Tom Sawyer Island in Magic Kingdom will be closing soon and it holds such a special place in my heart. This little part of the park is so peaceful and it’s such a great spot to escape the crowds, for kids and adults! The island is from the Mark Twain stories of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn’s adventures and has lots of little easter eggs from the novel. If you have never visited Tom Sawyer Island I hope today’s post will take you there. And if you have a trip planned before the end of the year, make sure you plan to spend some time on Tom Sawyer Island!
Why Is It So Special?
I have always loved the Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Such fun adventures and vibrant characters! Caves, mines, riverboats, forts and big imaginations make these stories so good. My kids are even named after these characters, Sawyer (Tom Sawyer) and Thatcher (Becky Thatcher). When we would come to Disney World on vacation we always made a point to go play on Tom Sawyer Island. Sawyer always got a kick out of it being where his name came from.
Thatcher, years later wishes his name was more prominent but liked that he could find it on the raft boats you have to take to get to the island. There are no lines on Tom Sawyer Island, kids can just run and explore, parents can sit in the shade and maybe it will even inspire you or your kiddos to read the book!
Where Is Tom Sawyer Island?
You will find this little peaceful spot in Magic Kingdom on the other side of the Rivers of America from the River Boat. You can hop on a raft boat over by Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and it will take you over to the island. That is the only way to get on and off the island and all boats stop at dusk each day. You can see some of the best views in Magic Kingdom in my opinion. Awesome views of Big Thunder Mountain, the Haunted Mansion and Frontierland.
A Little History & The Future
One of my favorite fun facts is that Tom Sawyer Island was designed by Walt Disney himself! It is based of the Mark Twain novel the adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. There are versions of Tom Sawyer Island in Disneyland, Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland. Disneyland’s version opened in 1956, Disney World’s version opened in 1973 and Tokyo’s opened with the park. The one in Disneyland was rethemed to the Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island in 2007 but the Magic Kingdom version is still the same, for now. Disney World’s Tom Sawyer Island will be closing permanently after the first of the year to make way for the new Cars section of Frontierland. The new Villains Land will be behind this new area as well.
Conclusion
There is a fence on Tom Sawyer Island that depicts a scene from the book where Tom and Huck are supposed to be painting a fence. The fence is half painted and then Huck and Tom wrote their names. But where Tom’s name is he added a heart and Becky underneath. So when we go to the island we always get the boys to stand but the perspective name inspiration for a picture. The last time we were here on vacation they were shorter than the names, last week when we went for what will probably be our last visit before it closes, they were taller than the names (insert sad face here). I am going to be sad that this area is gone forever but we have so many great memories from the island that will live forever. I will also miss the views and the peaceful area this attraction provides. I know we will always be welcoming new things in Disney World but this one does hit my heart a little different. Now don’t get me wrong, I am excited for what’s to come and we love Cars but we will miss Tom Sawyer Island big time!
I hope you feel like you had a walk around the island while reading this and if you won’t get one more trip in before the end of the year it gives you that last time you needed. Thank you all for reading along and I hope you have a magical day!
