I spent some time walking around Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island recently. I’m reminded of everything I love about Disneyland park whenever I step off a raft and onto that rustic rock.
I think about the sense of adventure I felt as I ducked through the caves with my siblings as a kid. I remember trying to maintain balance while crossing the pontoon bridge. The smell of island foliage triggers memories of the day I discovered Fort Wilderness and waved at passing boats from a seemingly remote river’s-edge trail.
Watching families discover the secrets of Pirate’s Lair and creating their own special island memories makes me smile. It’s a reminder that, while the spots I love at Disney Parks evolve to tell new stories, they also seem to retain the timeless heart that Imagineers imbued them with years before.
Rafts to Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island are now departing daily until dusk.
