You are the Imagineer... make the Pirate Theme work...

[Pirate Lover 68]

So I've been in heated debate with other folks about the Pirate Takeover of TSI... and one of the things I tried to do was get folks to find a way to make it work... So I pose this challenge to you.

Imagine that YOU are one of the team of Imagineers in charge of adding Pirates to Tom Sawyer's Island. Obviously, this is an attempt to capitalize on the success of the POTC franchise, but here's another reason we are doing it (for the sake of the exercise anyway).. Kids love pirates.

So this is the challenge, how can we make the pirate takeover work? Open up your mind to the possibilities... Yes currently TSI is part of Frontierland, so doing this breaks that theme... is there a way to change anything to make it work with other themes?

Should the Island become it's own land? What can we do? I'm open to any and all ideas.

Here's the groundrules: We are looking for solutions, not problems. I promise you, for every solution we come up with problems will find us without any help at all. Don't post if your only contribution will be, IT DOESN'T WORK... there is plenty of room for you in other threads...

Rule number 2: Any idea is worth bringing up. Really stretch and think outside the box. Don't be afraid of people jumping on your idea as silly, narrow minded, ridiculous... we aren't looking for feedback on the ideas, just the ideas themselves.

Rule number 3: Try to support your idea with some type of reasoning, just so we can see where the idea is coming from, and where can it go?

And lastly, rule number 4: Please don't knock the ideas of others. We may move onto that phase down the road, but for now, I am looking for your ideas, not how well you can knock someone else's ideas.

This is only an exercise in creativity. I just think it could be fun to work on it for a bit and see what people can come up with...

[CupcakeTerror]

I don't think they could do this because of insurance reasons but it would be SO COOL to have a swing/rope thing from mast to mast. Prove your mettle or be sent overboard! Just one idea.

This is a cool post! Thanks!

[1disneynut2another]

Have guests on the columbia dress up as pirates and have them invade the mark Twain. They can take captives and make CM's walk the plank

[aashee]

Ok. Money is no object.

I'd extend the entrance to pirates and put it on the island. Build the track from pirates to go under the rivers of america. Put an extra drop in coming back to the loading area now at the very tip of the island. Also build a tunnel from critter country under ROA again so rafts aren't working overtime. Keep the exit where it is at, add a new area in the stretch from the entrance to TSI.

Way too far fetched, but just an idea.

Good idea for a thread Piratelover.

Chad

[Chapter13]

Maybe this could be solved by renaming the island "Tom Sawyer's Imagination Isle"...eh? Here, the story isn't about the "real" Tom, it's about going into his mind and seeing the world through his eyes. The guests aren't like townspeople, they're "made up" in Tom's head. That could explain why we see the unfinished fence and a pirate looting some treasure not too far away....

It's crazy, but then again so was Alice and look how popular she is.

[Goofy Daddy]

Ok. Money is no object.

I'd extend the entrance to pirates and put it on the island. Build the track from pirates to go under the rivers of america. Put an extra drop in coming back to the loading area now at the very tip of the island. Also build a tunnel from critter country under ROA again so rafts aren't working overtime. Keep the exit where it is at, add a new area in the stretch from the entrance to TSI.

Way too far fetched, but just an idea.

Good idea for a thread Piratelover.

Chad

All I can say is... TUNNELS!!! BRILLIANT!!! but you're right...sooooo expensive.

Anyway, as I said in the "Great Battle of Tom Sawyer vs The Pirates" thread (I admit I'm one of those ones trying to defend the fragile theme elements) To really make the island enjoyable as a pirate island AND to not affect the theme and feeling of being in the american frontier (about 100 years after the types of pirates that'll be going to the island) is 1-no more Mark Twain runs. 2-The Columbia can continue her runs but perhaps with a renaming and re-painting. Make her a pirate ship or a royal navy frigate that can interact and "do battle" with the pirates. 3-some kind of tree line or other visual barrier would need to go up on the RoA side near BTMRR and where the columbia/mark twain currently dock and load/off load. 4-convert the old fort into either a stone walled "spanish main" style fortress (with battle dammage maybe?) or a mock up of a street (call it Tortuga!) with a few shops/rest rooms/food service counter available.

Hmm...perhaps I'll have more later or after hearing/seeing a few others ideas.

