Does Johnny Depp really appear in the MNSSHP parade?

[honeebee86]

When I worked as a CP in the MK, I heard rumors that once in a while Johnny Depp really plays the role of Captain Jack Sparrow on the Boo to You Parade float. I tried doing research and found out this rumor does go around but no one can confirm or deny it. I did find one odd thing that said when he does appear, he wears the hat and that if it is not really him then the hat is not worn. Looking at pictures and video, only once in a great while is he seen wearing his hat.....so it made me wonder if there is any truth to this rumor.....can anyone confirm or deny here?

[Strmchsr]

I can confirm that I've seen Jack Sparrow with and without the hat and neither time was it Johnny Depp. Actually got to spend a lot of time with Jack when my son did the Pirate's League and one of my friends plays Jack on occasions. He's never mentioned Johnny Depp ever doing it. Of course, that's all at WDW. I suppose if Johnny were to do it he'd probably be more likely to be at DLR.

[Joannelet]

I too agree that if he ever was to do it..it wouldn't be in Disney World, Florida. It would be at DLR.
I have been to DLR where the guy who played Capt Jack was chased by a group of Mom's because it literally LOOKED like him.....When I saw him it took my breath away he LOOKED so much like him...it was crazy!!! My heart missed a beat!!!
To this day my hubby and I still think about how much it did look like him (and wonder about it too as he wouldn't let them take pics with him).......he was trying hard to escape the mom's that were chasing him and even told them not to touch him. We later heard that Disney had to let go a lot of the Capt Jack's as in California there were many that looked TOO MUCH like him and it was causing problems.
I think it would be cool if Johnny actually took over for one of the animatronics in Pirates of The Carribbean ride. LOL That would be fun!

[honeebee86]

I agree that this rumor probably is not true....more than likely a really good look-a-like started the rumor that it was really him and it snowballed into that he randomly comes down to play the part for fun.....either way it is fun to imagine that it could be true!

[Scar]

I seem to remember reading about Depp showing up in character, not for a parade, but for a promotional event (not sure which park.) Maybe this is where the rumor started.

[meldan98]

During the 2009 D23 Expo when he made an appearance on stage, there was a report that he did make an appearance at DL that day.

[big blue and hairy]

I too heard the rumor that Johnny Depp played Capt. Jack Sparrow in the party Halloween night. DW and I attended the party Halloween night 2008, and from a man that had LASIK and now has 20/15 vision, I can confirm that Capt Jack Sparrow in the parade was in fact Johnny Depp! The crowd went nuts!

So, for at least 2 years Depp did play Capt Jack in the parade. From what I heard he brought his family for a vacation and Disney picked up the tab.

In 2009 we were there on Halloween night and it wasn't Depp. It was about the time he would have been working on Alice in Wonderland. I don't know if he has done it since, because we haven't gone to the party since then.

To make a long story short, yes the rumor is true.

[Main Street Jim]

Ahhhh....*no*. I have manager friends, *very good* friends still, in Entertainment. Johnny Depp has *never* been a "Cap'n Jack" for any of the parades at WDW. There *are* a few *very good look-alikes, but not Mr. Depp himself. He may have been in the parks on vacation, but did not play the role in the parade(s) - at all.

[Ian]

I seem to remember reading about Depp showing up in character, not for a parade, but for a promotional event (not sure which park.) Maybe this is where the rumor started.

I'm relatively certain that he appeared in costume at DL when they re-opened POTC after his audio-animatronic was installed.

[big blue and hairy]

Ahhhh....*no*. I have manager friends, *very good* friends still, in Entertainment. Johnny Depp has *never* been a "Cap'n Jack" for any of the parades at WDW. There *are* a few *very good look-alikes, but not Mr. Depp himself. He may have been in the parks on vacation, but did not play the role in the parade(s) - at all.

Jim, I believe that your friends told you what they know, but I was there, a few feet away. It was not a look-alike. I know what I saw. It was Johnny Depp. There may have been nothing official, I don't know, but trust me, there was no doubt whatsoever.

[Melanie]

I just can't see how it could be true that Depp was actually in a parade without it being big news, at least within the Disney community. I don't remember any mentions of this in the past.

I do remember what meldan98 is referencing, when he sailed into the Expo on the Black Pearl surprising everyone and announcing that the Pirates films would continue. And I think I remember a bit what Ian is talking about.

[Katzateer]

It would be sooo cool to see him in a parade. The actor that was in the Halloween parade a few years ago looked just like him! He wasamazing and the crowd was going crazy over him!

[Main Street Jim]

Jim, I believe that your friends told you what they know, but I was there, a few feet away. It was not a look-alike. I know what I saw. It was Johnny Depp. There may have been nothing official, I don't know, but trust me, there was no doubt whatsoever.

Friends didn't tell me...I worked the MNSSHP parades for six years-plus. I worked the backstage areas for quite a few of those parades. What you *saw* was a very-good face character - which is needed for things like this (parades, meet 'n greets, etc.). He did go to Disney*LAND* for a PotC red-carpet promo/premiere a while back - can't remember if it was for the first film, or the third (I don't *think* it was the second one).

Johnny Depp has *never* played a face character in a Walt Disney World parade.

Only celebrity that I can think of, before he really became a celebrity, that played any Entertainment characters (namely, a Tigger), at Walt Disney World, was Wayne Brady. He started out in Characters before hitting it big.

[Mousemates]

Johnny Depp has *never* played a face character in a Walt Disney World parade.

thanks for the info....though this is kind of one of those times when reality takes some of the fun out of a pretty cool little urban legend.

[White Rose]

I'm going to pretend the rumor is true...it adds a little bit of magic to it, if you ask me.

[Jordan0301]

I was the Accent and Character trainer as well as one of the original "friends" of Sparrow, both character (sets, MNSS, etc.) and Equity (Pirate Tutorial) for WDW when I lived in Florida.

Trust me when I say Johnny Depp never portrayed his character in a parade, set, or show at WDW. It would have been fun though

[Altair]

Just on a side note, the Jack on the float in the Christmas Parade on TV yesterday wasn't even close. He even had blonde hair. So that wasn't Depp.

[Katzateer]

Just on a side note, the Jack on the float in the Christmas Parade on TV yesterday wasn't even close. He even had blonde hair. So that wasn't Depp.

Yeah, he didn't look anything like Depp. made me smile and think of this post

[SBETigg]

It's certainly a fun thought. I doubt he would ever actually do it. But fun to imagine.

[Patricia]

And there is always Ronnie Rodriguez.