The Disney Attractions Discussion Series: Tom Sawyer Island

[snowbot]

<b>The Disney Attractions Discussion Series
Part One - <a href="http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/vie ... php?t=6648" target="_blank">Space Mountain</a>
Part Two - <a href="http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/vie ... php?t=6699" target="_blank">Peter Pan's Flight</a>
Part Three - <a href="http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/vie ... php?t=6739" target="_blank">Pirates of the Caribbean</a>
Part Four - Tom Sawyer's Island</b>



<b>Statistics</b>
Premiered in Disneyland in 1956, a year after opening. Includes a variety of fun spots, like Injun Joe's Cave, a floating barrel bridge, and a raft taking visitors to and from the island.

[Jack]

I have kind of a funny story about this one: About a year ago, I went to Tom Sawyer's Island for the first time since I was just wee lad. When I got there, it seemed much smaller than I remembered it being, since I'd obviously grown. But me and my friends went crawling through the cave anyway. I stupidly decided to go through this side tunnel that was extremely narrow and I ended up getting stuck! I wiggled out of it, but I bumped my head in the process. Several kids found it quite hysterical.

Anyway, from now on, I'll just stick to the outside of the island. One thing I wish they'd reopen is the fort, but that's been long closed - they probably use it for storage now.

[AwallaceUNC]

I haven't seen Disneyland's, but I love Disney World's. It really feels like Tom Sawyer's island, and the half-painted fence is a really nice touch. The concept of "escaping" from the rest of the park by taking a raft ride across the water to a "secluded" island is a really enchanting one. I also love that Mark Twain is sampled in a Disney park- both of them are staples of the American tradition. The Sawyer and Finn books are wonderful (I need to read them again- it's been so long). I once attended an Elliot Ingle lecture on Mark Twain, he really has a fascinating life story.

One of my favorite things to do in the Magic Kingdom is to visit Aunt Polly's Dockside Inn on the island. There, you can get a light sandwich, snack, or ice cream order and sit by the water with amazing views of Frontierland and the Haunted Mansion in Liberty Square as the Liberty Belle Riverboat makes her rounds by your table. There's a lot of exploration on the island that can be fun for people of all ages, and the cave is cool (too bad the secret passage is closed now, but I suppose it really was dangerous). I only wish that it could be open at night when it's cool, as it's difficult to enjoy it except during the fall and winter in Florida.

There are a lot of rumors as of late that Tom Sawyer Island, at least at WDW, won't be open for many more years. It would be a real tragedy if it were to close, but I'm afraid that it does seem likely. Any of these "playground" type attractions pose a bit of a liability to Disney and operating costs may not warrant what they get out of it anymore. It's bad enough that Aunt Polly's underwent a reduced selection on their menu (it's snacks and dessert only now). There's also worry among the Imagineers, it's rumored, that there's a disconnect between the attraction and park visitors, in terms of relevancy. I've long proposed slightly re-theming the park to Tom & Huck- only mildly- to make the island more current. Of course I'm fine with it the way it is, but if including this more recent film adaptation (one that I really enjoyed- too bad it's p&s) would save the island altogether without losing its feel, then that would be fine with me.

Fantasmic is on Tom Sawyer's island at DL, right? How does that effect the island? I know it has to make Fantasmic a lot cooler! Pictures I've seen with Maleficent over the cabin look incredible.

I believe that WDW's island is scheduled for rehab in the near future (or perhaps it just emerged from it). I didn't get to visit it on my most recent WDW trip.

-Aaron

[Bill W]

There are a lot of rumors as of late that Tom Sawyer Island, at least at WDW, won't be open for many more years. It would be a real tragedy if it were to close, but I'm afraid that it does seem likely. Any of these "playground" type attractions pose a bit of a liability to Disney and operating costs may not warrant what they get out of it anymore.

I'm not sure I agree with you on this considering how they put in the Redwood Creek Challange Trail at DCA. If there was a huge liability issue and they are planning on closing Tom Sawyer's Island, I'm sure we wouldn't have seen that built so recently.

As far as Tom Sawyer's Island goes, it's been a while since I've made it across the river. I do remember hearing stories about kids getting molested in the caves.

[AwallaceUNC]

Good point. I don't know much about DCA- how long has it been since they put in this trail, and what is it's nature? It's not that I think it should be shut down (quite the opposite), I'm just relaying rumors I've heard lately, that this liability scare is a new fear lurking at least at Disney World, with Tom Sawyer's Island and The Boneyard. As you say, it doesn't make much sense, but then with Disney, what does these days? It may just be one of many rumors that never materializes into any actual decisions, so let's hope that that's the case!

-Aaron

[Jack]

Yes, Fantasmic does take place on Tom Sawyer's Island at Disneyland - only you watch it from across the river on the other side. The island closes a few hours before the show, so they have time to set everything up. I mentioned the fort they closed down - I'm pretty sure that stores Fantasmic stuff.

As for Crapifornia Adventure's Redwood Creek Challange Trail, it seems more kid-friendly than TS'I. For one, I think here's soft padding all over the ground, so if anyone falls, it wouldn't be too rough. On top of that, there's more personel watching what everyone is doing to keep things safe.

