Tom Sawyer's Island- Adult rest stop?

[DisneyWishes14]

I recommend the Dumbo indoor playground area as an area to simply sit and let your children play. You can go in there without going on Dumbo (just go through the standby line and tell them you are just playing). My DH and I used to take DS in there and sit with some cold drinks while watching him play. They have benches all around the edge of the play area and there is really no way they can exit the area without you seeing them. The splash area outside is a good place as well if you don't mind the kids getting soaked.

 

[DisneyOma]

I saw an alligator in the water where Tom Sawyer's Island is. I went and told someone at one of the carts and they said they would take care of it. We went by it again a while later and they had closed the island for the day.

I am not a clinger but there is no way I would let my granddaughter go to the island.

Even with an adult, you wouldn't let your granddaughter go?

It is a big area with lots of nooks and crannies to hide in. It would be too easy for someone up to no good to pull something. Plus the critters.

Seriously - someone up to no good wouldn't want to be trapped on an island to do his nefarious deeds - so easy to get caught. Also, there are quite a few CMs and cameras all over the place.

You could do that once you get to the Fort, but the rest of the island is just too big. We usually go through the two caves and then spend most of the time at the Fort anyway.

Two caves and the secret tunnel from the fort as well, then on to the barrel bridge and up to the playground on the top of the hill.

 

[Amii]

My granddaughter is only 3 so she would not be going anywhere by herself yet. I personally would not take my granddaughter to Tom Sawyer's Island knowing that there are often alligators in the water. I know that there have been millions of kids who have gone thee without having any problems with alligators and that the chance of something happening is small. It is a risk that personally I would not take.

 

[Sargeant Tibbs]

My granddaughter is only 3 so she would not be going anywhere by herself yet. I personally would not take my granddaughter to Tom Sawyer's Island knowing that there are often alligators in the water. I know that there have been millions of kids who have gone thee without having any problems with alligators and that the chance of something happening is small. It is a risk that personally I would not take.

Have you actually been to the island?

Statistically, there's a greater risk of something bad happening to her in a car, or at school, or while swimming in a pool, or in a hundred other day to day activities.

 

[Amii]

Have you actually been to the island?

Statistically, there's a greater risk of something bad happening to her in a car, or at school, or while swimming in a pool, or in a hundred other day to day activities.

Yes I have. It's a personal choice.

There was enough risk for Disney to close down the island the day I saw the alligator near TSI.

 

[DisneyOma]

My granddaughter is only 3 so she would not be going anywhere by herself yet. I personally would not take my granddaughter to Tom Sawyer's Island knowing that there are often alligators in the water. I know that there have been millions of kids who have gone thee without having any problems with alligators and that the chance of something happening is small. It is a risk that personally I would not take.

WDW is being super-proactive about gator sightings, obviously. If you are worried about gators, don't use the bathrooms at the parks early in the morning (video on YouTube) or go on Splash. Gators have been caught trying to get into the outside water loop of that attraction. And don't go walking around your resort. Don't walk from EPCOT to HS. Definitely do not use the walkways that are around some of the roads on property, as the gators like the ditches. I'm being serious - if you are worried about a gator attack, there are many places on property where you may stumble across one.

 

[Amii]

WDW is being super-proactive about gator sightings, obviously. If you are worried about gators, don't use the bathrooms at the parks early in the morning (video on YouTube) or go on Splash. Gators have been caught trying to get into the outside water loop of that attraction. And don't go walking around your resort. Don't walk from EPCOT to HS. Definitely do not use the walkways that are around some of the roads on property, as the gators like the ditches. I'm being serious - if you are worried about a gator attack, there are many places on property where you may stumble across one.

I know the areas where there is more chance of gators. I have never walked from EPCOT to HS, don't use walkways around roads, don't walk around the resorts much, we hardly ever go to the parks early in the morning, etc. Even if there weren't gators we wouldn't do those things. It is not how we vacation.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

We are probably a 2 on a 1-10 scale. We believe that children develop more confidence and independence if allowed to explore the world on their own a bit.

