Good-bye, Tom Sawyer's Island

[disney-super-mom]

Adding to myself here, just wanted to say this was not to be mean. It would be great if they could redesign it without going totally electronic. But I don't see that happening because all they see is $$$$. Just a quick question for those that said their kids don't like it there because they don't know the theming? What about going to a regular park at home? Will your kids not play because it's not "themed"? Just curious, because I don't see why it matters about who's name is on the island. It's just good old fashioned playtime over there, without anything that's plugged in. It's too bad people can't appreciate that anymore!

My kids love to play over there too. But I think you misunderstood the plan. The article says they want to make over the island into a "pirate playground". I still believe the island is going to be a place for kids to run around, play, and explore (with a pirate theme instead), and there's a planned interactive pirate museum in the place of Fort Wilderness as well.

Afterall, if they want it to be ready by May 2007, they can't change it too much. So a play area it will stay (if I'm understanding the article correctly).

 

[ransom]

As a member of the first "video-game/computer" generation (born 1968, raised playing Atari games, and oft ignorantly dismissed by media types), I have to protest the lack of faith in today's kids. It's the same thing the older generation was saying about my generation 25 years ago. But what I say to that is: If the kids of today don't know about Tom Sawyer and Mark Twain, whose fault is it? It's not like it's any more 'natural' for them to know about caribbean pirates - whose culture, after all, died out long before Mark Twain came along!

When I was a kid, I also didn't really understand Tom Sawyer Island. (In my school, we didn't read any Mark Twain books until a couple of years after my first visit to Disneyland.) But even though I didn't understand all the nuances, I still had a ton of fun in the fort, walking over the barrel bridge, etc.

What I'm saying is, there's no inherent reason that today's kids couldn't have fun with Tom Sawyer Island.

But, with that said, I'm not opposed to redoing the area. It's what Walt wanted, after all - always changing and plussing. The only thing I object to is the idea that the current generation is inherently incapable of appreciating Mark Twain, his works, and Tom Sawyer Island.

 

[JosephTNielsen]

Well, I guess since they've made up their mind I can release the idea I was going to suggest to them when and if I become an Imagineer. I was going to lobby for TSI to be changed into Pride Rock from The Lion King. They could have easily incorporated due to how Pride Rock itself protrudes (sp?) over the river. Simba, Mufasa, Scar, and the other African animals could have easily been added to Fanstasmic!. They could have added a jungle section with Pumba and Timon, and perhaps even added a small kids ride, something similar to the Scrambler that's at almost every county fair. Of course it would be made up to not look like that, but you get the idea. ::sigh:: I'll miss you Tom Sawyer Island.

...Joe...

 

[MateasMom]

My kids know Tom Sawyer, but I think a Pirate overhaul could be neat. It certainly needs soemthing over there. I loved the TS face characters though.

LOVE that they're planning to dump Muppets for Mickey. We loved it at WDW. Other then that....I like DCA the way it is but oh well

 

[Another^Dimension]

because who doesn't like Pirates?!

Jazz musicians...

 

[gnbuggy]

Are all of the street bands gone? That was always so nice to walk around and listen to them. Slowed things down a bit. DSS asked last trip." Why is it NOS?" I told him b/c its cool. Would you prefer Wheatland? Or maybe Stockton? I agree that they need to keep things relevant. Pirates is a nice idea. But at what point is it too much?

 

[JosephTNielsen]

Are all of the street bands gone? That was always so nice to walk around and listen to them. Slowed things down a bit. DSS asked last trip." Why is it NOS?" I told him b/c its cool. Would you prefer Wheatland? Or maybe Stockton? I agree that they need to keep things relevant. Pirates is a nice idea. But at what point is it too much?

Thank you!!!!! Don't get me wrong, I liked the POTC movies, and the subtle changes to the ride. However, there comes a point when it becomes too much. Yes, it did blow the box office away, but you didn't see theme parks start adding Titanic rides to their parks when it broke every box office record known to man. I can understand them changing it a bit for when the third movie comes out, but come on, it's almost as if they're purposly going after all the attractions Walt did himself or started out with. I know this isn't the truth, but it sure seems like it. I understand things get old or "out of date," but that's what the term REFIRBISHING is all about. ::sigh:: I can't tell you all how pissed off I am about this. Anyway, I'm done.

...Joe...

 

[MirandaPen]

Sometimes change is good. My sons would eat a pirate themed island up! I'm pretty excited about it.

 

[JosephTNielsen]

Sometimes change is good. My sons would eat a pirate themed island up! I'm pretty excited about it.

Oh, I'm not saying that changes isn't good. But overkill is. Just like with what they did for the POTC ride, the subtle differences were awesome. However, changing an entire attraction like TSI is a bad idea - IMO. It's almost like changing Sleeping Beauty's Castle into Princess Jasmine's palace. Some iconic places just shouldn't be touched. That's all.

...Joe...

 

[tiggersis]

But if they change the island away from Tom Sawyer, what is going to happen to Mark Twain? Wouldn't it be funny have a steamboat going around a tropical island?

 

[disneycutie84]

I'm going to be really mad if they take away the Mark Twain Riverboat. As far as TSI is concerned, I like it the way it is now, but I won't be heartbroken if they change it. I like the idea of a swamp-like atmosphere and then the riverboat would still fit. Not sure though.
I swear, if this messes up Fantasmic, I will be LIVID. Fantasmic is my favorite show ever and as another poster said, I cannot imagine Mickey on a "pirate" stage or sailing across on a pirate ship. grrrrr.

