Tom Sawyer Island going away?!?

My kids love TSI. In fact, other than 7 Dwarfs, it's pretty much the only thing they constantly talk about for MK. They enjoy the rest of the park, but the caves, fort, escape routes, and yes, the guns, still come up in random conversation.

Now the Steamboat I never really got. I don't think I've ever been on it in the 35+ years I've been going to MK. Seems like a massive time suck.
 
I have to agree in I like having TSI in MK. So much of MK is standing in line for a long time to get on a short ride and then rinse, wash, repeat. Having a more relaxed open area for kids to burn energy is very important. Refurb it or even redo parts of it, but please don't get rid of it.
 
I think it would be cool if they put in a QS location on TSI with picnic-type food like they have at Fort Wilderness. People could take their bucket of chicken and find a picnic table under the trees in the shade, the kids could run around or take a snooze in the stroller...

Oh, how I miss Aunt Polly's. It was our go-to... a cold turkey sandwich, some Lay's, and a Coke. And a million seagulls. It was fantastic!
 
TSI is nice and relaxing, but it is honestly nothing spectacular and something that is available in some form lots of other places. A fake fort and some caves. We have enjoyed it in the past (my daughter found a paintbrush one time and we got BTM fastpasses for it). I still think Disney can do better. Would love to see them come up with something really fun for that space.
 


TSI has undergone many changes, and removal of features has been happening all along. As the island gets minimized, its draw of crowds lessens. Removing the full access to the fort, the tunnel escape route, and other changes have reduced what was to now simply what could have been. Without a successful reboot of the IP, the land will be re-purposed for sure at some point. How many kids are kept indoors today, and not able to dream of a riverboat ride down the Mississippi?
Can’t you climb around in the fort and through the escape tunnel anymore?
 
Now that adult beverages are part of the dining plans, perhaps it's time to re-open Aunt Polly's and offer spiked lemonade, spiked iced tea, maybe wine spritzers, and beer. That'd move some crowds out there for lunch, making the island better-utilized. They could institute a stipulation about no alcohol off the island (like how you can't take a beer out of a bar in the real world), keeping most of the booze out of the streets of the MK while still giving people an option to maximize their dining plans.
 


Now that adult beverages are part of the dining plans, perhaps it's time to re-open Aunt Polly's and offer spiked lemonade, spiked iced tea, maybe wine spritzers, and beer. That'd move some crowds out there for lunch, making the island better-utilized. They could institute a stipulation about no alcohol off the island (like how you can't take a beer out of a bar in the real world), keeping most of the booze out of the streets of the MK while still giving people an option to maximize their dining plans.
LOL, Pleasure Island take two!
 
This and the speedway are huge wastes of real estate. They should cut it off at the bridge and fill in the back of the River of America. They can extend Frontierland with a bridge by BTMR. At least two attractions can fit there.
We feel a break on Tom Sawyer's Island while inside the parks is not a waste of space.
 
As I thought about this more, I realized that they could build a new, state-of-the-art ride on TSI. Maybe borrow a page from the success of FoP - it could be a huge theater featuring a modern VR-type attraction, where guests to TSI could put on virtual reality headsets to journey through an unexplored land filled with dark caves, abandoned forts and dangerous bridges.

I do get over to TSI every few trips - and always appreciate looking out across the water towards Liberty Square where the path is packed while I'm having a peaceful stroll under the trees. And at the same time wonder how much longer any of us will get to do that.
I get I'm in the minority but I vote no to more VR.
 
Went to Tom Sawyer Island once. Thought it was cute. I'm from the generation that had to read Huckleberry Finn & Tom Sawyer in school. :)

The main problem with the island is - once you are there - you are stuck there until the next raft comes a' callin. I detest waiting on lines to get off an attraction. ;)

I have taken two nephews to WDW since their birth - they are now 17 & 21 - and we have always skipped Tom Sawyer for other things to do in the MK - or to go back to the pool & swim. A shame really. Would have been the perfect time for them to see it "once."

I think its doubtful they will do anything with it - while spending loads of money on the other announcements made in time for the anniversary.
 
Went to Tom Sawyer Island once. Thought it was cute. I'm from the generation that had to read Huckleberry Finn & Tom Sawyer in school. :)

The main problem with the island is - once you are there - you are stuck there until the next raft comes a' callin. I detest waiting on lines to get off an attraction. ;)

I have taken two nephews to WDW since their birth - they are now 17 & 21 - and we have always skipped Tom Sawyer for other things to do in the MK - or to go back to the pool & swim. A shame really. Would have been the perfect time for them to see it "once."

I think its doubtful they will do anything with it - while spending loads of money on the other announcements made in time for the anniversary.

Not only read the books, but both of the movies were shown fairly regularly in the early days of Disney Channel.
 
We feel a break on Tom Sawyer's Island while inside the parks is not a waste of space.

That’s why I wrote leaving the main island and just cutting the island that is 75% unused. Those that like the island can still use 90% of it. The Mark Twain can still circle the main island for the small amount of people it services.

You don’t think that the second island and the wooded area that only the 1000 people per day on the boat see is under utilized.
 
Before AP's, we skipped it due to time constraints.

We have rediscovered the island with our AP's and absolutely love it!

As others have pointed out, its a great escape from the crowds and a fun way to spend an hour "break".

We used to eat our packed lunches there as a kid, and are going to return to that on the next trip.
 
Can’t you climb around in the fort and through the escape tunnel anymore?

Yes; both are still open. My son dragged me around both last week and I thought I was going to get stuck in the escape tunnel. We never saw any signs of construction so whatever rehabs they were doing are done now. Personally, our family loves it so we'd hate to see it go. DH and I love to sit in the rockers and just relax and people-watch for a while, while my son runs around and plays in the tunnels and fort.
 
I don't see them doing that anytime soon MK really doesn't need any "love" any time soon .. especially with Tomorrowland getting a makeover with Tron, Speedway and Stitch (whatever that will become)

Are they adding a Tron ride like in Shanghai? We loved that ride!
 

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