Tom Sawyer Isle Getting The Axe !? - Page 4

tracilicious · 10-03-2006, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prudence

I don't blame them for following the money. I'll be sad to see TSI go, but I understand why. I'm most disappointed in the underlying condition: people (in general) don't read American classics any more. Parents have griped and complained about musty ol' tomes they consider inappropriate and gosh, we have to always give kids flash and whizz-bang every single time or we'll crush their precious widdle spiwits and we've lost our history. Heck, some kids don't even know how to play in an area like the current TSI. They're so used to interactive displays and touch screens that caves are just dirty and maybe a little smelly. And I can see this is turning into a "kids these days" on my part, so I'm going to go somewhere else and feel old.

Honestly, this sounds really out of touch with actual "kids these days." I think some of you are getting your information from tv or something. Every time we go to TSI we see loads of kids having a blast. Lots of these kids probably play video games, and read books! The horror! Oh wait, I did the same thing when I was a kid. No wonder I turned out so poorly!

Isaac · 10-03-2006, 06:10 PM

What kills me about the proposal is the idea that children are too ignorant to know who is Huck Finn because they won't read a book, yet they'll know Jack Sparrow because they've been to the AMC Theater. I admit reading books is not my favorite hobby but even I know Huck & Becky. What does that say about the education of our children ? Are kids not getting a real education in school ? Are parents responsible for not picking up the slack ?

Aside from that, my other major gripe is that this retheming would make the island part of New Orleans Square, removing it from the Frontierland attraction roster. To me Tom Sawyer Island sorta helped bridge the gap between Frontierland and Critter Country. Giving the island a pirate makeover would make it look like a lost section of Adventureland. Know what I mean ?

Pirate movies may bring in big $$$ today but that doesn't mean portions of Disneyland need retheming. Disneyland has been successful without Jack Sparrow in the past and will be successful without him in the future. Rather than spend money on even more pirate crap I prefer Tom Sawyer Island be restored to it's original glory. Even if kids today don't know who the characters are, I prefer they just let their imaginations wonder rather than plug Orlando Bloom's latest movie.

Disneyland will never be complete as long as there is imagination left in the world but that may be soon if all we allow our kids to dream about is Johnny Depp, Eddie Murphy and 2-disc special edition for only $19.95.

Prudence · 10-03-2006, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tracilicious

Honestly, this sounds really out of touch with actual "kids these days." I think some of you are getting your information from tv or something. Every time we go to TSI we see loads of kids having a blast. Lots of these kids probably play video games, and read books! The horror! Oh wait, I did the same thing when I was a kid. No wonder I turned out so poorly!

I "get my information" from people who work with kids and who aren't permitted to teach Tom Sawyer, in the specific, and who frequently report on a general decrease in freeform play. But it's a given that any of my sources are per se incorrect.

Sub la Goon · 10-03-2006, 06:58 PM

If I try to put myself back into "kid" mode, I can remember loving the stuff you could do and explore on TSI. My brother and I used to get ourselves lost from the parents for hours. Fort Wilderness was great to climb and shoot the guns and do all that crazy stuff.

But I must admit that adding pirates to the equation sounds like even more fun. The poor fort has been a ruin for a while and the latest "improvements" just seem kinda half-hearted. I just hope they keep the suspension and barrel bridges.

Throw in a couple of pirate wenches and I am totally sold!

SacTown Chronic · 10-03-2006, 07:13 PM

I can't get high with N****r Jim on a fvcking pirate island.

Alex · 10-03-2006, 07:23 PM

One of the reasons we frequently look to Tom Sawyer Island for MouseAdventure (though rarely end up using it for various reasons) is that is a large patch of land with a relatively low density of people.

I'd heard about this proposal (though not in the detail Al offers) and I'm not going to get too worked up one way or another until the budget is funded and actual plans are in place so I know for sure what I'm complaining about. But if they really do try to pull it off in less than seven months I wouldn't have high hopes for the quality of product.

innerSpaceman · 10-03-2006, 07:23 PM

On the plus side ... I feel a really good Goodbye TSI meet coming on.

