Tuesday Tips: Tom Sawyer Island
Thought you knew every inch of the Magic Kingdom?
If there was ever an undiscovered treasure in Walt Disney World, it’s Tom Sawyer Island and Ft. Langhorn, located in the Magic Kingdom.
Tom Sawyer Island is a lushly-landscaped outdoor playground in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom theme park where children of all ages can relive the rustic 19th-century adventures depicted in the novels of Mark Twain.
The wooded island is surrounded by the pastoral Rivers of America, and the only way to reach the island is aboard a raft that docks at Tom’s Landing near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Sail across the river to romp through dense forests, forge rugged trails, cross swinging suspension bridges, explore mysterious caves, take shelter in a frontier fort built from unfinished timber and embark on mischievous, playful adventures—just like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.
Discover hidden treasures for those who care to do a little exploring; highlights include the mysterious jewels hidden deep in the dark caves, the creaky waterwheel at Harper’s Mill, the bouncy barrel bridge and Fort Langhorn with its twisting escape tunnel.
How do you get there?
To get to Tom Sawyer island, you’ll take one of four small rafts from Tom’s Landing located across from Big Thunder Rail Road. The rafts are all named for characters in the book: Injun Joe, Huck Finn, Becky Thatcher and Tom Sawyer. Each raft carries about 55 people and contrary to popular belief, they do not run on rails or tracks but are free floating vessels.
Early in the morning, cast members hide several paintbrushes for guests to find. If you find one, let a cast member know and you’ll be rewarded with a small prize, such as a soft drink or a pass to get to the front of the line of an attraction, for your entire group. The island is a great place for kids to stretch their legs and for parents to relax and since it’s Disney, it’s all very safe. Kids will love climbing up and down the stairs at Fort Langhorn and exploring all the rooms. From the lookout towers, they can fire popguns at imaginary targets.
Tom Sawyer Island usually opens at 10:00 a.m. and closes at Dusk. Be sure to check the daily schedule for the exact closing time. If you want to get a snack, Aunt Polly’s Place sells sandwiches and refreshments. It’s open seasonally. Even when it’s closed, Aunt Polly’s makes a great place to sit and relax; consider bringing a sack lunch and eating it there.
Foldable strollers are allow on the Island, but must be folded before boarding the raft. Most people will find strollers hard to use on the island as the paths are not made for them and there are a lot of steps. Still for some it is the only way to get around the large island.
Location:
Magic Kingdom Theme Park Frontierland
Height Requirement:
Any Height
Category:
Fun for Everyone Outdoor
Pictures:
ESPN The Weekend
ESPN The Weekend is a winter special event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park packed with all-star athletes, live ESPN telecasts, broadcast personalities and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in interactive sports experiences with hall of famers.
Come live your sports dream at the ultimate sports fan fest featuring in-depth public discussions with sport luminaries, informative presentations, motorcade parades with many of your favorite stars, the kinetic ESPN Sports Zone Interactive Area and plenty of collectable merchandise.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park admission is required. ESPN The Weekend events are included with admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park. Availability is limited for some events. Events and celebrity appearances are subject to change and may be cancelled at any time.
ESPN personalities John Anderson, Colin Cowherd, Jay Crawford, Mike Golic, Mike Greenberg, Dana Jacobson, Chris McKendry, Karl Ravech, Stuart Scott and Trey Wingo are scheduled to participate, along with more than 30 athletes, including NFL players Chad Ochocinco, Devin Hester, Maurice Jones-Drew, Darrelle Revis and Steven Jackson; 2009 MLB Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson; and U.S. Olympic gold medalists Shawn Johnson and Misty May-Treanor, among many others. The complete list of ESPN personalities and sports celebrities expected to attend the sixth annual event are listed at www.espntheweekend.com (click on Who’s Coming).
The event will take place this year from February 26-28, 2010
Maps
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Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival news
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Disney big expansion plans announced
Filed under: Disney Cruise Line, Disney World Parks, Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World
Disney announced a whole slate of new offerings at its Orlando theme parks on Wednesday, including the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history.
Walt Disney World is about to break ground on a three-year project to expand Fantasyland. Among the new features will be a separate village for each of the Disney princesses. The Dumbo ride will also double in size, and park guests will be treated to a three-ring circus and carnival games while they wait in line.
The theme park is also planning a special promotion during nights this summer. In early June, the Main Street Electrical Parade will return to the Magic Kingdom along with a new fireworks spectacular. There will also be new lighting effects and a new drop sequence at Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Disney Cruise Lines is adding two new ships: The Disney Dream will sail in 2011, and the Disney Fantasy will begin service in 2012.
One of the ships will feature an onboard watercoaster that allows guest to ride on rafts through glass tubes high above the ship. In addition, Disney will soon offer cruises that stop in the northern European capitals, as well as trips to Alaska. Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay, is also getting a makeover.
Disney also announced a new partnership between its Wide World of Sports complex and ESPN. The two will work together to relaunch the complex with more interactive exhibits.
Disney’s announcement of all its new projects comes just weeks before the much-anticipated opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando.
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