After fighting the crowd at the BTMRR and Splash Mountain end of Frontierland it was time to head to one of the places Jeff had most been looking forward to on this trip.
Tom Sawyer Island!
A little background......we went to TSI on our last trip, but we squeezed it in between the parade and an early dinner ADR at Liberty Tree. Dan had started to not feel well
and he really only wanted to sit on the rocking chairs and fan himself...heres a picture of how he spent his time on TSI last trip.
Anyway, Jeff and the other boys explored some while I sat with Dan. It was a rushed visit, and we were concerned about Dan, so we didnt get to fully enjoy all the island has to offer. We made sure to set aside plenty of time this trip to explore as much as we wanted without feeling the pinch of an ADR or the worry of a sick child!
So...back to 2009! The dock to board the raft to TSI was pretty much empty and we got on the raft right away. Our raft drivers name was Omar and he was
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! We had to wait for the riverboat to pass before we could shove off, so he had us all wave to the people as they passed. He was so funny...he made jokes about how we should wave and smile because the people on the boat love it and will automatically wave and smile back...he called it INSTANT GRATIFICATION, people!
Omar very obviously
LOVED his job and you could totally tell. As we approached the dock on the other side, he said there would be a little bump...then told us to wait for it, wait for it. He made little sound effects...beeps, whistles, etc...as he docked the raft. It is hard to translate his humor and interaction into words, but we all got a real kick out of him.
We all disembarked on TSI and headed to do some explorin! Jeff led the way as we went through dark, twisty caves and over rope bridges. We found our way to Fort Langhorn and the boys LOVED the rifle roosts. They took the escape tunnel out of the fort and we hid from each other on the winding paths.
TSI is great because it really brings out the little boy in ALL 4 of my boys! Its so amazing to let them explore the caves, play in the fort,climb the windmill, and just be all boy and know that they are safe. The boys have to
USE their imaginations to fully enjoy the attraction, which in this day and age, is fantastic! Not that the other Disney attractions aren't great, of course, but this one is really unique. TSI is totally laid back with no lines or crowds and LOTS of shady cool places to relax and enjoy all that is good about Disney!
We found our way back to the dock and enjoyed some down time while we watched the river boat, felt the nice breeze and planned our next activity.
When we were ready to head back to the mainland we boarded the raft and...woo-hoo!....Omar was our raft driver again! He again entertained us all the way across the river and we LOVED it! He bumped the dock as we parked and told everyone that you should bump like you mean it! What a bright spot he was! We did end up seeing him again later in the day....and his enthusiasm for his job just never let up! My boys talked about Omar all week and still bring him up in conversation. I wish I had taken his picture....drat.
All that explorin had left us hungry so we set off for Pecos Bills to have some lunch. This as a new CS place for us so we were excited to give it a try. First, Pecos Bills is a BIG place! There are several dining rooms and it can be confusing.
Even though it was after 1:00 the place was
very crowded and was unsettling for both Dan and Jeff who dont handle the over-stimulation and sensory overload of a huge crowd very well. The good thing was, they had computerized ordering which was way cool.
You just used the touch screen to place your order and it prompted you to order all the correct components of your meal and gave you all the available choices. NICE! More CS places should have these. Dan, Jeff, and Jonah got bacon cheeseburgers while I got a taco salad and Isaiah got a pulled pork sandwich. The other really nice thing about Pecos Bills is the fixings bar. It was well stocked with a variety of toppings for the burgers as well as my salad. YUM! The food was pretty good here, but it was really loud and crowded.
The tables are very small also so a family of 5 like ours cant all sit at one table. I would eat here again, but only if we did a very early or very late meal to avoid the crowds. It just makes for a better meal when you dont have indigestion from the stress of eating!! LOL!
So to recap....by 1:30, we have had breakfast at 'Ohana with Lilo and Stitch, ridden Haunted Mansion, PPF, IASW, seen PhilharMagic, rode BTMRR and Splash, explored TSI and eaten lunch. NOT BAD!!
Next up.....
I LOVE A PARADE!! 
Glad you're along for the ride! Stop in and say HI anytime! 
to your son! Hope you and your family are enjoying his birthday weekend!the first MK morning!! My next update is our first MK morning.
I just found your TR and am loving it!!! Your family is just so sweet and cute! You really write a great report, I can't wait to read more!
