Tom Sawyer Island - Time for a Change

[Steve DeGaetano]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[Steve DeGaetano]

I love the Island the only change I would make is reopening the Fort, but it stores Fantasmic stuff so won't happen.

It didn't used to. How were they able to accomplish this before?

[Bruce Bergman]

It didn't used to. How were they able to accomplish this before?

Before, they had the items stored in the "Backstage" area of TSI, and they use the Fort as a big dressing room fence so it couldn't be seen from the shore what they were doing.

They found the timbers of the fort were rotten and closed it off to the public, and patched it together structurally from the inside. Part of the issue was where they sank the timbers into concrete for foundations, and then tried to seal the rain-water out with more concrete and tar at the bases - which trapped water that only accelerated the rot...

So now they just leave the stuff inside the locked stockade gates. They really need to tear it down and start over with treated timbers (TimberSil or CCA) for the outer walls, and have a seperate (treated) timber frame on the inside to support the building.

--<< Bruce >>--

[Jayce]

So now they just leave the stuff inside the locked stockade gates. They really need to tear it down and start over with treated timbers (TimberSil or CCA) for the outer walls, and have a seperate (treated) timber frame on the inside to support the building.

--<< Bruce >>--

^ This

[BlAcKoUt510]

I love TSI. Though I don't always pay it a visit on my trips, it serves a good and fun purpose.

I do wish they'd rebuild that fort already.

[Steve DeGaetano]

Before, they had the items stored in the "Backstage" area of TSI, and they use the Fort as a big dressing room fence so it couldn't be seen from the shore what they were doing.

That was a rhetorical question there, Bruce.

They really need to tear it down and start over with treated timbers (TimberSil or CCA) for the outer walls, and have a seperate (treated) timber frame on the inside to support the building.

Um...no. The best thing about the fort was that it was authentically constructed, with period details, materials and techniques. A reproduction with Tyvek insulation and a steel subframe (or even treated lumber) simply will not do.

Somehow, the original fort lasted 50 years; I'm sure they could do it again, and this time take better care of the thing.

[Ortizmo2000]

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.

This.

[DLcub]

While DLP is fantastic in many ways, their version of Frontierland is not something that I want to see repeated. The whole point of having an accessible island surrounded by a river (as I've understood it) is to offer a peaceful, secluded area where guests can unwind and take in the scenery of the surrounding lands as well as the island itself. To have a loud roller coaster occupy the area instead (in DLP) is a decision I will never understand.

[CoasterMatt]

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.

Yeah, that Fantasmic! show is terrible, NOBODY likes it.

In case you didn't notice it, a couple of generations have now grown up with Fantasmic, and cherish it just as much as anything you might be holding on to from your childhood. You just sound like you're bitter that the world (and fun and imagination) have passed you by.

[Steve DeGaetano]

Yeah, that Fantasmic! show is terrible, NOBODY likes it.

In case you didn't notice it, a couple of generations have now grown up with Fantasmic, and cherish it just as much as anything you might be holding on to from your childhood. You just sound like you're bitter that the world (and fun and imagination) have passed you by.

Yeah...right.

I'd much rather experience an environment where I could actually use my own imagination than sit motionless, passively watching a show where the story is force-fed to me and I don't need to use my imagination at all.

The difference between past generations and today's...Your screen name says it all.

[techskip]

That was a rhetorical question there, Bruce.

Um...no. The best thing about the fort was that it was authentically constructed, with period details, materials and techniques. A reproduction with Tyvek insulation and a steel subframe (or even treated lumber) simply will not do.

Somehow, the original fort lasted 50 years; I'm sure they could do it again, and this time take better care of the thing.

While I respect you as a friend, I question if modern building codes would allow them to build a fort in that fashion for general public use. This isn't 1955. As Disney has found out MULTIPLE times, when you retrofit or demolish and rebuild you have to comply with modern codes. The Falls at Jungle are a great example of this.

That said I doubt you could even make a period authentic wagon wheel these days without DOSH jumping in.