[Idea] Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

[DoctorQ9]

I have been marveling at the counterpart to Tom Sawyer's Island at Disneyland Paris. It functions as a beautiful esthetic to the Rivers of America yet houses an E-Ticket attraction.



While the original Tom Sawyer Island was once a very popular spot (a deluxe children's playground). The concept has not aged well. If DLP can establish a great attraction on an island, then why can't the talented Imagineers work their magic and transform Tom Sawyer's Island into a something notable?

[flynnibus]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

uhh.. you just got the pirates overlay not too long ago.

But what you see is when Disney abandons a concept.. no matter what it is.. it will fade. Where's the live entertainment? The pirate show? The canons? The Jack M&G.. etc.

[calsig31]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

lwhy can't the talented Imagineers work their magic and transform Tom Sawyer's Island into a something notable?

Or they can work their magic and remove all the pirate crap and turn it back over to Tom and Huck. They need to bring back the teetertotter rock and the mary-go-round rocks and reopen Ft Wilderness.

[thedustycoyote]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

that is just... beautiful. i have always been fond of tom sawyers but if we were to get a quality & original ride in its place i would not complain. some kinetic energy on the island would probably make the whole area around the river more exciting!

[Chesire]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

I say they should get rid of Pirates, group Tom Sawyer together, add some rides, and then make the other half of the island a train that goes around that part of the island telling the story of Bambi.

Why an E-ticket roller coaster type ride? I don't want to see and hear people screaming while I'm enjoying a stroll around New Orleans.

[Steve DeGaetano]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

As others have mentioned, the only "change" should be reverting the island back to its original Missouri frontier glory, by reproducing the fort complete with rifles in the block houses, the escape tunnel, and a snack bar selling dill pickles and beef jerky. All references to the outlandishly-misplaced pirates should be scrubbed into oblivion. Teeter-totter rock and the merry-go-round rocks should be returned.

Oh, and while we're at it, lets get that silly stage removed, and get that part of the island back to its original state with the working grist mill. This, of course, would require the removal of Fantascrap!, another move which would be in the right direction for this area of the park. Las Vegas shows don't belong in DL.

[ni_teach]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

I know that a lot of people hate the Pirates make over and I understand that, but one must remember that in many ways that Pirates make over saved the Island from the even worse makeover in the 80's which really took all the fun out of the island. At lease the main cave is more interesting and I do like all the pumps and pulleys in the center.

Can more be done with the Island? Yes! I would love to see the fort brought back to it's glory and many other things done.

[jasmineray]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

This, of course, would require the removal of Fantascrap!, another move which would be in the right direction for this area of the park. Las Vegas shows don't belong in DL.

April Fools was a long time ago.

Fantasmic! is not a Las Vegas style show, I don't see how it can be compared to that.

[Mr Wiggins]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

April Fools was a long time ago.

Fantasmic! is not a Las Vegas style show, I don't see how it can be compared to that.

You don't hear a lot of it on forums dominated by fans of today's Disney Corp, but what Steve wrote is exactly what many longtime Disneyland guests who loved the ambiance of the riverfront at night feel about Fancrasstic -- an invasion of Las Vegas bombast in the middle of 19-century Americana. From its hordes of picnic-blanket squatters to its ruination of the romance of Disneyland's west side at night, the only thing good about it is when it's not there.

[Bruce Bergman]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

Tom Sawyer needs to come back to his Island, yes - and don't try to "Lawyer Down" the attractions on the island like the teeter totter rock, there's too much of that going on in this world now. As long as it's accessible, that is more than enough.

Fort Wilderness (or Fort Courage :lol: if you wonder where the Hekawi ) needs to be fully restored. They can hide an Access Elevator at one corner and give all kids access to both the rifle towers and the Escape Tunnel, to avoid the stairs - and a restored fort also turns into a good Backstage area for Fantasmic.

But they would need enough foot traffic to justify buildiing and running a full on Foodservice location out there - might need to be a seasonal-only thing. What's the one thing that they don't have in the Parks yet... Hey! :yea: Tom and Becky's Sandwich Shack doing fresh subs like a few well-known chains I could mention. That would draw people out there just for a meal.

Steve DeG, Fantasmic! can stay - I would agree to get rid of it if you had to look at all the unused show gear all day, but that's the whole reason they very cleverly made it all "Disappear!" when the show's over. The only really "visible" part is the three Bilco Door hatches for the Light Towers, and that's easy to dismiss as just another manhole in the street.

Though it could use a freshening up - Perhaps they can get the Ursula raft revived and back out there with Flotsam and Jetsam all at the same time? That scene ends up rather empty with 'none of the above' out.

You have to admit that the new Garner-Holt "Murphy" Dragon (once they debugged the stage lift system... :shy: ) works *sooooo* much better than her Backhoe based predecessor.

--<< Bruce >>--

[DisneyIPresume]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

I have been marveling at the counterpart to Tom Sawyer's Island at Disneyland Paris. It functions as a beautiful esthetic to the Rivers of America yet houses an E-Ticket attraction.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]23513[/ATTACH]

While the original Tom Sawyer Island was once a very popular spot (a deluxe children's playground). The concept has not aged well. If DLP can establish a great attraction on an island, then why can't the talented Imagineers work their magic and transform Tom Sawyer's Island into a something notable?