[Pirate Lover 68]

Since the island is an ISLAND... it can have it's own self contained magic. This is an idea here...no judgements... I love the tunnel idea. I think the Mark Twain can still float AROUND the island, as long as it never DOCKS at the island.

Wouldn't it be cool if a mist or fog surrounded the island's edge, suggesting something mystical is afoot. So when you took the rafts, you started in NOS... or Frontierland... and when you arrived, passing through the fog, you were in the late 1700s, or you were in a place where those pirates were alive again.

[aashee]

Wow! 2 people liked my suggestion. That's 2 more people than I expected.



Chad

[fo'c's'le swab]

Wow! 2 people liked my suggestion. That's 2 more people than I expected.



Chad

I enjoy most of your ideas, but refrain from saying so because you are too damn over confident as it is.

[Goofy Daddy]

Wouldn't it be cool if a mist or fog surrounded the island's edge, suggesting something mystical is afoot. So when you took the rafts, you started in NOS... or Frontierland... and when you arrived, passing through the fog, you were in the late 1700s, or you were in a place where those pirates were alive again.

I like the mist/fog Idea...that could come in handy a few decades from now when they want to change the theme again to say...King Arthur! It could become Avalon!

The Mark Twain doesn't dock on the island now (well except on the back side during Fantasmic). I know I'm a stickler but just having it cruise by would break the Pirate spell for me, but that's just me...if the other "imagineers" here out vote me I will "suffer" in relative silence. I like the fog/mist though because that would be a physical show that says "cross this and you're in their world" much like the waterfalls do in the ride.

[BigThunder]

Okay, I'll take that challenge.



My solution would be to tie the Island more closely to New Orleans Square and to tie NOS more closely to Adventureland, even going so far as to back date the whole area a new Port Royal sort of theme.

Then you create a New Frontierland by extending the land North and rechanneling the Rivers of America just West of Big thunder Trail. This creates a whole new island that could be landscaped to match Big Thunder Mt and would make a nice visual block. I would then move the River Boat and Columbia landing north into this new area and add a new Frontierland DLRR Station in the current Big Thunder Ranch area. The ships on the river would then circle this new 'Frontier Island'.

A new path would then be built along the North shore of the River through an Indian Village and into a New American Seaside Village. This Village would then provide the transition into Pirates Lair - now connected to the mainland to improve traffic flow - and on into Critter Country.

The area of the old Island directly on front of New Orleans Square could then be Piratized to the 'enth degree, wih a nice Spanish Galleon in the new Harbour and providing a smooth thematic transition between NOS and Adventureland.

[aashee]

I enjoy most of your ideas, but refrain from saying so because you are too damn over confident as it is.

Arrrgh! So seyz you matey.

Chad

[Goofy Daddy]

Holy crap BigThunder that is FREAKIN' SWEET!!! I say we storm Burbank with that one!

[Pirate Lover 68]

Okay, I'll take that challenge.



My solution would be to tie the Island more closely to New Orleans Square and to tie NOS more closely to Adventureland, even going so far as to back date the whole area a new Port Royal sort of theme.

Then you create a New Frontierland by extending the land North and rechanneling the Rivers of America just West of Big thunder Trail. This creates a whole new island that could be landscaped to match Big Thunder Mt and would make a nice visual block. I would then move the River Boat and Columbia landing north into this new area and add a new Frontierland DLRR Station in the current Big Thunder Ranch area. The ships on the river would then circle this new 'Frontier Island'.

A new path would then be built along the North shore of the River through an Indian Village and into a New American Seaside Village. This Village would then provide the transition into Pirates Lair - now connected to the mainland to improve traffic flow - and on into Critter Country.

The area of the old Island directly on front of New Orleans Square could then be Piratized to the 'enth degree, wih a nice Spanish Galleon in the new Harbour and providing a smooth thematic transition between NOS and Adventureland.

I think I LOVE you... not in a LOVE kinda way...but for the spirit of your entry into this... I LOVE this idea. Fun. Exciting. Daring. It's great. And exactly the big picture kinda thinking I was hoping for.

To the other folks reading this... don't get intimidated by this spectacular display of photoshop... come up with all you can... any and all ideas will find some love.

[Goofy Daddy]

Anyone have a few spare millions of $$$ just laying around they could loan Big Thunder so we can get this project going? No? Maybe hold a bake sale? I dunno.