Pirate's Lair

[labagit]

This is new since we were last at DLR. Can someone tell me a bit about it? Is access to the island still canoes and rafts?

 

[mystic_path]

Yeah you still get to it by raft and its generally the same kinda layout except now its all to do with pirates. The caves now have new added special effect such as burried treasure and skeletons among many other things I want to leave as a surprise to find in those caves. There is also a new area of the island where there is a GIANT mound of gold with pirate chests and pirate flags hanging about. Its a great photo opt. Also the Boot Strapper Pirates who play their instruments, play on the island. But recently I heard of them being over in New Orleans Square. Hopefully someone can correct me or even agree with me on this. On the island there is another area where there is a sunken treasure that you can pull out of the water by spinning this big wheel dolly thing, and beside it is the wooden ball that the natives captured Will Turner and his crew mates in and hung them over a cliff. They had to swing themselves in this ball to escape (2nd Movie). Well they have this giant ball you can take pics in...

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

I actually haven't been to the island since it was Tom Sawyer's, probably back in the mid to late 80's. We've been to Dl but never made it to the island. SHAME on us!

I look forward to taking the time next time to look around & let the kids explore...

 

[DangerMouse]

Just a little added info: the canoes do NOT take you to the island. They go around the island, but do not dock there. The only way to get on and off the island is by the rafts.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

Ahoy,

Here's a map of Pirate's Lair, from WillCAD:

Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island
http://www.willcad.org/maps/dlr/misc/2008-03/dlr_pirates_2008-03_front.jpg

HTH

 

[Nina3570]

Ahoy,

Here's a map of Pirate's Lair, from WillCAD:

Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island
http://www.willcad.org/maps/dlr/misc/2008-03/dlr_pirates_2008-03_front.jpg

HTH

Wow, this is an excellent website and the Pirate's Lair map is also fantastic, thank you!! I'm sure my 5 year old DS will love the place! We were there a couple of years ago but I don't think it was changed yet, I don't remember all these things at all!

 

[Mike_M]

This was done around the same time that Jack Sparrow was added to POTC I believe and is one of my favorite plusses (A change to an attraction) in the park. There is lots of Pirate stuff for kids to run around in/on and really brings the spirit of the island alive.

 

[labagit]

Thanks so much. I think this will be very cool. I honestly don't think I've been on Tom Sawyer Island since I was a kid in the 70's! I don't have a memory of it, but I look forward to seeing the Pirate's Lair. Is it scary for young kids?

 

[Mike_M]

The cave (Formerly Injun Joe's Cave) has a couple scary / surprising parts (No more so than HM IMHO) and is the most elaborate part of the island re-theme, The rest of the island isn't scary at all.

I have a lot of fond memories from childhood on the old Tom Sawyer Island and I think that the re-theme keeps the same feel of adventure the island had before and just makes is more relevant to today's kids (Or the young at heart).

 

[Hound 109]

The cave (Formerly Injun Joe's Cave) has a couple scary / surprising parts (No more so than HM IMHO) and is the most elaborate part of the island re-theme, The rest of the island isn't scary at all.

I have a lot of fond memories from childhood on the old Tom Sawyer Island and I think that the re-theme keeps the same feel of adventure the island had before and just makes is more relevant to today's kids (Or the young at heart).

My thoughts exactly.


But i do wish they'd do something interesting with the old fort.

 

[robynv]

Is there a surprise hidden like in WDW? you know, find a paint brush get a all day fastpass? is there an equilvalent here?

 

[Gisele]

Not that I am aware of, unfortunately.

 

[nunzia]

The cave (Formerly Injun Joe's Cave) has a couple scary / surprising parts (No more so than HM IMHO) and is the most elaborate part of the island re-theme, The rest of the island isn't scary at all.

I have a lot of fond memories from childhood on the old Tom Sawyer Island and I think that the re-theme keeps the same feel of adventure the island had before and just makes is more relevant to today's kids (Or the young at heart).