We started letting our boys roam TSI when they were 5 & 8. They main rule was that they had to stay together. Some background - our boys had been to WDW many times, and they knew TSI like the backs of their hands by then. Also, my boys are very large and very responsible/well behaved. Every parent has to decide these things for themselves, but you know your children better than anyone here, so use your own best judgment.

 

[queenofthehive]

I would let the kids roam in the fort area (note- there is one tunnel in the fort that leads to the outside - so just be aware of where that is..)There are places to sit inside the fort. I would not let them roam the whole island on their own as it is too spread out. Just my humble opinion....

 

[cel_disney]

Last time we were there, DH and I sat in the rocking chairs and our kids played checkers on the same deck area for a while...but there is no way my 6 year old could roam free there... She just can't read and climb well enough... And I am sure that my 10 year old would just climb the barrel bridge over and over!

 

[AZMermaid]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Since we've not been to WDW with kids and TSI is always closed when we go to DL.... I appreciate the insight! It sounds like sticking close by overall but letting them run free in the fort area is going to be where my comfort level is. While I'm not concerned about gators or bad guys... I'd like to avoid those moments of panic when I realize I haven't seen one kid in a while! Thanks for the suggestions about Dumbo... we will check that out for sure!

 

[Mo18moses]

Random question, have anyone ever found Tom Sayers paint brush. my kids want to search but I'm not sure it will be with the time.

 

[North of Mouse]

Random question, have anyone ever found Tom Sayers paint brush. my kids want to search but I'm not sure it will be with the time.

Sorry, but that has been discontinued for quite some time!!!

 

[Mo18moses]

Thanks for the info,I would have been there forever with the kids.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

We chill in the fort area while they run around, but if they go too far away from the fort, we go with them. For us, though, it's because we think the island is super fun and why would we let them have all the fun alone? LOL.

 

[2pinwheels]

We chill in the fort area while they run around, but if they go too far away from the fort, we go with them. For us, though, it's because we think the island is super fun and why would we let them have all the fun alone? LOL.

And it's such a nice break from the line ride. A little running around with you nearby seems like a healthy break.

Mine are old enough, 9 and 6, to stay together and have great fun.

I will stay closer than I did last time, though. I obviously needed to be ready with a bandaid.

 

[Funfire240]

I would let the kids roam in the fort area (note- there is one tunnel in the fort that leads to the outside - so just be aware of where that is..)There are places to sit inside the fort. I would not let them roam the whole island on their own as it is too spread out. Just my humble opinion....

Yes - watch out for this! We finally made it over there our trip last November so the kids were running around and we were inside the fort and I was shocked when DS5 came running up from behind me because he was outside the fort! Other than that we really enjoyed it there. Left my dad to sit and then later we all joined him for a break and watched the craziness just across the river while we were nice and relaxed

 

[DopeyDame]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Since we've not been to WDW with kids and TSI is always closed when we go to DL.... I appreciate the insight! It sounds like sticking close by overall but letting them run free in the fort area is going to be where my comfort level is. While I'm not concerned about gators or bad guys... I'd like to avoid those moments of panic when I realize I haven't seen one kid in a while! Thanks for the suggestions about Dumbo... we will check that out for sure!

Sounds like a good plan! I consider myself a 4 on the helicopter scale (just slightly more free range than average but I don't think I'd be comfortable with my 7 year old roaming the island alone. Within the fort he would be fine, and I don't think that he'd get into any real danger on the rest of the island, but I would be worried that he'd get lost and not find his way back to us easily. And a lost kid - even when they aren't in danger - isn't fun for anyone.

 

[Sargeant Tibbs]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Since we've not been to WDW with kids and TSI is always closed when we go to DL.... I appreciate the insight! It sounds like sticking close by overall but letting them run free in the fort area is going to be where my comfort level is. While I'm not concerned about gators or bad guys... I'd like to avoid those moments of panic when I realize I haven't seen one kid in a while! Thanks for the suggestions about Dumbo... we will check that out for sure!

I'm sure you already plan on this, but I would suggest going through the fort with them first, so everyone understands how it is laid out, especially the escape tunnel. When my nephew was little, we would have to station someone to stand guard along the path of the tunnel because he would purposely try to escape into the rest of the island. Good luck getting them back off the island!