Reviews of Tom Sawyer Island
Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 05/22/2025
Rating: (7) Recommended
Tom Sawyer Island is a hidden treasure at Walt Disney World. However, years of neglect by park management have taken a sad toll. It still offers a break from the noise, crowds, and chaos of the park and is an enjoyable break in your day. It's a great place to avoid a meltdown, calm down, relax in a rocking chair, and explore. There used to be a number of babbling streams, ponds, waterfalls, and creeks around the island, providing a soothing, pleasant white-noise to help muffle the crowd noise from across the river. I believe they've all been shut off years ago by the bean-counters to reduce maintenance. Even the streams in the caves and tunnels that added to the ambiance have been turned off.
The barrel bridge is still there, and I've never met a kid who didn't like bouncing along across it or the swinging bridge. Old Scratch's Mine is a classic "mystery mine/mystery house/mystery spot" style attraction, where optical illusions and perspective tricks are used to make things seem as they aren't. The slant of the path makes you feel you're being pulled to the side, toward "magnetic" jewels. A trickle of water appears to run uphill. Rock formations look like silhouettes of people. The perspective of the mine support beams makes it seem as though you are growing larger and covering a great distance swiftly.
Aunt Polly's used to serve fried chicken and sandwiches, lemonade, and sides. Now it's just a spot with a few drink vending machines. The fort doesn't have as many animatronics as it used to (there are definitely fewer chickens), and the ones that are there don't seem to get much love from the maintenance department. The underground stream you cross in the escape tunnel is now dry. In the 80s and 90s, the playground was exciting. Instead of the current one, it was made out of boulders with a big stone teeter-totter and a big spinning stone merry-go-round. I had to be pried away as a kid because it was so different from any other playground.
The island was fun to explore, with lots of paths with changing terrains, your eyes having to shift between the interior darkness of the mill, caves, and mine, dappled shade under trees, and bursts of bright Florida sunshine. Back when you had two riverboats, two keelboats, the rafts, and a flotilla of the explorer canoes, all navigating the river, it was fun to watch the traffic on the waterways. The cave was designed to be spooky but not overwhelming for adventurous children, who then feel proud of themselves for making it all of the way through.
Honestly, Tom Sawyer's Island needs loving restoration work. It still has charm and serves as an "escape" from the rest of the park, but it could be a jewel if broken things were fixed, some enhancements added, and missing decorative items returned. The flaming settlers cabin hasn't worked in ages. The cave along the river, full of river pirates plotting their next attack, has had it's effects turned off and a boat parked in its opening as a static decoration. There are fewer props around everywhere.
Those who shout that the island is boring are only telling everyone around that they lack imagination, have lost touch with the with the part of themselves that remembers childhood wonder, and perceive little unless it's right in front of their nose as obvious as someone jingling keys to distract a baby.
Those who moan that the island has no attractions misses entirely the point that the island itself *is* the attraction. It's a refuge from the park and a very detailed open environment to explore.
Pros:
Great low-stress break from the rest of the park. It's a place to relax and explore.Cons:
Has been neglected severely by maintenance. Disney management seems to have a philosophy of "if it breaks, turn it off and hope no one notices or complains too much that the effect/decorative item/theming/ambiance/etc. isn't there anymore".Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 05/12/2025
Rating: (1) Not Recommended
This is nothing but a kiddie playground with no real attractions! Most kids could care less about it! I am tired of watching grown adults throw temper tantrums over it! People who come back with the reply of well why don't you just get rid of the castle then are beyond ridiculous! Cinderella Castle is a symbol and an icon of the entire park! Rivers of America is just an inferior clone of Disneyland's River! Tom Sawyer Island is for boring people who just want to sit around all day instead of actually riding and doing stuff!
Pros:
There are none! Put it out of it's misery and get rid of it for good!Cons:
We will still have to hear people whining about because they refuse to move on!Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 05/03/2025
Rating: (2) Not Recommended
This is old and outdated! Thank goodness this dump is finally going to be gone! I can't wait for the new Cars area and Villains land! I am tired of all the whining about this old and way past it's prime area! Drain the rivers now!
Pros:
It's finally going to be gone!Cons:
It's old, outdated, and way past it's prime! Drain the rivers now!Reviewed by disneybounderdad Review Date: 09/19/2023
Rating: (7) Recommended
Very relaxing place to kick back, eat a snack and look for bears.
Pros:
Relaxing and quiet.Cons:
Closes early.Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 08/17/2021
Rating: (8) Recommended
This place is awesome!! Some people may complain that it is just a big playground for kids! It is so what’s your point!!! This place is really fun even for grown up kids like me!!
Pros:
This place is really fun!! Unfortunately, I don’t think enough people take the time to try it!! Some people may actually find out that they truly enjoy it if they just took the time to give it a chance!!Cons:
Some people may complain it’s just a big playground!! However, I don’t think that is a bad thing!Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 04/25/2021
Rating: (7) Recommended
This place is completely underrated and doesn’t get the respect it deserves. Show Tom Sawyer Island some respect!!!!!!!
Pros:
It is really fun!!!!Cons:
Some lame people might not appreciate it. It is not for everyone. If you are lame this place is not for you!!!Reviewed by PoorNanaPoorFather Review Date: 02/17/2021
Rating: (9) Recommended
I can't believe how many people don't bother riding the raft over to this great gem. This is so cool! Caves to explore. Rocking bridges to cross. Trails to hike through. A frontier fort to play in. I could go on. This place is a kid's dream for playing pretend. My son loved it when he was little, and we always made sure to spend time here. As he got older and had read Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, he loved it even more. The theming is off the charts. Little kids can really let off some energy. Aunt Polly's (when it's open) is so cool. Get a lemonade and a PBJ and then just sit in a rocking chair and relax.
Pros:
Great place for kids to play. Details and theming are fantastic! Great break from the rides and crowds.Cons:
NoneReviewed by Smay6349 Review Date: 12/06/2020
Rating: (7) Recommended
Definitely a hidden gem that most people forget about in MK. A really great escape if you want to get away from crowds. Very nostalgic if you're into classic Disney theming and one of the best spots if you can snag a rocking chair and just relax for a little bit.
Pros:
Not as many crowds & very nostalgicCons:
Can take a while to get there on the raft and a while to get backReviewed by tga1828 Review Date: 11/17/2020
Rating: (1) Not Recommended
Went to Tom Sawyer's Island not knowing what to expect. Wouldn't go again. Very boring attraction and once we got to the island, other than walking around and looking at things, there wasn't nothing to do.
Pros:
Going on a boat is always fun.Cons:
Boring and not much to do once on the island.Reviewed by disvetkayla Review Date: 05/17/2020
Rating: (8) Recommended
Not enough people know about this place and plus the hours that it’s open is short, but it’s so fun and it brings out the inner child in me
