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Tom Sawyer's Landing Revival?

Started by shavethewhales, July 14, 2007, 12:53:52 PM

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shavethewhales

This isn't so much of a rumor as it is a guess being thrown around by me.

Anyone been by good ole' Tom Sawyer's Landing lately? Once the most popular area of the park, now it's just a flow through for guests going to the riverfront or to TGS. The play area is somewhat dilapidated and definitely stripped of almost all of it's former charm; the tree house will never open again, and will probably come down this winter; the kiddie coaster was removed, leaving only a smoking section. Overall, if it weren't for the fact that the area is right smack dab on a major pathway, no one would visit it, and that shouldn't be for such a prime piece of land within SDC.

SDC's management seems to think so to. The Grand Expo was originally set to take the place of the Landing, but good sense overcame that. Still, that obviously means they're thinking about switching that area of the park up.
It's been said by the park management that this year's investment will fall in the $6-8 million range, but they're not getting a coaster, and they're probably not getting another huge thrill ride, and they don't need any more kid's stuff; soooooo...

After all, even though the park's management hasn't decided what to do with it yet, the tree house is going to have to come down. It's been closed for two years now for being too dilapidated, and all the park's efforts to fix it have failed, so what choice do they have? After it's gone, they'll need something to replace that area, seeing as it's right in the middle of the park.

Anyone seeing this? I think we're in for a few new shops, as that's been one of the most highly requested things lately, but I don't think the landing will die completely... We'll just have to see. Conductor Sam is supposed to be dropping a few hints on the SDC blog soon.

Joy

It'd be nice if they rebuilt Huck Finn's Hideaway, making it more extensive and bringing back some of the features it used to have (that I unfortunately never got to experience).

I'm hoping they at least retain the Mark Twain theme.... With Disney overlaying its Tom Sawyer Island with a pirate theme (with only a couple tiny things here and there to even keep it tied in with Tom Sawyer), SDC is the last great refuge for a Mark Twain-themed area in a theme park. I'd love to see costumed characters of Tom, Huck, and Becky, and maybe even a Mark Twain weekend each year that would have white-washing and frog jumping contests and any number of fun activities that can be educational and teach our young generations about one of the best American novelists.

I'm hoping that Conductor Sam's next blog entry will be the start of the hinting... I've been waiting anxiously for any hints as to what they'll be doing.

It's possible they may change the Tom Sawyer Landing into a themed area similar to what Dollywood has, where their Timber Tower is. I know that thankfully, I've heard that they'll be moving the balloon and carousel rides to the Exposition rather than getting rid of them. At least SDC knows how popular those rides are; the balloons are all my 3-year-old nephew can talk about!

Can't wait for ANY news about what's coming next!

~ "Becky" Joy ~

Coaster

Sorry to bring back a dead thread but I had to post this!!

It's back! Yesterday at SDC we were walking towards the Giant Swing from the Riverfront area and I look up and I see kids climbing the ropes at Tom Sawyer's Landing! The kids were playing up in it and it looked exactly like it did just a few years ago. The treehouse is still closed but Huck Finn's Hideaway area (around the wax play area) was all open again. And earlier in the day when we walked through that area it was still closed so they opened it sometime during that day.

I've got pictures to prove it also! I just got home though so, I'll have to post it later. I'm so excited for all this!
"May there always be a Silver Dollar City..."

marolinesdad

Are you talking about the part Directly above the Wax setup or the rest of it.   The big part was open on opening weekend and you could cross the bridge and back but the part over the wax area it self has been closed for 2 seasons now..
"May there always be a Silver Dollar City." – Paul Harvey

shavethewhales

Yeah, the old rope maze was pure sweetness. It's never actually been closed to my knowledge, it just requires staffing in this day and age, and it's not up there on their priorities, so it's probably only open when there are staff around to work it. It's too bad it can no longer be a real part of the whole landing though.

Coaster

#5
I didn't know if this area had been open in awhile or not. All I know is that when I saw kids climbing up above my heads I grabbed the camera in a hurry! Sorry if I gave a huge false alarm to anyone or anything.

Zoom in on the photo if you can so you can see the kids. I had to resize the photo so it would let me post this.
"May there always be a Silver Dollar City..."

shavethewhales

You probably don't need to resize it that small, I'll take a look at what the limits are set to and push them up a bit.

But yeah, as far as the bridges go, those have always been open, it's just that they've been separated from the huge rope maze above the wax works. Were you talking about the bridges or the actual rope maze before?

sdcforever

It's sad to see Tom Sawyer's Landing today.  :-[  I remember growing up how much fun I had in the tree house and the huge rope maze.  Also in the ball pit!  It was so much fun sliding down into the ball pit!  Does anyone know if they have concrete plans to take out the tree house?  I know it's been rumored for at least a year now.

shavethewhales

^Officially? No, but unofficially it's pretty well near damned. I fairly sure it would come down last off-season, but I guess they're keeping it up until they have the ability to put something better in it's place. Maybe that area is slated for something in 2010? It would make sense. Either way, that thing probably needs to come down here in the next couple of years.

Joy

A restoration of the treehouse as part of their 50th anniversary celebration would be cool.

~ "Becky" Joy ~

sdcforever

Quote from: tinaalsgirl on April 07, 2008, 09:13:46 PM
A restoration of the treehouse as part of their 50th anniversary celebration would be cool.

~ "Becky" Joy ~

I love the way you think!  :)  Even though I'm 25, I would go through the treehouse, climb through the rope maze, and have a romp in the ball pit if they did that.  It would be so much fun!  Man, I miss the 90s version of Tom Sawyer's Landing.

Swoosh

I thought this area was slated to become an expansion of Midtown Shopping Area... but then again what do I know.
SWOOSH

sdcforever

Quote from: Swoosh on April 07, 2008, 09:40:28 PM
I thought this area was slated to become an expansion of Midtown Shopping Area... but then again what do I know.

I could see that as a possiblity.  I could also see it being revamped into a new area in '09 or '10.

Copper

I have heard a few different things from a ride to shops, nothing definite.

sdcforever

I hope if they take it out it becomes a new themed area.  It seems like a waste of space if it's just one new ride or a few new shops.  I guess maybe I'm just a little disappointed with the Grand Exposition; it seems like SDC had a great idea but didn't follow through with it as far as I'd hoped.  I'm hoping if there is a new expansion they really put a lot of effort into implementing their idea.  For Tom Sawyer's Landing I hope they either put a lot of effort into revamping and revitalizing it, or take it out and put a great new area in its place.