My suggestion for fixing the Tom Sawyer problem

[JiminyCricketFan]

I know that many are upset that the original theme of Tom Sawyer is being dropped in favor of pirates. Many have both expressed sadness of losing the reference to the great American novel as well as some American history. Others have pointed out that the Mark Twain does not fit the theme of pirates since it is about a hundred years too late. (Although the Columbia certainly does fit the theme!)

This is my suggestion. Use a different attraction as the inspiration. Disney should not carry over the theme of Pirates of the Caribbean but the Haunted Mansion.

If the island was HAUNTED ISLE, then figures of the past could commingle without any disruption of time. Ghosts of pirates, cowboys, native Americans, and even Tom Sawyer could all coexist. (I know that Tom is a fictional character, but work with me here!) Frankly as a little boy, I would have loved to explore a Haunted Island. One would never know what surprises would be there. I believe that the theme would last past any current enthusiasm for pirates wanes. I believe it is flexible enough to adjust to future fads as movies for Disney come out. Basically any historically based movie would work.

I believe that the haunted theme would still work OK for Fronteirland, as well as all the other lands adjacent to it. I think it is also a theme that both kids and adults could enjoy together. As long as Disney avoided any blood curdling scenes it would be family friendly.

I think it is the theme that works for everybody. Disney gets their pirates. Mark Twain still seems in the right time period. The American West is still present.

What do you think?

[Speedway]

Re: My suggestion for fixing the Tom Sawyer problem

Good idea.
Disneyland would never do.
Not marketable enough.

[Cacopelao!]

Re: My suggestion for fixing the Tom Sawyer problem

Too dark for Disney. Good idea though. I agree that maybe POTC could go to the wayside for some other theme like Never Never Land.

[RobotMirror]

Re: My suggestion for fixing the Tom Sawyer problem

I'd love to see Dinosaur Isle, but that's just me. I'm sad to see this change theme, instead of being updated to be more like Redwood Creek Challenge, but such is progress. We'll always remember the TSI of old, however!

[hollywood1939]

Re: My suggestion for fixing the Tom Sawyer problem

Excellent picture Frogberto. I have read a book (101 Things You Didn't Know About Disneyland) that says they tried to blend HM, PotC, TSI together before, but then it never happened.

[Doofy]

Re: My suggestion for fixing the Tom Sawyer problem

I like the idea of retheming. I would rather see something like the dinoaur isle than POTC. Something fresh. Not a fad.

[dsnyfnatic]

Re: My suggestion for fixing the Tom Sawyer problem

first off let me address everyone who says a pirates theme is a "fad"

if by fad you mean a theme that not only did walt disney himself consider timeless enough to make into an attraction, but at the same time be a theme to an attraction that has been popular for nearly 50 years now

what little boy hasnt grown up wanting to be a pirate at some point?

but as for the idea you have, i really like it. it definitely would make it "timeless", which is the key to any themed attraction. i think the idea of a whole island being haunted may put off some families with small children (at least until they made it over there and saw that it was haunted only in name and really wasnt anything to be afraid of)

unfortunately, i dont see this theme happening because of the massive flop that was the haunted mansion movie.... had that movie been well done (which it easily could have been), i think there would be a huge public interest in both pirates and ghosts at the moment, at which point an idea like this would be implemented in a heart beat, but right now, pirates looks like the way to go, and is timeless enough to pull it off (excluding the theme clashes with frontierland and the like that you mentioned)

just keep in mind that the island could be themed to pirates in general, not necessarily pirates of the caribbean... pirates exist in more places than just the tropics

[demento57]

Re: My suggestion for fixing the Tom Sawyer problem

Would Scooby and Shaggy be solving crimes on "Haunted Isle" :P

[CowofDisney]

Re: My suggestion for fixing the Tom Sawyer problem

Too dark for Disney. Good idea though. I agree that maybe POTC could go to the wayside for some other theme like Never Never Land.

I really like the idea of Neverland, they could even incorperate pirates into that you know?
Captain Hook and all
I also think that a better alternative to a POTC island is just a normal pirate attraction.
NOthing from the movies and no POTC characters, just pirates.
Neverland is actually the besyt idea i have heard about for a retheme

[Walt Jr.]

Re: My suggestion for fixing the Tom Sawyer problem

They just need to leave it!

[Tinkerbell]

Re: My suggestion for fixing the Tom Sawyer problem

Neverland would be a nice idea! Only it wouldn't fit in to either Frontierland (giving it one less badly needed attraction) NOS, or even CC. I suppose it would be a brand new "land" to itself. But I think people could get really creative with a Neverland theme. The guest could feel like a lost boy, which perhaps is easier to relate to than to Tom Sawyer in the current decades. It would be a fresh makeover, while still keeping the original concepts to the area. Maybe bring back Skull Rock?! Tuna sandwiches? Sweeeeet!

[Quacky4Donald]

Re: My suggestion for fixing the Tom Sawyer problem

I know I posted this in another topic, but I really felt that it deserved to be under this topic instead. (Mods, feel free to delete it from the other category if you wish.)

_________________________
IF I were to change TSI into something it would be this...

Change the island into Pride Rock from "The Lion King." Add Simba to the top during Fantasmic!, as well as Mufasa's famouse "Remember..." line on the water screens. Have the gazzeles (sp?), elephants, etc. "dance" underneath the protruding Pride Rock during the show. Includ Scar during the villians section of the show. As for the backside of the island turn it into jungle theme that could include Timon & Pumba. Perhaps a ride covered in different types of bugs? Something like, "Pumba's Bug Pounce," or something like that.

In the end change is good, but too much of a good thing is too much of a good thing. I'm all for Walt's credo about change, but I don't think he'd appreciate the "in your face whether you like it or not" type of change as is happening with Pirates.
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...Joe...