This is the most frightening thing I have seen at a Disney park. Pirates Lair is bad enough, but if they ever do anything like that to DL's TSI I seriously doubt I will set foot in the park again.

[explodingboy]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

uhh.. you just got the pirates overlay not too long ago.

A cheap ploy riding the coat tails of a movie franchise. Are you super stoked on that overlay?

As others have mentioned, the only "change" should be reverting the island back to its original Missouri frontier glory, by reproducing the fort complete with rifles in the block houses, the escape tunnel, and a snack bar selling dill pickles and beef jerky. All references to the outlandishly-misplaced pirates should be scrubbed into oblivion. Teeter-totter rock and the merry-go-round rocks should be returned.

Agree! Bring back Pepsi also!

Oh, and while we're at it, lets get that silly stage removed, and get that part of the island back to its original state with the working grist mill. This, of course, would require the removal of Fantascrap!, another move which would be in the right direction for this area of the park. Las Vegas shows don't belong in DL.

I am on the fence with this one, although I do think Fantasmic! has just about run it's course.

This is the most frightening thing I have seen at a Disney park. Pirates Lair is bad enough, but if they ever do anything like that to DL's TSI I seriously doubt I will set foot in the park again.

Obviously it is highly unlikely that something like this would ever happen, but it would be enough to make you never step foot in the park again?

[Steve DeGaetano]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

Obviously it is highly unlikely that something like this would ever happen, but it would be enough to make you never step foot in the park again?

While extreme, I can see DIP's point. There could come a time when what Disneyland once was could become so eviscerated as to not be "Disneyland" anymore. It's on that track in a lot of ways for many of us.

[flynnibus]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

A cheap ploy riding the coat tails of a movie franchise. Are you super stoked on that overlay?

No - but the premise of the OP was that TSI is just sitting there old and outdated and hence needs a reboot. Ignoring that's exactly what Disney tried not too long ago...

[DisneyIPresume]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

While extreme, I can see DIP's point. There could come a time when what Disneyland once was could become so eviscerated as to not be "Disneyland" anymore. It's on that track in a lot of ways for many of us.

This.

I'm not saying it's going to happen tomorrow, but there will come a day, someday, where you will have a Silver Bullet style roller coaster hovering over the ROA and adjacent lands, and something like Montezooma's revenge going down the middle of Main Street.

Im not trying to scare people, but if they accept everything that Disney does at face value this time may come sooner rather than later.

And seriously, yes. I wouldn't step into Disneyland again. Because when this time comes Disneyland will exist in name only.

[Steve DeGaetano]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

April Fools was a long time ago.

Exactly. Which makes me wonder why the nightly joke in Frontierland has continued past April 1st.

---------- Post added 08-31-2012 at 06:28 PM ----------

You don't hear a lot of it on forums dominated by fans of today's Disney Corp, but what Steve wrote is exactly what many longtime Disneyland guests who loved the ambiance of the riverfront at night feel about Fancrasstic -- an invasion of Las Vegas bombast in the middle of 19-century Americana. From its hordes of picnic-blanket squatters to its ruination of the romance of Disneyland's west side at night, the only thing good about it is when it's not there.

In a word, Bingo.

[Bruce Bergman]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

This is the most frightening thing I have seen at a Disney park. Pirates Lair is bad enough, but if they ever do anything like that to DL's TSI I seriously doubt I will set foot in the park again.

The problem with building a ride like that at Disneyland that takes over the space is it would close down the entire island to access except when you are riding the coaster. It's going from a living place to using the Rivers Of America as a Moat.

Bad enough they've already got the northern end of DL's TSI (the "Non-Burning Burning Cabin" and a little maintenance yard) closed off to public access.

--<< Bruce >>--

[explodingboy]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

This.

I'm not saying it's going to happen tomorrow, but there will come a day, someday, where you will have a Silver Bullet style roller coaster hovering over the ROA and adjacent lands, and something like Montezooma's revenge going down the middle of Main Street.

Im not trying to scare people, but if they accept everything that Disney does at face value this time may come sooner rather than later.

And seriously, yes. I wouldn't step into Disneyland again. Because when this time comes Disneyland will exist in name only.

I understand that point now. I was just curious as to what your reasoning was behind it. Thanks!

[calsig31]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

It's not as simple as putting in a ride where the Island currently is (which would be an abomination in itself). It would also have impact on three other rides as well. The Mark Twain, Columbia, and the canoes all travel around the island and rely on the scenery that is positioned upon its shores.

In addition, the Rafts to Tom Sawyer's Island would then disappear completely. They would be too inefficient a method for getting people over to the island to even ride the thing.

Leveling another of Disneyland's peaceful spots to give way to another thrill ride is not something to be taken lightly. As noted above, it will have an extreme impact on the rest of the surrounding area.

[bigwavedave]

Re: Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

I love the Island the only change I would make is reopening the Fort, but it stores Fantasmic stuff so won't happen. Also were we need Kinetic energy is in the river by returning a few Keel boats three would do. WIth a fourth as a spare.

---------- Post added 08-31-2012 at 12:36 PM ----------

I love the look of Paris' Disney, but would not want it repeated here. That is what makes their park diffrent