the Disney Archives, the in-ride character was reimagined as the pistol-wielding pirate Redd. She now helps auction stolen goods and rum taken from the town instead of standing among the women for sale. The pirates’ attention subsequently shifted from the Redhead to the rum.
Tokyo Disneyland is the only park whose version of the original Redhead scene remains.
But now Disney has reintroduced a subtle nod to the OG character.
Disney's New Reference to the Original “Redhead”
Disneyland has now seemingly slipped a subtle tribute to the original Redhead back into Pirates of the Caribbean.
Among the piles of treasure, guests can spot a framed portrait positioned near a chest, showing the character with her hands on her hips in her recognizable red dress and oversized hat.
THE REDHEAD RETURNS! 🙌
I mean… kinda. 😂
But how fantastic is it that the Imagineers threw in this little nod to a classic character for the fans of Pirates of the Caribbean. If we can’t have the Redhead fully back, at least we get this. 🏴☠️ pic.twitter.com/0iaDoYAqCT
— Disney Cicerone (@DisneyCicerone) August 25, 2026
Disney has not officially announced or commented on the addition, making it an easy detail to miss. Still, the portrait acts as a small Easter egg for longtime fans of the attraction, memorializing the original character designed by Disney Legends Marc and Alice Davis.
The tribute is especially notable considering how heavily the original auction scene was reworked. While Redd remains part of Pirates of the Caribbean in her newer pirate role, the framed image preserves the classic version of the character that guests saw inside the attraction for decades.
The change likely arrived ahead of Pirates of the Caribbean’s June 2026 reopening at Disneyland. During that refurbishment, the Pirates Grotto — the treasure-filled scene immediately before the Battle of Tortuga — also received a new transforming skeleton Audio-Animatronic, suggesting Disney made several updates to the area at the same time.
Have you noticed the new reference to the Redhead in Pirates of the Caribbean?