Remember what fun we had when we thought they were going to get rid of the Suspension Bridge??? Well, this will be 10x as fun as that!!!

Another good thing is that, if they wanna go all copy-cat cause they're rushing this thing, Disneyland Paris has an amazingly fun version of TSI that's vaguely pirate-themed.

To me, the worst part is the loss of the dirt roads. From Al's update, it sounds like wheelchair accessibility is going to be catered to ... and that means the decidely un-bucolic paved walkways of Florida's Tom Sawyer Island.

I also bemoan the loss of a Frontierland icon ... but frankly feel that it's been gone for decades anyway. The tip of the island that used to be reeds and a wheelhouse gave way to the Frontierland Stage and then the even-more-massive Fantasmic stage. The south end of the island that fronts almost all of the guest-accessible riverbend has been unfrontierlandish, to my mind, for over 20 years.

I'm all for updating things a little bit for an area that's designed for kids, but I have my misgivings about piratizing this entire area of Disneyland. Still .... they already started wrecking TSI when they eliminated all the potentially boo-boo-causing play areas, and condemned Fort Wilderness. With the devil in the details, I guess I'm willing to see what they come up with ... since the current state of Tom Sawyer Island is a pathetic shadow of its bygone glory.

lashbear · 10-03-2006, 07:26 PM

I'm going to have to have at least one meet at TSL in that case. I love injun joes cave ! We can pack a roll of astro-turf for NA to sit on and have a picnic !!

flippyshark · 10-03-2006, 08:46 PM

Dang, I have had so many different reactions to this today, but I keep having to remind myself that it isn't real news yet. (Until the green light is given, nothing is certain at WDCo.) If they are really looking to complete this idea in seven months, it's going to suck. On the other hand, if they take time to create something as nice as the Paris pirate area, I would be happy to give it a chance. (Will pirate-mania die out after next year? I'm betting yes.)

I do dread the hideous hodge-podge that FrontOrleansCritterPiratePoohLand could well become.

€uroMeinke · 10-03-2006, 08:47 PM

I'd love it if they gave it the DLP treatment - and they have to do something, half the caves are closed, as is the fort, no refreshments anymore, etc. I wonder if they could tunnel under the RoA - maybe even link criter country to the big Thunder trail that way, eliminating that dead end and better populating the island - there's be pleny of room for some DLP style fun that way. Of course, as a kid, part of the fun of TSI was the fact that you had to take a raft to get there.

10-03-2006, 06:10 PM	#32
Isaac the one n only Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Anaheim Posts: 1,236	What kills me about the proposal is the idea that children are too ignorant to know who is Huck Finn because they won't read a book, yet they'll know Jack Sparrow because they've been to the AMC Theater. I admit reading books is not my favorite hobby but even I know Huck & Becky. What does that say about the education of our children ? Are kids not getting a real education in school ? Are parents responsible for not picking up the slack ? Aside from that, my other major gripe is that this retheming would make the island part of New Orleans Square, removing it from the Frontierland attraction roster. To me Tom Sawyer Island sorta helped bridge the gap between Frontierland and Critter Country. Giving the island a pirate makeover would make it look like a lost section of Adventureland. Know what I mean ? Pirate movies may bring in big $$$ today but that doesn't mean portions of Disneyland need retheming. Disneyland has been successful without Jack Sparrow in the past and will be successful without him in the future. Rather than spend money on even more pirate crap I prefer Tom Sawyer Island be restored to it's original glory. Even if kids today don't know who the characters are, I prefer they just let their imaginations wonder rather than plug Orlando Bloom's latest movie. Disneyland will never be complete as long as there is imagination left in the world but that may be soon if all we allow our kids to dream about is Johnny Depp, Eddie Murphy and 2-disc special edition for only $19.95. __________________
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10-03-2006, 06:58 PM	#34
Sub la Goon Ride me! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: The line forms here... Posts: 326	If I try to put myself back into "kid" mode, I can remember loving the stuff you could do and explore on TSI. My brother and I used to get ourselves lost from the parents for hours. Fort Wilderness was great to climb and shoot the guns and do all that crazy stuff. But I must admit that adding pirates to the equation sounds like even more fun. The poor fort has been a ruin for a while and the latest "improvements" just seem kinda half-hearted. I just hope they keep the suspension and barrel bridges. Throw in a couple of pirate wenches and I am totally sold! __________________ You roll the dice, you move your mice.
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10-03-2006, 07:13 PM	#35
SacTown Chronic the myth of the dream Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,217	I can't get high with N****r Jim on a fvcking pirate island.
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10-03-2006, 07:23 PM	#36
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	One of the reasons we frequently look to Tom Sawyer Island for MouseAdventure (though rarely end up using it for various reasons) is that is a large patch of land with a relatively low density of people. I'd heard about this proposal (though not in the detail Al offers) and I'm not going to get too worked up one way or another until the budget is funded and actual plans are in place so I know for sure what I'm complaining about. But if they really do try to pull it off in less than seven months I wouldn't have high hopes for the quality of product.
	Submit to Quotes

