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Has Anyone Ever Been Allowed To Spend the Night on Tom Sawyer Island?

Walt Disney World: I had a dream about spending the night on Tom Sawyer Island and wanted to share it with readers.

From Rod Whitenack
Posted December 31, 2010 at 11:13 PM
After years of reading about Robert's adventures on Tom Sawyer Island, last night I had a dream about that wonderful playland. Honestly, it is probably the greatest adventure playground area ever created.

When I was kid at Walt Disney World, my parents took me on the raft ride to the island and I had a great adventure there. You either "get it" or you don't, but I got it. It's not a ride. It doesn't have animatronic characters. It's a place where the adventures of your boyhood imagaination are there for you to explore. I couldn't believe how big the place was. Caves! Mines! Rope bridges! Tree houses! What's this? A whole Fort! A secret escape tunnel? No way!


Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond.

From Rod Whitenack
Posted December 31, 2010 at 2:24 PM
Anyway, I could've moved in there, and I wondered if anyone (Boyscout troops, etc.) had ever been allowed to camp out on the Island over night. Can you imagine how fun it would be to have the run of that place after dark? The hide-and-seek possibilities are endless. Where would you set up your sleeping bags and gear? In the treehouse? The Fort? The cave?

Has a camp out ever occurred on Tom Sawyer Island? Anyobdy else ever think sbout such a thing?

From Anthony Murphy
Posted January 1, 2011 at 12:55 AM
I don't think so!

Greetings from 2011!

From steve lee
Posted January 1, 2011 at 9:32 AM
Someone tried it once. It didn't work out too well for them (I'm sure it's somewhere in the accident reports).

From Carrie Hood
Posted January 2, 2011 at 7:48 PM
I remember always hearing rumors about people who did or tried to say over at Tom Sawyers as a kid growing up in Orlando. However I'd bet it wasn't allowed because I can't recall it ever being open past dusk, I don't think there are really lights on the island.

Besides, at this point they cast probably knows ever possibly hiding spot conceivable and dozens more most people wouldn't think about (plus they may have cameras, it is WDW)!
Just the logistics of it are pretty vast, you'd need some decent overnight equipment and need some serious ninja skills to not be spotted. A red LED Headlamp or flashlight, food and water for the night, 1.2 metric tons of mosquito repellent, a good lawyer for when your caught... and those are just the first things that popped into my head.

From Tony Duda
Posted January 2, 2011 at 8:34 PM
I think the question was "Did Disney ever allow anyone to camp out overnight on Tom Sawyer Island?"

I never heard of it happening. But if you have enough money, Disney will arrange anything.

From Rod Whitenack
Posted January 3, 2011 at 9:02 AM
I was wondering about a sanctioned, supervised overnight, not about the possibility of trying to hide there past closing. Zoos and museums do it. There would have to be adult supervision and cast member guidance, and the kids would be allowed to bring flashlights, sleeping bags and snacks. The bathrooms would need to stay unlocked. I just thought it would be a cool idea that I bet people would pay for. I don't condone trying to do it illegally.

From Carrie Hood
Posted January 3, 2011 at 2:01 PM
I don't think WDW has an overnight program at all much less for Tom Sawyers Island (Guess I wasn't clear before, double shifts make my brain go stupid). All I ever remember hearing was the rumors of people who did it on their own but as Tony said, if you've got enough money you could probably by your way in although I wouldn't want to see the price tag. To my knowledge WDW doesn't have any kind of overnight programs like that although with Animal Kingdom I suppose it could be possible.

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From Ted Heumann
Posted January 4, 2011 at 5:26 PM
My neighbor is in management at Disneyland and she said that they HAVE in fact allowed groups to stay overnight on Tom Sawyer's Island at Disneyland. She said it was part of a pilot program to bring in more revenue done in the early 2000s, but she didn't know much more beyond that.
They also allowed 100s of Boy Scouts to spend the night camping at Disneyland in 2003. I haven't been able to figure out where, but I was told that they spent the night in big circus style tents.

From Walee d
Posted January 7, 2011 at 2:25 PM
they do have an overnite program, cinderella castle suite

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