Never been to Tom Sawyer Island...

[CommandoDisney]

yes, its true, i have never been to TSI. after 20 years and 8+ trips, i have never been out there. my parents never took when when i was little, because they didnt like the idea of having to wait in line to take a raft to a playground when to get back ull have to wait again. i almost forget about it when im there! ive never been on the big riverboat either. ive done everything else in the MK, though. should i bother? is there anything that you guys have never seemed to do?

 

[bhg469]

yes, its true, i have never been to TSI. after 20 years and 8+ trips, i have never been out there. my parents never took when when i was little, because they didnt like the idea of having to wait in line to take a raft to a playground when to get back ull have to wait again. i almost forget about it when im there! ive never been on the big riverboat either. ive done everything else in the MK, though. should i bother? is there anything that you guys have never seemed to do?

All i can say is that it is really cool and pretty relaxing. Well worth the few minute wait to get there.

 

[Master Yoda]

If you are able to let go of the adult in you and act like a kid TSI is a blast. There is plenty to see and what you do is all up to you. Go into the fort shoot at some imaginary Indians, sneak out through the secret passage, jump up and down on the barrel bridges, scare your buddies in the caves etc.

 

[MagicMan17]

Commando -
There are others like you. I've never done TSI or the Liberty Belle either. I just always seem to pass them up for other things. Going down in November though and I'm planning to correct the error of my ways!

 

[JimboJones123]

I bet there are more of you than you might think. I haven't been for the last 9 trips myself. 1996 was the last time. Time to start up the rumor mill!!!

 

[Mr. WDB]

It's been quite some time since I've been there (the early 90's was the last time, I think). But's it definitely worth it. It's feels very much like something out of Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. And it's suprisingly beautiful. Anyone who hasn't should check it out. The riverboat is pretty appealing as well, very nostalgic.

 

[col]

ive never been to TSI either. is it just a playground as stated in the first post?

 

[Buried20KLeague]

What I like about the island are the unique views and perspectives you get of the park... Think about it, how many times have you walked through frontierland and looked across to the island... Probably TONS... But how many times have you stood on the island and looked across to frontierland?

You can do the same thing over by the Haunted Mansion, too... Get a great view of it from right across the river... Same with BTMRR.

 

[bgraham34]

I have not been there since 93 I think. I should make a trip this time around.

 

[bassman]

i have only ever been on TSI once.
i got lost looking for the bridge that takes you over to the fort so i gave up and have never been back on it since then.
is it true that there is a restaurant on it.i have heard this from many people.

 

[MissM]

i have only ever been on TSI once.
i got lost looking for the bridge that takes you over to the fort so i gave up and have never been back on it since then.
is it true that there is a restaurant on it.i have heard this from many people.

No bridge. There's a ferry that takes you over.

And there is but it only does drinks now. From what I gather, back in the day, they offered great sandwiches, but not anymore. It's rarely open as a drink stand. You can see the building when you're near HM - it's the one with the patio across the river. Oh and it's called Aunt Polly's.

Here's a nice photo walkthrough: http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=eo050427bb

-m

 

[WDWCPF98]

I read somewhere (I think this site actually) that there are keys hidden on the island? Does anybody know anything about that?

 

[bhg469]

I read somewhere (I think this site actually) that there are keys hidden on the island? Does anybody know anything about that?

There are paint brushes, if you bring them back to the cm's you get a prize.

 

[jedimaster1227]

In basically living at Disney my entire life and going to MK too many times to count, I still have never gone on Tom Sawyer Island.

 

[Since1976]

The limitations of time often dissuade people from trying out Tom Sawyer Island. For the average vacationer, only one day is devoted to each park, so they are unlikely to go out of their way to try take a boat somewhere where there is no major attraction.

I admit that I haven't been to the Island for this very reason. I've promised myself to go to the Disneyland version next month.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

There are paint brushes, if you bring them back to the cm's you get a prize.

How sure are we about some of this stuff, though? I'm thinking a lot of the things you hear about the island are urban legends. Like for example, the key thing, or this paint brush thing... I've also heard that there's an underground tunnel that goes somewhere from the island to the mainland (presumeably to get people off the island if something were wrong with the water or boats).

:lookaroun

 

[SGT623]

I have not been to TSI since the mid 80's. I do not like having to wait in line to leave an attraction. Same reason I will never go back to Conservation Station at AK (that and I thought it was a waste once I got there). Still, I may go back to TSI one of these days just to see if I still don't like it.

 

[maconMouse]

I visited it for the very first time last month, and was very impressed by it. Those caves and the mine are great to explore. Loved the swinging bridge too. I noticed quite a few people just relaxing on the island too. It's a very quiet and fun place to explore! I agree the views of the other parts of the park are great from here. I took some neat pictures.

I'm looking forward to visiting the one at Disneyland later this summer. I read that it was originally supposed to be named "Mickey Mouse Island" because Walt wanted to use it with the Mousekeeters and Mickey Mouse Club. The name was changed to better match the theming of Frontierland.

 

[George]

No bridge. There's a ferry that takes you over.

And there is but it only does drinks now. From what I gather, back in the day, they offered great sandwiches, but not anymore. It's rarely open as a drink stand. You can see the building when you're near HM - it's the one with the patio across the river. Oh and it's called Aunt Polly's.

Here's a nice photo walkthrough: http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=eo050427bb

-m

If I remember right, they had PB and J sandwiches (there is the possibility they were from our house, since my mom always "magically" had lunches on her person). I went there a lot as a kid (approx 1977-82), but not recently. I remember shooting the air rifles at the fort was hella fun.

 

[eastvillage]

I love Tom Sawyer Island but havent been in ages (over a decade). I'm on a quick trip to WDW this weekend so I am hoping to make it over to TSI during the few short hrs I have in MK.

My friend always talks about the yummy PB&J sandwiches from Aunt Polly's as well but I never got them.

I feel like places such as Tom Sawyer Island and the old River Country transport you to another time and place and are/were (respectively) quite simply fun places to play no matter what your age.