Changes for Tom Sawyer's Island

[ParamoreGal]

My mom was talking to my dad about disney. So I listened in and heard that disney is thinking of tearing down Tom Sawyer's Island! I asked why and they said: " nobody knows who Tom Sawyer is ( not nobody but you get the picture ). I am so shocked! I asked my father if that would result of taking down Tom Sawyer's Island in VMK. He replieded: " most likely yes. " I mean come on who cares if we know who Tom Sawyer is or not. I like going on the boat! I hope they decide other wise to keep it! Please tell me what you think about this situation.

[CelticGaurdian]

Wow! Would they really tear it down just because not many people know who he is? o_O I hope not >_<

[timmyastro]

LOL , no way , which place DLR or WDW , DL i would be weirded out.

[ParamoreGal]

I think DLR but not to sure...


But they are THINKING about it.

[gabyta]

but how is possible that ppl don't know who is tom sawyer?

[ParamoreGal]

Well maybe they do not listen in class....

[Schmoofy]

Oh come on, this is a horrible rumour.

1-They can't tear down something that's in the exact middle of the Liberty Belle's path. It's an island for crying out loud.
2-Don't know about Tom Sawyer? Pssh, who's Brer Rabbit then? What's a Iguanadon? Who's Indiana Jones? Same concept..
3-Destroying a play ground for children isn't too smart right now, especially since new areas for children are popping up all over the place. The kids need somewhere to chill out, and this is the perfect place.

[Neoteny]

I hope they don't remove Tom Sawyer's Island; it's one of my favorite places in the park!

Maybe they'll just rename and redesign it, like they did when they turned the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse into the Tarzan attraction.

Disney is losing all its classics!

[ParamoreGal]

True but they are thinking about it witch is why I am mad at this news.

[fun4life]

I've read on European forums that the (real) Tom Sawyer Island will be replaced by a Pirates of the Caribbean island...

[tctc]

There have been some rumors that Tom Sawyer's Island at Disneyland might be re-themed to pirates. This is far from confirmed. As far as VMK is concerned, I think the current Tom Sawyer's Island would remain the same. VMK pays homage to may of Disneyland's old rides like the Skyway, Flying Saucers, etc.

[alice]

From Contactmusic.com, UK, Oct. 11 2006 -

DISNEYLAND ISLAND SAFE FOR TOM SAWYER, SAY IMAGINEERS

Disney Imagineers, who are responsible for designing the attractions at the company's theme parks, have downplayed reports by an unofficial Disneyland website that the company is planning to turn Tom Sawyer's Island, one of the original Disneyland attractions, into a Pirates of the Caribbean Island in time for the release of next year's Pirates sequel. In an interview with the O-meon website ("for the grownup geek in all of us"), one Imagineer remarked that the project could not be completed on such short notice. Others said no one had seen any designs for such an attraction. Moreover, they noted, changing Tom Sawyer's Island would also mean changing the Americana theme surrounding it. Indeed, asked one Imagineer, "What are guests going to think of the Mark Twain [a stern-wheel riverboat] gliding around a tropical island?"

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Editorial from the Los Angeles Times -

Let Tom Sawyer Have His Island

Disney attraction is one of the last bastions for imagination and play, and turns kids on to Mark Twain.
October 7, 2006

FOR 130 YEARS, TOM SAWYER has been among the best-known characters in American literature. For 50 of those years, he's also had his very own island at Disneyland, one of the few attractions there designed by Walt Disney himself. But he can't match the movie-star appeal of a rubber-spined pirate named Jack Sparrow.

Disney officials are reportedly considering a makeover for Tom Sawyer Island, which has been part of Disneyland almost since its opening in 1955. The website Miceage.com, which is devoted to Disney news, quotes insiders as saying the park may spend $28 million to turn the attraction into a pirate-themed island in time for the third installment of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie series. Disney officials neither confirm nor deny the rumors.

For what's it's worth, we hope it isn't so — and not just because we're nostalgic about the hordes of make-believe invaders we repelled at Ft. Wilderness. ***** Change is OK, even if it means our kids will have different memories than we do of the Magic Kingdom. Disney is wise to update some of its attractions to make them more fun and relevant for today's children.

Further, though the rumors have sparked a considerable outcry on the Internet, it's unlikely that the Imagineers would be foolish enough to change the main things that make Tom Sawyer Island a kind of oasis. The island is one of the few places in the park dedicated solely to imagination and play, rather than turning kids into passive spectators or strapped-in coasternauts. Take a quiet raft ride to the island and the energy changes from manic to manageable, from wild to mild.

What they might change is the overall theme, and that's a shame. It is undoubtedly true that most kids who take the Becky Thatcher raft to the island have never heard of its namesake, that Tom's Landing might as well be called Knot's Landing for all the rise it gets out of the youngsters, and that the name Injun Joe conjures no nightmares for those raised on DVDs. But there will always be kids whose curiosity is sparked by all these unknown references. They might even be interested enough to put down the remote and crack open a book.

After all, not every beloved literary trickster wears mascara and drinks rum. One plays hooky and talks other kids into painting white picket fences — and he has stood the test of time far better than this summer's top box-office attraction will.

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And finally, my own opinion. (Can you tell this is near and dear to my heart?)

Tom Sawyer's Island used to be the most wondrous place to just be a kid. But much of what used to be there has been taken out over the past decade or two. The Fantasmic staging area took over one end of the island. Fort Wilderness has closed its gates. No more merry-go-round or teeter-totter up on the rocks; apparently the present generation has to be protected from the remotest possibility of bumps and scrapes.

I'm in love with the memory of this place, rather than what's actually there today. Disneyland definitely needs to do something with it, but if they were smart, they would add improvements that have the same timeless quality as the Mark Twain books which inspired the island in the first place.

[callump01]

omg-omg-omg-omg-omg ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! why tear it down ? the main thing is that its fun! who agrees ?


DO NOT tear it down!!!!!!

[Twisty]

Originally Posted by fun4life

I've read on European forums that the (real) Tom Sawyer Island will be replaced by a Pirates of the Caribbean island...

Well, that is okay. But, I want two islands in VMK, both of those! Well, it isn't okay. I like Tom Sawyer's Island but, i like POTC.

[CutePrincessAndry]

Originally Posted by fun4life

I've read on European forums that the (real) Tom Sawyer Island will be replaced by a Pirates of the Caribbean island...

man POTC is so played out.... its getting really annoying... why on earth would you go and do that? it just like the remodeling of the POTC ride to make it like the movie... I mean the movie is based on the ride, the ride is NOT based on the movie... why do you have to go around and change Walt's visions??? Why money makers? Why?

--Andry