Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island

Reviews

• LM

  Louisa Moore

  Apr 1, 2026
  2.0
  I hadn't been across the Rivers of America in a while but, as most Disneyland regulars do when the park is packed, I hopped the raft for a short ride over to Pirate's Lair at Tom Sawyer Island. I was very disappointed in what I found. First, it is clear Disney has zero interest in investing anything in upkeep of the island. It's in a bad state of repair, which is sadly nothing new for Disney. I'd say more than half of the fun interactive parts of the Lair are inoperable with no plans to fix them. Remember how you could turn the wheel to raise the treasure chest out of the sunken ship? Broken. Parts of the bridges and walkways are closed and roped off. And it looks like it's been this way for a long, long while. The caves are still cool, but the effects look so dated and corny now. It's a shame, because this could be a super cool attraction that's away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the park. There are some good aspects. You can climb high for a terrific vista of the park, and it's super fun to wave at the riverboat as it chugs by. There is no snack bar on the island anymore, but it's fun to take over some warm chocolate chip mini cookies from Harbor House and eat them at one of the picnic tables and random seating areas on the island. There's plenty of shade and sun if you want it, and the kids can burn off a lot of energy exploring the dark and sometimes spooky caves. There's a quiet restroom tucked away here too. I really wish Disney would invest some time and money into fixing this attraction. I fear it will eventually go the same way it has at Disney World in Florida: total removal. Let's hope that never happens, for the sake of Walt's original vision.
• OW

  Oh when?

  Nov 19, 2023
  5.0
  Time to explore! With all the caves, rooms and more it's easy to get lost or split up so be sure to keep an eye on the little ones. However so long as you have a plan/meeting point should you get split up then you will have a great time explaining the caves. There are plenty of hidden secrets and games to try. Yet another 10/10 experience 😃