10-03-2006, 07:23 PM	#37
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	On the plus side ... I feel a really good Goodbye TSI meet coming on. Remember what fun we had when we thought they were going to get rid of the Suspension Bridge??? Well, this will be 10x as fun as that!!! Another good thing is that, if they wanna go all copy-cat cause they're rushing this thing, Disneyland Paris has an amazingly fun version of TSI that's vaguely pirate-themed. To me, the worst part is the loss of the dirt roads. From Al's update, it sounds like wheelchair accessibility is going to be catered to ... and that means the decidely un-bucolic paved walkways of Florida's Tom Sawyer Island. I also bemoan the loss of a Frontierland icon ... but frankly feel that it's been gone for decades anyway. The tip of the island that used to be reeds and a wheelhouse gave way to the Frontierland Stage and then the even-more-massive Fantasmic stage. The south end of the island that fronts almost all of the guest-accessible riverbend has been unfrontierlandish, to my mind, for over 20 years. I'm all for updating things a little bit for an area that's designed for kids, but I have my misgivings about piratizing this entire area of Disneyland. Still .... they already started wrecking TSI when they eliminated all the potentially boo-boo-causing play areas, and condemned Fort Wilderness. With the devil in the details, I guess I'm willing to see what they come up with ... since the current state of Tom Sawyer Island is a pathetic shadow of its bygone glory.
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10-03-2006, 07:26 PM	#38
lashbear SwishBuckling Bear Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: In Isolation :) Posts: 6,597	I'm going to have to have at least one meet at TSL in that case. I love injun joes cave ! We can pack a roll of astro-turf for NA to sit on and have a picnic !! __________________ *I Heart* my Husband - I can't think of anyone I'd rather be in isolation with.**
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10-03-2006, 08:46 PM	#39
flippyshark Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,852	Dang, I have had so many different reactions to this today, but I keep having to remind myself that it isn't real news yet. (Until the green light is given, nothing is certain at WDCo.) If they are really looking to complete this idea in seven months, it's going to suck. On the other hand, if they take time to create something as nice as the Paris pirate area, I would be happy to give it a chance. (Will pirate-mania die out after next year? I'm betting yes.) I do dread the hideous hodge-podge that FrontOrleansCritterPiratePoohLand could well become.
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10-03-2006, 08:47 PM	#40
€uroMeinke L'Hédoniste Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: A.S.C.O.T. Posts: 8,671	I'd love it if they gave it the DLP treatment - and they have to do something, half the caves are closed, as is the fort, no refreshments anymore, etc. I wonder if they could tunnel under the RoA - maybe even link criter country to the big Thunder trail that way, eliminating that dead end and better populating the island - there's be pleny of room for some DLP style fun that way. Of course, as a kid, part of the fun of TSI was the fact that you had to take a raft to get there. __________________ I would believe only in a God that knows how to Dance. Friedrich Nietzsche
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