[Wonderlicious]

This discussion reminds me the Disneyland Fun Sing Along Songs video. The Bears in the song where they visit Tom Sawyer's Island are simply freaky.

[The Monkey's Uncle]

ive been to WDW many times, but this last trip was the first time I ever visited Tom sawyers island! I loved it! We had a little snack at "aunt polly's" restaurant. i love the view of the haunted mantion and the river boat from it!

I was actually socked about how narrow some of those caves are. I can easily see how someone could do something so stupid as molest a child there. its very secluded. none of it was closed during my visit in july, and there were alot of people going to and from! (and thankfully I saw no sign of molestation!)

I have a co worker who says she use to work at Disneyland in the 70's, and she said that the stoners hung out at tom sawyers island. dont know how true that is.

[MickeyMousePal]

When I was young I never went to Tom Sawyer's Island I guess I didn't really like that attraction at all.
But I did go last year like two times and I thought this was kind of boring but the fun part was that I saw some trap doors they used for Fantasmic.
Also the wheel generator seems cool to look at. I heard strange stories that kids and adults fell in to the water but when I saw the river it didn’t' seem that deep. I guess they were only rumors that people jump into the water and drown.

I just see Tom Sawyer's Island so pointless now. It could have been fun if I was born when Disneyland first open but now that other rides are better Tom Sawyer's Island is like the last fun thing to do. Disneyland also closes the attraction to early about 5:00 p.m. so I guess it's pointless.

[Escapay]

Whenever we go to WDW, we hardly go to Tom Sawyer Island cause the 'rents don't want to and the lines for the rafts and boats are sometimes too long for our time.

But I distinctly remember going in 1999, and it was raining, so we were having a blast on everything. And we went to the fort, where there were tables of Lincoln Logs so I sat down and started playing with them, making my own cabin out of it. But Kram was rather restless and didn't want to sit down in the fort and make a cabin, so he ran around trying to play with the mounted-to-the-wall rifles that would make those popping noises. So anyways, I'm sitting making this grand cabin, and my dad and Jane come up and see me and they ask why the hell am I playing with Lincoln Logs (I was 14 at the time). And I tell them, no kidding here, I tell them "I want to recapture my childhood" since I didn't have Lincoln Logs.

So they came to get me and Kram, and we left Tom Sawyer Island. But, because of the rain, they were afraid of flooding...so they stopped the rafts for a good hour or so..and we were stuck on the island for a little while longer.

Escapay

[Mr. Toad]

Aaron - much like just about everything at DCA, there is no point to the Redwood Trail, except that the trail ends at either a) a cheap carnival ride b) a really badly done retail outlet.

As for Tom Sawyer Island at DL it has seen much better days. The Fort is gone thanks to politcal correctness(it wasnt wheelchair accessible) so now nobody gets to use it. The last time I was there the barrells and suspension bridge were closed too.

My wife had a funny story too. Her younger brother jumped into the rivers of America and within seconds out of nowhere came three Disney security guys(not the ride attendants with their straw hats but guys ins suits). So where do these guys hide on the Island? I aint never seen anyone in a suit on Tom Sawyers Island in all my trips.

[orestes.]

I have not been to any Disney park so I have avoided these posts for that reason and because reading about rides of yesteryear makes me kinda sad since everything gets modernized a little too much.

That sounds like it would be a lot of fun. I'm trying to visualize this attraction and it seems like a lot of fun in my imagination anyways.

About those security guards... that made me laugh. It reminded me of that MadTV skit about a family at Disneyland/World (not sure which). The mother started to question Disney so a sniper took her down and then out of nowhere Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum came out of nowhere to drag the body away and replace her.

[I am the Doctor]

Tom Sawyer's Island was and is one of those attractions that's fun if you're ten years old but if you're an adult can easily be skipped. Most of the time, I just enjoy watching the kids run around from the Rivers of America on either the Mark Twain or Columbia. I'm kind of sorry to hear that the fort is now closed, however.

[Tiresias]

I don't think the fort is closed at WDW. I haven't visited in awhile, so that could have changed. I usually make an attempt to shoot people on Thunder Mountain with a fake gun from the fort. Lots of fun, I assure you.

The island really is a place to escape because it is so different. However, the wait for a raft can get annoying. Not as annoying as waiting for the train at the Conservation Station in Animal Kingdom though (that long wait ruins the whole experience of the outpost, and if you look behind you, you can see all the compounds and stuff).

I've got lots of interesting history with the island, but I don't know if I really want to share it.

[pinkrenata]

I didn't discover Tom Sawyer Island until my 5th visit to Disney World when I was 16 and I have never been to the Disneyland version. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would and have a lot of really good memories there with my dad, especially the barrel bridge.

[BrandonH]

I know I've been to Tom Sawyer's Island, but I can't remember any specifics. I've never really cared about seeing the island and exploring it; I'd rather go and see one of the other attractions in Adventureland.

[goofystitch]

When I was younger, my parents took me to Disney World every year, but I hadn't been on the island until two years ago. You see, my mom's first experience was a bad one. She was pregnant and got stuck in the caves. loL. Seems this happens to a lot of people. Anyways, I went alone because I had never been. Being a big fan of the stories, I loved the island. It is very cool provides a nice break from the hectic park streets.

[Christian]

I never got stuck in the caves but I was always afraid I might.