Disneyland Closes Tom Sawyer Island Area After 70 Years, Gives No Notice to Guests
One of Disneyland Park’s oldest destinations abruptly went offline Monday with no advance warning. Here’s what Disneyland Resort guests need to know about the unannounced refurbishment of the Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island.
Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island Closes Without Warning
Disneyland Resort updated the webpage for Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island on April 27, confirming the area is now closed for refurbishment. No announcement accompanied the closure. The park’s operational calendar lists the attraction as closed through May 7 with a projected reopening of May 8, though Disneyland Resort has stopped short of officially confirming that date, directing guests to “check back” for further updates.
Because Pirate’s Lair now refers to the entire island — not just a section of it — the closure means the whole area is inaccessible. Guests cannot visit the island itself or board the transportation rafts that ferry visitors across the river during the refurbishment period.
A 70-Year-Old Frontierland Institution
Tom Sawyer Island has been part of Disneyland Park since 1956, opening just one year after Walt Disney launched the original Southern California theme park. The area was reimagined in 2007 as a tie-in to Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007), becoming the Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island in conjunction with the film’s release.
The Last One Standing
Disneyland Park is now the only U.S. Disney theme park with an active Tom Sawyer Island. Walt Disney World Resort permanently closed its version — along with the surrounding Rivers of America and the Liberty Square Riverboat — in the summer of 2025, clearing the way for Piston Peak National Park, a new Cars (2006)-themed Frontierland expansion featuring a rally race ride and a family-friendly attraction. Construction is underway at Magic Kingdom Park, though an opening date has not been announced.
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