MK - Tom Sawyer -

[daisyyy]

What is there to "do" on Tom Sawyer Island? I haven't bothered going over there in @ 20 years. I went with my college roommate, and I remember thinking, ok.. what's over here, but then found nothing of interest to us back then. Of course we've skipped it every trip since, and now that I have little kids, maybe there's something that they would enjoy, that we've been missing over the years. Same thing with the Swiss Family treehouse... Is it worth climbing the tree? anything to do? or just look at? We also always skip the Liberty Belle Boat ride. Convince me that these are things that are worth doing. Whats so great that I shouldn't skip it this time?

 

[DVCGeek]

<Duped below>

 

[DVCGeek]

I like the Tree House; you just walk through and look at it but it always seemd cool to me since I was a little kid. my parents took me when I was around 3 (I think) and then when we went to local amusement parks for years after that I kept asking "to see the Big Tree". Then we came around a corner on a trip to WDW and i saw it and shouted "That's the Big Tree!" But, I suppose I was always a strange kid... I still go through it on most trips for the nostalgia.

I found jumping on the barrel bridge on the island amusing when I was young and my mom got a picture of me painting the fence. I also liked running around the fort and hiding with my younger brother when i was in grade school. Don't remember much about doing the Liberty Belle boat ride but i think I have; I used to like the explorer canoes and Mike Fink Keel Boats in that area when those were around.

Maybe DW & I should revisit the Belle & Island just for some variety on one of our upcoming trips... Got 3 booked (3 nights, 6 nights, and another 6 nights) between Oct. and early Feb. so I ought to get a chance. I just can't wait for Disney, I need a mouse fix BADLY!

 

[P.I. Squirrel]

First, the Tree House is just for lookin'. It's a nice diversion, a continuous path up and down with minimal places to actually stop and look at things.


Now, the island really doesn't have anything new, and like the Tree House, nothing to write home about. The fort and caves are unchanged. The snack stand is usually closed. But, saying that, we still visit every trip. We just can't let go of it's simplicity.

 

[Hootch]

just another place for kids to blow off some steam. In the summer it can be a little cooler since there is little concrete to absorb the sun.

There is a good view of the back of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. When my son was younger and was balking at riding it, I took him across so he could see that the ride is not all that fast.

 

[rannxerox]

I remember TS island with very fond memories. Maybe your kids will hate it, I was a kid during more simple times without much TV or electronic games. Same with the tree house. I still love both. These could be the things that really stick in your child's memory more so then a ride.

 

[JulielovesDisney]

It's basically just a place to escape crowds, relax, and let kids run around and blow off some of their energy.

It's really nice over there, but it's nothing super special.

 

[marcyinPA]

My boys LOVE TS Island. They could spend hours in the fort, shooting the guns! They really liked the caves too, but I made DH take them through them. I am too claustrophobic to go in those! LOL

If you have young boys, I think it's worth it to check it out!

 

[daisyyy]

I remember TS island with very fond memories. Maybe your kids will hate it, I was a kid during more simple times without much TV or electronic games. Same with the tree house. I still love both. These could be the things that really stick in your child's memory more so then a ride.

Good answer... maybe your right.. sometimes it's just more about them taking a "break".. and letting them use their imaginations to explore and make the memories... You never know what will be their favorite... maybe this will be it.

 

[btcrane]

We love both TS island and the treehouse because we are huge literature freaks. I grew up on these books, and I've raised my kids on these books, so for us, it's like the pages of the books coming to life for us, and a sharing of our love of the stories, our favorite parts, etc. This is why we return to Disney year after year--family moments.

 

[disneyworldmom]

I've read that if you are the first to find a paintbrush on Tom Sawyers Island you get a prize.

I've always loved the Swiss Family Tree House. I loved the movie and I will admit I am a bit of a tree house freak. Those vacations where you stay in a tree house sound ideal to me. lol

 

[Celena1]

We just got back from Disney! We went to Tom Sawyers island and found the paintbrush!!!! The prize was fast passes to Splash MT or Thunder MT for the whole party!!!! We took Splash MT passes which had a huge line for it and no fast passes left. It was very cool to get fast passes for finding the paint brush!

 

[floridascgirl]

Does anyone have pictures that they could post of Tom Sawyer's or Swiss Family? Thanks!

 

[babybaja2]

the tree house and the island are two of my favs, I feel for people that think they are boring or just don't get them... it's about the magic inside yourself, not the fancy, flashy, fireworks...

it's about still being a kid, the simple things in life, remembering back to when we didn't all have cell phones and mp3 players at age 9.. I grew up in the country and spent whole days in trees and building forts, we didn't have an X-box or a TV with 500 channels, we played outside and had to entertain ourselves...

it's about remembering your own tree house/fort, and how you would have slept out there all summer (or all year) if mom would just let you... that everything doesn't have to be expensive/flashy/fast to be good

I better stop.. I could go on all day about this one..

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

I was surprised that the boys liked the tree house so much. I always liked it, but they were VERY excited about it (2 and 5 yo). We got a few nice photo ops and they just ran around and enjoyed themselves. DH convinced me TS island was not worth going to so we didn't go either time we were there. We go back in Dec and I am going to take DS 3 (my boy to travel with ) to it. I bet he'll have fun.

 

[bratmomma]

I was going to mention the paintbrushes.

I am pretty sure the Riverboat is closed for renovations, so you won't need to give that one a whirl on this trip.

We are undecided about the treehouse and Tom Sawyer Island. I wish I had thought enough in advance. We could've read the books as a family.

,,,,,, maybe next time.....

 

[babybaja2]

it's ok if you don't have time to read the books before you go... take an evening and rent Swiss Family Robinson, or Tom & Huck, (there are a few different movies for Tom/Huck, but I think Tom & Huck (1995) is the latest).. we always start watching disney movies a few weeks before our trips to get us "in the mood"

 

[thegreggersmom]

There's also a 1973 movie version of "Tom Sawyer" with Johnny Whitaker and Jodie Foster as Tom and Becky. I caught it on cable a couple of months ago and it was enchanting.