PDA

View Full Version : Tom Sawyer Island? What's different?



kimc0486
11-28-2005, 11:51 PM
The first time I ever went on Tom Sawyer Island was summer 2004 even though I had been to Disneyland other times. I was just wondering, did it used to be different? I thought ive read things about a fake fire and things. Did the fort used to be open? Whats inside it? Thanks!

SandraVB79
11-29-2005, 05:15 AM
I have been 4 times to Disneyland, but I have never been on Tom sawyer's island...

NorCalDisney
11-29-2005, 06:43 AM
One thing that's different is that they reopened the bouncing water bridge and the swinging rope bridge! Just went this weekend. Those had been closed for a few years.

garrett240
11-29-2005, 06:55 AM
The fort used to be open (many years ago) In the fort you could climb stairs to the corner towers where they had guns sticking out the "windows". Also, you could walk around the ..oh..I don't know what it's called, but the little sidewalking thingy they have on the wall, so that you could look over the wall of the fort. There was also the "commander's office" that you could look in and see David Crocket talking to the fort's commander. But you could only look in from the outside the office.

There was a burning cabin, but you could not see it from the "public parts" of the Island. You would have to ride the Mark Twain Boat around the island to see it. You can still see the cabin (I think there was clothes line and some clothes haning on it, by the cabin) The cabin is still there, it just isn't burning any longer.

There is now a playhouse that looks like it was made out of an old boat. I don't remember that from when I was a kid, but Oct 2005 was my first time back to the Island in over 15 years.

That's all that I can remember as changes.

Mr.Bear
11-29-2005, 07:58 AM
One of the things I remembered about the fort besides it being one of the few places in DL that you could get Dill Pickels straight out of a barrel, was the secret escape route in the fort that lead to an underground path that lead you outside the fort.

ralfrick
11-29-2005, 08:45 AM
It has been "safetied-up":crying:

The castle shaped rock with the wooden stairs used to use the stairs cut into the rock. There was also a teeter-totter rock, and possible a merry-go-round one, although I'm not positive on that one. Before the fort closed they pulled out the guns because some dumb kid got their finger hurt with one of them.

Cheers.

Terri
11-29-2005, 09:05 AM
One of the things I remembered about the fort besides it being one of the few places in DL that you could get Dill Pickels straight out of a barrel, was the secret escape route in the fort that lead to an underground path that lead you outside the fort.

I LOVED those pickles!!! Everytime we go over to the island I tell my son what it was like going into the fort. Sometimes I just stand near the entrance and dream back to when we could run up and down on the stairs and pretend to protect the fort from all those attacking it.

Fun times...;)

Alex S.
11-29-2005, 11:22 AM
I got to go into the fort for a few minutes a couple months ago. It is now essentially a big staff room for the island custodial and security CMs (as well as for Fantasmic).

The stairs that went up to the top of the walls have all been removed. There is an autographed photo of John Wayne (I think, I may be misremembering) in the security CM office (about the size of a closet and used to be the entire break room for the island).

I also learned that there is an executive ropes course hidden away on the northern part of the island past the fort.

kimc0486
11-29-2005, 11:27 AM
Thanks everyone! Does anyone know why they stopped the burning cabin and closed the fort? How long ago did they stop/close it up?

Niwel
11-29-2005, 11:32 AM
And I'm sure plenty of people can tell you where to find the spy glasses and how to operate the "pipes" ... :)

garrett240
11-29-2005, 11:51 AM
Thanks everyone! Does anyone know why they stopped the burning cabin and closed the fort? How long ago did they stop/close it up?

Something about the natural gas line going to the burning cabin needed repairs, and DL didn't have the $ (or desire) to fix the gas line. I also think there is some PC stuff at play too. It used to say that the Indians attacked and burned the cabin. Now, the Indians are all friendly and don't go burning down cabins.

The fort also needed repairs. I heard it was termite damage. The fort is nearly 40 years old now. It would cost too much to repair it, (it keep it from falling down) so, it was easier just to close it.
I heard thefort has been closed for 7 years or so...maybe?

I miss it. I took my young kids to the Island for the first in Oct 2005, it was the first time back for me in a long time.

outlaw8
11-29-2005, 12:16 PM
When I went the weekend of 11/20, I talked to a "Soldier" on the Island and asked when they will reopen the fort. He said " When they build us a new one...You people should ASK them to rebuild it".."If you don't ASK them, they won't do anything about it". He looked real sad about it and his namebadge said Class Of 1980!! I can't recall his name though..
SOOo ASK Disneyland to Rebuild the FORT!!

pmover11
11-29-2005, 12:36 PM
During New Years' 2000, the fort was still open. In fact, this is the first that I have heard that it closed. That is sad.

h_lehmann
11-29-2005, 12:36 PM
My kids are into their teens now, and are no longer excited by Tom Sawyer's island, so I haven;t been there an a year or two. When they were younger, we would always spend an hour or two on the island so that they could just run around and explore. The fort's only been closed in the last couple of years or so, about the time they added the new playhouse/boat. Until about 5 years or so ago, the fort was always open, the guns in the towers worked, and both bridges were open.

Alex S.
11-29-2005, 03:26 PM
The little girl hurt her finger (very severely) in February 2001. This led to the closign of the turrets. The fort itself was closed in late 2002 prior to a major refurbishment of the island and has never reopened.