 

[tinkermell]

Well, I'm sad to see TSI leaving. I really do hope they keep it a "Pirate Playground" to truly play on and not too much video junk. They could still have things to walk over and into just like TSI has now...even more. You have to admit, that when they added Fantasmic, they took alot of the cool stuff away. Either that or they had to be PC. Still not sure which was the reason that happened. Anyways, what I'm really excited about is .....
MICKEY'S PHILHARMONIC 3-D. Went to WDW for the first time last year, and that was the only attraction that I wished we had out here in California!!! Hope it does happen, and it doesn't take forever!

 

[Warlock128]

oh my god, i swear i hope this remolding does NOT interfier with Fantasmic at all in the slightest.

 

[Captjackson]

I'd hate to see TSI go away. It was one of my favorite things to see when I was a kid. Still, change happens. I'm sure many of us, especially those like me, who grew up in SoCal in the 60's and early 70's (and those before us) have memories of rides that no longer exist.

 

[Dukland]

I've been to Disneyland 4 times in my life, and I don't remember ever going to TSI. Dh and I have taken 2 of those trips as grownups, with our family. The first year he took dd over there, and she told me about caves and such. The second year he took ds over there, and he had fun running around. I can't say that I will miss it, and I do think it needs some updating. But I do hope they go more with a swampy-theme, as I agree, that would fit in much more with NOS than a tropical island.

 

[HydroGuy]

I'm going to be really mad if they take away the Mark Twain Riverboat ... I swear, if this messes up Fantasmic, I will be LIVID. Fantasmic is my favorite show ever and as another poster said, I cannot imagine Mickey on a "pirate" stage or sailing across on a pirate ship. grrrrr.

First, there has been absolutely no mention of the Mark Twain Riverboat or Fantasmic going away or being changed. And second, none of this has been officially approved. Yet. But if they want TSI done by the POTC movie release in May 2007, they need to start pronto - so I suspect we will know more pretty soon.

I am sure they are struggling with these ideas now. Frankly, I cannot imagine the Mark Twain ever leaving DL. It is such an icon, it just would not be DL without it. So somehow they will have to merge the Pirates theme of the island with the Frontierland theme of the Mark Twain. But remember, the Columbia - more of a "pirate ship" if you will - has sailed the Rivers of America for a long time and that has never been an issue. Maybe the "Pirate Island" will be more relevant for Columbia now and less relevant for Mark Twain. We'll see.

As for Fantasmic, I love the TSI setting, but as everyone knows it is a traffic nightmare that snarls Frontierland, Adventureland, and New Orleans Square every night all summer long as well as all high season nights, and weekend nights. Further, the theme of Fantasmic has nothing to do with TSI, or the Rivers of America for that matter. So it could work equally well with a "Pirate Island" as with a Tom Sawyer Island, if not better.

If someone were smart, they would build a stadium over at DCA like MGM has and move it over there. I would hate to see it go from DL, and would really miss it, but that might be a better long term idea. Let me be clear that no one at Disney has suggested this - only folks on Internet forums.

 

[disneycutie84]

First, there has been absolutely no mention of the Mark Twain Riverboat or Fantasmic going away or being changed. And second, none of this has been officially approved. Yet. But if they want TSI done by the POTC movie release in May 2007, they need to start pronto - so I suspect we will know more pretty soon.

I am sure they are struggling with these ideas now. Frankly, I cannot imagine the Mark Twain ever leaving DL. It is such an icon, it just would not be DL without it. So somehow they will have to merge the Pirates theme of the island with the Frontierland theme of the Mark Twain. But remember, the Columbia - more of a "pirate ship" if you will - has sailed the Rivers of America for a long time and that has never been an issue. Maybe the "Pirate Island" will be more relevant for Columbia now and less relevant for Mark Twain. We'll see.

As for Fantasmic, I love the TSI setting, but as everyone knows it is a traffic nightmare that snarls Frontierland, Adventureland, and New Orleans Square every night all summer long as well as all high season nights, and weekend nights. Further, the theme of Fantasmic has nothing to do with TSI, or the Rivers of America for that matter. So it could work equally well with a "Pirate Island" as with a Tom Sawyer Island, if not better.

If someone were smart, they would build a stadium over at DCA like MGM has and move it over there. I would hate to see it go from DL, and would really miss it, but that might be a better long term idea. Let me be clear that no one at Disney has suggested this - only folks on Internet forums.

Thanks for the clarification. I know that nothing about Mark Twain Riverboat or fantasmic have been officially stated, I was just thinking about what the possible ramifications of a TSI re-do would be.
I do think your idea of Fantasmic over at DCA is a good one. Well, whatever ends up happening, it seems like they are alot of changes coming to DL and DCA in the future.

 

[Sphynx]

Actually I wonder how reliable this information is, because miceage has not always been correct.

 

[JosephTNielsen]

Actually I wonder how reliable this information is, because miceage has not always been correct.

I don't think it's a matter of them being correct or incorrect. Disney has a way of scrapping ideas at the last minute after they've already started going through the "rumor mill." This one I can see being realistic, sad, but realistic. Disney is crazy about POTC right now so it would make sense, to them that is.

...Joe...

 

[dohgusgus]

I agree with another poster, who thought of making it a 'Neverland' theme, That would totally rock. Peter pan has pirates & it has that frontierland feel as well.

we should let Disney know.