In this week’s mailbag, MousePlanet staff writer and Mouse Tales author David Koenig answers letters in response to his February 9th column, “The End of Tom.”
Marjorie writes:
Thanks very much for the article on the demise of Tom Sawyer’s Island (TSI). As a seasonal attractions Cast Member in New Orleans, Critter Country, this will really affect the nature of my shifts for months to come, and yet there’s really not word one about it on the DisneyTeam website.
I retain many, many fond memories of that place as a child, and my love of reading classics like the Twain books was instilled into me at a young age. So I, too, mourn the passing of the Island, although, as you said, it’s needed some TLC for a long time. However, I still hold great hope that the ambience of Frontierland and [the soon to be departed] Tom Sawyer’s Island will once again become popular… all it takes is one really good movie – whether Disney-made or not — to spark people’s interest in a different theme.
I do think the pirates & princesses idea is being hideously overdone. It’s just a shame that instead of keeping a wide variety of themes and rides at tip-top shape, and adding trendy new things from there, Disneyland has basically been cannibalizing classics to create a glut of the latest craze. Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) should recognize the wonderful variety of people’s interests, without doing so much to force them into certain preset “boxes” of a few stereotypes.
Thanks for writing a wonderful article which was both informative and expressed my feelings exactly.
One last note: I don’t have a big problem with the Disney cast food. The lunch breaks are a bit short to get it, bring it back, and eat it (at least for my location), but there are always two or three meal options which are only $2.14 after tax. Get yourself free water from the soda machine, and you’re set! The variety is a little lacking, but price- and taste-wise, the food is nothing to complain about. Ya’ just can’t be a gourmand in a cafeteria.
Thanks, Marjorie! I’m guessing that with each passing year there will be a little less frontier in Frontierland.
Gary writes:
With the Pirates now taking over Tom Sawyer Island, has there been any talk about bringing back the huge pirate ship that used to circle the island?
You’re probably referring to the Sailing Ship Columbia, which still joins the Mark Twain on the River during extremely busy days and replaces the Mark when she goes down for refurbishment. But that does make me wonder if Disney has considered the possibility of turning the Columbia into a pirate ship full-time!
Oleg C. writes:
David – another excellent editorial on the current state of how Walt’s original park is “presented” these days. TSI’s makeover has always worried me that it would have absolutely no tie to the Frontierland portion of the park – and that the “big picture” of transitioning, and immersion, will go away – and micro-focus of guests on specific characters or activities is the name of the game. I think it will hurt the park in the long run (meaning over a decade) because the craft of true imagineering – the experience and imagination factor you brought up – will be lost as an art form from WDI.
I know many on the boards pooh-pooh this (sorry, had to pull that pun out) saying “Disneyland is always changing” but they don’t see the real issue and dismiss it too soon.
I’m 49 now – and I wonder when I become a grandparent if I will ever be able to share Disneyland with my grandkids as I always dreamed – or will it be a matter of letting them go and standing on the side watching them. That’s not the family-encompassing entertainment Walt had in mind and had success for so long. Some day, sir, we need to meet so I can shake your hand.
Thanks, Oleg! Maybe at the next Patina event!
Teri C. writes:
You hit the nail on the head when you stated, “There used to be fewer attractions, but more textures” at Disneyland. You put into words my nagging feeling of disappointment that’s been intensifying with each return visit to the resort recently. The whole experience seems to be growing more and more slick and impersonal. I hope your fine article will strike a chord with someone at Disney who will be inspired to make the park “feel bigger” once again.
Thanks, Teri! It doesn’t hurt to think BIG!
Philip writes:
Correction: Tom Sawyer Island is NOT going away. It’s been officially confirmed that Tom is going to keep his island.
And the whole Pirates’ Lair is NOT going to be a tie-in to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise in any way. Instead, the changes are inspired by the “river pirates” from the Tom Sawyer books…and it will NOT overshadow anything.
In addition, I think that you’re way too pessimistic, negative and overly-biased. Could you please be more positive? Thank you.
