[sjpurple]

I saw this news bite on allears.net

Tom Sawyer Island will be closed July 25 - September 25, 2004

Thought I would let everyone know.

[mickaholic4077]

I went to Tom Sawyer Island once with my niece and nephew. It was nice,but not something I'd do on my own.

[downsouthtigger]

IN all my years I have never been to TS island, I have read about it though. I was always wondering if it was ever worth going to though?

[asp8tis]

I've never been there, either. My parents skipped it when we were kids, so I've always skipped it, too. Now that I've got 2 boys (5 & 2) I was wondering if they might enjoy it and if it might be worth checking out on this trip. BTW, same goes for Swiss Family Treehouse, my parents always skipped it, so I still do and have never gone on it. Am I missing anything?

[downsouthtigger]

Originally Posted by asp8tis

I've never been there, either. My parents skipped it when we were kids, so I've always skipped it, too. Now that I've got 2 boys (5 & 2) I was wondering if they might enjoy it and if it might be worth checking out on this trip. BTW, same goes for Swiss Family Treehouse, my parents always skipped it, so I still do and have never gone on it. Am I missing anything?

See my folks have always skipped it, so thats where I kinda got it from. I dont think I ever showed any interest so my parents left it alone. Weird cause I loved playing in the HISTK play area in MGM.
As for SFTH it's something that you have to see at least once, all the rooms and everything is cool to see...the first time around. Its not one of the major attractions, but once every couple of years I take my tour of it. Its just a classic, but one to do every other year or trip, depending on what comes first.

[DarthTortoise]

I like both of them a lot. I mean, they're not Haunted Mansion that I MUST do everytime I go to the MK, but you should at least try them once just to see what you think. The treehouse is cool from a nonstalgia point of view, and the island has 2 cool caves, the fort, barrel bridge, etc.

[MissDisney]

We go to Tom Sawyer Island every trip, mostly at that moment when the crowds are thick, the sun is hot and the kids are about to go crazy from being unable to race around... remember that their vantage point in a crowd is basically a view of thousands of adults from the waist down! Frustrating! So we take a boat over to the island, and they race around like crazy... going top speed on those little paths, playing games on the barrel bridge, setting up house in a cave... While we sit comfortably on the dock in rocking chairs, watching the crowds across the water! It is a really great 1:00 p.m. secret getaway, and after 7 trips to WDW, it never fails to work! There is a little restaurant there, Aunt Polly's, maybe? And they have great lemonade and food for kids! At 2:30 or so, after the crowds have thinned a little, the kids have raced around enough, we leave the island and get back to MK!

[phayes93]

Why is it being closed? Refurbishment? I mean, there's not a whole lot there to refurbish, if you know what I mean. I kind of like it, though, because it's a nice respite from all the hubbub going on right across the water in Liberty Square and Frontierland. It seems LS and FL are where the largest masses of visitors accumulate, since they're at the "back" of the park. (Is it just me, but why does it always seem I'm in Frontierland when a parade breaks out???)

[downsouthtigger]

Originally Posted by MissDisney

remember that their vantage point in a crowd is basically a view of thousands of adults from the waist down! Frustrating!

All I can think about from this statement is this: So it must be true, to a person of shorter stature an elevator must smell different! How glad I am to be taller and have grown up, then again B.O. on a crowded monorail is still bad no matter how much taller I've gotten!!! lol

Originally Posted by phayes93

Is it just me, but why does it always seem I'm in Frontierland when a parade breaks out???

Thats easy silly! by the times the parades happen you're too hot from walking all day and end up waiting in line at splash mountain! After all the times and me reminding you, but no you never listen!

[Rob Parsons]

We always liked to go during the busy part of the day and sit on the verandah with a cold drink and watch the world go by.

Does anyone else remember when Aunt Polly's used to serve the one price chicken picnic ? It was one of the better meal deals at WDW.

Also , because we get to go to DL in California too, we can't remember if they ever had the canoes at WDW. Correct me if I'm wrong but they don't have them now do they. They should. They're such fun and a great way to go around TS Island. If I can I'll post a photo of them.

[inluvwithdisney]

We like Tom Sawyers island to let the kids blow off steam while the adults sit in the shade and relax!!!

I agree it is not a Haunted Mansion or Pirates (I love having a reason to use that smilie ) But I feel it is a tradition of Disney!!!!

Swiss Family treehouse was closed last year when we were at WDW so I am looking forward to doing it this year!!!

[asp8tis]

Originally Posted by MissDisney

We go to Tom Sawyer Island every trip, mostly at that moment when the crowds are thick. So we take a boat over to the island, and they race around like crazy... going top speed on those little paths, playing games on the barrel bridge, setting up house in a cave... While we sit comfortably on the dock in rocking chairs, watching the crowds across the water! It is a really great 1:00 p.m. secret getaway, and after 7 trips to WDW, it never fails to work! There is a little restaurant there, Aunt Polly's, maybe? And they have great lemonade and food for kids! At 2:30 or so, after the crowds have thinned a little, the kids have raced around enough, we leave the island and get back to MK!

That's a great idea, I think we will try it this trip. It'll be a new experience for the whole family. It's nice to still have some of those after you've been there so many times! I'll plan to be over that way in the afternoon. Thanks for the tip!

[Rob Parsons]

I promised a picture of the canoes............so here goes.

[MissDisney]

Phayes...
It's not just you who is ALWAYS in Frontierland at parade time! We thought WDW might have us secretly watched, so that a parade could be programmed o start at the moment when we are right next to a mad, crying baby with a madder, screaming dad - way in the back of the park between Splash and BTMRR (probably caught in the whirlpool of congestion, spinning between those two rides and their FP lines!)
The good news is that the last time this happened (last month), the parade that trapped us was the Home On The Range parade, which lasts about 45 seconds! Whew!

[Storm59]

Originally Posted by asp8tis

My parents skipped it when we were kids, so I've always skipped it, too..... BTW, same goes for Swiss Family Treehouse, my parents always skipped it, so I still do and have never gone on it. Am I missing anything?

I don't enjoy what I call the 'walk-through' attractions. I don't mean things like the walks in AK, or something that is CALLED a walk, but things like SWTreehouse, and TSIsland bored me even as a kid. I want something to happen.

Now that I'm all grown up and ended up with bad knees, I get out of climbing the Treehouse, but DH and the kids love it, so they go without me. More power to them, and hey, I take the time to go have a Dole Whip!