This week, I am taking a field trip to Tom Sawyer’s Island at the Magic Kingdom. It has been quite a while since I ventured over to this attraction, so I figure it’s time for a visit. Tom Sawyer’s Island is an anomaly among Disney attractions because it is so secluded. You can’t even visit the island without a raft ride across the Rivers of America. This is unusual because there are not really any other rides or shows that require this type of journey at WDW. This journey itself is part of the fun; how often do you get to throw away all of your cares and hop on a raft?
After the short trip, there is quite a lot to do on Tom’s island. You can explore caves, look for treasure, run across barrel bridges. You can even visit the fort and scout out oncoming danger. If you are looking for a relaxing spot, there are lots of rocking chairs available for just sitting and taking in the sights. I love this part of Frontierland because it feels like original Disney World to me. You can easily forget where you are and escape from reality for a little while!
Even though the island is a classic, it has seen lots of changes over the years. For example, the burning settler’s cabin doesn’t burn anymore. Also, the paint brushes that used to be hidden on the island are a thing of the past. Every morning the cast used to hide some of Tom’s paintbrushes on the island so that they could be found by guests and turned in for fast passes or some sort of reward. We came very close to finding one of the brushes, but someone else beat us to it. The hunt for the brush was still fun! In addition, Aunt Polly’s used to be open on the island as a quick lunch service, but alas, it has been many years since Aunt Polly has served any lunch. Amazingly, not too much else has actually changed, so it is pretty fantastic to see a WDW attraction that still brings in a crowd without relying on technology or some sort of gadget.
Another draw for Tom Sawyer’s Island is the educational value that can be found there. You can learn about how a mill works as well as Tom and Huck’s story as it was told by the great American author, Mark Twain. This story is also a part of the Liberty Belle’s journey around the Rivers of America. Overall, I love spending time on the island, and you should definitely try to take your family for a visit the next time you are exploring the World! Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!