Thanks for writing. Unfortunately, one of us is going to be very surprised during our next visit to the island and, unless Mark Twain wrote extensively about Jack Sparrow, cages made out of human bones, and stuntmen sliding down ziplines, I fear it may be you.
For the last time, Jack Sparrow and the Pirates of the Caribbean characters and related props and things are NOT going to set foot ANYWHERE on the Island. It’s just going to be Tom Sawyer-era river pirates. THAT’S IT!
That was officially confirmed, so please don’t be so insistent that you’re right, David!
I must have missed that press release. Can you send me a link to that official confirmation?
Christopher writes:
Complain, complain, complain! That’s all you internet guys do! As if Disney has “lost its way” because it’s decided to update a nearly 50-year-old attraction. “It was better back in my day.” “You shouldn’t change a classic.” “If it were up to me…” Basically, it all boils down to…”Keep things the same! Change is scary.”
Listen, Disney HAS to change if it wants to stay alive. Disneyland is NOT and SHOULD NEVER BE a museum. It is a living breathing entity that changes with time in order to stay relevant. If you want Disney to be around in 50 years, then it has to continue to update, modify, even destroy and completely redo attractions. You forget that Disneyland is a BUSINESS that relies on CUSTOMERS to stay afloat. Even Walt (yes, Walt HIMSELF!) knew that in order for Disneyland be successful, it had to be ENTERTAINMENT driven. Don’t believe me? Why is “Sleeping Beauty’s Castle,” Sleeping Beauty’s Castle? COULD IT BE because Disney had a Sleeping Beauty movie opening around the time Disneyland opened?
I don’t know if you quite realize the sophisticated entertainment offerings that children have at their disposal these days. Honestly, what is at their fingertips, at home, on a DAILY basis, is–I hate to say it–more exciting than Tom Sawyer’s (gasp!) Boring Island. None of these kids have even HEARD of Tom Sawyer…and you might disagree with me on this, but I do not think that it is Disney’s responsibility to be our children’s teacher, to educate them on classic American literature. Last I checked that was the SCHOOL’S (and PARENT’S) responsibility.
But kids HAVE heard of Pirates, and kids LOVE Pirates (and Pixar movies, and princesses). And so you put a new Pirate offering out there–and kids will be drawn to it. And then their parents will take them (because that’s what parents do). And Disney will get some more money. And when Disney gets more money, it has the resources to fix those other problem areas that you internet guys spend SO MUCH TIME complaining about.
Change has done a lot of good at Disneyland over these past several years. Yes, there have been some clunkers (Rocket Rods), but don’t forget–Walt had some clunkers, as well (a Disneyland circus?).
The FIRST rule of business is that there should be NO SACRED COWS. I’m glad Disneyland realizes that. It’s the only way it can survive…so that fifty years from now, my children can show their children where one day, long ago, granddaddy climbed some rocks…
…that were shaped like pirates, of course.
Christopher, thanks for the note. I appreciate you sharing your opinions, and will revise my own accordingly.
Howard writes:
I always enjoy your articles and insights about the happenings at the “Happiest Place on Earth.” You had the following in your article in the section about the Year of a Million Dreams:
“According to a cast member familiar with the non-event, the Dreams computer said that a family was to get a special prize. A family did show up at the time and place, and just as Dream Team cast members were to award the prize, they realized the family did not qualify after talking with them. So, after that, the lights, cameras, and guest control ropes in front of Pirates were taken down.”
Can you perhaps expand a little bit on what qualifications a person/family must meet to receive a prize? Was this to be assumed to be an off-duty cast member as you mentioned earlier in the article, or is there a consideration of can the person pay the taxes on the prize to be awarded (and with the set up you described, it sounded like it was to be a fairly big ticket item). Or are there other criteria that must be met to win?
There are actually a few qualifications to meet, including winners can’t be Disney employees, can’t be immediate family of Disney employees, and must be from the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico or U.K., and (as you mentioned) must be willing to pay all the taxes on the prize. Individual prizes, such as trips, have even more restrictions. (For full rules, see this page)
I’m not sure why the winner I described either declined or was disqualified, and could not track down anyone who knew.