PS..watch your head!

 

[bumbershoot]

PS..watch your head!

And if you're claustrophobic, be careful going into the caves/tunnels. It gets a bit close in there.

 

[Nina3570]

And if you're claustrophobic, be careful going into the caves/tunnels. It gets a bit close in there.

Ohhh, that's good to know. I'm a little bit claustrophobic so I will let DH and DS go by themselves maybe on the caves and tunnels!!

 

[Gisele]

Bumbershoot,


Are the caves/tunnels claustrophobic, like I imagine Nemo to be? I don't believe that I will ever ride Nemo, because I do have claustrophobic tendencies, unfortunately. I have not always felt this way, but for the last several years, I have and counting.

TIA .....

 

[bumbershoot]

Well...the space is small in both of them. But with Nemo you're a little more "stuck". YES you could get out but you'd have to really make a scene, and the CMs wouldn't be happy with you and you might have Security waiting for you.

With the tunnels on PL, you can just turn around and get back out.

I'll admit I've only been in them once, and I avoided the one that really scared me (on a previous trip my skinny little son went scampering into an area that had a stairway and I had to send my skinny brother in after him b/c I didn't know where it led and I was scared to death I'd get stuck, and I was smaller then than I am now so I have NO interest in going in that one), and my memory isn't totally clear....but I feel like I remember that the entrances were worse than actually being in them. But you don't necessarily know where you're heading, you don't know if you've seen it all, etc.

I think if you're extremely claustrophobic already you'd best skip 'em. If you only have tendencies (as I do) you maybe should try them out on a brave day, just to get your own impressions.

As for Nemo...now that my son doesn't really like it anymore (too loud), I'm not sure I need to go on it again. I used to love the subs as a kid, but I'm finding that I have to sit close to the window and look up to see the waterline (bottom of the surface of the water?) more and more each time, and that's not a fun way to ride it. I mean, it's good to know the actual sub isn't totally submersed, and I've heard that for most of it you're, in some way, not really in the water at all (source: micechat) (explanation? I don't know, since I can see the water above the window whenever I check), but when you're missing things b/c you're checking to make sure you haven't actually gone to sea...well, it might be time to retire from the ride.

 

[DisneyFairytale]

The Island is neat to go on. There is a good walk to take with some neat props and decor. I think it's more so for the younger kids but very neat nonetheless. I'm not sure if it's still happening, but I know they had a pirate show with Jack Sparrow.

 

[Mike_M]

The Pirate / Jack Sparrow show wasn't going on during our Spring trip. I had heard it was one of the cut backs due to the economy. Hopefully it will at least be brought back for summer months since I thought it was a good show and fun to watch. There was a pirate band that preceded it that was really good as well. They also used to but didn't recently have a Jack Sparrow meet and greet setup by the stack of treasure. The island is great by itself, but with a bunch of pirates roaming around on it, it was really top notch.

As for the claustrophobic nature of some of the areas, yes it can get cramped. There is the main cave I mentioned before where you can at least stand up straight and for the most part is wide enough for people to pass. Then in the middle of the island are a collection of caves and passages that maze around and connect together in some cool ways. Those are the really tight ones and anyone over 5' tall is going to spend a lot of time crouched and squeezing through passages barely large enough for an adult to fit through. I don't have a problem with tight spaces, but having to make my way around in there crouched and chasing a 6 yr old has me running out of energy pretty fast. If you are comfortable with this, the best way is to just let your kid run free through the caves so you can take a rest on one of the benches surrounding it.

 

[Gisele]

Thank you, Molly and Mike. I am 5 feet 8 inch's, and a bit on the chunky side again! (E gads!) So therefore perhaps I should forgo the collection of caves and mazes to which you (Mike) wrote about. I do not like the idea very much, of having to spend much time crouched over, I might get a head rush. Seriously.