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You are here: Home / Top Destinations: Disney / Disney’s Tom Sawyer Island Four Reasons Not To Skip It
Fort Langhorn on Disney's Tom Sawyer Island is waiting to be explored!
Fort Langhorn on Tom Sawyer Island is waiting to be explored. Photo Credit: Amy Albers, Inquisitive TravelingMom

Disney’s Tom Sawyer Island Four Reasons Not To Skip It

January 30, 2017 //  by Amy Albers//  4 Comments

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Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
  • The Calm of Tom Sawyer Island
  • The Freedom of Tom Sawyer Island
  • The Views of Tom Sawyer Island
  • The Book, Tom Sawyer

If you’ve been to Walt Disney World repeatedly, you may consider yourself something of an expert.  You know how to navigate the parks with the skills of a ninja.  You know which attractions to hit early, which ones can be saved for later and which can be skipped completely.  That’s what our Inquisitive TravelingMom thought, too.  It took trips with her equally inquisitive children to change her point of view on the oft-ignored Tom Sawyer Island.

Fort Langhorn on Disney's Tom Sawyer Island is waiting to be explored!
Fort Langhorn on Tom Sawyer Island is waiting to be explored. Photo Credit: Amy Albers, Inquisitive TravelingMom
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and buy, TravelingMom may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.

Y’all, in my mind Tom Sawyer Island was just a bunch of trees taking up space between Liberty Square and Frontierland.  I would see people heading over on those rafts and think, “Rookies.  You’re wasting time!”

I am a recovering theme park commando.  Get the most you can out of your day, because this is Walt Disney World and you would be crazy not to. My youngest son is totally down with my desire to cram as much in as possible.  His older brothers, not so much.  My first born is a high maintenance child, prone to anxiety and a loathing of large amounts of people.  His middle brother is simply unconcerned with time and space.  He has no sense of urgency about most things in life.  They are prime candidates for the oasis that is Tom Sawyer Island.

Riding the raft over to Disney's Tom Sawyer Island is part of the fun!
Riding the raft over to Tom Sawyer Island is part of the fun! Photo Credit: Amy Albers, Inquisitive TravelingMom

The Calm of Tom Sawyer Island

My oldest was getting a little strung out by the time he spotted the rafts heading to the island. Inquisitive like his mother, he wanted to investigate.  He’s my outdoorsy kid and is happiest in nature.  I could see him perk up just on the raft ride over.

The island is covered in trees and therefore shady, a needed respite from the Florida sun.  Benches in thoughtful spots are plentiful.  Aunt Polly’s, a long-shuttered dining spot, still has a wide porch available for catching breezes and watching the riverboat float by.  I sat here with my son while he took some time to sort out his new pin collection and just generally watch the world.  After the constant novelty of the rest of the Magic Kingdom, this offered familiarity.

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    There's plenty of room to run and explore at Fort Langhorn on Disney's Tom Sawyer Island!
    There are no lines at Fort Langhorn – just room to explore and run. Photo Credit: Amy Albers, Inquisitive TravelingMom

    The Freedom of Tom Sawyer Island

    Both of my older sons are wanderers.  Explorers.  Haters of lines.  Aside from the boat queue, Tom Sawyer Island affords freedom from any kind of lines or even orderly behavior.  There are trails.  Caves.  A playground.  A Wild West fort with a secret passageway.  It was at Fort Langhorn that my oldest entered into an epic game of Hide-and-Seek while I sat on a bench in the February sunshine. When I took my middle son for his one-on-one trip, he wanted to investigate every nook and cranny.

    If your kids have HAD IT with lines and “acting right,” get thyself to Tom Sawyer Island.  It’s a place that lets them be the kids they are and burn off some energy.  It’s the perfect activity before arriving at a sit-down restaurant.

    Enjoy taking unique shots of Disney World favorites that you can't shoot from anywhere other than Tom Sawyer Island!
    Tom Sawyer Island affords photographers a new perspective on old favorite subjects. Photo Credit: Amy Albers, Inquisitive TravelingMom

    The Views of Tom Sawyer Island

    Make sure you poke all around the island.  My favorite Magic Kingdom attractions are Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the Haunted Mansion.  You can see both from opposite ends of Tom Sawyer Island.  I appreciated a new perspective on my favorite rides.  Big Thunder looked majestic from that distance.  The Haunted Mansion looked more stately and graceful than I had ever considered it to be previously.  Did you know that you can still see Cinderella Castle from the island?  If you are a photographer, I guarantee you some great shots that most Magic Kingdom guests will never get.

    Disney's Tom Sawyer Island is low on tech but high on fun!
    Take a load off and sit a spell on Tom Sawyer Island. Photo Credit: Amy Albers, Inquisitive TravelingMom

    The Book, Tom Sawyer

    I’m a book nerd and I read Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer as a child.  Son #2 read it as well.  We were next to an older couple as we were heading into one of the caves.  My boy made a comment about which part of the book this cave appeared in and the gentleman next to us appeared shocked and stammered, “That’s right!”

    Treat your kids to Tom Sawyer Island as a life-size replica after they’ve read the book. Or, use the attraction as a springboard to pique their interest.  If you are concerned about the portrayal of people of color in the book, read it together as a family.  This can lead to great discussions about how people of different ethnicities were treated at various times in history and how your family feels people should be treated now.

    Have you ever visited Walt Disney World's Tom Sawyer Island? Here are 4 compelling reasons why it might be your family's new favorite attraction!
    Tom Sawyer Island might end up being one of your favorite parts of Walt Disney World! Photo Credit: Amy Albers, Inquisitive TravelingMom

    When you are next at Walt Disney World, make it a point to investigate Tom Sawyer Island for yourself.  You might be pleasantly surprised at this oasis in the middle of the bustling Magic Kingdom!

    TravelingMom Tip: Protect yourself while traveling with Medjet. 2020 Medjet Members hospitalized with active COVID-19 infections are now eligible for Air Medical Transport within the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Learn more about how to become a Member here.
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    Category: Top Destinations: Disney

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    4 Comments on “Disney’s Tom Sawyer Island Four Reasons Not To Skip It”

    1. Kate says:
      June 3, 2019 at 11:58 am

      Great post. We’ve been to Disney twice and have never wanted to “waste time” on Tom Sawyer Island. However, I think we’re going to check it out this third time. We have dinner reservations at Liberty Tavern so your tip about heading over there before dinner is a good one and right across the way.

      Reply
    2. julie says:
      January 31, 2017 at 1:47 pm

      I’ve always enjoyed Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland but it’s closed while they construct Star Wars Land. I will make a point to visit next time I’m at Walt Disney World, sounds like my kids would enjoy it!

      Reply
    3. Kuleen says:
      January 31, 2017 at 11:06 am

      My kids love Tom Sawyer’s Island. It really is a great place to let kids run and let off steam.

      Reply
    4. Anonymous says:
      January 31, 2017 at 11:05 am

      5

      Reply

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